BSL Alert - State of Florida

It really upsets me that people are still looking at knee jerk reactions for dog laws. One would think we have so many other critical things happening in the US that we would be past trying to pass ineffective laws, but sadly our elected officials continue to waste tax payers time and money. Representative Driscoll of Montana learned this week such ridiuclous laws won't make it out of committee when Montanas legislative committee quickely killed her bill for a ban on pit bulls.

Now we have Florida Senate and House that need a factual education. Last year a Senate bill was filed to repeal the current State law that prohibits BSL and the Senate committee did a report and unfortunaly recommended to allow BSL but not bans. this because there was no great evidence one way or another they felt. Click to read report. What the committee does not understand this type of law will create what I refer to as a "soft ban". If communnities deem breeds of dog "different" and require things like mandatory spay nueter, muzzles, fences, insurance, etc. Then insurance companies will stop insuring homes with these breeds, apartments, landlords will stop allowing these breeds in their homes. So we end up having a breed ban by default. so once again innocent dogs and families suffer because legislators are to lazy to do research and write effective laws.

HB189 and SB922

The house bill has been moved the Agriculture and natural resources committee - Please contact committee members and let them know that this is unacceptable.

Little Rock, AR Passes BSL

As I read through my oodles of emails I see that Little Rock unanimously passed restrictions on pit bulls last night. Yet another law that will not protect citizens from the real danger, irresponsible owners. Proof of this fact, the next email I read was about a 5 yr old girl mauled by a stray Labrador. Where might you ask? Why yes, Little Rock on the same day the uneducated city council passed a law against "pit bulls".

Apparently the city doesn't feel its important to pass laws that will protect citizens from dangerous dogs, they prefer to use breed profiling because its easier than addressing the real issue.

A time will come when city councils actualy educate themselves and work towards creating safe communities with good non breed specific laws, funding for animal control, laws that will allow animal control to be proactive instead of reactive. Dare to Dream....

BSL Alerts!!

The Good:

State of Ohio - HB366 was introduced to REMOVE the breed specific language from the State law.


The Bad:

State of Florida – HB 101 has been introduced to the House. This bill would repeal the current State law prohibiting any new BSL in Florida

State of Minnesota – There are a couple of Representatives that have indicated they will introduce a bill to ban pit bulls, rotties and chow chose to start.

Washington DC - Bill 17-89 would authorize the District Mayor to label any breed of dog as potentially dangerous.


And the UGLY:

State of Tennessee – SB2738 has been introduced by Senator Kilby. This bill would make it illegal (a misdemeanor) to own a pit bull in the State. Pit Bull defined as SBT, AST, ABD, APBT or any 50% mix. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB2738.pdf

My thoughts on the pit bull attack in Washington

This attack has made national news as do most incidents involving pit bulls. I have talked to media outlets as far as New York, regarding this tragic, yet avoidable incident. So I felt I should address this incident publicly on my blog.

This, like the majority of dog attacks, was completely avoidable. This poor woman is suffering, as is the neighbor's family who lost their beloved Jack Russel, for a few reasons-- irresponsible owner and Animal Control's lack of action (It is unknown if they didn't handle the incidents correctly, or if laws didn't allow them to react).

The owner of the female pit bull is quoted: "We never saw it coming. They’re the kinds of dogs you’d let play with your babies,” Martin said." However, in talking to neighbors, there are at least 5 incidents of human aggression by these dogs or other dogs in this person's care. Incidents that involve the dogs pinning a man in the garage to the point he had to shoot at the dogs with a BB gun, that same day they charged a young child on a bike. In another incident they charged a guy and snarled at him, preventing him from getting to his truck, he had to start throwing rocks at them. A year before that, Martin's dogs attacked his dog. Yet... "we never saw it coming" ??

As for Animal Control, the ACO is quoted "Boman said animal control officers have had past run-ins with the pit bulls, but couldn’t say exactly how many."

Now from the ACO's comments as well as the neighbors comments, these dogs should have been removed from the home long before yesterday's incident. This should have never happened. Was it because ACO didn't follow up and do their jobs by visiting the neighborhood and checking on the dogs? Or was it they didn't have the authority to remove dogs because of the way their local laws are written? I can't imagine 4 incidents being reported to this degree and nothing happening. These are the laws we need to change. We need to give animal control organizations the needed budgets to become proactive and not reactive. We need to have non-breed specific laws that empower animal control to remove dogs if they are a danger to society.

As a side note: The media keeps reporting that the dogs entered through a pet door. That is inaccurate. The dogs entered through a sliding glass door that was left open for the owner's dog to go in and out of the house.

Again, this is a tragedy that should have never happened.

The O-HELL-O Supreme Court

In an unbelievable move today, the Ohio Supreme court rendered their decision in the Tellings v. Toledo case. Their decision has dog owners across the USA stunned in disbelief as they decided against Tellings and supported Toledo.

I have never in my life seen such a display of ignorance by a State level Supreme Court. Back in April when the case was presented to the Justices I, like hundreds of you, sat and listened to testimony. While Tellings' attorney was lacking in knowledge regarding the dogs, Justice O'Conner seemed to not only understand arguments, but greatly assisted our side in presenting arguments against another Justice. After all was said and done, I spoke with some very well-respected fellow BSL fighters and we all felt good about the case and its out come.

Then some 3 months later we were shot down. Shocking-- given the evidence, prior court cases. Heck, they had ruled in 2 other cases that non-pit bull specific that laws based on a breed were unconstitutional. So why the change? All of the scientific evidence supports our position, all of the national canine organizations support our position, there are several cases that support our position. What is wrong with the O-HELL-O Supreme court?

As for Justice O'Conner, I have a complete lack of respect for her now. Justice Maureen O'Connor concurred in judgment only, and entered a separate opinion expressing her "disapproval" of the provision of state law classifying all pit bulls as "vicious dogs." She wrote that data cited by the trial court regarding pit bull attacks did not reflect inherent violent characteristics of the breed but rather arose from deliberate efforts by some owners, including drug dealers, to increase a dog's aggression and lethal-ness through abuse or aberrant training."

What is that? If you stand against something, don't believe it to be right, why would you vote for it? Very disappointing.

If you would like to read the written decision you can by clicking here