A Cuyahoga County councilwoman has proposed breed-specific mandatory spay-neuter for “pit bulls” only. A public hearing on the proposal is expected to be held this summer (date currently unknown).
The reason proposed for MSN in this case makes no sense. County Councilwoman Simon says her proposed BS-MSN is meant to stop dog fighters. The reality is that this ordinance will only affect responsible, law-abiding citizens with “pit bull”-looking dogs. Dog fighters are already committing a felony—why would they suddenly agree to follow this law? We suspect this proposal is really giving the county a new way to portray “pit bull” owners as second-class citizens and criminals, now that the state law no longer enables such discrimination.
Please ask Cuyahoga County officials to drop the breed-specific portion of the proposal. Breed-specific MSN—like any other breed-specific law—discriminates against people and their dogs based on whether the owner or dog have a “desirable” or “undesirable” physical appearance. Breed identification is a subjective, non-scientific process, which results in unfair and unequal application of the law. Disputes over breed identification are also inevitable, and appeals and court cases fighting breed designations are expensive and resource-consuming.
StopBSL takes no position on mandatory spay/neuter as long as it is not breed-specific.
Cuyahoga County officials contact information:
Cuyahoga County Council, 1219 Ontario Street -Room 424, Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216-698-2010 (phone)
216-698-2040 (fax)
County Council email block
ceconnally@cuyahogacounty.us; ssimon@cuyahogacounty.us; dgreenspan@cuyahogacounty.us; damiller@cuyahogacounty.us; dbrady@cuyahogacounty.us; cgermana@cuyahogacounty.us; mjgallagher@cuyahogacounty.us; jschron@cuyahogacounty.us; yconwell@cuyahogacounty.us; pjones@cuyahogacounty.us; jrogers@cuyahogacounty.us
Additional administrative staff emails can be found here: http://council.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/council-members.aspx
Cuyahoga County Council member proposes requiring pit bulls to be sterilized (poll)
By: Laura Johnston, The Plain Dealer
A Cuyahoga County councilwoman is […] proposing a countywide law that would force all pit bulls to be sterilized.
Council Vice President Sunny Simon […] plans to hold a hearing this summer before officially introducing pit bull legislation.
Simon said she wants to discourage dog fighters from breeding and selling pit bulls for sport, in the wake of the state dropping a provision that automatically labeled pit bulls as “vicious,” a designation that placed restrictions on owners. […]
Full article retrieved 6/1/2012 from http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2012/05/cuyahoga_county_council_considers_requiring_pit_bulls_to_be_sterilized.html
Fred M. Kray
krisdiaz9
Stop BSL 