Fremont, OH: Fremont council hears opinions on pit bulls

October 16, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Previous stories on Fremont, OH: http://stopbsl.com/?s=Fremont%2C+OH

http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20091016/NEWS01/910160307

Fremont council hears opinions on pit bulls

Police chief, dog advocates weigh in

BY LESLIE BIXLER • Staff writer • October 16, 2009

FREMONT — City hall was packed Thursday night to hear Fremont police Chief Tim Wiersma, Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates’ Jean Keating and Sandusky County’s deputy dog warden Gina Halbisen debate pit bulls.

Councilman James Melle, who is chairman of the laws, rules and ordinance committee, said before the meeting that the purpose was to gather information before considering any legislation.

“Let’s educate ourselves,” City Law Director Bob Hart said. “We’re here to listen to all points of view.”

Wiersma presented information on dog-related calls since 2005, which was requested on behalf of Mayor Terry Overmyer and council. He said there have been five pit bull attacks in each year. But there has also been other dog attacks with numerous other breeds, which have been more consistent and were in the range between 15 and 18 per year.

Councilman James Weaver asked if the pit bull attacks were to humans or other dogs, and Wiersma said both.

However, not all dog-related calls, which were fewer than 200 a year, were just bites or attacks, but also included dogs running loose and other minor incidents.

“We want safe communities and safety for our children. But we need to balance safety and the rights of a person to own what they want to own,” Keating said.

She said there have been roughly 30 human deaths a year by dogs. She went on to say that 84 people die a year from forklift injuries.

She stressed the importance of dog safety for children.

“We have had people killed in this country from Yorkshire Terriers,” she said.

Keating also said part of the problem is pit bulls get a bad reputation because of the media and people who can’t identify breeds.

“Every dog with a block (shaped) head and broad shoulders isn’t a pit bull,” she said.

She believes the heart of the problem is irresponsible owners.

Halbisen said in her 15 years of experience, she has seen a lot of irresponsible owners, and there have been pit bull attacks in the last few months.

“My job is to protect people of Sandusky County and the people of Fremont from vicious dogs,” she said. “Pit bull attacks are horrendous and nobody should have to go through that.”

She said she goes into the schools about six times a year to talk about dog safety and dog bites.

At another meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5, Ledy VanKavage, of the Best Friends Animal Society out of Illinois, will speak about pit bulls.

[Irrelevant text elided]

Filed under BSL Proposed, Ohio Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Toledo, OH: Another ‘vicious dog’ case in the courtroom

October 16, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Yet another story focusing on breed identification and its hazards.  The story at the link has a 2-minute video, including shots of the hearing and a bit of interview with the defendant’s lawyer.

“There’s a history here of the Dog Warden’s office misclassifying dogs as Pit Bulls when they’re not Pit Bulls.  Oftentimes owners don’t have the wherewithal, or they’re scared to fight for their dogs.  They’re often threatened with the threat of criminal prosecution…” — Mr. Smith’s attorney

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7066998

Another ‘vicious dog’ case in the courtroom

Thursday, October 15, 2009

The eventual focus of this case – just what is a Pit Bull?

Toledo’s Pit Bull or Vicious Dog Law has been the focus of numerous court cases, and another one is now moving through the system. The eventual focus of this case is just what is a Pit Bull?

Three dogs are being held at the warden’s office. The owner claims they’re Cane Corsos, not Pit Bulls. The dog warden disagrees. Today’s hearing was to decide if the dogs have to stay here while the case moves through the court system.

Hugh Smith was walking his three dogs earlier this month when there was a fight between one of his dogs and a neighbor’s dog. Smith’s attorneys say they believe the other dog started the fight. The other dog was not seriously hurt.

Smith’s three dogs have been held at the dog warden’s for two weeks. His attorneys are asking that they be released until the court decides if, in fact, they are Pit Bulls. If the court agrees with the warden and Smith’s convicted under the vicious dog law, among other things, the judge could sentence Smith to jail time and a fine. The judge could also order the dogs to be euthanized.

“There’s no question. They are not Pit Bulls and we can prove it right now. We have paperwork showing that they are Cane Corsos and that their parents were, and their great-grandparents were Cane Corsos,” says Smith.

The prosecution argues that it’s too early to make any decisions. “I’m not saying something can’t be worked out, but I think it’s premature today for the state to give the dogs back. And we’ve argued that, but if the court makes that decision we will abide by the court’s order,” says the prosecution.

Smith’s attorneys say this case is part of a bigger issue. “There’s a history here of misclassifying [dogs as] Pit Bulls when they are not [Pit Bulls]. Many of the people are scared to fight for their dogs, threatened with criminal prosecution,” says Smith’s attorney.

The judge will make a ruling Friday afternoon as to whether Smith can have his dogs while the case continues. Another hearing is scheduled for later this month to decide if the dogs are in fact Pit Bulls.

Filed under Breed Identification, Court Cases, Ohio, Results of BSL Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Kitchener, ON, Canada: Dog owner pleads case to save pet’s life

October 15, 2009 by weigoba 3 Comments

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/613149

Dog owner pleads case to save pet’s life

October 14, 2009

By Terry Pender, Record staff

KITCHENER — Jack Simpson walked into City Hall on Monday morning to plead for his dog’s life.

Last month Simpson’s dog Charlie was designated as a banned animal by the Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society. A designated dog must be destroyed.

Simpson appeared before the city’s Dog Designation Appeal Committee, saying his Charlie never bothered anyone.

In February 1997 the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo adopted a bylaw that bans Pit Bulls or Pit Bull-like dogs.

Simpson never thought that would apply to the friendly mutt he inherited from a neighbour about 18 months ago. But when Simpson moved into a new house on Stirling Avenue his dog Charlie took off to explore the neighbourhood and was picked up as a stray by the Humane Society.

When Simpson called the society looking for Charlie he described the animal as Black Lab-Pit Bull cross. That’s when Shon Carroll, a humane society officer, was told to investigate the dog’s background.

Carroll met with Simpson and his dog on Sept. 2 to take pictures and measurements.

“My biggest thing is the width of the head, the wideness of the forehead,” Carroll said at the committee hearing.

The hind quarters were visibly lower and smaller than the front shoulders. The dog also had a big chest. But Charlie’s head was most concerning for humane society officer tasked with enforcing the Pit Bull ban.

Charlie’s muzzle has a box shape too, Carroll said.

Carroll told the committee the lab traits in Charlie are stronger than the Pit Bull traits. Carroll also said Charlie appeared to be friendly.

But mainly because of the size of the dog’s head Carroll designated Charlie a Pit Bull-like animal that was banned and would have to be destroyed.

“Because I left a message with the humane society that he is a lab-pit cross, the fact that I said ‘pit’ was enough to raise red flags,” Simpson said to the committee.

“Had I known then what I know now, I would never have mentioned the word ‘pit,’ I would have said a ‘lab cross’ and that would have been the end of it,” Simpson said.

He told the committee the dog never bothered anybody. Simpson said he brings the dog to the old age home where his mother lives and his sister’s daycare. He submitted letters from both women as evidence.

“My mother’s in an old age home. I take Charlie there, everybody loves Charlie,” Simpson said.

“I take him to my sister’s, she has a daycare centre, all the kids play with Charlie, and they all love him. There isn’t a soul in the city who doesn’t like Charlie and yet they were willing to put him to sleep because of the size of his head, which doesn’t seem fair,” Simpson said.

The committee members — Coun. Geoff Lorentz, Coun. John Smola and Anne Lawrence of the K-W Kennel Club — listened to the evidence.

Simpson said a lot of people are not aware dogs that are half Pit Bull can be designated and destroyed.

“It’s not an exact science I can tell you that,” Lorentz said.

Lawrence, the committee chair, wanted to know why Simpson described Charlie as a “lab-pit.”

“It’s just an easy way to explain what kind of dog he is rather than rattling off a whole bunch of different breeds I see in him,” Simpson said.

“OK so this wasn’t because you were told this by a vet?” Lawrence said.

“No, this is something I came up with as a short way of telling people what I think he is,” Lawrence said.

The committee members deliberated behind closed doors for a few minutes.

“Based on the evidence the committee is rescinding the designation which means you are free to license your dog, no restrictions. Thanks you every one,” Lawrence said.

No further explanations were given.

Simpson was visibly relieved as he walked out of the council chambers where the hearing was held.

“I am pleased, very pleased,” Simpson said.

The whole process has left Simpson shaking his head.

“Because they didn’t like the size of his head they wanted to kill him,” Simpson said.

“They gave me two options. Go get a DNA test done on him and find out what his lineage is, which is several thousand dollars, or leave the province,” Simpson.

tpender@therecord.com

Filed under Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Senath, MO: Defending the family pet … [Ban defeated]

October 14, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Previous article about Senath, MO: http://stopbsl.com/2009/09/18/senath-mo-pit-bull-ban-proposed/

I have not verified it, but from the articles, it seems like Senath already has (unenforced) BSL defining Pit Bulls as “dangerous dogs,” with requirements about escape-proof kenneling, and perhaps muzzling in public.  The defeated ammendment to Senath’s “Dangerous Dog” law apparently would have added an outright ban.

http://www.dddnews.com/story/1578272.html

Defending the family pet …

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Joshua Payne

Owners voice concern over proposed pit bull ban in city limits

Several residents of Senath attended the Senath City Council meeting in support of keeping their family pets, which would be taken from the homes as stated in a recently proposed ordinance banning pit bulls from the City of Senath.

Mayor Joe Lane asked the individuals present at the meeting intending on voicing concerns regarding the pit bull ordinance to choose one individual to represent the group and speak to the board.

The group chose Leslie Brooks as a representative to take the floor and speak to the board.

Brooks informed the council that animal rights has been around since 1635.

“I feel what’s happening now is that animal rights is being compared to racist and sexist views of the past,” Brooks said. “Animals have rights too, and animal law is now being studied in a majority of law schools.”

She added that this shows that animals rights are on the rise.

“Why should our dogs have to suffer because of their breed,” Brooks said. “Why should all the families and dogs have to suffer for the complaint of one dog.”

Brooks noted that she felt that the all owners of such a breed should not be punished. She explained that she felt that the dogs should be grandfathered in because if not there will be a lot of families hurting.

“It’s not your children that will be crying themselves to sleep,” Brooks said.

“Innocent people should not have to suffer for one dog. This is no way to treat man’s best friend.”

She added that she hopes and prays that the council keeps in mind the families that would be hurt by this ordinance.

Lane noted that he had talked to the deputy sheriff recently about a dog attack around Campbell where the dog attacked the owner and it was a pit bull. The owner is now at Memphis, Tenn., in the hospital in the ICU, Lane added.

“This stuff does happen,” Lane said.

Brooks noted that it was listed in the paper that the dogs taken would be euthanized if they were not found homes.

Lane explained that this was the way all dogs were handled, to his knowledge.

Alderman Patsy Davis noted that if the dangerous dog ordinance, currently in effect in the city, would have been followed properly, then this situation would not have occurred.

City Attorney Johnny Dalton added that the only difference between the proposed ordinance and the active dangerous dog ordinance was that the current ordinance did not say that pit bulls are specifically prohibited in the city.

“It did define pit bulls as a dangerous dog, but not prohibited,” Dalton.

He added that if a dog was considered dangerous under the ordinance, then there were specifications on how the dog was to kept.

The council decided to postpone the passing of a new ordinance and attempt to fix the problem by more strictly enforcing the current dangerous dog ordinance.

[Irrelevant text elided]

The next Senath City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., on Monday, November 9, 2009.

Filed under BSL, Missouri Tagged with , , , , ,

Dandridge, TN: BSL not passed, City Council to start over

October 14, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Previous articles on Dandridge, TN: http://stopbsl.com/?s=dandridge

The second article seems to indicate that a breed-specific ban may yet be passed.

http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=11309831

Pit Bull ban fails at Dandridge council meeting

Posted: Oct 13, 2009 8:45 PM

DANDRIDGE (WATE) — The Dandridge City Council rejected a proposed ban on pit bulls and will start from square one on the issue.

Town Administrator Jim Hutchinson said earlier this evening city councilman denied the proposal as written.

Hutchinson says the city is re-working the proposal to read “vicious dog” instead of naming a specific breed.

A workshop on the revisions will be held the first Tuesday in November.

A vote is expected in December.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=101793&provider=rss

(A a one-minute video story at the link includes several seconds footage from the meeting.)

Pit bull owners celebrate temporary victory against ban

Some pet owners are celebrating a victory, but it may be short-lived since a townwide pit bull ban is still a possibility.

Jim Matheny Updated: 10/14/2009 1:08:18 AM Posted: 10/13/2009 9:01:16 PM

After listening to more than an hour of passionate pleas from pit bull owners Tuesday night, the Dandridge Board of Aldermen voted to ditch its proposed regulation on pit bulls and start over from scratch.

Tuesday night was the third and final reading of the proposed regulation that would have banned any new pit bulls within town limits. The regulations would have also required owners of existing pit bull to obtain at least $50,000 of liability insurance.

Read previous WBIR story from September 15 for full details.

Going into Tuesday’s meeting, both supporters and opponents of the plan said it seemed to be a done deal. Five residents of Dandridge previously voiced concerns about the breed after some close calls with aggressive pit bulls.

“We were asked by citizens of this town to do something. This is the reason we are here tonight,” said George Gantte, Mayor of Dandridge.

More than 50 people showed up for Tuesday’s public hearing, all of them in opposition to restricting pit bulls. Most of those in attendance were not residents of Dandridge, but said the town’s proposed regulation impacts the entire region.

“When one town passes this type of breed specific legislation, it sets a precedent and signals other towns to do the same,” said Wendy Jackson with the East Tennessee Pit Bull Rescue.

Jodi Preis, founder of Bless the Bullys rescue group, drove from Crossville to voice her concerns to the regulations.

“Dogs are a product of their owners. If you have a problem dog issue, you have a problem dog owner issue,” said Preis. “There are alternatives to breed specific bans that help control problem-owners. That includes escalating fines for each infraction with a tiered system.”

The crowd pointed out several problems with breed specific legislation. Obstacles enforcement due to the difficulty associated with identifying pit bulls from other breeds.

Preis and others in the crowd provided the board with background literature in addition to outlining alternative laws that target problem-owners or individual dogs rather than an entire breed. Ultimately, the board decided to dismiss the current proposal and go back to the drawing board.

“I tend to lean towards something that regulates vicious dogs rather than a zeroing in on a specific breed. I do not think we should take any action on the current proposal,” said Alderman Ken Thornhill. “I think we should start over.”

Thornhill then indicated one of the residents who expressed concerns about pit bulls was also disturbed by other breeds of dog held by the same owner. He said a blanket regulation would address those problems as well. The board will now return to a work session to craft a new proposal. The final proposal will again require the three readings before it can be put into effect.

While many in the crowd considered the decision a victory, some were concerned the board may return with nearly identical regulations despite starting over.

“Banning a breed is not the answer. Making people responsible for their pets and holding people responsible for their actions, that’s the answer,” said Jackson. “When we address it through an owner’s aspect, they are less likely to do the same thing with a totally different dog. Maybe they [the town] will seek some advice and say, ‘Hey, help us get a better law here.’”

Pit Bull ban fails at Dandridge council meetingPit Bull ban fails at Dandridge council meeting

Filed under BSL Defeated, Non-BSL Proposed, Tennessee Tagged with , , , , ,

Denver, CO: Dog owner challenges Denver’s pit bull evaluation and wins

October 10, 2009 by weigoba 4 Comments

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-pitbull-100909,0,5301116.story

(The 3-minute video at that link gives more detail, including several seconds speech from Linda Hart, one of the dog experts who testified about the breed ID mistake made by Denver’s “experts.”  The dog in the case is also shown for several seconds.)

Dog owner challenges Denver’s pit bull evaluation and wins

By Julie Hayden KDVR Denver

October 9, 2009

Lawyers with the Animal Law Center say a ruling today could challenge the way Denver enforces its pit bull ban. Dogs that are deemed to be predominantly “pit bull” are banned in Denver, and can be seized and put down.

They say as many as four thousand dogs have been euthanized under this ban, but today’s ruling raises the question that many of them might have been by mistake.

The city uses three experts to evaluate the dogs and determine whether they are predominantly pit bull. But one man, whose dog ,Dexter, was sized, challenged the city’s experts. In this case, it was two animal control officers and a vet tech.

He brought in three experts of his own, world renowned experts on dog breeds.

All three agreed Dexter was not predominantly pit bull and therefore was not banned. The hearing officer ruled the dog owner’s experts were right, and the City’s experts were wrong. The dog’s life was spared and he went home with his owner.

Lawyers with the Animal Law Center say if Denver is going to put dogs on “death row” based on the evaluation of so-called experts, the city has a duty to make sure the experts know what they are doing.

Filed under Breed Identification, Colorado, Court Cases, Results of BSL Tagged with , , , , , ,

Clairton, PA: Clairton City Council Meets Over Pit Bull Problem

October 10, 2009 by weigoba 1 Comment

A similar story — “Clairton Task Force Will Sink Teeth Into Dog Problems” — at http://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.html (with a 2-minute video) downplays breed specificity.

In the story below, these items caught my attention: Allegheny County statistics confirm that pit bulls are responsible for the majority of attacks by animals…. “We have not really been pushing this ordinance, but it’s time that we start getting strict with the ordnance,” said Clairton Mayor Domenic Virgona. “Everyone having a dangerous dog such as a pit bull and Rottweiler and so on must register their dog with the city of Clairton. They must also be on a leash and if they’re going to walk the dog on the street, it must be muzzled.”  Also, the mayor says that anyone who disobeys that ordnance will face a $500 fine. The mayor also says that a ban on pit bulls in the future is not out of the question.

Contact info for city officials:
City of Clairton, 551 Ravensburg Blvd., Clairton, PA 15025

Remember: BSL is already in place in Clairton. Correspondence should seek to educate about the flaws with their current system, suggestions for a better ordinance, and to dissuade from a breed ban.

http://kdka.com/pets/pit.bull.problems.2.1237955.html

Clairton City Council Meets Over Pit Bull Problem

Oct 9, 2009 1:50 pm US/Eastern

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The Clairton City Council met this morning to discuss recent problems involving pit bulls and police officers.

An animal control specialist said at the meeting that the city of Clairton is not the only community dealing with a dangerous animal problem; however, the city is taking action to prevent animal attacks and animals from being shot by police.

Colleen Policastro’s two pit bulls are licensed, kept inside the yard and even monitored by video surveillance. Yet, she says she worries about her dogs getting shot by police.

“My dogs get out the front door, going down the road – my neighbors know my dogs are not going to hurt anybody,” said Policastro. “Does that mean that the police are allowed to come on up and draw a gun and shoot it for no apparent reason?”

Clairton police and city officials are growing more concerned about pit bulls posing a threat to the community.

There were several incidents recently where officers drew their weapons on pit bulls, one of them resulting in the death of a dog.

“We are here to protect life, yes; as well as our own lives as well as the citizens of the community,” said Chief Rob Hoffman, of the Clairton Police Department.

Allegheny County statistics confirm that pit bulls are responsible for the majority of attacks by animals.

“Just last week, I filed three additional dangerous dog charges in the counties, or other areas, municipalities, and two out of the three were pit bulls,” said Ken Ferree, an animal control specialist.

Meanwhile, the city of Clairton is beginning to crack down on pit bull and other dog owners.

“We have not really been pushing this ordinance, but it’s time that we start getting strict with the ordnance,” said Clairton Mayor Domenic Virgona. “Everyone having a dangerous dog such as a pit bull and Rottweiler and so on must register their dog with the city of Clairton. They must also be on a leash and if they’re going to walk the dog on the street, it must be muzzled.”

Also, the mayor says that anyone who disobeys that ordnance will face a $500 fine. The mayor also says that a ban on pit bulls in the future is not out of the question.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.htmlhttp://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.html

Filed under Pennsylvania, Results of BSL, Whispers of BSL Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Ceredo, WV: Pit Bull Ban Debated in Ceredo (proposal to repeal)

October 6, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Contact information for Ceredo city officials:
Main and B Streets, Ceredo, WV 25507-0691
304-453-1041
Fax: 304-453-4675

City Council members: Joe Ratcliff, Steve Diamond, Dennis Adkins, Jim Billups, Robert Leslie, Otis Adkins (Mayor), Stanley Fink (Recorder)

Next city council meeting: November 2, 7:30 PM
Town Council Meetings are 1st Monday of the Month, 7:30 pm

There is a video with slightly more at the original link:

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/63574217.html

Pit Bull Ban Debated in Ceredo

A current ban of pit bull terriers in Ceredo is up for debate, and even City Council discussed the issue Monday evening.

Posted: 10:59 PM Oct 5, 2009
Reporter: Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com

CEREDO, W.Va. (WSAZ) — A current ban of pit bull terriers in Ceredo is up for debate, and even City Council discussed the issue Monday evening.

Some pit bull owners want the law changed changed in one town where their pooches are now banned. Resident Steve Hardwick said his pit bull is a part of the family.

“It’s not right,” he said. “It’s like taking away my son.”

Hardwick received a citation to get rid of his dog. According to the law, pit bull terriers and other vicious dogs are banned from living within Ceredo’s city limit.

There’s a petition with more than 70 signatures, hoping Council will change the law. That’s why pit bull owners and those who support them packed city hall to send a strong message to Council and Ceredo Police.

Sue Brown with Little Victories would like to see the law changed, forcing owners to muzzle their dogs or have secure shelters for them.

Council members tabled the issue Monday, saying they want to study the pit bull breed and meet with Brown before making a decision about the issue.

Filed under Proposal to Repeal, West Virginia Tagged with , , , , , ,

Fort Dodge, IA: Candidates’ positions on possible “pit bull” ban

October 4, 2009 by weigoba Leave a Comment

Previous alert for Fort Dodge: http://stopbsl.com/2009/09/20/fort-dodge-ia-fd-council-likely-to-review-animal-laws-monday/

Next city council meeting: October 12, 6:00 PM, City Council Chambers @ City Hall

Contact information for Fort Dodge:
Municipal Building, 819 1st Avenue South, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
515-573-7144
Fax 515-573-5751
citymanager@fortdodgeiowa.org

City Council Members’ Contact Information:

David Flattery, At Large
515-576-6314
dflattery@csbfd.com

Richard Inman, At Large
515-576-4967
swassing42@aol.com
rinman@fortdodgeiowa.org

Matt Bemrich, At Large
227-5149
mbemrich@mchsi.com
mbemrich@fortdodgeiowa.org

Curt Olson, Ward 1
H: 573-3551
C: 571-8230

Don Wilson, Ward 2
573-3030
donwilson3030@hotmail.com

Cindy Litwiller, Ward 3
Mayor Pro Tem
573-1046
clitwill@hotmail.com
clitwiller@fortdodgeiowa.org
Litwiller is candidate for mayor and would support breed-specific regulations on “pit bulls,” including special containment, liability insurance, and muzzling.

Dan Payne, Ward 4
Dean of the Council
H: 955-6356
W: 573-4282
dlpkay@frontiernet.net

Several candidates for the above positions state in this article that they would be in favor of breed-specific regulations for “pit bulls.” Others have said that they would not be in favor of a ban, but did not specify whether they would favor or be against breed-specific laws in general.

http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/519035.html

Candidates oppose pit bull ban

Mayoral, council hopefuls don’t see need

By BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
POSTED: October 4, 2009

Pit bulls suffer from an image problem like perhaps no other breed of dog.

While many people view the dogs as lovable and loyal pets, others see them as nothing more than a fearsome set of jaws and teeth.

In Fort Dodge, the new Animal Control Ordinance Review Committee may discuss the possibility of banning the breed.

But there appears to be no support for a pit bull ban among the candidates for mayor and City Council in this year’s election.

Here, in the second of a series of articles on city issues, those candidates discuss their thoughts on the possibility of a pit bull ban.

MAYOR

Councilman Matt Bemrich: ”I would not want to ban the breed,” he said. ”My first instinct is that a responsible dog owner who has a pet that might be considered vicious because of its breed should not be penalized because their dog hasn’t done anything wrong.”

”My first instinct is to deal with the people that cause the problem,” he added.

Bemrich said he thinks the city should adopt a ”zero tolerance policy” regarding dogs running loose.

Councilwoman Cindy Litwiller: ”I think we need to look at ways to take additional precautions,” Litwiller said. ”I don’t think we need to go so far as to ban them.”

The candidate said she believes the dogs should be muzzled while they are being walked. She added that pit bulls should be kept in fenced-in kennels in which the fence extends beneath the surface of the ground so that the dogs can’t dig their way out.

Litwiller said she believes a liability insurance requirement for pit bull owners should be considered. She added that the city’s $2 fee for dog licenses needs to be reviewed.

COUNCIL

AT-LARGE

Andy Fritz: ”I do not believe that a breed specific ban is the answer,” Fritz said. ”I think we’ve got the right laws in place.”

He said he thinks the existing animal control laws need to be more vigorously enforced. He added that residents have a role to play in that enforcement by reporting problems like dogs running loose.

Eugene Newsome: Newsome owns a pit bull named Baby.

”She’s never, ever, ever attempted to show a hostile attitude toward anyone,” he said.

Not surprisingly, Newsome is opposed to a pit bull ban. However, he said he would support a measure requiring pit bull owners to have liability insurance.

”I think that would calm some of the fears of the public,” he said.

Dennis O’Farrell: ”The way I see it, it’s not fair to ban the breed,” O’Farrell said. ”The fair way to handle it is to deal with each dog individually.”

The candidate said he believes a dog’s training, handling and use is more important than its breed in determining if the animal will behave in a vicious way.

Robert ”Barney” Patterson: He is opposed to a ban on pit bulls.

”I really don’t think we should be singling out any one breed of dog,” he said.

COUNCIL, 2ND WARD

Rita Carlson: ”I believe we shouldn’t target one specific breed,” Carlson said.

She said she thinks the existing animal control laws must be enforced.

Councilman Don Wilson: ”I would not support a total ban on pit bulls,” Wilson said.

He said he believes any dog that bites a person should be confined to a kennel with walls at least six feet high.

COUNCIL, 3RD WARD

Margy Halverson-Collins: The candidate said she wants to wait until the Animal Control Ordinance Review Committee issues its recommendations before she offers an opinion on the issue. That committee will submit its report to the council by the end of December.

She said that dog owners must accept responsibility for their animals.

Halverson-Collins said pit bulls ”are not a family dog.”

Richard Higgins: During a Sept. 21 City Council workshop on animal control laws, Higgins went to the podium and told the elected officials that he was in favor of a pit bull ban.

He’s since changed his mind.

”I would not support banning pit bulls at this time until I have more information on this particular issue,” he said Wednesday.

Higgins said if he’s elected he’ll try to raise dog license fees in order to generate money to hire a second animal control officer.

COUNCIL, 4TH WARD

Tom Hemann: ”I’m not in favor of a ban on pit bulls at this time,” he said. ”However, I feel that they should be contained in a manner that they would not be at risk of injuring any one person or animal. If it showed vicious traits than it should be banned on an individual basis.”

Hemann said he’s not a fan of pit bulls.

”I feel they are intimidating because of their looks and bark and I wouldn’t trust their personality,” he said.

Kelly Hindman: Hindman opposes a pit bull ban.

He said some of those dogs ”might be fine pets that don’t cause anybody any problems,”

Hindman said he wants to see the recommendations of the Animal Control Ordinance Review Committee before he offers any suggestions.

Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net

Filed under Iowa, Whispers of BSL Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Aberdeen, MS: Concerned Aberdeen residents hope to see a ban on pit bulls

October 3, 2009 by weigoba 6 Comments

A small (but apparently motivated) group of residents in Aberdeen, Mississippi, is lobbying their city and county officials to ban Pit Bulls.  So far, legislative action has been postponed until an unspecified time in October 2009.

City Contact Info:
THE CITY OF ABERDEEN, 125 W. Commerce St., Aberdeen, Mississippi 39730
1-662-369-8588
jbenson@ci.aberdeen.ms.us

Aberdeen City Officials Contact Info:

Mayor Jim Ballard
662-369-4165
amayor@ci.aberdeen.ms.us

Ward 1: Alonzo Sykes
1113 Elk Circle, Aberdeen, MS 39730
1-662-369-7524

Ward 2: Cloyd Garth
310 S. James St., Aberdeen, MS 39730
1-662-369-5734

Ward 3: David Ewing
P. O. Box 1095, Aberdeen, MS 39730
1-662-369-9150

Ward 4: Randy Nichols
P. O. Box 1161, Aberdeen, MS 39730
1-662-369-3352

Ward 5: John Allen
1006 W. Commerce St., Aberdeen, MS 39730
1-662-369-4683

Law Office of Robert Faulks, City Attorney
408 Highway 145 North, Aberdeen, MS 39730
(662)369-8099

Monroe County Officials Contact Info:

Monroe County Board of Supervisors, P. O. Box 578, Aberdeen, MS 39730

District One: RANDLE GRAY
60182 Hatley Detroit Road, Amory, MS 38821
662-256-3107

District Two: BILLY KIRKPATRICK
52259 Highway 25 S., Amory, MS 38821
662-256-7744

District Three: BRUCE WEST

District Four: FULTON WARE

District Five: SYKES LAGRONE
30015 Central Grove Road, Nettleton, MS 38858
662-257-6035

County Attorney John Creekmore
P.O. Box 716, Amory, MS 38821
(662) 256-8208 Phone
(662) 257-0306 Fax

http://nems360.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Concerned+Aberdeen+residents+hope+to+see+a+ban+on+pit+bulls+%20&id=3785799&instance=secondary_stories_left_column

Concerned Aberdeen residents hope to see a ban on pit bulls

October 2, 2009

by Jeff Clark/Monroe Journal

ABERDEEN – Concerned residents in the Meadowlane neighborhood have taken their issue to both city and Monroe County officials – the issue of banning pit bulldogs (American Pit Bull Terriers) in the City of Aberdeen.

“We now have five of these dogs in our neighborhood,” concerned citizen Brick Young said. “These dogs can be extremely vicious and even deadly – we need to have something done so that we do not have problems of that nature in Aberdeen.”

Young, along with other residents from the neighborhood, have brought the topic of pit bulls in front of both the city’s aldermen and the county board.

Young and his group first approached the Aberdeen Board of Aldermen on the issue during the September 2 meeting. It was tabled until the following meeting. At the September 16 meeting, Young and other once again brought the notion of banning pit bulls in Aberdeen before the board. The board tabled the measure at the request of city attorney Robert Faulks until October.

“I had a pit bull once,” Ward 3 Alderman David Ewing said. “I loved that dog a lot, but eventually I had to put him down.”

Ward 1 Alderman Alonzo Sykes said he, too, recognized the potential danger of rogue pit bulls.

“These things can be very dangerous,” he said. “This is something we definitely want to look at and see what we can legally do about it.”

Monroe County Board of Supervisors President Randle Gray said the county would also have board attorney John Creekmore address the issue.

“There is definitely a hazard with these animals,” Gray said. “We will see what our options are. This is a very serious matter.”

Virginia Pounders, who also lives in the Meadowlane area, sees the pit bull situation from another perspective as a volunteer with the Aberdeen Animal Shelter.

“When we have pits’ brought into the shelter, we have to have them put down,” she said. “We don’t have the cages to hold them. These dogs can be extremely vicious and hard to handle. We have a lot of children and elderly people in our neighborhood and we need to do something about these dogs before it’s too late.”

Filed under BSL Proposed, Mississippi Tagged with , , , , ,

← Older posts