Category Archives: Breed Identification

Waterford Township, MI: Group working to repeal BSL

Posted on December 21, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Waterford woman working to change township pit bull ban

Published: Friday, December 16, 2011
By CAROL HOPKINS, carol.hopkins@oakpress.com

When Mary Dunham received a ticket from Waterford Township for having a pit bull in mid-October, she felt like a victim. [...]

A $170 DNA test on 6-year-old Keane that came back three weeks later showed him to be a Labrador-boxer mix.

[...] That incident has spurred her to try and change the township’s pit bull ban and create the Oakland County Dog Ownership Group and Specialists (ODOGS) support group.

Dunham, along with 10 supporters, have been meeting to discuss alternate ideas for Waterford.

“We’re pushing to get responsible pet ownership in place of the pit bull ban,” she said. [...]

FYI

People who wish to learn more can email the ODOGS group at odogs48329@yahoo.com.

The Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/pages/ODOGS-Oakland-Co-Dog-Ownership-Group-and-Specialist/308483512515529

Full article and video can be found here: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/12/16/news/local_news/doc4eea8e331c535130545284.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Contact info for city officials
Waterford Board of Trustees, 5200 Civic Center Drive, Waterford, MI  48329
Online contact form: http://twp.waterford.mi.us/Reference-Desk/Comments-Suggestions.aspx
City Clerk Kari Vlaeminck, (248) 674-6266
Fax (248) 674-5466

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Posted in Breed Identification, Michigan, Proposal to Repeal, Results of BSL

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Cobourg, Ontario, Canada: Pet dog seized, ruled “pit bull”

Posted on March 15, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Another sad case in Ontario, where a dog’s physical appearance determines whether it lives or dies. It took a warrant and four police officers, in addition to the animal control officer, to seize a pet dog that “appears to be” a pit bull. The burden of proof of innocence is now on the owner, who must prove that the dog is NOT a “pit bull.”

Dog lovers protest breed ban after pet seized

By PETE FISHER, NORTHUMBERLAND TODAY
Updated 1 day ago

COBOURG/PORT HOPE -Punish the deed, not the breed: that was the message of a protest Saturday in front of the Northumberland County courthouse in Cobourg.

Tracey Van Slyke organized the protest after Animal Control officer Ross Barth and four Port Hope Police officers served a warrant at her home on Wednesday, March 9, and subsequently seized her 11-month-old dog, Chaos.

Officers said Chaos appears to be a pit bull, and therefore falls under banned breed legislation which states that no pit bulls are to be born after the legislation was enacted in August 2005.[...]

“I don’t believe I ever had an illegal dog,” Van Slyke said at Saturday’s protest.

[...] Barth said he has to act under the law when a complaint is made, and if the owners can prove the animal is not a pit bull it would be released back to them.

“I can’t say whether I agree with the law or not,” he said. “That’s not for me to decide. The law is in place and I have to enforce the law.”

Barth said nobody involved in this incident wants to see the dog destroyed, “but we know if the court decides we have no option.”[...]

Full article retrieved 3/15/11 from http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3024723

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL

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Belfast, Ireland, UK: Dog on death row because of its leg and muzzle measurements

Posted on November 15, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Breed identification, which must be performed in places with breed-specific legislation, is a subjective process. In this case, the owners of Lennox not only have a DNA breed-ID test that proves Lennox’s genetic makeup, the city had licensed Lennox (meaning, they did not consider him a banned breed) for over five years. Dog owners living in places with BSL can never be sure that their dog won’t be targeted.

To learn more about how to save Lennox, visit http://www.savelennox.co.uk

Owner of death row dog Lennox tells of her family’s agony

Monday, 15 November 2010

Family fight to save their pet seized by wardens

The heartbroken owner of a pet dog which has been living on ‘death row’ for six months is still waiting to learn its fate after it was seized because it was deemed to be a dangerous breed.

Caroline Barnes said that six-year-old Lennox is a cross between an American bulldog and a Labrador crossed with a Staffordshire bull terrier.

However, staff from Belfast City Council called at her home in May, using what she alleges was a warrant for a different address, and impounded him after he was deemed to be a banned American pit bull terrier-type because of his leg and muzzle measurements.[...]

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/owner-of-death-row-dog-lennox-tells-of-her-familyrsquos-agony-15004210.html

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Posted in Breed Identification, Outside of U.S., Results of BSL

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Gold Coast, NSW, Australia: BSL sparks lawsuit

Posted on November 10, 2010 by | 1 Comment

In April 2010, the owners of an American Staffordshire Terrier named Tango were told that their dog was a banned “pit bull.” Tango had not behaved badly–he was just guilty of looking like a “bad dog.”

Tango’s owners spent $500,000 in their effort to prove that their dog was an American Staffordshire Terrier, not an American Pit Bull Terrier. The court ultimately accepted that their dog was an American Staffordshire Terrier, then ruled that AmStaffs were “pit bulls,” and therefore the dog was banned. Tango was at risk for being killed by the city, so he was relocated.

In September 2010, the local goverment issued a clarification that AmStaffs were not banned “pit bulls.” This meant that Tango and other AmStaffs were allowed to be registered in Gold Coast again. Tango’s owners intend to sue Gold Coast in order to recoup their expenses.

All alerts for Gold Coast: http://stopbsl.com/?s=gold+coast

Dogfight continues despite freedom

Jessica Johnston | November 10th, 2010

[...]Tango’s owners John Mokomoko and Kylie Chivers plan to sue the Gold Coast City Council to recover the $500,000 they have spent proving their dog’s breed.[...]

”We’ve spent over $40,000 in kennel fees alone and we didn’t break the law.”[...]

She said they would be attempting to recover costs from Council for the botched banishment.

”They owe us… for six years AmStaffs were allowed to live here, he was registered, desexed, microchipped.

”They really singled us out.”[...]

Full article retrieved 11/10/10 from http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/11/10/269731_gold-coast-news.html

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Posted in Breed Identification, Outside of U.S., Results of BSL

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Brampton, Ontario, Canada: K9 crusader signs on with candidate

Posted on May 27, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Don’t like BSL? Don’t forget to vote! Previous alerts and info about the Brampton fiasco: http://stopbsl.com/?s=brampton

Summary: Rui Branco’s family dog was seized by the city of Brampton for being a ‘pitbull,’ and held over three months. Eventually, the dog was returned when an independent assessment said she was not a ‘pitbull.’  Branco has since become the campaign manager for Bruce Haines, opposing the current mayor, Susan Fennell. Branco accuses, “Susan Fennell has refused to independently investigate this matter … all the while wasting tens of thousands of the taxpayers’ dollars to facilitate a cover-up.”

K9 crusader signs on with candidate

Brampton Guardian
* May 27, 2010 – 12:59 PM

Campaign manager. Rui Branco, seen here with Brittany, has signed on as campaign manager for mayoralty candidate Bruce Haines. Photo by Bryon Johnson

The man at the centre of the dog seizure controversy is fighting back in a whole new arena—he is trying to help oust Mayor Susan Fennell.

Full story retrieved May 27, 2010 from http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/elections/article/822017–k9-crusader-signs-on-with-candidate

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL

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Colorado: Lawsuit says Denver’s, Aurora’s bans violate civil rights under ADA

Posted on May 7, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Pit bulls as service dogs?

Lawsuit says Denver’s, Aurora’s bans violate civil rights under ADA

Jared Jacang Maher, Face the State
Friday, May 7, 2010

Both Denver and Aurora have laws banning pit bulls. [...] But what about a pit bull acting as a service animal for a disabled person? Should officials accept dogs that their own laws deem inherently unacceptable?

Good question and one that happens to be at the core of a new federal class-action lawsuit filed against Denver and Aurora by three disabled people who say the laws banning pit bulls violate their civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Allen Grider of Aurora and Glenn Belcher of Denver are U.S. veterans who suffer from psychological disabilities they say resulted from wartime service. Valarie Piltz is a Washington-based dog trainer with physical mobility problems and a condition that causes her to experience debilitating panic attacks. All three say the breed bans fail to make proper exemptions for their service animals of choice: pit bulls.

Story retrieved May 7, 2010 from http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=8357

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Posted in Breed Identification, Colorado, Court Cases, Results of BSL

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Sarnia, Ontario, Canada: Protest at city hall against “pit bull” ban

Posted on April 23, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Sarnia, like Brampton, has been having difficulties with breed identification. Previous articles on Sarnia: http://stopbsl.com/?s=sarnia
Sarnia’s mayor isn’t correct when he says Sarnia must enforce Ontario’s “pit bull” ban. Ottawa, for instance, has decided not to enforce the ban.

Pitbull protest at city hall

TARA HAGAN
The Observer

A group of dog owners set up camp at Sarnia’s city hall Monday to protest Ontario’s ban on pit bulls.[...]

[Mayor] Bradley said the law has been a stress on animal control workers, noting that he preferred the city’s previous ‘dangerous dog’ bylaw, which dealt with the animals on a case-by-case basis, rather than by breed.

Article retrieved 4/23/10 from http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2540872

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL

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Brampton, Ontario, Canada: Dog seizures not isolated

Posted on April 23, 2010 by | Comments Off

Previous info on Brampton: http://stopbsl.com/?s=brampton

Dog seizures not isolated

PAM DOUGLAS
Apr 22, 2010 – 11:09 AM

Brittany and Rambo are safely home once again, but The Brampton Guardian has learned this isn’t the first time a previously legally licensed dog has been seized from a Brampton home without a warrant, and owner-offered proof that they are not “pitbulls” rejected by city animal shelter workers.

[...] Peel Health statistics show there has been no corresponding drop in reported dog bites in Brampton since the ban was put in place.

Article retrieved 4/23/10 from http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/803925–dog-seizures-not-an-isolated-case

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Proposal to Repeal

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Brampton, Ontario, Canada: Dogs freed, ruled not “pit bulls”

Posted on April 19, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Previous alerts about Brampton: http://stopbsl.com/?s=brampton

The sad part is that despite the ruling that these dogs are not “pit bulls,” despite no complaints from the public about the dogs, and despite the city’s own veterinarian saying the dogs are friendly, the city has still designated both dogs “potentially dangerous.” Why?

This is a city that cannot lose gracefully and admit they were wrong.

Dogs freed, ruled not pitbulls

Pam Douglas
Apr 19, 2010 – 3:26 PM

[...] An independent veterinarian has ruled Brittany and Rambo are not pitbulls, which means after 97 days in the pound, the two dogs are finally home.

[...] Despite the vet’s ruling, as part of the agreement with the city, the owners had to agree to allow the dogs to be designated “potentially dangerous” and they must wear muzzles when out in public.

Article retrieved 4/19/10 from http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/802381–dogs-freed-ruled-not-pitbulls

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Posted in Breed Identification, Canada, Results of BSL

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Mitchell, SD: Whispers of BSL

Posted on April 2, 2010 by | 2 Comments

The dogs in question, who were running loose in violation of code, were identified as “pit bull”/Boxer mixes. Note that two of the dogs were not aggressive toward the animal control officer, who subsequently decided that those two are “probably a little more Boxer” than the aggressive dog. (In other words, aggressive dogs are labeled pit bulls. Nonaggressive dogs are not.)

Update 4/3: In a new article, the owner of the dogs disputes that they are “pit bulls” at all: 

But Contreras insists that her dogs — which she said are full-blooded boxers and not the pit bull/boxer crosses they have been described as — are all friendly animals who were likely only interested in Odegaard’s dogs and not in hurting Odegaard herself.

“They’re not pit bulls,” Contreras said. “We hate pit bulls.”

City Hall, 612 North Main, Mitchell, SD 57301
Phone: (605) 995-8420
Fax: (605) 995-8054
Mayor Lou Sebert, lsebert@cityofmitchell.org
Mel Olson, Ward 1, mel.olson@k12.sd.us
Doug Backlund, Ward 1, doug_backlund@yahoo.com
Travis Carpenter, Ward 2, travis.carpenter@k12.sd.us
Dan Allen, Ward 2, llallen5@hotmail.com
Marty Barington (Vice-President), Ward 3, mmbarington@mit.midco.net
Scott Houwman, Ward 3, univpt@mit.midco.net
Geri Beck, Ward 4, geribeck@gmail.com
Jeff Smith (President), Ward 4, jsmith@cortrustbank.com

The Mitchell City Council meets the first and third Monday’s of each month. City Council meetings begin at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 612 N. Main.

After Thursday attack in Mitchell, pit bulls come under scrutiny

By: Austin Kaus, The Daily Republic

[... Diane] Odegaard was not physically harmed, but she is hoping that sharing her experience could lead to stricter dog laws in the city, such as a ban on pit bulls.

[...Mayor Sebert] wasn’t sure of the legality of banning certain dog breeds within city limits, but he said he would be in favor of banning pit bulls in Mitchell.[...]

Article retrieved 4/2/10 from http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/42060/

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Posted in Breed Identification, South Dakota, Whispers of BSL

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