Update 3/17/11: Texas bill filings for this type of bill have officially ended; no breed-specific laws were filed during this session. There is still a possibility that a filed bill may be amended to become breed-specific, and we will continue to watch the filed bills. However, “Justin’s Law” was not filed.
According to a recent news report in Houston, supporters of “Justin’s Law” (which would make “pit bull” ownership a felony in Texas) have yet to find a legislator who will file and sponsor the bill.
Texans, you can join the effort to prevent this bill from being filed. Tell your legislators that you do not want them to sponsor “Justin’s Law.”
Please write a quick note to your respective legislators (SENATOR AND HOUSE REP) and simply state that you do not support Justin’s Law, and request that they not support it either. Something very short, like this:
Dear [rep or senator name],
In the following days, a lawyer may ask you to file “Justin’s Law,” a bill that would make felons out of Texas citizens because of the shape of their dog’s body. I do not support this discriminatory proposal, and I ask that you do not sponsor or support this bill. Please do not support breed-specific proposals of any kind.
Thank you,
[Name, address, phone number]
You can find your reps here: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Texans can track BSL-related issues in the Texas legislature by joining the Texans Against BSL announce-only mailing list: http://groups.google.com/group/texans-against-bsl
Fred M. Kray
krisdiaz9
Stop BSL 
Pingback: Tweets that mention Texas: “Justin’s Law” supporters searching for sponsor | Stop BSL -- Topsy.com
I am against BSL for any dog. I am the proud “mommy” of a friendly, loving, caring pitbull, named Layla. And according to my research, Texas already has legislation in place, 822.043 I believe, that states Texas cannot ban a dog because of it’s breed!!!!!! So I don’t understand why they are even trying to take this proposed bill this far. Texas is already against it, it’s in the law books, in black & white. Maybe they should read up on our laws before they start this awful attempt to take our pitties away!!!!
Like many other topics reguarding pitbull, every story about attacks are sad. My prayers and sympathy truely goes out to all family members involved. However, I am a pitbull owner. I am a pitbull lover. My family has raised dogs from puppies. The one we have now is apart of our family. Is loving and non agressive! Although, if she were to ever show dangerous behavior i would make sure it never happened again. I know my dog is safe. I couldnt even imagine the grief a loss of a family member to a dog attack. I am a mother. I know my children are safe with our pitbull. laws to forbid peoples pets is not the answer.
I AM AGAINST THE BAN OF PIT BULLS. I AM AGAINST THE BAN OF ANY BREED, ESPICALLY PIT BULLS!!!! LETS ALL GET TOGETHER AND STOP THE HATE TOWARD THIS BREED. I LOVE PITS AND WILL STAND BY THEM.
Maybe the owners should stand together and teach dog owners how to properly train their pets instead of teaching them to attack children (because many do.)
I support the prosecution against owners who train their dogs to attack and/or fight.
I do not feel any breed of dog should be banned.
I am against the proposal of ” Justins Law”, I am against the ban of pit bulls or of any breed. Prosicute the owners not the dogs. I love this breed and will stand by them..
Here we go again with another typical knee jerk reaction. Because of an irresponsible dog owner, to hell with the 7 Million why am I not seeing the owners on the news charged with a 1st degree felony on their way to TDC doesn’t texas law already state that inregards to dogs that maul and kill. I have already dealt with this kind of nonsense when my city tried to pass a similiar bill. The fool that went on a shooting spree did it with a glock 9m I guess that state should pass a law making anyone who posseses a Glock 9m to be charged with a felony.I have been dealing with pitbulls for 10yrs and know that human beings are the real threat . I am sick and tired of people trying to take the rights of law abiding americans by using the government for their self serving purposes that what people are really angry about the government taking their rights away! I served 20yrs of my life in the military protecting those same rights what a contradiction.
Humans never want to take responsibility for their actions, so it’s easier to blame the dogs. Instead of saying, “I bought my dog of unknown genetics from a dude selling puppies out of a van because he told me it was “PIT”. The dog was too much for me to handle so I chained him up in the backyard, never got him fixed, never socialized or trained him, and oh yeah I was meaning to fix that fence”……they say “I don’t know what happened? It just snapped!”
Dogs don’t just “snap”. That is an absolute lie we tell ourselves so we don’t have to look in the mirror and hold ourselves responsible for our own negligence. Laws need to hold OWNERS responsible. If your dog harms my child, I don’t care what it looks like or what you call it – justice calls for the dog being put down and you go to jail and lose your rights to ever own an animal again!
Justin’s mother’s grief is clouding her judgment and her attorney is just a complete moron. Does she think no one has ever been bitten or even killed by any other breed? Does she think breed is easily identified or defined?
Because I’ll tell you what – if I lived in TX and this law was passed – my dual-registered APBT would become a “Rhodesian Ridgeback mix” overnight! (:
Conclusions—Although fatal attacks on humans
appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-type
dogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite and
cause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficulties
inherent in determining a dog’s breed with certainty,
enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises constitutional and practical issues. Fatal attacks represent
a small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and,
therefore, should not be the primary factor driving
public policy concerning dangerous dogs. Many practical alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist and
hold promise for prevention of dog bites.
I am against the ban of any breed of dog. Instead of making it a felony to own a certain breed, look into making it a felony not to have proper pens to put your animal (any animal) in. That’s the reason people get hurt by any dog breed, is ignorance of their owner. Punish the owners, not the dog!!!
I have a 5 year old staffordshire pitbull ,he was the runt of the litter and I raised him, he has the greatest character ever,I lived in a 6 duplex complex with 4 kids living on the grounds and he would sit at the window and bark if a dtranger came onto the property and or if they talked to either of the kids,now after moving and him never have met my father in law ,whom broke his hip+foot,from day 1 has my dog laid at his bed and not let any1 near him.
It enrages me to see what a poor job the media does!!! If people would look into the subject the way they search for coupons…they’d see and know that while yes pit bulls do bite,it is no where near the rate that so called “family dogs”- chiuahas,golden retrievers,poodles,boxers,dachs hounds, terriers,maltese and even Labradors–God forbid to ruin the perfect picture! I myself was bitten by a boxer ,a german sheppard and a poodle during my childhood and teenage years, never once did any of my family’s or friend’s rottweiler,pit bulls,bull terriers or dobermen snatch nor bite any of us! Its not the dog ,its the owner! Guns don’t kill,shooters+bullets do;…..cars don’t kill,drivers do;……need I say more !? Ignorance will be humanity’s downfall !
FIRST OF ALL THE DOG THAT ATTACK JUSTIN CLINTON IS NOT A PIT BULL IT IS AN AMERICAN BULLDOG. THAT LAWYER …CAN NOT EVEN FIGURE OUT THE DAMN BREED OF THE DOG THAT DOG IS NOT A PITBULL!!
[moderator edit]
When I was 6 years old I was attacked by a pekingese owned by my babysitter, 146 stitches and a year of therapy later I kept my hand, we had pitbulls growing up and they were never aggressive. Ny daughter was bitten by a sheltie. Pit bulls have bad reps due to ignorant owners. It gets so old seeing people jump on the pit bulls are bad bandwagon, Any animal can be dangerous depending on the training and socialization. Being a pit bull does not make them bad any more than standing in a garage makes me a car.
Does anyone know what happens if you already own a pit if this is passed? I find it hard to stomach that so many loved pets would have to be euthenized because of this, mine being one of them.
Ladybug, as there is no official proposal at this time, we do not know the exact wording of what will be proposed. I suspect that it will not be a ban, but it will be discriminatory restrictions of some kind.
I have owned Pit bulls for many years,rescued them from being mutelated ,torchered and so abused by their human owners,that you would have thought they would never wanna be touched by any human at all.Wrong they wanna please so badly, to be loved & give love that some will trust again .Wrong breeding, inner breeding of these dogs are not their falts & yes that will make aggression in any breed.Come on ban the rights of Pit bulls ,no,no,no, it is not the breed, but the Breeder or wrong kind of owner,Ban the right to fight these dogs ,and the owner ship of Pit bulls should have age limit .Respect The Breed Save The Breed Pit bull
The “right to fight these dogs” is banned–dog fighting is totally illegal in the U.S. Placing an age limit on the ownership of “pit bulls” is not only discriminatory (by being breed-specific), it is also unnecessary and duplicitous, as the law generally considers individuals under the age of 18 to be “minors” who are under the care of a guardian–this also applies to property law, so any dogs (of any breed) that are owned by a family are legally owned by the adults/guardians or heads of household, not the kids.
Why don’t people leave this breed alone. You can make ANY DAMN DOG MEAN. Most of the times it’s not even a Pittbull that attacks, they are just assumed to be a Pitt. If I have one and keep him inside although he is no threat to anyone, it’s against my privacy law that I should have to give up my pet, I love him as much as any other pet owner love’s their’s.
I own a pitbull, she is gentle and quiet and wonderful with anyone she meets, especially my grandchildren. As others have said, make the owners responsible for their dogs. Pits are not aggressive, they are trained by irresponsible owners to be that way. Any dog can be trained to be aggressive. I do not support any breed specific ban.
OMG I WANNA CRY I REALY HOPE THIS DOES NOT PASS!!!!!! WHAT EVER HAPPEND IN THIS CASE THE OWNER OF THE DOG NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED ITS NOT MY DOGS FAULT SO WHY PUNNISH HER???
This is ridiculous! They would just have to put me in jail..I would NEVER give my pit up..she is just like my child and wouldnt harm a fly!!! The state is already complaining about over-crowded prisons and jails let along animal shelters. I really dont see this being passed. What is going to happen to the thousands of pit bulls whose owners abandon them for fear of punishment because of a riduculous law? How about a law for pit bull fighters and animal cruelty…instead of giving them a slap on the wrist put them away in prison..not the responsible pit owners who raise their animals right!!!
Those laws are already in place. Dogfighters and animal abusers who get a “slap on the wrist” are not getting that slap because we have no laws–they certainly could be sent to prison–but they get the slap for other reasons (“our prisons are too crowded,” “it was just a dog,” “he didn’t know it was a crime,” etc.). Passing additional laws is not necessary to make our community safer. We need 1) enforcement of the laws we already have, and 2) a community that does not tolerate irresponsible and abusive dog owners. If you see animal abuse or dogfighting, report it. Many of the incidents that have occurred in Texas and elsewhere would not have happened if family members and neighbors had seen the situation for what it was–abuse, neglect, and irresponsible ownership–and had done something about it.
I agree with you!!! This is the cruelist law that SHOULDN’T be passed!
I’ve never heard of such a thing as banning a breed. The owners need to take responsibility for themselves. The humane society will not let this happen without a huge fight. They should get Cesar Millan involved. He has so many pit bulls and rottweilers and every other dog in his pack. Pit bulls are his favorite breed because they get such a bad rap and he knows it’s not the breed, but the OWNER’S who need the TRAINING…
I have owned pits in the past and I love them. All of you people who act like they are just as safe as any other dogs are just blinded by your affection for your animals. There are to many irresponsible people out there who get their hands on these magnificent animals and they end up being a danger. I don’t like the idea of banning the dogs but something needs to be done. I have children now and I want you all to think of what it would be like for your child to be attacked by a breed with such power. There was a time when our country was much more rural and a pit was the best dog any family could have but our society has changed, and our selfish, I want mine, attitudes need to change too.
Kindly provide a scientific study that demonstrates that “pit bulls” (whatever that means to you) are more powerful than any other type of dog. There are no such studies, because it is simply untrue. By limiting your concern to “pit bulls,” you ultimately discriminate against dog bite victims who were not bitten by “pit bulls.” I sincerely hope that you are taking the proper precautions and teaching your children to take the proper precautions around ALL dogs, no matter what they look like–not just around “pit bulls.”
Selfishness describes those who push for BSL; they feel that their fears and stereotypes carry more weight than the concerns of other people. Many families have dogs and children; think of what it would be like for a child to watch her family’s dog being taken away and put to death simply because of what it looked like. What message does that send to our children? That what you look like determines whether you live or die? What a horrific thing to tell a child.
Using your logic we should be able to ban young boys in my town. There are to many irresponsible parents out there who get their hands on these children and they end up putting animals in danger. Some young boys took a dog and tortured it to death. So, since some children were cruel and killed a dog we should ban ALL little boys, right? Just plain stupid!
They said that it was a bulldog and a pit mix. Let’s forget that no where in this article did it say full breed. I have a few Pitbulls that are papered and VERY obedient. They have never escaped and we don’t tolerate any type of aggression from them. They were all very well socialized with other dogs to include other Pits and with my 3 children as well. It is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS to think that this law is a good idea. There was proof of past incidences with these 2 dogs. Owners need to be held responsible for their dogs regardless of the breed. The negligence of few should not equal eliminating a breed nor charging otherwise responsible law abiding citizens with charges. I think this attorney doesn’t have anything else to do with his time and is trying to be creative. Maybe I’ll invite him over to meet my dogs, he might become a Pit owner himself. Let’s stop the foolishness!!
I SAY REGAURDLESS OF THE “BREED” IT IS THE OWNERS RESPONSABILATY FOR THEIR DOGS!!!! DOGS DONT RAISE THEMSELFS THE OWNER HAS TO SHOW THEM HOW TO ACT IF NOT THEN THEY ARE LEFT TO RAISE THEMSELFS AND ATTACKS ON HUMANS HAPPEN IT IS VERRY SAD THAT SOME ONE LOST THEIR LIFE B/C OF AN IRRISPONSIBLE DOG OWNER BUT IT SHOULD NOT MAKE MY PITBULL A BAD DOG BECAUSE OF IT! THATS LIKE SAYING ALL WHITE PEOPLE ARE TRAILER TRASH OR ALL HISPANICS STEEL JUST BC ONE HISPANIC STOLE SOMETHING OR JUST B/C ONE FAMILY OF WHITES ARE TRAILER TRASH DOESNT MEAN EVERY HISPANIC OR WHITES ON EARTH ARE LIKE THAT SO THAT GOES FOR DOGS JUST B/C A PITBULL ATTACKED SOME ONE DOSENT MEAN ALL PITBULLS WILL YOU CANT PUNISH PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND YOU SHOULDNT BE ABLE TO PUNNISH DOGS CATS (EXT) LIKE THAT( AND PLEASE DONT THROW THE RACE ISSUE AT ME I AM NOT RACEIST)
I WILL not support any type of legislation that calls for the ban of ANY breed of dog. This is similar to the cries in the mid 1970’s to ban German Shepards and Dobermans. Wake up people! It’s not the dog, it’s how the OWNER raises it. I have a pit and he is nothing but a sweetie who wants his belly scratched and for me to play tug of war with him. The most he will do is lick you to death. He’s been socialized around babies, toddlers, young children, tweens, teens and adults.
I’m really sorry this happened to this young boy, but had the owners taken responsibility for having this breed, it wouldn’t have happened. I have a 6 ft. chain link fence, my gate is locked with a padlock, a chain is wrapped around the gate and gate-post to ensure the gate won’t open accidentially. You’re probably thinking “wait, I thought the dog was “sweet”?” Yes, but I also know I’m dealing with a dog that even the city I live in automatically classifies as “dangerous”. I have strict city laws that I must meet in order to keep my precious Rex (6 ft. fence, locked gate, no digging around fence line and if so, fence must be buried 1 foot underground, no gaps or holes in fence, and yes, they have been by my home four times just since August to ensure I’m complying, etc.). The minute I don’t comply, Rex will be removed from my home, never to return. I’m not about to let that happen. He’s my baby.
I am a proud owner of a 2 yr old Pitbull Bella and a 5yr old Mastiff/shephard Bear…I am so tired of the BSL laws they are trying to enforce…any any dog can bite I just had a 12lb dog hand onto my finger and caused damage…my Pittie has been socialized and we go to school she is perfect for therapy or search and rescue which I am looking into…socialize your dogs, train them and understand them…responsible ownership of any breed is the answer not the elimination of a breed!!! I live in Ohio and it is ridiculous understand any breed you have…and train & socialize!!!
A very good friend of mine, a Veterinarian, once told me this about pit bulls. “It’s not the Breed – It’s the Deed!”
Treat and train them with respect and they wil be your best friend; but abuse and misuse them and they can be your worst nightmare. This phrase covers all cannine ownership, not just pitts.
I’ve handled animal bite victims for years, and the majority are the result of negligence on the part of owners. People who engage in intentional cruelty, dog fighting, animal torture of any nature are borderline sociopaths and are much more menacing to society than cannines. This malevolent personality trait is very likely to be a child abuser and domestic violence offender. They should be banned – not a breed specific cannine.
Many years ago the now wrongly feared “Pit Bull” was the symbol of a 4-legged childhood pal, eg. namely Pete, the beloved furry pal who trapsed around with a bunch of raggamuffin kids known to us all a Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, etc… And Pete was a full blooded Bull Terrier… The name Pit Bull is so wrongly used, all too often used for attention… And I, as a senior lady, can say honestly “There are NO BAD DOGS only BAD OWNERS that make their animals mean, aggressive or neglect them, even starve them… I am not just saying this to be heard, I am saying it from truth and fact as well as knowledge.
As a matter of fact, even Dobermans are not vicious by nature; I raised my children with a female red Dobie named Frieda who was the most loving dog a child could rest their head upon…
Funny we are animals also, they call us the highest form, but sometimes, as I go about my rescue work of saving dogs dumped by the sides of the roads, including the so-named Pits, I truly wonder if canines are not more humane… Can’t think of anything else to pick on but a lower form of animal, so, so very brave aren’t you who may try to get this past… No, you are NOT BRAVE, BUT THE HIGHEST FORM OF COWARDS…
What else in rights is the cowards of this country going to try to take away from us next? Our rights to have multiple births as they do in China? This was once the land of the brave, but not any longer…
Texas, or any other state, attempting to ban pit bulls is taking away a citizen’s rights and that is against Federal Law… I, also am aware of the law forbidding Texas on banning pit bulls as stated so correctly by Brook Damien…
And it would be a shame if any legislator backed this law; they’d not be doing it for the reasons any person would think, so don’t get fooled… Some upstart politician may do so to try to make a name for themselves.. Well that is not the way to do it…
Oh, I’d like to add something that many of you may not know… You have all heard of guard dogs used to protect commercial areas, etc, right? Know how they train those dogs? They antagonize them, poke at them, some are even fed gunpowder in theri food to agitate them… Wonderful, right????
Like I and so many of us have agreed, it is the owners responsibility to keep their dogs correctly (and safe)… You read that correctly in the parenthesis… I say that because parents also need to teach their kids manners and not defend their “little angels” for going along private fencelines poking at dogs inside or throwing things at dogs or running a stick or something along the chain-link of a fence to annoy a dog… That people is how kids get bit… They are not taught respect and that is a big fault in this country today…..
My own dogs are well contained, no matter the breed, for their safety…
By the way, any dog will Protect the person who is their caregiver from harm, so just don’t point fingers at one breed. a 6lb dog will set their fangs into a person just the same as a 120 bull mastiff would to guard the people they have puppy love for…
I am a Pit-Bull owner and was an ignorant uninformed person, about the breed like most, BUT I read up and became informed, and raised my Son’s Red Nose Pit. This dog completely changed my veiw of the breed!
Any person that has owned a pit and raised it to be a normal family pet, will tell you that they are one of the most loving, loyal and just want to be loved dogs that they have ever had!
I believe that the Pit-Bull is 15th as far as most dog bite cases, it’s just the stupid stigma, that they listen to.
Come on people if it’s the dog’s fault, then McDonalds does make people Fat, And There is no crime next to a dunkin donuts. Really? is that what you really want?
I am like many people who have posted on this website a Pit Bull owner. I actually saved the dog at age 2 from starvation and gave her a place to call home. She is a Staffordshire Terrier and also my best friend. I also have a female Shar-Pei and they are wonderful together. If this justin’s law would pass all I can say is you can try to take a family member away from me but I will fight to keep her even if it costs me my freedom. Every dog is aggressive. We shouldn’t single out this single breed because of the publicity it is recieving from dog attacks. The owner should be responsible and take care of the animal. Neglect and overbreeding is a concern we should focus on instead of killing off the breed in Texas. Every good pet owner has their dog spaded or neutered and takes the dog to the vet yearly or when needed. A good pet owner takes responsibility and cares for the animal instead of neglecting the animal. As a american i should have the god given right to take care of a dog no matter what type of breed it is. There are more important things to focus on in America besides trying to destroy a breed. Employment? Focus on helping the country instead of trying to kill of a breed that many people care about. I say NO to JUSTIN’S LAW
I am not only opposed to this proposed bill, I am against the idiot (the lawyer) who has convinced this poor mother that it has a chance to pass. I live in Texas and could never imagine such a thing.
I am the proud “mom” to three pit bulls who are the absolute best dogs in the whole world. Are they protective? Well hell yes, what dog isn’t supposed to be? It’s their instinct.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel for the mom in this situation. I am a mom as well to a 10 year old boy and I couldn’t imagine losing him. It’s the lawyer who should be held financially responsible for any monies lost in the process of trying to get this bill passed. It’s criminal that she would take a grieving mother’s money in hopes of such ignorance. It’s people like her, Michael Vick, and anyone else who stamps the stigma on these wonderful dogs that should really be held accountable.
Again Brook, I must wholeheartedly agree with you…
A lawyer does not give one iota about the grieving mother, just wants money and to make a name in the legal profession for self… And as far as legal process it takes far too long, but when time comes to go to court no one is allowed to show emotion along with the true story. So how can a too often falsely accused dog like a pit bull be able to plead their side…
I also must second that there are far more important issues for this county and every state of the union to pay foremioost heed to… Poverty for one, drug mules bringing in and selling drugs to adolecents, especially runaway kids… Or how about NOT GIVING children of druggies to family members without a thorough examination of the to-be caregiver, whether older sibling, grandparent,, etc. Now don’t rise up here folks, but most of the time in family cases the apple(the druggie parent) doesn’t fall far from the tree… I so feel there are those waiting for years to adopt a child, let those unfortunate drug-parented little ones go to a forever family who really wants to make life good for that child, and not, as I have seen many times over given into a setting where all the familiaral caregiver wants is the governemnt subsidies for having that child and cares about nothing else… Now those are the important things that need to be passed into legislation, even in Texas, not banning a breed and banning our constutional rights to live, have possession of, any and all breeds of canines as a Free Citizen should… As I said in an earlier comment, next the governement will be telling us how many children we can have; they are already giving to the rich/corporations who are making us poorer..
And again what about the long legal process rules over dragging out a proven case of murder and not giving immediate attention to ordering a trial for the Arizona killer who brought tragedy to this country again just recently… Why should he, who shot and killed a 9 year old child, also now leaving a grieving mother, beside killing 5 others and critically wounding Rep. Gabriel Giffords and others, be given the time to plead his case or ever be found guilty by reason of insanity. Why should he have more rights than a pit bull or any dog for that matter… Oh, please, don’t throw me the bull he is a huamn being and we must be considerate of our species… Well, if this is what is going to be allowed in this country, this is a disgrace…
You can read a dog, pit bull or not, if you are a wise and resonsible pet person, but it is apparent we cannot read our human breed…
I can understand protecting children and like many of you, am sorry for the loss of this precious life. But, I disagree with banning the breed. If this ridiculous proposal passes to protect children, then we need to ban adults (female and male) as well. Any males or females living in the United States need to be banned because they have been known to harm, hurt and kill children as well. Let’s compare the statistics and see what’s higher, pitties or adults.
A year ago, I may have actually supported a bill like this since I never owned a pit bull or knew anyone who did, I figured they were vicious dogs based on all of the media reports. Myself and my siblings grew up with and have always had only labrador retrievers as pets.
This last fall, three stray pit bulls showed up at the plant I work at-no collars and starving. At first, just tried to avoid them as I was unsure of their disposition-but then I was informed by some other workers that they were friendly…long story short, my wife and I took all three into our home (was crowded with three labs as well!) as foster and placed two of them into great homes via a wonderful no-kill shelter in Houston, TX. The oldest female we kept-she is such a great dog and my wife and I are big pit bull fans now!
Stupid! Thats what you call this type of proposed legislation. You CANNOT discriminate against a breed. You Cannot discriminate because of race, or gender, or religion. ANYONE who thinks that the Pitbull breed is dangerous should also be afraid of ALL dogs, snakes, spiders and lawyers! I live in Oklahoma, where there are several towns that have passed laws banning the Pitbull breed. I have never seen these laws enforced, until something happens, then the owners are ticketed. Which would happen anyway WITHOUT wasted time spent on trying to write laws banning a specific breed. I seen a post earlier that stated Texas has a law on the books that prohibits “breed specific” legislation. If thats the case, why are the lawyers even trying?
Robby, assuming your question isn’t rhetorical–The current state law can always be changed. A few decades ago, state law did not prohibit breed-specific laws. Someone came forward and asked that that law be created. Similarly, this lawyer is following the normal legislative process, to attempt to change state law. This is not an unusual attempt; we have seen something like this proposed in almost every legislative session for the last ten years or more. This is how citizens shape their government and their laws. (As a side note, current state law only prohibits municipalities (cities, counties) from passing breed-specific laws. It does not say that the state may not pass such laws. So the current state law does not need to be repealed or altered in any way to accomodate a statewide breed-specific law.)
As I stated in my previous comment, I do grieve for Justin’s mother. I pray for her and others who have to deal with such a tragedy. I have a 19 year old son named justin and a daughter. We love our pitbull. She is apart of our family. She sleeps with my son or daughter everynight. I know she is safe. This law is not the answer
mabe we should ban the uneducated/neglegent people who fail to properly care for/train their dogs. MABE WE SHOULD KILL THEM INSTEAD of the dogs who were acting how their conditions/owners allowed . would that not solve the issue as well. after all we as a people do more damage to other people then any dog(s). ignorant people really piss me off.
I just read the latest comments. My pit sitting at my feet. She is sweet, intelligent and loving. Looking at her it is hard to think of giving her up. I know grief and fear is fueling this debate but, this law is not the answer! I HAVE A SCAR ON MY HEAD FROM A FAMILY MEMBERS HOUND DOG, that dog had an agression problem that needed to be handled not the breed. OUR SJ is amazing and we are blessed to have her. To my seven year old daughter she is best friend and sj watches over her with watchful protective eyes. A bond if the people who hate this breed could just see they might would see, pitbulls are not evil. Yes, sadly bad dogs. bad dogs need to be dealt with. Bad pet owners should be held responsible.
The worst part about it is that if the family had gotten the 3 millon from justins death, that the court ordered for them to receive ,they wouldn’t have pushed for this law.
The lady lost her son and she is heartbroken and now she wants all pit bull owners to be heartbroken as well. I think that is what is going on here. She is miserable so everyone has to be miserable. If your dog never hurt a fly and you love the dog and your kids love the dog, too bad for you! You own a breed of dog this woman hates. A bad dog killed her son, now all dogs of the same breed and their owners must pay! Does that make any sense! No of course not. It’s all emotions. I am sorry the lady lost her son. But it had nothing to do with me or my dog. So why should I or my dog have to pay a price???
Well I for one am sick of crusading do-gooders and their lawyers. Everybody has to get into the act. Tragedy mongers abound in this day and age. I am sick meddling, controlling, do-gooders telling me how to live, even down to what breed of dog I can own! I am supposed to care about her sorrow. Well I am sorry for her loss but I don’t know the woman and I can’t imagine her expecting my to give up my dog so she will have some kind of revenge or satisfaction . It is not rational. My dog did nothing to her child and she is wrong in what she is doing. I think she is being exploited by her lawyer .
My dog was always well behaved and never people NOR animal aggresive, I love pit bulls as a breed, companion, friend, family member, EVERYTHING. BSL is just not right. I have posted a picture of my animals on our local news stations Unews site to try and raise awareness, if you could go rate it and maybe it will get talked about on the news. I will post a nice link to here. The website is http://iwitness.kiiitv.com/ thanks again.
SAY NO TO JUSTIN’s LAW and BSL.
Okay I don’t agree with the banning of the dogs I think that just any one shouldn’t be able to own one because they are a special breed. Because they are egar to please. Why should it be a felony if we own them. I understand that the mother is hurt over her lost. But what is this going to prove honestly. If you take peoples dogs from them your are taking their family their loved ones their children. I love my dogs and take care of them they are part of my family. Its no longer freedom. Its more a temperary privilege. My only question is if he was attacked by a little dog would they be making the ” justins law” or did they see this as the way to really stick it to the pit bulls like the media wants and says to. Train the owners. Don’t punish the dog.