UPDATED INFORMATION HERE: stopbsl.org/2014/11/24/moreauville-la-update-officials-pledge-to-suspend-enforcement-of-ban
On October 13th the small town of Moreauville, Louisiana, passed a ban on pit bull type dogs and Rottweilers.
The city has a little over 900 residents and no online presence.
Officials claim that they passed the ban at the request of several residents. These residents approached the council saying that they were unable to walk in certain neighborhoods because “these dogs were basically running along town.” Alderman Penn Lemoine said the ordinance was enacted to “appease” these residents.
Officials say that there have been attacks but none have been documented. This begs the question, what sort of animal control is in place, or was in place, before the ban? Was it being enforced? At the very least, it is clear that any laws that were in place were not being enforced. We are attempting to get a copy of any pertinent legislation for review, but at this time, it is unclear if there are any laws on the books, or if there is an animal control agent tasked with enforcement.
The law does not have a grandfather clause. This means that every single dog that matches the targeted type is at risk of being confiscated and killed. A letter was sent out to residents saying that they must get rid of their dogs by December 1st or they will be confiscated and taken to a “veterinary clinic for further disposition.”
According to a local report, when the police chief was asked what would happen if dogs are not turned over voluntarily, the resident questioning the chief was told that, “They would come and get the dog and the dog would be disposed of and we would be fined.”
When pressed to clarify what “disposition” meant, Alderman Penn Lemoine refused, saying, “I’d rather not elaborate on that.” Apparently, city officials are fine with passing a law that takes away and kills people’s dogs because of the way they look, but they are not comfortable talking about it publicly.
Something the Pro-BSL lobby claims all the time is that a ban doesn’t mean that dogs are taken away from their homes and killed. They claim that these are scare tactics used by “pit bull advocates.” They claim that all current owned dogs are allowed to live out the rest of their lives under a ban and that it is just new dogs that are not allowed. We know from many places that this is not true, and this letter to owners of pit bulls and Rottweilers is just more evidence of that. We at StopBSL would like a statement from BSL proponents, clarifying what exactly they mean, in the face of this evidence, that it is only a “scare tactic.”
Families with targeted dogs are seeking support to be able to keep their dogs. There is a question as to the legality of taking property that was obtained legally at the time of the legislations passage (in this case dogs are considered property) and “disposing” of it. There are also questions about the legality of the ordinance in general. Preliminary review from experts in the field of dangerous dog law point to numerous constitutional and due process issues in the ban.
Officials are claiming that if there is enough of an outcry, they might revisit the issue on the December 8th meeting. This is completely insufficient. The deadline for the targeted dogs is a week before the next meeting.
RESIDENTS AND LOCALS: It is incredibly important that members of the council hear your voices. The passage of the ban was kept relatively quiet until now. It is important that people are heard but all communication must be professional, respectful and factual. We know this is an emotional issue, but anger and vitriol achieves nothing except to alienate officials in a time when people need their voices to be heard the most. Offer alternatives, such as containment laws and point out the many failures of breed discriminatory laws.
Fosters are being lined up so that the targeted dogs can have a safe place to go, if needed, while this issue is resolved. If you are local and outside the city limits of Moreauville, and can foster, please send a message to www.facebook.com/RepealBSLMoreauville.
Fred M. Kray
krisdiaz9
Stop BSL 
Would love to sign but can’t seem to,find the it is vicious ban .must fight it
Petition to Repeal BSL in Moreaville Louisiana ~
https://www.causes.com/…/86440-repeal-bsl-in-moreauville-lo…
ridiculous.
this is sick why not put that law on the criminals that live in the area !
What is happening in Moreauville, LA is so inhumane that it is unreal!
How can innocent animals be put down because owners aren’t being forced to be responsible for them?! Why are the city leaders not passing ordinances & laws to protect these animals & their citizens?! How can “several” people have such an influence on the city council in this matter?! Why are only 2 breeds of dogs being pinpointed when any breed have the potential of being aggressive/vicious?!
It is absolutely heartless & cruel to force families who love & take proper care of their 4 legged family members to either give them away so they are not confiscated to be disposed of!
I hope & pray that there is some way we who have hearts can stop this cruelty!!!!
I hope this law gets reversed!
There is no reason to wipe out these innocent God’s creatures! LeVe them alone and relocate to a place where they can be cared for! Do not be cruel!
I am very upset over this STUPID STUPID, law..it is prejudice against those 2 breeds. it isnt right that u kill these precious babies. i am so mad about this…if the law passed in my city, i would have to move. NOBODY is going to take my baby away from me. this is so pitiful to me, i think the ones agreeing with this law needs to own a Pittbull or a Rottweiler . I own a Pit now, and I have owned a Rott in the past. They both are the best, seetest loving breeds. It is these DUMB peoples ignorance that has to cause DRAMA.
Please Moreauville residents – join together and get a lawyer to stop this!
This is wrong what you are doing to this family. This pit bull has not done anything wrong and he is apart of their family. A dog who help people with a disability and is a great dog should not have to suffer because of their name’ pit bull’.. this is wrong and heartbreaking. How could you stress a family or families out like that. It cruel and wrong. Zeus should be able to stay were he is at and not be takenough away or hurt because of other peoplease complaining about a dog because of its name. Not all dogs a vicious. And it’s the owner that makes the dog who it is by treating it they way they do. I pray to God you don’t do this to this family and thats including the dog as well because it is wrong to them and it will be cruel. This family is in my thoughts and prayers and I would fight and fight hard against this.. whatever happens make sure the precious dog stays alive and loved…
This is unacceptable and illegal.
Alderman Penn Lemoine and Council: repeal BSL by Thanksgiving. If you are unable to think of an ethical, effective way to keep Moreauville streets safe for pedestrians, convene a temporary task force of citizens to provide options for December 8 consideration. Meantime, give village residents and their family pets–whom they love as you do your German Shepherd–a repeal for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Let me get this straight. Dogs are running loose and the solution to that is to ban dogs, likely mixes, of a certain vague appearance?
Wouldn’t it be cheaper, easier and more fair to just create a containment/leashing/licensing bylaw if one doesn’t exist?
This is disgusting. Creating new laws that destroy animals and tear apart families, to appease the complaints of the few, while failing to enforce any existing animal control laws. Sounds like some tax dollars needed to be spent before the end of the year.
How many dogs will be affected? There are plenty of us, outside the city limits–even in other states–that would be willing to adopt, if it comes to that.
This is ignorance on the citys/countys part. BAN BSL pit bulls are loving and gentle by nature. They were heroes in the war and saved many wounded soldiers and caught german spies. They were used as nanny dogs in the 30’s cuz they are so gentle.
Stop bsl!!!!
This is absolutely horrible. Pit bulls and rotties are great dogs. They are loving and caring. The US is getting out of hand. A person cannot even have the dog of their choice????
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I’ve lived in Avoyelles parish Louisiana pretty much my whole life and this is how small towns in Louisiana are. They get away with so much and most are scared to speak out or stand up. Avoyelles parish, where someone can hold you hostage and say they are going to burn you alive and the cop who shows up lets you go. Rapides parish, where they expect a 4 year old little girl walk to and from where the bus stops instead of driving down like the Jr high bus while there is a registered sex offender. Jena, where the judge will tell people that are the for fines, tickets, or other offenses that anyone who doesn’t plead guilty today and wants a trial will face higher fine and longer imprisonment when they come back. Pineville where if you get in a vehicle accident the police will enter you vehicle and confiscate a commemorative firearm. One a soldier has been given for sacrificing a year over seas for our country and refuse to return it for over a year. Even though the truck was released and able to be driven off in after they filled out their records. These are just a few that I have seen and heard with my own eyes and ears, let alone the many more stories from others. Louisiana has a way of pushing it’s citizens into doing what the judges and cops want even if it is illegal or unconstitutional. This needs to be stopped for once but I have to say that I doubt any person, law, or petition will stop the village of Moreauville (a city so small if you blink you’ll miss it) or any city in La from doing what it wants.
this is ridiculous ..who do they think they are??? where’s the petition
This is horrendous!!!! Maybe you should “ban” the individuals who aren’t capable to raise a fun, loving animal. As with humans, creatures are TAUGHT behavior! Why should mans best friend, a species that GOD created, be banned by humans! What gives you the right? I will do everything possible to get the word out to save our animals!
wheres the petition so i can sign it and stop this fucking bullshit these dogs don’t deserve this the people who came up with this shit should be put down
BSL Does NOT stop dogs from biting Responsible owners do with proper training, Socialization. any dog can bite regardless of breed. Education and Rehabilitation help when people take the time to do what is necessary to have a well balanced dog..
Reblogged this on Troubled Teen Daily — sort of.
This is total BS!! They cannot do this!! Not every Pitt Or Rottie is a “Dangerous Dog”!! I cant believe that because of several residents they made this so called law!! Good thing I dont live in Moreauville cuz Id be putting up one hell of a legal fight about this!! Someone needs to get more advicates like Tia Torres from Animal Planet and Ceasar Millian from National Geographic to come help them…
Pingback: Moreauville, La Passes Breed Ban: Demands All Pit Bulls And Rottweilers To Be Removed From All Homes
PLEASE SHARE AMD SIGN AND LET’S STOP THIS DISCRIMINATION ! ! ! ! ! !
So Moreauville also banned the Fourth Amendment, too?
Breaking into a person’s home to stop a crime is one thing. Crime is defined by the State. Parishes and towns and hamlets and campgrounds may pass ordinances, but Barney Fife is not allowed to raid the home and confiscate private property.
Can’t anyone read there? Maybe the law should be written in Crayola.
This is absolutely ridiculous!!!! These people obviously don’t have a life and have never owned a pit bull for that matter. Isn’t this discrimination????? That would be like saying black people in the town do more crimes so sorry we have to get rid of you. If you can’t find somewhere to go you will all be put on death row..fucking sad. I own a pit and will always own pits for that matter. They are absolutely wonderful dogs. Its all on how they are raised. I understand some people can’t raise well behaved dogs which is sad and if they can’t raise a dog right they should never be allowed to have kids for that matter. Hope you guys get tour shit figured out GOOD LUCK!!!
When will some humans understand??? it is not about the breed it is about the deed.Blame the owner not the dog No dog is born violent ..The dog is just a victim and needs your help and compassion