Yet another city jumping on the BSL bandwagon; Sioux City, Iowa is discussing plans to enact a ban on pitbulls within its city limits.

The city council is set to review a proposed ordinance on Monday that would outlaw the breed in Sioux City. Pit bulls currently make up about 3 percent of Sioux City’s canine population, but are responsible for about 50 percent of violent animal incidents.

City Council member Aaron Rochester says pit bulls are a specific problem because they have dangerous instincts.

The proposed ordinance would not require current pit bull owners to give up their dogs, but would require them to register their pit bulls to keep them. Once the dogs died, they could not be replaced.

If passed, ban would go into effect in six months.

It seems that rather than getting better, when it comes to pitbulls, it’s only getting worse! It’s not pitbulls that need to be banned, it’s idiots owning pitbulls that need to be banned but rather than placing the blame where it belongs, the dogs will pay the price and the price is going to be a death sentence.

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Pitbulls are taking the bite again just for the crime of being pitbulls, this time in Newport, KY.

Newport City Solicitor, Mike Schulkens says, “It’s not a breed issue, and it’s not the type of dog that it is at all. It’s just that, it’s vicious animals. And I say somewhat facetiously in city meetings, if you’ve got the meanest beagle in town, this ordinance applies.”

But the ordinance does specifically single out pitbulls;

A new ordinance says that pit bull owners, or any other dog deemed “vicious” by the ordinance, must get that dog micro-chipped.

The ordinance will require that owners get a $100,000 insurance policy on that dog as a part of their renter’s or homeowners insurance. The insurance would pay for part or all of any damages caused by an attack.

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Yup, I admit it, I’m one of those horrible people who love the breed! I acknowledge that they can be scary, horrible and vicious dogs… but then so can any breed that is mis-trained, poorly bred and not socialized.

Pit bulls have gotten a bad rap and horrible reputation because of people who think having ‘mean’ dogs is ‘cool’ and ‘macho’ so they train these dogs, who can be the sweetest and most loving of any, to be mean and vicious. They take out their aggression on people and other animals.

I’m not going to go into all the statistics, I just wanted to take the time to show you what too many people never see regarding the pit bull breed. The media plays up the ‘bad’ because it make for great ratings and circulation. I’d love to see them play up images like this!

In case you still don’t see it and get it….

(make sure you have your sound turned on and you can hear this)

I’m sorry you are frightened of my dogs and are trying to have them killed because they are pitbulls.

I’m sorry you lack the understanding of this breed’s true history, gentleness with people, wonderful temperament, intelligence and behavioral conformation.

I’m sorry you won’t read the ATTS stats regarding our breed’s true temperament, putting it in the top four for temperament, scoring better than breeds like Golden Retrievers, and cocker spaniels.

I’m sorry that you side with and protect animal abusers by marking the breed of dog, and not the irresponsibility of the owner.

I’m sorry that by your logic I could steal a car, run some people over with it and then you can blame the make of car for the accident, as I walk free.

I’m sorry you generalize one breed of dog with one group of people.

I’m sorry you can’t see the love and determination that many often highly educated, non-criminal and “normal” types of people show towards this breed and the great personal sacrifices that they make to take care of their dog responsibly.

I’m sorry you cannot go into the shelters and see the hundreds of abandoned and abused pitbulls, dying only for the inane “crime” of being born the breed they are.

I’m sorry you cannot see the look of disappointment in their eyes as someone walks by their kennel, and refuses to consider adopting them based on an ill educated fear mongering reporter.

I’m sorry that you cannot be there when the animal looks at a human for the last time, and in spite of betrayed by all humans they have met, their tail still wags as someone approaches with the syringe of Euthinol.

I’m sorry cannot be there when law enforcement shoots one of your dogs dead inside it’s own home in front of the children it mutually loves for simply getting off the dog bed and walking over to say hello with it’s tail wagging.

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Looks like owners of bully breeds and any other breed that individual municipalities in Pennsylvania deem to be dangerous, may be facing a serious problem if Representative John Galloway has his way.

Currently Pennsylvania has a state law, the “Dog Law”, enacted in 1982, which prohibits individual municipalities from enacting their own breed specific legislation: “Those provisions of local ordinances relating to dangerous dogs are hereby abrogated. A local ordinance otherwise dealing with dogs may not prohibit or otherwise limit a specific breed of dog.”

But now, Representative John Galloway is introducing legislation to remove that specific language from the “Dog Law” to allow municipalities to make their own laws regarding breed specific legislation.

“I believe local officials, not the state legislature, know best how to protect residents from dangerous dogs. I have introduced a bill (H.B. 2553) that would allow municipalities to pass their own dangerous dog ordinances and not have them superseded by state law.

In some communities, irresponsible owners of dangerous dogs do not take the necessary steps to ensure that their dogs are kept from running loose throughout the neighborhood. Recently a beagle named Luna was attacked by a pit bull that had wandered out of its yard.

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A dear friend of mine who works tirelessly to save and help pit bulls sent this to me and it just broke my heart. Pictured here is her rescued pit bull, Precious Michelle.

For the Pit Bulls

Can you help me? He begs with his soulful brown eyes
There’s nowhere for you to go She says as she cries

Can you save me? She begs with her beautiful face
There’s nowhere left You’re another hopeless case

Can you make room for me? He begs as he stares
I can’t find a place The end of the road glares

We’re fighting the fight as hard as we can
We’re fighting for you But we’re up against the ban

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Possibly, if Ohio State Representative Tyrone Yates gets his way. Yates has introduced legislation that would make it illegal to even own a pitbull type breed of dog in the state. And if the legislation, H.B. 568, passes, Ohio pitbull owners would have 90 days to surrender their dogs and the dogs would be euthanized, read “killed”, within ten days of being surrendered. Not only that, this bill would actually give a dog warden or other officer that has probable cause to believe a person has a dog that is a pit bull dog, the ability to apply search warrant. With the search warrant the officer will have the authority to seize the pit bull dog and surrender it to the dog warden to be killed.

Currently in Ohio, pitbull are defined as ‘vicious’ dogs regardless of their temperament but their is no ban on owning them and this law has been upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Another bill currently under consideration, H.B. 366, would change the wording of Ohio’s current ‘dangerous’ or ‘vicious’ dog designation, taking pitbulls out unless they actually were dangerous or vicious rather then just because of the breed. It could reduce the spread of BSL throughout Ohio if state law does not define a pit bull as automatically “vicious” because of its breed. As with most legislation, it’s not perfect but a step in the right direction.

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Damn all irresponsible and stupid dog owners!! You’ve done it again! A breed specific legislation ban has been passed in Livingston County, MI.

Pitbull breeds, which tend to be the highest population in many shelters county wide will no longer be adopted out in Livingston County, they will be killed!

Because of two incidents where two people were mauled in Iosco Township last September, the director of the Livingston County Animal Control has been working for stricter laws for “bully breed” dogs.

“If I did nothing, I couldn’t look at myself in the morning,” Anne Burns, director of the Livingston County Animal Control, said.

Burns proposed a policy which discontinues adoptions of Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs, Pit Bull Terriers, and American Pitt Bull Terriers from the shelter.

“I’m not banning pit bulls by any means,” Burns said. “I’m just not going to adopt them out to the community that could be a potential for extreme harm.”

Although residents packed the the meeting last nite and owners with bully breed dogs lined up outside to show how social and friendly the dogs could be, the County Board of Commissioners passed the new legislation.

Not only will pitbulls not have a chance of adoption in Livingston County, if they’re found wandering loose and taken to the pound, dogs without and ID would be killed in four days. Dogs with ID would have seven days and their owners would face fines and possibly even criminal prosecution for having a dog at large.

Under the new rule, any stray, unlicensed dog considered dangerous or a bully breed that is picked up or surrendered to animal control faces possible euthanization. If it does not have a “collar, license, MDA tattoo or other evidence of ownership,” the dog will be held for the state-mandated period of four days, “or seven days, with evidence of ownership,” the resolution states. If not claimed by the owner, who must show proof of ownership and pay the required fees, the dog will then be euthanized.

Breeds affected by the new rule include pit bull terriers, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American bulldogs, mixes, or any aggressive dogs. The resolution defines an aggressive dog as one which has an “observed or historical behavior that makes the animal a danger to the health and safety of people or other animal(s).” (MLive)

BSL in Livingston County, MI - Pitbull Adoption Ban The new ban will go into effect immediately. Burns says at this time there are no ‘bully breed’ dogs in the shelter and although she has not counted up the animals that come in by breed, she estimates that 5 percent or fewer of the dogs that come in qualify as a “bully breed” or “aggressive dog” as defined in the policy.

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There are a thousand pit bull faces in my mind. I have never seen a fighter.

I have seen a puppy chained to a post, left for years, while a collar grows into her neck. I have seen that dog lick the vet tech as he pulls back the infected skin from the wound. I have seen that dog, quivering, start to play with other dogs, learn to love people. I have seen that dog find a home.

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Now, I don’t generally do cartoons but a friend sent these along to me today and I just couldn’t resist sharing them. They illustrate so clearly the myth and realities of pit bull lore. Gotta applaud ‘Over the Hedge‘ for this one!! Thank you!

Comics copyright of UnitedMedia - hope they don’t mind me showing them, these are just too excellent not to share!!

Pennsylvania appeals court earlier this week tossed out an ordinance in Reading that placed restrictions on dogs based on their breed; pit bull and others. The reasoning is that the Pennsylvania state law pre-empts the Reading law.

The divided Commonwealth Court decision sided with two pit bull owners who have fought the city’s dog law for nearly eight years.

Reading’s ordinance defined aggressive dogs as those that are, at least partly, of a breed that accounted for 40 percent or more of dog bite incidents in the city during the prior year.

“The absurdity was that dangerous dog breeds changed from year to year, based on the dog bite statistics _ that was the crux of the lawsuit,” said Al Kauffman, attorney for plaintiffs Stacie Stankiewicz and Kenneth Steeves Sr.

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