Monthly Archives: November 2009

Erie, PA: Incidents renew calls for regulation of pit bulls, other vicious dogs

Posted on November 24, 2009 by | Comments Off

Article writer Kara Murphy needs education about how to interpret dog bite statistics and how to identify credible scientific sources (see “Journalist Resources: Scientific Studies” to understand why Animal People/Merritt Clifton’s so-called “study” is not legitimate scientific research): kara.murphy@timesnews.com

City shelter manager Kris Watkins needs education about no-kill initiatives, how to decrease the kill rate, and how to save more “pit bulls” (first step: stop talking about “pit bulls” in a way that feeds the vicious stereotype): staff@theannashelter.com or 814-451-0230.

Erie can’t pass BSL due to state law, but City Councilmembers need information about effective non-breed-specific dangerous dog laws, preferably from locals who understand why the current dog laws are failing.

Send correspondence to the entire City Council by sending to the city clerk:

City Clerk Jim Klemm
Email: jeklemm@erie.pa.us
Phone: (814) 870-1291
Fax: (814) 870-1296

Dept. City Clerk Gloria Criscione
Email: gloriac@erie.pa.us
Phone: (814) 870-1292
Fax: (814) 870-1296

Incidents renew calls for regulation of pit bulls, other vicious dogs

By KARA MURPHY
kara.murphy@timesnews.com
Published: November 23. 2009 1:15AM

[...] The recent attacks have raised questions of whether regulations on pit bull owners should be tightened, an idea that Erie police last raised in 2007 after a series of attacks involving the breed, including two incidents in which Erie police officers shot and killed attacking pit bulls.

But City Councilman Jim Thompson said state law prohibits local governing bodies from putting in place breed-specific laws. He pursued the idea of tightening regulations against pit bull owners several years ago.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/24/09 from http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091123/NEWS02/311239975

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Posted in Media Negligence, Pennsylvania, Whispers of BSL

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Sturgis, MI: Dog ordinances to be reviewed (whispers of BSL)

Posted on November 24, 2009 by | Comments Off

Nothing official has been proposed. However, Commissioners are looking at ordinances from surrounding cities—including the city of Elkhart’s proposed BSL.

Next City Commission meeting: Dec. 9, 9:30 PM, Wiesloch Raum – City Hall

Contact info for City Commissioners

Mayor John Carmichael
jcarmichael@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Vice Mayor Barbara Fisher
bfisher@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner David Smith
dsmith@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Karl Littman
klittman@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Ina Taulbee
itaulbee@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Karen Stephens
kstephens@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Ken Malone
kmalone@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Suzy Saddler
ssaddler@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Commissioner Mike Gay
mgay@ci.sturgis.mi.us

Crossposted from BSL Updates:

Post office, commission urge review of ordinances

By Terry Katz katz@sturgisjournal.com
Sturgis Journal
Tue Nov 24, 2009, 04:18 AM EST

[...] City commissioners agreed unan­imously to start looking at dog or­dinances with teeth.

[...] Commissioners also directed City Manager Mike Hughes to check with the City of Elkhart about types of enforcement, including a vicious breed ordinance that’s been under discussion.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/24/10 from http://www.sturgisjournal.com/news/x2072218547/Post-office-commission-urge-review-of-ordinances

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Posted in Michigan, Whispers of BSL

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Genesee County, MI: Pit bull debate continues as communities deal with dangerous dogs

Posted on November 23, 2009 by | 3 Comments

Sadly, the people “speaking out in defense of pit bulls” did nothing to lessen the pit bull and pit bull owner stereotype; the residents were a group of breeders, and their dogs were featured on the news wearing spiked collars, being restrained on thick logging chains. A comment from below the news story reads: “I hear all these people tell how safe their pit bulls are, and then see that one’s using a heavy chain for a leash! Give me a break!!”

Previous alert for Genesee County: http://stopbsl.com/2009/11/09/2488/

Although the Flint City Council president does not expect a pit bull ban to be proposed, that doesn’t mean some other type of BSL isn’t a possibility.

Next city council meetings: November 23 and December 14

Contact info for Flint City Council:

City Council Office, Rm 310 City Hall, Flint, MI  48502
810-766-7418
Fax: (810) 766-7032

Delrico J. Loyd – 1st Ward
President
810-766-7418 ext. 3160
dloyd@cityofflint.com

Jackie Foster Poplar – 2nd Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3162 

Bryant W. Nolden – 3rd Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3159

Joshua M. Freeman – 4th Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3161

Bernard Lawler – 5th Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3164

Sheldon Neeley- 6th Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3165
sneeley@cityofflint.com 

Dale K. Weighill – 7th Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3163

Michael J. Sarginson – 8th Ward
810-766-7418 ext. 3167

Scott Kincaid – 9th Ward
810-766-7418

Pit bull debate continues as communities deal with dangerous dogs

Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 7:09 p.m.

[...] Flint City Council President Delrico Loyd says there has been casual talk among city leaders about what to do about dangerous dogs, but he doesn’t expect a ban on any specific breeds.

For the full story, click on the video icon above.

Full article retrieved 11/23/09 from http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=380765

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Michigan, Whispers of BSL

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Youngstown, OH: Results mixed in Youngstown’s pit bull ban

Posted on November 23, 2009 by | Comments Off

Unfortunately, this is another poorly researched, poorly reported news article that fails to address the bigger picture of non-pit-bull-related bites and lacks any hard numbers. Youngstown already had BSL in the form of Ohio’s vicious dog law (wherein all “pit bulls” must be treated as “vicious” dogs) before they instituted the ban.

Results mixed in Youngstown’s pit bull ban

Published: November 23. 2009 1:15AM

[...] The ban outlawed all pit bulls in the city that had not been registered in prior years.

The ban has had mixed results, Macejko said.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/23/09 from http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091123/NEWS02/311239966

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Posted in Ohio, Results of BSL

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London, Ontario, Canada: Pit bull complaints still high (results of BSL)

Posted on November 22, 2009 by | 3 Comments

The article is poorly written, but the gist is this: stereotypes about ”pit bulls”–not any real behavior or incident–prompt the vast majority of calls to animal control about “pit bulls.” To quote the city environment director: “The issues with pit bulls do not support the number of investigations. But it’s the fear of pit bulls that’s still with us.”

The statistics provided by the article are relatively worthless in terms of assessing the ban’s effect on public safety, as they don’t cover overall dog population or dog bite trends–they are focused entirely on “pit bulls.”

And I have no idea why there’s a list of bullmastiff “facts” at the very end of the article, but I will try to find out.

Pit bull complaints still high

By PATRICK MALONEY

Last Updated: 21st November 2009, 3:47am

Four years after Ontario slapped a ban on new pit bulls, concerns about the squat, muscular dogs still prompt nearly one in every five animal complaints in London.

[...]“Over the last couple of years, the issues with pit bulls do not support the number of investigations. But it’s the fear of pit bulls that’s still with us,” [city environment director Jay Stanford] said yesterday.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/22/09 from http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/11/21/11848396-sun.html

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Canada, Results of BSL

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Fremont, OH update: Dog law discussion continues at council (BSL under consideration)

Posted on November 20, 2009 by | Comments Off

Previous alerts for Fremont: http://stopbsl.com/?s=fremont%2C+oh

Remember: Ohio state law already considers pit bulls to be “vicious” dogs, with special regulations for owners.

Dog law discussion continues at council

BY LESLIE BIXLER • Staff writer • November 20, 2009

FREMONT — No decision was made Thursday regarding pit bulls and other dog breeds in the city, but the consensus from residents and city officials is that owners should be responsible for their dogs.

Several residents voiced their opinions and talked about their experiences with pit bulls and other breeds during the laws, rules and ordinance committee meeting before City Council met. This was the third city discussion of the topic.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/20/09 from http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20091120/NEWS01/911200310

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Posted in Ohio, Whispers of BSL

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Prescott, AR: Pit bulls banned

Posted on November 20, 2009 by | Comments Off

Prescott, Ark.: Council:No pit bulls in town

By: Jim Williamson – Texarkana Gazette – Published: 11/20/2009

PRESCOTT, Ark.—[...] The council was going to consider the ordinance banning pit bull dogs in the December meeting, but decided to declare an emergency and approved the ordinance Monday night.

Full article retrieved 11/20/09 from http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/11/20/prescott-ark-council-no-pit-bulls-in-tow-39.php

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Posted in Arkansas, BSL Passed

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