Category Archives: Pennsylvania

Bristol Borough, PA: Whispers of BSL

Posted on November 10, 2010 by | 1 Comment

PA state law prohibits breed-specific laws.

BRISTOL BOROUGH MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 250 POND STREET, BRISTOL, PA 19007
Fax Number: 215-788-5366
Borough Office Phone Number: 215-788-3828

Borough Council contact info:
Lorraine Cullen, lcullen@bristolboro.com
James Lutz, 215-788-2647
Anthony Muccie, amuccie@bristolboro.com
Patrick Sabatini, 215-781-9003
Ralph DiGuiseppe, rdiguiseppe@bristolboro.com
Leo Plenski, Jr., lplenski@bristolboro.com
Robyn Trunell, rtrunell@bristolboro.com
Betty Rodriguez, brodriguez@bristolboro.com

Council work sessions are held on the 1st Monday of every month. Council agenda meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of every month. The meetings are held in Borough Hall and begin at 7pm.

Council president urges muzzles for pit bulls

By: GEORGE MATTAR
Bucks County Courier Times
November 09, 2010 02:05 AM
BRISTOL

With that, council President Ralph DiGuiseppe ordered borough solicitor William Salerno to draft a proposed ordinance that would require all pit bulls to wear muzzles on borough property.[...]

DiGuiseppe, himself a dog owner, said he would be devastated if something happened to his dog, but he added he has had enough of pit bulls and wants them muzzled.[...]

Full article retrieved 11/10/10 from http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/28/2010/november/09/council-president-urges-muzzles-for-pit-bulls-1.html

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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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Clairton, PA: Clairton City Council Meets Over Pit Bull Problem

Posted on October 10, 2009 by | 1 Comment

A similar story — “Clairton Task Force Will Sink Teeth Into Dog Problems” — at http://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.html (with a 2-minute video) downplays breed specificity.

Contact info for city officials:
City of Clairton, 551 Ravensburg Blvd., Clairton, PA 15025

Remember: BSL is already in place in Clairton. Correspondence should seek to educate about the flaws with their current system, suggestions for a better ordinance, and to dissuade from a breed ban.

Clairton City Council Meets Over Pit Bull Problem

Oct 9, 2009 1:50 pm US/Eastern

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― [...] Meanwhile, the city of Clairton is beginning to crack down on pit bull and other dog owners.

“We have not really been pushing this ordinance, but it’s time that we start getting strict with the ordnance,” said Clairton Mayor Domenic Virgona. “Everyone having a dangerous dog such as a pit bull and Rottweiler and so on must register their dog with the city of Clairton. They must also be on a leash and if they’re going to walk the dog on the street, it must be muzzled.”

Also, the mayor says that anyone who disobeys that ordnance will face a $500 fine. The mayor also says that a ban on pit bulls in the future is not out of the question.[...]

Full article retrieved 10/10/09 from http://kdka.com/pets/pit.bull.problems.2.1237955.html

http://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.htmlhttp://www.wpxi.com/news/21248078/detail.html

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Bucks County, PA: Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

Posted on August 17, 2009 by | Comments Off

Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

August 14, 2009 02:38 AM

By Gema Maria Duarte
The Doylestown Intelligencer

[...] That attack and two others since then have borough and state officials trying to adjust the state’s dog law to allow municipalities to create their own dog ordinances. While that proposed legislation sits in Harrisburg, the borough will enforce the state’s current dog law, officials said.

State law allows attacking dogs to be returned to their owners with a warning to keep the pets under control. Pennsylvania has a three-strike policy, which allows the pet’s return after two incidents unless a dog kills or grievously injures a person. A third incident and the dog is euthanized.[...]

Full article retrieved 8/17/09 from http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/28/2009/august/14/advocates-dog-laws-shouldnt-be-breed-specific-1.html

Advocates: Dog laws shouldn’t be breed-specific

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Wilkes-Barre, PA: Dog owners, experts growl at proposed vicious breed ban

Posted on July 6, 2009 by | 2 Comments

Previous alert and contact information for Wilkes-Barre lawmakers: http://stopbsl.com/2009/07/03/wilkes-barre-pa-city-to-ask-legislature-for-ability-to-pass-bsl/

Dog owners, experts growl at proposed vicious breed ban

By Nicholas Sohr (Staff Writer)
Published: July 4, 2009

[...] “Sometimes these things are fear driven,” said Cindy Stark, a member of the governor’s Dog Law Advisory Board and shelter manager for the Luzerne County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “I understand legislators and heads of municipalities are concerned for the safety of their citizens. But the bottom line is the owners are responsible for their animals.”

[...] In 2001, when [Mayor] Leighton was a member of city council, he pushed to ban pit bulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds and Doberman Pinschers from city parks after authorities shot a pit bull during a raid at a Woodward Street home.

A state law stymied the measure because it prevents municipalities from enacting laws that single out dogs based solely on breed.

In 2005, Leighton pushed new legislation to ban pit bulls from the entire city.[...] The effort was thwarted by the same state law.[...]

Full article retreved 7/6/09 from http://www.citizensvoice.com/news/dog_owners_experts_growl_at_proposed_vicious_breed_ban

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Wilkes-Barre, PA: City to ask legislature for ability to pass BSL

Posted on July 3, 2009 by | 3 Comments

The state of PA prohibits municipalities from passing BSL. Wilkes-Barre wants to change this so they can pass BSL.

Contact Information for Wilkes-Barre Lawmakers:

Mayor Thomas M. Leighton
Contact: Gwen Blasi, Executive Secretary
Phone: 570-208-4152

City Council Members
Tony Thomas Jr., Chairperson
Kathy Kane, Vice Chairperson
Bill Barrett
Rick Cronauer
Mike Merritt
FOR CITY COUNCIL INQUIRIES PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK AT 570-208-4117

Next city council meeting July 9 at 6:00 PM
City Council Chambers, Fourth Floor, City Hall

City wants to stop the dog attacks

BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE – Mayor Tom Leighton said the city will do whatever it can to prevent dangerous dog attacks.

[...] “We can’t have these dangerous dogs walking in our parks and Farmers’ Market,” Leighton said. “I look forward to the state Legislature enacting a law to address this situation.”

[...] Under current state law, municipalities are limited in how they may regulate dangerous or vicious dogs. Leighton said his administration was unable to proceed with plans to ban pit bulls from the city in 2005 when a safety issue arose.

[...] “Currently, we are contacting our state legislators and urging them to consider legislation which would give municipalities like the City of Wilkes-Barre the power to enact and enforce dangerous dog ordinances. We are also reviewing our current permits and fines related to vicious dogs and intend to increase them.”[...]

Full article retrieved 7/3/09 from http://www.timesleader.com/news/City_wants_to_stop_the_dog_attacks_07-03-2009.html

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Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, PA: Whispers of BSL

Posted on March 25, 2009 by | 1 Comment

It is not clear what will be proposed by lawmakers. Breed-specific legislation has been suggested by the media in at least one prior article.

Please keep correspondence polite and informative. These folks need helpful non-breed-specific solutions to their perceived “pit bull” problem.

Pittsburgh City Council contact information:
City Clerk (or fill in City Councilmember’s name)
510 City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Ph. (412) 255-2138
Email forms for city councilmembers: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council/html/city_council_members.html

City Council meetings are every Tuesday at 10 AM. City Council meetings are held in Council Chambers (ADA accessible), located on the Fifth Floor of the City-County Building at 414 Grant Street.

Allegheny County Council contact information:
Office of the County Council, Courthouse, Room 119, 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 350-6490
Fax: (412) 350-6499
council@alleghenycounty.us
http://www.alleghenycounty.us/council/members.aspx

Next County Council meetings: Tuesday, April 7, 5 PM and Tuesday, April 21, 5 PM
County Courthouse, 436 Grant Street, 4th Floor – Gold Room, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Lawmakers Vow To Address Pit Bull Problem

Mar 24, 2009 9:36 pm US/Eastern

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Local leaders are promising to address the growing number of abandoned pit bulls in the Pittsburgh area.

Reacting to a KDKA investigation on the problem, Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus says the city will consider tighter controls.

[... Dan] Onorato says he will consider legislation to address the problem countywide.[...]

Full article retrieved 3/25/09 from http://kdka.com/kdkainvestigators/Pit.bull.problem.2.967094.html

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