April 18th, 2008 by Editor

From TheState.com:

“A committee will consider whether to strengthen Richland County’s vicious-dog ordinance — including possible limits on dogs per household and breed-specific regulations. Read the rest of this entry »

April 11th, 2008 by Editor

From CBS Channel 7 in South Carolina:

“City Council member Tony Stewart is proposing a ban on new pit bulls and tighter restrictions on existing pit bulls some owners have in the city. The proposed ordinance says existing pit bulls present an unacceptable risk of harm and fear to residents.

Under the proposed ordinance existing pit bulls must have a fenced yard, you must be at least 18 year old to walk the dog, and it must have a muzzle on it’s mouth. Also, owners must have a $1, 000.00 dollar insurance policy.”

April 11th, 2008 by Editor

From The Ely Times:

“Kim Young is Ely’s animal control officer. She would like to bring an ordinance to the city council that would ban pit bulls from the city unless the owner has a breeder’s license.

She said she wants more protection for the public than just a ban on pit bulls.

Young said she would like to see penalties doubled for owners of dogs of any breeds running at large near schools as a safety stopgap for children.

“I want to double the fine; not just for pits but for any dogs in the school area that are running at large,” Young said, adding. “There’s no problem owning a dog around the school.”

The problem is dogs running freely without their owners’ present. The animal control officer said some people turn dogs of various breeds loose, especially if they think she has gone home. “I don’t want to put the blame just on pit bulls,” Young said. “They’re (some dog owners) too lazy to walk their dogs so they just let them out.”

Young said she will bring both issues to the council at a later date and added that she does not know how the council members would vote.”

April 2nd, 2008 by Editor

From the Seattle Post Intelligencer:

“The city of Lakewood is looking at tightening up its animal control laws…

City Manager Andrew Neiditz says in examining dangerous dog calls in Lakewood in the past several years, he found most involved pit bulls.

Neiditz told the City Council last night that officials will look at Auburn’s ordinance, passed in 2006, which lists 12 dog breeds, as potentially dangerous and requires owners to register them with the city. The breeds include pit bulls and bull terriers.” Read the rest of this entry »

February 20th, 2008 by Editor

From the AKC:

Minnesota House File 3245, sponsored by Representative Dennis Ozment, seeks to lift the state’s current prohibition on breed-specific legislation. If passed and signed into law, the changes imposed by this bill would have a profound impact on all dog owners in Minnesota. It is imperative that all dog owners and breeders in Minnesota contact the members of the House Public Safety and Civil Justice Committee to express their opposition to the bill as currently written. Read the rest of this entry »

February 7th, 2008 by Editor

From the Beauregard Daily News:

“The Beauregard Parish Police Jury will discuss the possibility of implementing new vicious dog regulations in the parish at the Tuesday, February 12 regular meeting of the jury.

…During a meeting of the Police Jury Legislative Committee on Tuesday, members discussed the recent increase in complaints about such dogs received by jurors. Most complaints are said to be about the presence of “roaming dogs” in rural areas.

…Other suggestions by committee members included a policy in which all dogs classified as vicious breeds would be required to be registered with the city or parish by their owners, and requiring owners to hold liability insurance on those dogs. Read the rest of this entry »

February 6th, 2008 by Editor

Editor’s note: I’m bumping up this post because this bill is in serious jeopardy of dying in committee unless it receives attention from Ohioans.  Please, if you are a resident of Ohio, contact those on the House Committee on Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs and urge them to vote this bill out of committee.

From the AKC:

“The Ohio House of Representatives Infrastructure, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs Committee will consider House Bill 366 tomorrow, Wednesday, January 9th, at 2:30PM, in Room 114 at the State Capitol in Columbus. Sponsored by Representative Webster, the bill proposes to remove the current breed specific language from the definition of vicious dogs in state law.”

Read more about it here.

February 6th, 2008 by Editor

From WDSU Channel 6 in New Orleans:

“The Allen Parish Police Jury and Kinder officials are taking closer looks at the kinds of pets residents own in the wake of a fatal mauling in Longville in Beauregard Parish and an incident in which a police officer shot a dog after it attacked him.

Both incidents involved pit bull dogs. Monday, Kinder’s Town Council introduced a proposal to amend its vicious-animal laws to ban pit bulls, and the police jury has placed discussion of a similar ban on its Feb. 19 agenda.” Read the rest of this entry »

January 21st, 2008 by Editor

Apparently word that Waterloo was planning a breed-specific ordinance was leaked late last week, which prompted me to write a pre-emptive letter urging Waterloo officials not to pursue a breed ban or breed-specific legislation. I received a couple of replies from Waterloo city officials informing me that they had no intention of pursuing a breed ban. Well, true enough, they apparently weren’t going to pursue a breed ban, but one ordinance proposal they are considering will be breed specific according to the WCF Courier:

“Another potential ordinance would outline a list of potentially dangerous dog breeds. Residents keeping such breeds would need an extra registration, which would detail their ability to confine the animal adequately and require proof of insurance covering damage the dog may cause. Such dogs would also need a permanent registration affixed to their body through microchip implants, tattoos or other methods.” Read the rest of this entry »

January 17th, 2008 by Editor

From the AKC:

Tennessee Senator Tommy Kilby of Wartburg has introduced Senate Bill 2738. If adopted, this bill will make it a crime to own a “pit bull dog” in the state of Tennessee. It is imperative that all Tennessee concerned dog owners voice their strong opposition to this wrongheaded legislation… Read the rest of this entry »