Monthly Archives: December 2011

La Vista, NE: Dog ordinance discussion tonight, Dec 20

Posted on December 20, 2011 by | Comments Off

Thanks to Jodi for this reminder!

La Vista, Nebraska has been on our list of BSL hot spots as an area with the potential for a breed specific ordinance to be proposed. The city council meets tonight to discuss the possible changes to their ordinance which are reported to be similar to the city of Omaha. Omaha’s ordinance is breed specific, targeting “pit bulls.” We will, of course, have a better idea of what the ordinance entails after tonight’s meeting. Those in the area are encouraged to attend the council meeting tonight.

StopBSL contacted police chief Robert Lausten back in early November. He advised us that the proposed ordinance would NOT target specific breeds. However, as Jodi points out, that remains to be seen and should become clear tonight.

The La Vista City Council meets tonight (Tuesday, December 20, 2011) at 7 PM at City Hall, 81st & Park View Boulevard.

La Vista to Consider Dangerous Dog Ordinance

Reporter: Brian Mastre
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

[...] The possible changes would be similar to Omaha’s ordinance which was adopted in 2008.

“The dangerous dog ordinance basically lets us identify those dogs that could pose a danger in the future,” said Mark Langan with the Nebraska Humane Society, “put restrictions on the dogs, make the owner responsible for that, and if the owner decides not to do that — they fall into the reckless owner category which means they forfeit their animals and they can’t own animals for four years.” [...]

Full article retrieved 12/20/11 from http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/La_Vista_to_Consider_Dangerous_Dog_Ordinance_135905083.html

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Posted in Nebraska, Whispers of BSL

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New Mexico: More on state senator’s breed-specific proposal

Posted on December 18, 2011 by | Comments Off

New Mexico Senator Sue Beffort’s as-yet unfiled proposal to restrict mixed-breed “pit bulls” has created quite a stir in the news media, among animal advocates, and in the general public. Many people are now asking how they can take action against this proposal, even at these early stages when there’s not really an official document to oppose.

1. Beffort’s proposal must receive permission from the governor to even be considered during the short 2012 legislative session. You can contact New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and ask her not to “call” Beffort’s proposal/bill.
Phone: 505-476-2200
Contact form: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/Contact_the_Governor.aspx
There is also an online petition to the governor here: http://www.change.org/petitions/new-mexico-governor-susana-martinez-do-not-add-sen-befforts-draft-bsl-bill-to-jan-2012-call-list
We recommend that if you want to sign the online petition, do so in addition to contacting the governor’s office directly.

2. Contact your individual New Mexico state senator and express your opposition to breed-discriminatory laws. Make sure your own state senator understands who his or her constituents are, and what they stand for. Keep your statement of opposition broad; don’t limit it to Beffort’s proposal specifically. (Also, keep it short and simple.) Find your state senator here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/leg.aspx?T=S

3. You may contact Senator Beffort and make an attempt to educate her, to correct her misconceptions, or to show her how her proposal discriminates against people (including victims of dangerous dogs). Please remain respectful in your correspondence; angry and disrespectful correspondence only reinforces a negative perception of so-called “pit bull people.” Keep your correspondence brief–one or two of your best points at the most. (Don’t worry, someone else will cover the points you don’t make.)
Senator Sue Wilson Beffort
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4395
E-mail: sue.beffort@nmlegis.gov

4. Join a local group. Many New Mexico animal organizations oppose breed-specific legislation, and they are doubtless preparing to fight this proposal, just as they have fought previous years’ attempts to introduce BSL in the state. Even better, some local groups attempt to directly address the community “dog problems” that are the source of breed-specific proposals like Beffort’s. Join up with a local group and get involved.

Keep in mind that this proposal has NOT been filed yet. If the bill is actually filed, it will likely go to a Senate committee. At that time, we will provide more information about who to contact. Please don’t write the entire Senate just yet.

Read more about Senator Beffort’s proposal: http://www.capitolreportnewmexico.com/?p=7214
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/politics/bill-labels-mixed-pit-bulls-dangerous

All alerts for New Mexico: http://stopbsl.com/?s=new+mexico

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Posted in BSL Proposed, New Mexico, Whispers of BSL

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Lake Saint Louis, MO: Work session to discuss animal ordinance revisions, Dec 19

Posted on December 18, 2011 by | Comments Off

Lake Saint Louis, MO, is making revisions to its vicious animal ordinance. One of the proposed revisions is to change the wording slightly, so that officials will be able to consider breed when determining whether or not a dog is “dangerous.”

The city council has proposed this change: ”In reference to dogs, a dog’s breed shall not be considered the only consideration in determining whether or not it is ‘dangerous.’” The change would effectively allow officials to make subjective guesses about a dog’s possible breed as one piece of “evidence” that a dog is dangerous.

The vicious animal ordinance revisions, presumably including this one, are on a Work Session Agenda for December 19 at 5:30 PM at City Hall.

Express your concerns to Lake Saint Louis officials.
City of Lake Saint Louis, 200 Civic Center Drive, Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367
Phone: (636) 625 1200
mpotter@lakesaintlouis.com; rsidebottom@lakesaintlouis.com;  ldegroodt@lakesaintlouis.com; kschweikert@lakesaintlouis.com; kvennard@lakesaintlouis.com; jpellerito@lakesaintlouis.com; grich@lakesaintlouis.com; pmarkworth@lakesaintlouis.com; ddaniel@lakesaintlouis.com; mforce@lakesaintlouis.com

All alerts for Lake Saint Louis, MO: http://stopbsl.com/?s=lake+saint+louis

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Posted in Missouri, Whispers of BSL

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Tupelo, MS: BSL still under consideration

Posted on December 18, 2011 by | Comments Off

Last Tuesday’s work session regarding Tupelo’s proposed dangerous dog ordinance revisions brought some criticism, but some members of the city council aren’t giving up on BSL.

Tupelo already has BSL for “pit bulls”; dogs with a “pit bull” appearance are categorized as “dangerous” dogs and have special ownership restrictions on them. The proposed revisions to the dog ordinance add Rottweilers and Dobermans to the list of dangerous dogs.

Councilmembers Fred Pitts and Jonny Davis have stated that any ordinance revisions must continue to restrict “pit bulls” at a minimum. Councilman Jim Newell has previously stated that he opposes a breed-specific ordinance.

Tupelo’s next council meeting is December 20 at 6:00 PM at City Hall, 71 East Troy Street. On the agenda is a Citizen’s Hearing where a citizen will speak about the dog ordinance. We do not know what the citizen intends to say. The council does not plan to discuss the ordinance at this meeting, outside of the citizen’s hearing. The next discussion will probably take place in January.

Contact info for city officials:
City Hall, 71 East Troy Street, Tupelo, MS 38804
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1485, Tupelo, MS 38802-1485
662-841-6513
Mayor Jack Reed Jr., Jack.Reed@tupeloms.gov
Markel Whittington, markel.whittington@comcast.net
Fred Pitts, rfred@sguard.net (in favor of BSL)
James (Jim) Newell, jimwnewell@comcast.net (opposes BSL)
Nettie Davis, nettiedavisward4@bellsouth.net
Jonny Davis, jstuartdavis@yahoo.com (in favor of BSL)
Mike Bryan, mike.bryan@comcast.net
Willie Jennings, wljennings@yahoo.com

Email block for cut-and-paste
 Jack.Reed@tupeloms.gov; markel.whittington@comcast.net; rfred@sguard.net; jimwnewell@comcast.net; nettiedavisward4@bellsouth.net; jstuartdavis@yahoo.com; mike.bryan@comcast.net; wljennings@yahoo.com

All alerts for Tupelo: http://stopbsl.com/?s=tupelo

Tupelo council discusses dangerous dogs

by The Associated Press
4 days ago

TUPELO — [...] Being proposed is an ordinance that would go after pit bulls, Rottweilers and dobermans.

Council President Fred Pitts and Councilman Jonny Davis said any new law needs to include language addressing pit bulls. [...]

Full article retrieved 12/18/11 from http://www.djournal.com/view/full_story/16777873/article-Tupelo-council-discusses-dangerous-dogs?

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Posted in BSL Proposed, Mississippi

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Trussville, AL: Breed ban proposed

Posted on December 14, 2011 by | 1 Comment

The proposed breed ban may be up for a vote as early as the December 27 council meeting, 6:00 PM, Trussville City Hall, 131 Main Street.

Contact information for Trussville city officials
City Hall, 131 Main Street, P. O. Box 159, Trussville, Alabama 35173
Tel (205) 655-7478
Fax (205) 655-7487
Mayor Eugene (Gene) A. Melton, Mayor@trussville.org
Council members have not made public their email addresses (if they have one). Phone contact info can be found here: http://www.trussville.org/content.asp?ID=89212

Trussville proposes ordinace [sic] to ban pit bulls

Posted: Dec 14, 2011 5:52 PM CST
By Alan Collins

TRUSSVILLE, AL (WBRC) – The city of Trussville is looking at a proposed amendment ordinance to ban pitt bulls from the city. [...]

The proposed ordinance says it would be unlawful to have a pit bull in Trussville. Current owners will be grandfathered in. Their dogs must be on a leash, secured or locked in a pen, and there should be a sign on their property saying “Beware of Dog.” [...]

The ordinance could be up for a vote in two weeks. Mayor Melton says it could be carried over to January.

Full article retrieved 12/14/11 from http://www.myfoxal.com/story/16326251/trussville-proposes-ordinace-to-ban-pit-bulls

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Posted in Alabama, BSL Proposed

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Ohio HB 14: Amendments introduced, vote moved to January

Posted on December 14, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Edit 1/31/12: You are viewing an old post; HB 14 has advanced. View all alerts for HB 14: http://stopbsl.com/?s=ohio+hb+14

At the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for HB 14 yesterday, three minor amendments were introduced (see article below), and a number of people spoke or submitted written testimony in support of the bill. Because of the new amendments, the committee vote on the bill has been postponed until January.

Please continue to show your support for HB 14 by contacting committee members and asking them to vote the bill out of committee. If the bill passes committee, then it goes to the full Senate for a vote. If the Senate approves it, it has to go back to the House for another vote (because of the Senate committee amendments). We still have a ways to go, but the bill’s progress to date is encouraging.

Contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to pass HB 14 out of committee: SD02@senate.state.oh.us; SD22@senate.state.oh.us; SD25@maild.sen.state.oh.us; SD12@senate.state.oh.us; SD09@maild.sen.state.oh.us; SD27@senate.state.oh.us; SD29@senate.state.oh.us; SD33@maild.sen.state.oh.us; SD08@senate.state.oh.us

Find your state senator using the legislator locator: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/index.cfm

The full text of HB 14 as reported from the House can be read here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=129_HB_14

End ‘pit bull’ restrictions, Ohio urged

Rules contrary to addressing problem, veterinarian tells Senate panel

BY TANYA IRWIN
BLADE STAFF WRITER

COLUMBUS — [...] Sen. Mark Wagoner (R., Ottawa Hills), the Senate Judiciary chairman, has tentatively scheduled a committee vote for January. [...]

Mr. Wagoner introduced three amendments to the bill Tuesday that don’t significantly change the bill’s intent, according to Ms. Sears. The first requires that at a court hearing, “the person who designated the dog as a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog has the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that the dog is a nuisance dog, dangerous dog, or vicious dog.”

The second amendment would not require rabies vaccination, spaying, and neutering criteria for dangerous-dog registration if they are medically contra-indicated. Dr. Lord said she supported this amendment. The third amendment is a series of “technical, clarifying, or conforming” tweaks to the bill’s language. [...]

Full article retrieved 12/14/11 from http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2011/12/14/End-pit-bull-restrictions-Ohio-urged.html

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Posted in Ohio, Proposal to Repeal

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New Mexico: Senator drafts statewide BSL

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | 5 Comments

New Mexico Senator Sue Beffort has created a draft of a bill (click link to read it yourself) that she hopes to introduce in the 2012 legislative session (begins Jan 17).

The bill would declare all “pit bulls” in the state to be “dangerous dogs.” Owners of a dog believed to be a “pit bull” would be required to follow special restrictions. Such restrictions include special registration, liability insurance, special containment, spay/neuter, muzzling, spay/neuter, enrollment in behavior classes offered by animal control, and special signage. Further, dangerous dogs cannot be taken off the owner’s property except to go to the vet. Animal control may seize and kill a dog whose owner does not comply with these rules.

“Pit bull” is defined in the proposal as American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and any dog that is a mix of one of these, or any dog that resembles one of these. In a strange twist, purebred dogs of these breeds are NOT considered “pit bulls” as long as they are registered with the AKC or UKC. In other words, the “pit bulls” primarily targeted by this bill are non-pedigreed: such as mixed-breed dogs and shelter dogs.

Please contact Senator Beffort and your own New Mexico state senator now and express your opinion about breed-discriminatory laws.

Senator Sue Wilson Beffort
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4395
E-mail: sue.beffort@nmlegis.gov

Find your state senator here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/leg.aspx?T=S

This proposal must receive a message from the governor’s office to be placed on the “call” of the 2012 session. Otherwise it cannot be considered. Please contact New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and ask her not to call Beffort’s proposal/bill.
Phone: 505-476-2200
Contact form: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/Contact_the_Governor.aspx

Keep in mind that this proposal has NOT been filed yet. If the bill is actually filed, it will likely go to a Senate committee. At that time, we will provide more information about who to contact. Please don’t write the entire Senate just yet.

Read more about Senator Beffort’s proposal: http://www.capitolreportnewmexico.com/?p=7214

All alerts for New Mexico: http://stopbsl.com/?s=new+mexico

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Posted in BSL Proposed, New Mexico, Whispers of BSL

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