Category Archives: Whispers of BSL

Gainesville, GA: Resident asks council for breed ban

Posted on April 23, 2012 by | 3 Comments

A resident in Gainesville, GA, has asked city council what she needs to do to get a breed ban passed. Council has decided to do some research with local animal control.

If you live in or around Gainesville, please reach out to council members and respectfully assist them with their research. Explain why breed-specific laws are ineffective, unfair, expensive, and difficult to enforce. Provide them with acceptable breed-neutral alternatives.

Contact info for city council: citycouncil@gainesville.org
Next council meeting: May 1

Gainesville woman wants ban on pit bulls

By B.J. Williams Editor
Posted: Friday, April 20th 2012 at 10:41am

GAINESVILLE – [...] Jean Brannon appeared this week at a Gainesville City Council meeting to ask council members what steps she needs to take to have the dogs outlawed.

“Do I need to do a petition? Do I need to start going door to door? Do I need to get somebody on every street to go to their neighbors and sign something? What do we need to do to get rid of them,” she asked. [...]

Councilwoman Ruth Bruner suggested the council do some research with local animal authorities before giving Brannon any advice on how to proceed.

Full article retrieved 4/23/12 from http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=247751

Thanks to Jodi for the heads up!

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Posted in Georgia, Whispers of BSL

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Holyoke, CO: Resident requests breed ban

Posted on April 12, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Although state law prohibits municipalities from passing BSL, “home rule” communities are exempt from this prohibition. Holyoke is “home rule,” so the city could pass BSL or a breed ban if it chooses.

Holyoke is a small town of about 2,500 people, and has no online presence. If you are a resident or local and are able to track this issue for us, we would appreciate it.

Contact info for Holyoke:
City of Holyoke City Clerk, 407 West Denver Street, Holyoke, CO 80734
(970) 854-2266

City looking into dog pound

WRITTEN BY CHRIS LEE
TUESDAY, 10 APRIL 2012 20:17

[...] Prior to the pound discussion, Jim Yakel spoke to council members last Monday telling them about how his granddaughter was recently bitten by a pit bull in Amherst. Yakel said he knows the incident didn’t occur in Holyoke but said he hopes the council would consider making pit bulls and other dangerous dogs illegal.

[...] “I would like the board to have some discussion on it,” Yakel said. [...]

Full article retrieved 4/11/12 from http://www.holyokeenterprise.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5169:city-looking-into-dog-pound&catid=34:local-news&Itemid=34

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Posted in Colorado, Whispers of BSL

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Breaux Bridge, LA: Breed ban may be considered, April 10

Posted on April 9, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Update 4/10/12: Thanks to several individuals who contacted the city clerk and got the proposal for us to look at! The proposal pertains to livestock; it is not a breed ban. This is certainly good news, and we’re investigating the breed ban rumors a little bit further to see if that is still a possibility later on. Locals—this is still an opportunity for you to speak up against the BSL that is currently in place in Breaux Bridge and to help councilmembers figure out effective and breed-neutral ways to resolve their ongoing animal control issues!——–
Breaux Bridge, LA, is considering changes to their animal ordinances. The April 10 agenda Item 11, which will propose changes to their animal ordinance, is of concern, as we are hearing rumors that they may propose a breed ban: http://gov.breauxbridgelive.com/images/CityCouncilMeeting/april-2012-agenda.pdf

Breaux Bridge already has BSL for “pit bulls” (defined simply as any dog with “muscular brick-like shape of the head, broad back skull, wide mouth, and strong muscular jaw”). Any dog matching that description is automatically labeled “dangerous or vicious” and owners must comply with the vicious dog restrictions. You can read the current ordinance here.

At this time we have very little information about exactly what is being proposed in Breaux Bridge. We’re in the process of inquiring. Can you help with research? Call the city clerk (337-332-8302) and ask if she can email or fax the proposal, Ordinance 2184, to you. Contact StopBSL with your results.

If you are local, please attend the April 10 council meeting to find out what is being proposed, to voice your opposition to BSL, to engage in reasonable dialogue, and to propose real, fair, effective solutions to their animal control problems. This is a significant opportunity to make your community safer and more humane.

Council meeting: April 10, 6:00 PM, at City Hall, 101 Berard Street, Breaux Bridge

Council contact information:
City of Breaux Bridge, 101 Berard Street, Breaux Bridge, La. 70517
Mayor Jack Delhomme’s office: PH 337-332-2171 or FAX 337-332-6023
City clerk Pattie Dupuis: 337-332-8302

The Breaux Bridge website isn’t very up-to-date and this issue hasn’t received any news coverage, making this a difficult alert to track. If you are local and able to update us on the details and status of this proposal, we would appreciate it very much.

This brief news article, from about a month ago, illuminates some of the “ongoing” animal control problems that Breaux Bridge has been dealing with, including “pit bull” attacks (despite the current BSL), horses, and a lack of resources to deal with loose animals:
http://techetoday.com/view/full_story/17618504/article-Animals-under-scrutiny-in-Breaux-Bridge

Thanks to Elizabeth for the heads up!

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Posted in Louisiana, Whispers of BSL

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Larned, KS: Resident will request BSL, April 2

Posted on March 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Many thanks to Jodi for investigating and sharing this alert!

I have confirmed with the Larned City Manager that an animal control issue will be discussed at this Monday’s (April 2, 2012) city council meeting. A resident has approached the council and has requested the city enact a breed specific ordinance. That resident will be making a presentation to the council at the meeting. No ordinance has been drafted at this time.

If you are in the Larned, Kansas area, please make every attempt to attend the upcoming meeting. The Council meets [April 2] at 6:30 p.m. at the Larned City Offices at 417 Broadway Street.

The original alert with contact information is below. If you do contact the city, please be sure to include alternatives and suggestions and, of course, be polite and respectful in all your communications.

City of Larned, Kansas
417 Broadway Street, Larned, KS 67550
Telephone: (620)285-8500
Fax: (620)285-8544

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Posted in Kansas, Whispers of BSL

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Pointe Coupee Parish, LA reminder: Public hearing on proposed animal ordinance, March 27 (possible BSL)

Posted on March 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Pointe Coupee Parish police jury will meet on March 27 at 5:00 PM. One of the items on the agenda is a public hearing to amend the animal control ordinance.

Although we do not know exactly what the police jury has proposed this time, we remember the extensive breed ban that was proposed (and failed) in 2010. Several police jurors have expressed a desire to reconsider BSL or a breed ban.

Jurors could bring the 2010 proposal back to the table, they could write up a new proposal, or they could decline to change their current ordinances.

Please contact the Pointe Coupee Police Jury and respectfully guide them away from breed-specific laws and toward workable solutions to their dangerous dog issues.
Pointe Coupee Parish Police Jury, P.O. Box 290, New Roads, Louisiana 70760
Ph (225) 638-9556 – Fax (225) 638-5555

All alerts for Pointe Coupee Parish: http://stopbsl.com/?s=pointe+coupee

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Waterbury, CT: Aldermen will consider dog ordinance changes (possible BSL)

Posted on March 24, 2012 by | 4 Comments

Resident Paul Poidomani’s mother was attacked by loose dogs described as “pit bulls,” and now city aldermen are thinking about making changes to their dog ordinance. View current Waterbury animal ordinances here.

Poidomani has suggested some kind of BSL for “pit bull” owners. Alderman Ernest Brunelli, a family friend, intends to bring ordinance revisions forward in April, but it’s unclear whether those revisions will be breed-specific or breed-neutral.

Residents and locals, please speak up against breed-specific laws as the city mulls dog ordinance revisions. Also, offer reasonable breed-neutral alternatives. Please do so with respect and civility—please DO NOT correspond if you cannot remain polite.

City Alderman email block:
ppernerewski@comcast.net; tpicjr2000@yahoo.com; AldermanHadley@waterburyct.org; App143@aol.com; brunelli_ernest_j@sbcglobal.net; aldermannapoli@waterburyct.org; jbeg32@att.net; rmulcahy13@live.com; AlderwomanMargiotta@waterburyct.org; AldermanPalladino@waterburyct.org; AldermanLuedke@waterburyct.org; fburgiot@aol.com; AldermanNoujaim@waterburyct.org; townplotter@aol.com; steven.giacomi@gmail.com

Please note, contrary to the news report below, Poidomani is NOT a city alderman.

Son of pitbull attack victim wants change

Updated: Thursday, 22 Mar 2012, 11:10 PM EDT
Erin Logan

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — [...] [Paul Poidomani] wants stricter rules for pitbull owners. [...]

Alderman Ernest Brunelli doesn’t want to ban pitbulls completely, but he does want owners to understand the responsibilities of having pitbulls as pets. [...] “I want to stiffen the penalties, and make sure every dog is vaccinated and insured.”

Brunelli will bring his proposed changes before the Aldermen sometime in April. He is hoping for a public hearing.

Full article retrieved 3/24/12 from http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_haven_cty/son-of-pitbull-attack-victim-wants-change

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Posted in Connecticut, Whispers of BSL

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Stratham, NH: Selectmen to hear public concerns about dogs, March 12

Posted on March 10, 2012 by | 1 Comment

For locals and residents of Stratham, you may wish to attend this public meeting in order to better assess the situation. We do NOT know if BSL will be suggested, but considering the incident that prompted the public meeting, there’s a possibility.

As always, please be respectful and helpful if you correspond with town officials or speak at the meeting.

Selectmen to hear concerns from public after pit bull attack

March 09, 2012 2:00 AM

STRATHAM — The Board of Selectmen will host a public session at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 12 for residents and dog owners to ask questions and express concerns.

[...] If residents express concerns to change town ordinances regarding animals, depending on the ordinance, it may require a vote at the Town Meeting or at least a public hearing process to be scheduled at a later date. [...]

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. on Monday, preceding the Board of Selectmen meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Center on 10 Bunker Hill Ave.

Full article retrieved 3/10/12 from http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20120309-NEWS-203090333

Thanks to Kathy for sending us this news item.

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Posted in New Hampshire, Whispers of BSL

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