Crossposted from BSL Updates:
The Hot Springs Board of Directors will consider an ordinance Tuesday night (December 1, 2009) that, if adopted, would ban ownership of “pit bulls” within the city limits.
Board meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at Board Chambers in the Hot Springs Municipal Building
The meeting is TOMORROW night. Please send your POLITE AND RESPECTFUL opposition to breed specific legislation to the city officials listed below. Please also send your suggestions and viable alternatives. Time is of the essense, so please take action TODAY.
Jodi Preis
Bless the Bullys
www.blessthebullys.comCity Clerk Janet Heath
jheath@cityhs.netCity Manager Lance Hudnell
lhudnell@cityhs.netCity Attorney Brian Albright
balbright@cityhs.netORDINANCE NO. O-09-43
AN ORDINANCE BANNING AND REGISTERING CERTAIN BREEDS OF DOGS AND ANIMALS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.
SECTION 2.
(a) Banned pit bull breeds of dogs are banned entirely and may not be owned or kept within the City. Banned breeds of pit bull dogs are any of the following:
(1) American Pit Bull Terrier;
(2) Staffordshire Bull Terrier, unless they meet the requirements of Subsection 3-1-5(b);
(3) American Staffordshire Terrier, unless they meet the requirements of Subsection 3-1-5(b);
(4) American Bull Dog;
(5) Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of a breed which is defined as a banned breed of dog under this section;
(6) Any dog whose owner registers, defines, admits, or otherwise identifies the dog as being of a banned breed;
(7) Any dog conforming or substantially conforming to the breed of American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or American Bull Dog as defined by the United Kennel Club, American Dog Breeders Association, or American Kennel Club;
(8) Any dog which is of the breed commonly referred to as “pit bull” and commonly recognizable and identifiable as such.
CITY OF HOT SPRINGS AGENDA ITEM # 19
BOARD ACTION REQUEST O-09-43
DISCUSSION: Providing that certain dog breeds be banned from ownership within the incorporated limits of the City of Hot Springs. Also providing a registration requirement for dogs that are of “Banned Breed” status to comply with the ordinance for “Grandfathering” at the time of the passage of this ordinance. On November 17, 2009 the Animal Services Advisory Committee provided their findings via attached letter. Also find attached my report entitled “Breed Specific Considerations for Municipalities” that reviews three Arkansas Municipalities approach to controlling dangerous dogs and the fiscal impact of providing either type of ordinance approach.
Also attached is an excerpt from City of Hot Springs Ordinance that displays the manner that we currently handle “dangerous dog cases” and finally attached is a letter from the National Park Kennel Club and their recommendations for addressing this issue.
FISCAL IMPACT: A significant increase of enforcement duties will require additional staffing to ensure compliance with the ordinance, as well as supplies and veterinary services for the spay/neuter aspect of this ordinance. $100,000 annually for the first two years for two additional Animal Control Officers and equipment for a Breed Ban, and that same amount of funding in a perpetual manner for a updated Breed Regulation program. Fundamentally, we may not actually be at this juncture had the Animal Services Department been provided officer staffing levels that it has requested for the past several years and been capable of more pro-active neighborhood work and enforcement.
My recommendation in the report falls form my experience of funding for the Department, and the reality that funding has not been adequate even though we have justified that increased revenues the Department has collected that would offset any increased costs in staffing levels.
ALTERNATIVES: Do not adopt ordinance/ Amend Dangerous Dog ordinance
stopbslcom
weigoba
