Clarksdale, MS: Rottweilers added to proposed BSL

The proposed ordinance will be up for another reading and may pass at the next board meeting. I do not know the specifics of Clarksdale’s proposed ordinance, but it is based on Bolivar County’s ordinance, which sets limits on the numbers of “pit bulls” a resident may have, and requires “pit bull” owners to purchase liability insurance.

As you can see from the conversations held by the board (in the article below), the breeds/types of dogs included in this ordinance seem to be arbitrarily decided, based on stereotypes and perception rather than any real issues the city is facing.

City of Clarksdale
Post Office Box 940
121 Sunflower Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614
(662) 621-8164
mayor@clarksdale.com (email may not be valid)
City Clerk Cathy Clark
(662) 621-8136

Previous alert for Clarksdale: http://stopbsl.com/2010/05/03/clarksdale-ms-whispers-of-bsl/

http://www.pressregister.com/articles/2010/05/14/news/doc4bed4d8663d1c352221323.txt

Board amends dog ordinance

By Christopher Moser
The Press Register
Friday, May 14, 2010 8:37 AM CDT

In Monday’s meeting of the Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners, the board decided to change the proposed pit bull ordinance to include rottweilers.

The matter of a pit bull ordinance was carried over from the previous meeting. City Attorney Curtis Boschert drafted an ordinance to reflect the board’s wishes on the regulations on owning a pit bull and the penalties if an incident occurs.

Commissioner Buster Moton addressed the issue with a question.

“Should we add other dogs such as rottweilers and German shepherds?” Moton asked.

When someone asked if German shepherds were known to attack people, Moton said that any dog could attack if trained to.

Seemingly to appease Moton, Mayor Henry Espy called for a motion to add the breeds rottweiler and German shepherd and Moton made the motion.

“I have a motion and need a second,” Espy said three times.

After the third time, Clarksdale Police Chief Greg Hoskins said he didn’t see German shepherds as attack dogs.

Espy then asked for a motion to add just the breed of rottweiler to the ordinance. The motion was given and the vote went to a roll call. All commissioners voted in favor of changing the ordinance to include pit bulls and rottweilers except Moton.

“We are still profiling dogs,” Moton said. “It’s wrong for us to single out two dogs so I vote no.”

Boschert said he would make the changes and present the ordinance at the next meeting.

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