Monthly Archives: May 2010

Kirksville, MO: Breed ban proposed

Posted on May 23, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Thanks to Jodi for this alert!

The City of Kirksville, Missouri is currently considering an ordinance that would regulate the ownership of “pit bulls” and “other animals deemed vicious.” While the ordinance being drafted includes a grandfather clause, Councilman (and Mayor Pro Tem) Richard Detweiler is pushing for a total ban with no grandfather clause.

The article is confusing in that it indicates that Kirksville already has a vicious dog ordinance that includes pit bulls. However, a review of the city code does not support that statement. Kirksville has a generic vicious dog ordinance which, if properly enforced, would adequately address any vicious dog – not only those labeled as “pit bulls.”

Please send your POLITE, RESPECTFUL and INFORMATIVE letters in opposition to breed specific legislation to the Kirksville, Missouri officials listed below. Please also list viable alternatives and suggestions for their consideration, as well.

According to the article, the next possible time this issue could come up is June 7, and a public hearing will be held to gauge the community’s opinion on the ordinance. The city council meets the first & third Monday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers. City Council Study Sessions are held the first & third Monday of every month at 4:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers

Jodi Preis
Bless the Bullys
www.blessthebullys.com

City of Kirksville, 201 South Franklin Street, Kirksville, MO 63501
660-627-1225
Toll Free: 888-299-1223
660-665-0940 (fax)

City Council:
Todd Kuhns, Mayor, tkuhns@kirksvillecity.com
Richard Detweiler, rdetweiler@kirksvillecity.com
Carolyn Chrisman, cchrisman@kirksvillecity.com
Tony Fajkus, tfajkus@kirksvillecity.com
Martha Rowe, mrowe@kirksvillecity.com
City Manager Mari Macomber, mmacomber@kirksvillecity.com
City Clerk Vicki Brumbaugh, vbrumbaugh@kirksvillecity.com

Breed ban a polarizing issue

By Taylor Muller
Daily Express
Fri May 21, 2010, 12:37 PM CDT

Kirksville, Mo. – The Kirksville city council will continue to examine the possibility of a breed specific ban on dogs….

The possible ordinance has its supporters and opponents, with city officials waiting to hear public response before moving forward.

Council member Richard Detweiler … said he believed steps short of a total ban, with a grandfather clause allowing for current pit bulls to remain, would not accomplish what was necessary.

“The insurance isn’t going to work,” he said. “Those people aren’t going to get liability insurance for their own vehicles, much less their dog.”

Full story retrieved May 23, 2010 from http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.com/news/x1070020465/Breed-ban-a-polarizing-issue

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Posted in BSL Proposed, Missouri

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Andover, MA: Whispers of BSL

Posted on May 21, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Clamp down on pit bulls?: Defenders call for focus on owners, not breed

By Neil Fater Staff Writer
May 20, 2010

[...]Some residents are talking about banning pit bulls….

Animal Law professors Holly Vietzke and Diane Sullivan, of the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, said they would rather see legislation aimed at enforcing more responsible pet guardianship, than at banning entire breeds.

Full article retrieved May 21, 2010 from http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/x2023213907/Clamp-down-on-pit-bulls-Defenders-call-for-focus-on-owners-not-breed

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Posted in Massachusetts, Whispers of BSL

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La Quinta, CA: BSL dropped

Posted on May 20, 2010 by | Comments Off

Previous alerts for La Quinta: http://stopbsl.com/?s=la+quinta

La Quinta looking to add bite to dog laws

Mariecar Mendoza • The Desert Sun • May 20, 2010

[...] Suggestions discussed Tuesday but withdrawn on advice of the city attorney included requiring liability insurance for dog owners and requiring specific dog breeds to be spayed or neutered[...]

Article retrieved 5/20/10 from http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100520/NEWS01/5200302/1026/news12/La-Quinta-looking-to-add-bite-to-dog-laws

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Posted in BSL Defeated, California

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Boston, MA: Boston pol aims to ‘put teeth’ in dog law

Posted on May 17, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Boston pol aims to ‘put teeth’ in dog law

By Laurel J. Sweet
Monday, May 17, 2010

Hyde Park City Councilor Robert Consalvo will Wednesday file a home-rule petition… [to attach liens against "pitbull" owners with unpaid tickets for breed-specific offenses, such as not muzzling their dogs, not registering their dogs, or not putting up warning signs].

Full article retrieved May 17, 2010 from http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1255322

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Posted in Massachusetts, Results of BSL

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Clarksdale, MS: Rottweilers added to proposed BSL

Posted on May 15, 2010 by | 2 Comments

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/

Board amends dog ordinance

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

[...]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.[...]

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

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

[...] All commissioners voted in favor of changing the ordinance to include pit bulls and rottweilers except Moton.

Article retrieved 5/15/10  from http://www.pressregister.com/articles/2010/05/14/news/doc4bed4d8663d1c352221323.txt

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Posted in Additional Breeds, BSL Proposed, Mississippi

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Tennessee: A bill to control vicious dogs, aimed at criminals

Posted on May 15, 2010 by | 3 Comments

This non-breed-specific bill is HB 0238/SB 0555.

Trying to Take a Bite Out of Crime via Felons’ Dogs

By ERIK ECKHOLM
Published: May 14, 2010

[...]

A bill awaiting Gov. Phil Bredesen’s signature would bar felons convicted of violent or drug-related crimes from keeping “potentially vicious” dogs for 10 years after being released from prison or probation. [...] The Tennessee proposal, modeled on a 2006 law in Illinois that was the first of its kind, focuses just on felons and also avoids naming breeds.

Article retrieved on 5/15/10 from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/15/us/15dogs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Posted in Criminal Activity, Non-BSL Proposed, Tennessee

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Warwick, RI reminder: City council to discuss breed-specific MSN, May 17

Posted on May 14, 2010 by | Comments Off

The City Council may discuss mandatory spay/neuter for “pit bulls” at the Warwick City Hall (3275 Post Road Warwick, R.I. 02886) on Monday, May 17, 2010, 7:00 PM.

Breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter still has all the flaws of any other type of breed-specific law (including identification of breeds/types of dogs to be neutered), has not been shown to be effective at reducing dog populations, and is not supported by no-kill advocates or other animal welfare experts.

Previous alert for Warwick, with contact info: http://stopbsl.com/2010/04/27/warwick-ri-warwick-weighing-mandatory-neutering-of-pit-bulls/

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Posted in BSL Proposed, Rhode Island

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Toledo, OH: Draft bill doesn’t single out ‘pit bulls’ as vicious breed

Posted on May 13, 2010 by | Comments Off

Even though the changes proposed would remove breed-specific language from Toledo’s dog ordinance, Ohio state law automatically labels all “pit bulls” as “vicious.” That means any restrictions that Toledo places on “vicious” dogs, such as a limit of one vicious dog per household and mandatory spay/neuter, would also apply to “pit bulls.”

Ohio HB 79, if passed, would remove the “vicious” designation from “pit bulls,” thereby making Toledo’s proposed changes truly breed-neutral.

Toledo dog law may target behavior

Draft bill doesn’t single out ‘pit bulls’ as vicious breed

By CARL RYAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Article published May 13, 2010

[...]In the end, the Lucas County Dog Warden Advisory Committee reaffirmed its earlier intention of not singling out the “pit bull” as a vicious breed in the draft ordinance, which remains a work in progress.

[...]A vicious dog, for the purposes of the draft legislation, is one defined as such by state law or that has hurt or killed another dog. Because state law defines “pit bulls” as automatically vicious, the draft ordinance would require all of them in the city to be spayed or neutered.

Article retrieved 5/13/10 from http://toledoblade.com/article/20100513/NEWS16/5130392/-1/NEWS10

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Posted in Ohio, Proposal to Repeal

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Lodi, NJ: BSL proposed

Posted on May 13, 2010 by | 3 Comments

Update 5/17: Lodi, NJ has decided to drop the breed-specific proposal.

BSL is prohibited by NJ state law. Lodi’s proposal is modeled after the ordinance in Garfield, which was shot down after massive public protest earlier this week. It is not clear whether Lodi will take the hint and remove the breed-specific language.

Contact info for Lodi city officials:

City of Lodi, New Jersey
Debra A. Cannizzo, Borough Clerk
dcannizzo@lodi-nj.org
One Memorial Drive, 2nd Floor, Room 202, Lodi, NJ 07644
(973) 365-4005

Mayor Bruce Masopust, masopust@lodi-nj.org
Deputy Mayor Paula Fiduccia, fiduccia@lodi-nj.org
Councilman Thomas DeSomma, desomma@lodi-nj.org
Councilman Marc N. Schrieks, schrieks@lodi-nj.org
Councilwoman Karen Viscana, viscana@lodi-nj.org

Online contact form: http://www.lodi-nj.org/Contact/

Pit bull ordinance is modeled after Garfield’s measure

Last updated: Thursday May 13, 2010, 1:32 AM
BY SUSAN JOY CLARK
Community News (Lodi Edition)
STAFF WRITER

The borough council in Lodi is discussing the possibility of an ordinance regulating pit bulls.

The ordinance, still in draft form, would require specific licensing and control requirements for pit bulls if passed.

Article retrived 5/13/10 from http://www.northjersey.com/news/93653599_Pit_bull_ordinance_is_modeled_after_Garfield_s_measure.html

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Posted in BSL Proposed, New Jersey

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Carthage, MS: “Pit bull” ban passed, no grandfather clause

Posted on May 12, 2010 by | 6 Comments

Thanks to Jodi for bringing this into the spotlight.

Carthage has no leash law. This quote from the city attorney, Alan Rhea, boggles the mind: “By putting in the ban on the specific breeds,” the attorney said, “you eliminate having to prove the dogs are dangerous.”

Contact city officials and attorney:

City Hall, 212 Main Street, Carthage, MS 39051
Phone: 601-267-8322
Fax: 601-267-5955

Mayor Jimmy Wallace
Aldermen
Larwin Atkison, Ward 1
David Cockroft, Ward 2
Terry Jones, Ward 3
David Herrington, Ward 4

City Attorney: Nettles and Rhea Attorneys at Law, (601) 267-8404

Ban on pit bulls kicks in, enforcement urged

“Today’s the day,” [Mayor Wallace] told aldermen. “If there’s anybody with this breed of dog on their property, we’re now able to go in there and get it.”

The ordinance applies to pit bulls and pit bull mixes.

Article retrieved 5/12/2010 from http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/140000/140738.pdf

Animal ordinance

Aldermen also adopted an ordinance to ban certain breeds of dogs in the city.

[...]The initial list included American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers and any half breed canines from the list.

The ordinance would take effect 30 days after publication and would include no “grandfather” provisions, Rhea said.

Alderman David Herrington moved that Rottweilers be removed from the list, pending further study, but otherwise there was no opposition to the amendment to the ordinance.

Article retrieved on April 8, 2010 from: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130178.pdf

Read the whole ordinance here: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130181.pdf

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Posted in BSL Passed, Mississippi

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