Erie, PA: Incidents renew calls for regulation of pit bulls, other vicious dogs

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