January 16th, 2008 by Editor

Senate Bill 2738 filed for introduction 1/14/08:

“Creates a class A misdemeanor of knowingly owning a pit bull in this state.” Read the rest of this entry »

January 9th, 2008 by Editor

Cross-posted from BSL Updates. Permission to cross-post.

Van Buren Township in Michigan will be presenting a new draft to change their pet ordinance that will include how many pets a household can have and a possible breed ban.

Meeting will be held Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at the Township Hall, 46425 Tyler Rd. at 5:30.

Many townships and rural areas are starting to put in place dog rules and bans, rather than enforce what they have.

This is IMPORTANT! Even if you don’t live in Van Buren Township, your support and voice is needed in attendance as this will probably happen in your town next, if it hasn’t already.

Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: 46425 Tyler Rd. Van Buren Twp, MI 48111

Thank you in advance for your participation and support.

Deb Royal
Animal Rescue Michigan Border Collie Rescue Read the rest of this entry »

January 9th, 2008 by Editor

From KATC Channel 3 in Louisiana:

“Police Chief Gary Pelican has asked the town council to consider a ban on pit pulls after several incidents involving the dogs, including one in which a police officer shot one that attacked him.

…One pit bull owner, who strongly opposes the ban and vowed to fight to save her pets, argued after the meeting that it is not the animals themselves but their owners who are to blame because of the way they train and treat the dogs.

Pelican agreed, saying there are some good pit bulls. But most are used for fighting and to protect drug dealers, he said.” Read the rest of this entry »

December 13th, 2007 by Editor

From the Post Independent:

“A potential pit bull ban in the town of Parachute has a number of people up in arms and planning to attend the second reading of the proposed ordinance at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The ban, which would prohibit anyone within town limits from possessing a pit bull, was proposed by town board member Linda Waite.

‘Existing pit bulls could remain in town,’ said Mayor Roy McClung. ‘But there would be criteria in that they would have to be licensed and registered and sterilized (neutered or spayed). There would be no new pit bulls allowed, and breeding would be prohibited’.”

Read this article in its entirety here. Read the rest of this entry »

December 6th, 2007 by Editor

How many lawyers from the Illinois Municipal League does it take to screw in a light bulb? The answer? Well, the answer doesn’t really matter, because it would seem that the Illinois Municipal League prefers to be in the dark. Read the column “Legal Q & A Animal Control: Breed Specific Regulations” published by the Illinois Municipal League and my response which follows and you’ll see what I mean: Read the rest of this entry »

December 5th, 2007 by Editor

From Northwest Arkansas News:

“Little Rock officials hope to regulate pit bulls and classify them as a dangerous breed…

…Under the proposed ordinance, Little Rock residents still will be allowed to have pit bulls, and new residents can move with their dogs into the city after the ordinance passes. But they will have to register them with Animal Services, pose for a photograph with the dog, sterilize the animal and pay an additional fee to have a dangerous breed permit. Read the rest of this entry »

December 5th, 2007 by Editor

From Brownsville’s city site:

“Aldermen took the first step –passing on first reading – two tough new ordinances at the November 11 city board meeting.

Under scrutiny are any breed of so-called vicious dogs – especially pit bulldogs, and they are about to be illegal in Brownsville. City leaders have also taken steps to restrict the number of pets residents of Brownsville may own. Read the rest of this entry »

December 4th, 2007 by Editor

From WATE 6 in Knoxville:

“The mayor of Rockwood is trying to get pit bulls banned within city limits.

Mayor Mike Miller is drafting an ordinance to ban the breed.

…The mayor describes the ordinance as a pre-emptive measure rather than waiting until after something like a mauling happens.

…The ordinance will go before the Rockwood City Council at its meeting on January 21 at 7:00 p.m.” Read the rest of this entry »

November 26th, 2007 by Editor

From The McPherson Sentinel:

“Two years after voting against a similar ordinance, the McPherson City Commission is reconsidering an ordinance to prohibit the ownership or keeping of pitbulls and pitbull mixes within the city limits.

In 2005, Mayor Bill Goering voted for an ordinance designed to eventually ban the ownership of pit bulls and other dangerous breeds of dogs within the city limits. However, the ordinance failed when commissioners Tony Fiedler and Charles Scharf voted against the ordinance.

The issue was raised in 2005 when a study of dog bites over a two-year period indicated that 14 of 63 recorded bites were inflicted by breeds considered as dangerous — pit bulls or pit bull mixes. Read the rest of this entry »

November 26th, 2007 by Editor

From the Clinton Herald:

“The Camanche City Council decided to table approving the first consideration of an ordinance regulating the existence of pit bulls within city limits until a full council could be present for the discussion.

Several Camanche residents attended the council meeting Tuesday night to express their opinion of the proposed pit bull ban. Rob Harding said that he has lived in Camanche for eight years and had never noticed a problem with pit bulls within the city. Mayor Jim Robertson said the question is whether the city wants to be proactive or reactive to a dog attack. Harding stated that his pit bull is an indoor dog and although the media primarily reports incidents involving pit bulls, thereby giving the animals a “bad name,” a dog attack could come from any breed.

Robertson said the pit bull ordinance was being considered because of the amount of damage the breed can do with its substantial pound-per-square-inch bite capacity. He read a list of dog breeds that are considered potentially dangerous by insurance companies and noted that a lot of insurance companies will not issue homeowners insurance to property owners owning those breeds. Robertson said that by adopting a prohibitive and regulatory ordinance, the city of Camanche would not be that different from many other cities passing similar ordinances in an effort to be proactive on the issue.” Read the rest of this entry »