You can be sure that pro-BSL groups like PETA will send the task force members plenty of misinformation to support the discriminatory ruling. In fact, they already have. Read PETA’s outrageous pro-BSL letter to MD lawmakers here. (PDF) And we all know the name of the infamous pro-BSL website that provided the tinder for the discriminatory Solesky court ruling in the first place. The owner of that website is undoubtably contacting MD lawmakers as well.

You can combat the misinformation being spread by these groups by sending respectful, informative communications to the task force that demonstrate why the Solesky court decision is discriminatory, expensive, and dangerous.

Contact info for task force legislators:
Brian.Frosh@senate.state.md.us; Lisa.Gladden@senate.state.md.us; Joseph.Getty@senate.state.md.us; Jamie.Raskin@senate.state.md.us; Norman.Stone@senate.state.md.us; Curt.Anderson@house.state.md.us; Eric.Bromwell@house.state.md.us; Benjamin.Kramer@house.state.md.us; Heather.Mizeur@house.state.md.us; Michael.Smigiel@house.state.md.us

Maryland Lawmakers Form Pit Bull Task Force

Posted: May 30, 2012 5:51 PM CDT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Maryland lawmakers will review the impact of a ruling by the state’s highest court that concluded pit bulls are an inherently dangerous breed and consider legislation in response, the presiding officers of the Maryland General Assembly announced Wednesday. [...]

The task force will review state law, the court’s decision and laws in other states. The panel also will review the viability and definition of breed-specific standards in Maryland law, a dog owner or landlord’s ability to secure property insurance and existing breed-specific prohibitions in local jurisdictions in Maryland. [...]

Senators on the panel will include: Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery, Lisa Gladden, D-Baltimore, Joseph Getty, R-Carroll, Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery and Norman Stone, D-Baltimore County. Delegates on the task force will be Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, Eric Bromwell, D-Baltimore County, Benjamin Kramer, D-Montgomery, Heather Mizeur, D-Montgomery, and Michael Smigiel, R-Cecil.

Full article retrieved 5/31/12 from http://www.wboc.com/story/18660466/maryland-lawmakers-form-pit-bull-task-force

GOTL de-lists pit bulls as vicious dogs

Advocate rallies for ’Bula to do the same

May 23, 2012
By MARGIE NETZEL – mnetzel@starbeacon.com, Staff Writer

GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE — Village Council is showing a bit of puppy love for pit bulls, eradicating an ordinance that bans ownership of the breed within village limits.

After three readings, council revised its vicious dog ordinance this week, following the new state standard that also de-listed the dogs as a vicious breed, village administrator Jim Hockaday said. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/29/12 from http://starbeacon.com/local/x1647282414/GOTL-de-lists-pit-bulls-as-vicious-dogs

Facebook group to repeal the ban: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Repeal-Winnipegs-Pit-Bull-Ban/166789433355315?v=wall

City won’t lift ban on pit bulls

By: Jen Skerritt
Posted: 1:00 AM

WINNIPEG’S ban on pit bulls is here to stay as officials worry lifting it could cause more overcrowding in city animal shelters.

Last year, animal advocates urged the city to consider repealing the pit-bull ban as part of its wider review of responsible pet ownership. [...]

Winnipeg’s revamped pet-ownership bylaw will not be made public until fall, but on Monday, animal services chief operating officer Leland Gordon said the department does not support repealing the ban. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/29/12 from http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-wont-lift-ban-on-pit-bulls-155263825.html

All alerts for Winnipeg: http://stopbsl.com/?s=winnipeg

You can read the new proposed dog ordinance here: http://www.northroyalton.org/Council/Legislation/2012%20Ordinances/12-087%20Vicious%20dogs%20EXHIBIT%20A%20PENDING.pdf

This ordinance has had a second reading and will next be discussed by the Safety Committee on June 5.

Please show the council your support for BSL repeal:
ward1@northroyalton.org; ward2@northroyalton.org; ward3@northroyalton.org; ward4@northroyalton.org; ward5@northroyalton.org; ward6@northroyalton.org; councilpres@northroyalton.org

Lack of leash could hurt North Royalton dog owners

Published: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 5:30 PM
By Scott Patsko, Sun News

NORTH ROYALTON: [...] A third ordinance dealing with dog behavior, specifically vicious and dangerous dogs, was sent to a second reading and will be discussed further by the Safety Committee on June 5.

Full article retrieved 5/25/12 from http://www.cleveland.com/north-royalton/index.ssf/2012/05/lack_of_leash_could_hurt_north.html

Residents and locals may wish to get involved in Carmi to help city officials make the community safer and more educated about dog behavior and responsible dog ownership.

Dog owners urged to obey leash laws

By Braden Willis, Carmi Times
Posted May 24, 2012 @ 10:03 AM

[...] The attacking dog was a pit bull breed and Port acknowledged at Monday’s meeting there has been a call from neighbors in that area for the council to enact breed-specific prohibitions against pit bulls.

The mayor said such an ordinance has been considered, but the council learned state law prohibits breed-specific prohibitions. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/25/12 from http://www.carmitimes.com/news/x1898611450/City-realizes-34K-profit-despite-losses

Although many city officials are supportive of the change to a breed-neutral dog ordinance, the mayor is against it. I’m not sure if the mayor holds veto power in Lebanon, but it probably wouldn’t hurt for city officials to hear from a supportive public.

Please send your respectful, encouraging support to city officials in Lebanon as they work toward repeal of BSL: citycouncil@lebanonohio.gov

Lebanon updates law banning vicious dogs

Law will be easier to enforce, as it is no longer breed specific.

By Justin McClelland, Staff Writer

5:59 PM Thursday, May 24, 2012

LEBANON — Following the lead of a new state law, Lebanon officials are looking to do away with a ban on pitbull terriers and move to a more general ban on dogs deemed as “vicious.” [...]

“It’s very difficult to enforce a law that is breed specific,” said Lebanon City Attorney Mark Yurick. “This new law is not breed specific and instead focuses on the conduct of any dog or the purpose for which it is bred.”

Yurick said the new law would be much easier to enforce as law officers would no longer have to “prove” a dog was a pitbull or of pitbull ancestry. [...]

Lebanon Mayor Amy Brewer said she would not support the lifting of the ban.

“I feel strongly that these dogs are dangerous and can’t support the legislation,” Brewer said. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/25/12 from http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/lebanon-updates-law-banning-vicious-dogs-1381057.html

The first reading of the ordinance took place this week. The ordinance is expected to be approved at the next council meeting (June 4). You can read the revised ordinance here (begins on pg 42): http://www.strongsville.org/content/userfiles/file/City%20Council/2012%20City%20Council%20Agendas/CA%2005-21-12.pdf

Please encourage and thank the city council for moving ahead with BSL repeal:
http://www.strongsville.org/content/council_contact.asp

Pit Bulls Welcome Again in Strongsville

No more restrictions on the controversial breed

By Debbie Palmer

Pit bulls are no longer considered vicious in Ohio, and soon they won’t be in Strongsville, either.

The city is amending its vicious dog ordinance to reflect new changes in the state law, which — as of this week — does not automatically classify the pit bull breed as “vicious” dogs. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/25/12 from http://strongsville.patch.com/articles/pit-bulls-welcome-again

Shreve, OH, has rewritten their dog ordinance to reflect the new state law. In doing so, they have repealed their breed-specific law. The new breed-neutral ordinance was approved on May 21.

Please THANK Shreve officials for their smart move away from breed-specific laws.
Contact page for Shreve: http://www.shreveohio.com/village.htm

All Wayne County eyes are now on Wooster, OH, which is the last city in the county to still have BSL. We are hopeful that the trend of BSL repeal continues throughout the state in the wake of the new state law.

All alerts for Shreve: http://stopbsl.org/?s=shreve

StopBSL takes no position on mandatory spay/neuter as long as it is not breed-specific. Unfortunately, Ventura’s breed-specific MSN brings with it all of the problems that are associated with any BSL: unnecessary discrimination against citizens based on their dog’s physical appearance; subjective, nonscientific visual guesses about a dog’s possible breed, resulting in unequal application of the law and resource-consuming lawsuits and court challenges; enforcement difficulties; and so on. (Think animal shelter workers can reliably identify “pit bulls”? Check out this study done by Maddie’s Fund.)

Some city officials have already expressed concerns that the law will be difficult to enforce. And, of course, BS-MSN has not solved any problems anywhere else it has been implemented.

City of Ventura Mayor and City Council
mike.tracy@cityofventura.net, cheitmann@ci.ventura.ca.us, nandrews@ci.ventura.ca.us, bbrennan@ci.ventura.ca.us, jmonahan@ci.ventura.ca.us, cmorehouse@ci.ventura.ca.us, cweir@ci.ventura.ca.us

All alerts for Ventura (county and cities): http://stopbsl.com/?s=ventura

Ventura council approves pit bull ordinance

By Arlene Martinez
Posted May 23, 2012 at 5:12 p.m.

Despite concerns that enforcement might be difficult, the Ventura City Council voted 6-1 on Monday to require pit bulls to be spayed or neutered by the time they are 16 weeks.

[...] Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers fall under the “pit bull” category. Dogs used in law enforcement and purebreds registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club or “other national registry” are exempt from the ordinance. [...]

Full article retrieved 5/24/12 from http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/23/ventura-council-approves-pit-bull-ordinance/

You can read the new ordinance here: http://www.cityofbayvillage.com/media/111689/res._12-41_dangerous_and_vicious_dogs_and_declaring_an_emergency.pdf

Not all council members have e-mail, but you can send your thanks to the council members through the city clerk at Jkemper@cityofbayvillage.com.