Possible Pitt Bull Ban Springdale Ar.

Look at this quote from the article:

“It#%92s hard to prove abuse, but once you do, you can keep them from owning another animal,” Delise said. “But we#%92re not there yet. Breed bans are easier to do.”

Ugh! [sm=vomit03.gif][sm=eek.gif][sm=no no smiley.gif]

ETA: Does anyone have contact information on hand for these councilmen?

[linkhttp://www.springdaleark.org/contact.htm]http://www.springdaleark.org/contact.htm[/link]
 
[linkhttp://www.springdaleark.org/depts/admin/officials/index.htm]http://www.springdaleark.org/depts/admin/officials/index.htm[/link]

Ask and ye shall receive!

Great[:@]

What happened with this? I am in AR and have a few contacts up in the Springdale/Fayetteville area who could probably fight it...
 
 

ORIGINAL: timsdat

Entire article here: [linkhttp://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/188870/]http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/188870/[/link]

[size="3"]Springdale : Pit bull ban under consideration
BY RICHARD MASSEY
Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

Deputy City Attorney Roe is reviewing dog bite reports from the last two
years to determine if there is a pattern related to pit bulls. If the
results are compelling, Roe and her boss, City Attorney Jeff Harper, could
seek a pit bill ban in the city.

"I hope someday we can get a rule passed to ban these vicious animals from
our city," Mayor Van Hoose wrote. "For the life of me I can't understand
what useful purpose they serve to anyone."

If the city attorney's office finds compelling evidence that pit bulls are a
problem in the city, Alderman Rick Evans said he'd consider banning them. [/size]

I approve of this.

ORIGINAL: multanii

ORIGINAL: timsdat

Entire article here: [linkhttp://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/188870/]http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/188870/[/link]

[size="3"]Springdale : Pit bull ban under consideration
BY RICHARD MASSEY
Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007

Deputy City Attorney Roe is reviewing dog bite reports from the last two
years to determine if there is a pattern related to pit bulls. If the
results are compelling, Roe and her boss, City Attorney Jeff Harper, could
seek a pit bill ban in the city.

"I hope someday we can get a rule passed to ban these vicious animals from
our city," Mayor Van Hoose wrote. "For the life of me I can't understand
what useful purpose they serve to anyone."

If the city attorney's office finds compelling evidence that pit bulls are a
problem in the city, Alderman Rick Evans said he'd consider banning them. [/size]

I approve of this.

I'm sorry...that you approve of that.
I hope you DO know that there have been studies AND proof that breed bans NEVER work.
The people committing the crimes STILL commit the crimes, all this does is punish responsible owners.

And I'm not even going to start with the rest of how I feel about this and your agreement on it, because, see, I have to go take a shower so that I can go to the hardware store, so that I can buy SOLID STEEL "O" rings so that I can FURTHER improve my leash/collar equipment for MY PIT BULL because I AM A RESPONSIBLE OWNER LIKE THAT.

I'm sorry, I live in an area that I have seen people walk DOZENS of APBTs and other bully breeds. THAT'S RIGHT. WALKING as in ON A LEASH. I've NEVER EVER seen a loose APBT/bully breed dog in my neighborhood, but I have seen miniature schnauzers running loose, charging like mad shih tzus running loose, springer spaniel breeds, and golden retrievers.

ORIGINAL: multanii

I approve of this.

 
would you care to elaborate on your position?  i saw in another one of your posts that you said the people who own these breeds are irresponsible.  i take exception to being called irresponsible, and i'm sure there are a few other people here to take exception to it as well, including members of the Admin.  you should make sure all your ducks are in a row before you go calling people names.
 
this, like all breed bans, is short sighted.  as posted by alieliza, it ADMITS to being shortsighted.

“It#%92s hard to prove abuse, but once you do, you can keep them from owning another animal,” Delise said. “But we#%92re not there yet. Breed bans are easier to do.”

it's clear who is being ultimately targeted here, and it's PEOPLE, not the dogs.  these dogs are innocent bystanders, forced to first endure the cruelty inflicted upon them by the people this bill attemps to govern, and then forced to pay the price for a government who's not willing to do the footwork required to prosecute a case as required by law.  and these people are elected officials.  it makes me sick to see such an open admission of laziness. 

I am not for banning any breed. I also feel that once one breed is banned, another will follow. I'm sure there are people out there wishing to ban German Shepherds, Dobies, Rotties...and yes...the bully breeds and the large dogs.  I have a Great Dane...they are for the most part the biggest babies in the world..but they are giant and can be so scary to those that don't know them. 
I had a Pit Bull type dog years ago..her name was Sammy.  She was my baby and I loved her so much.  She had her issues but being aggresive or unfriendly was not one of them.   That was in the days when we first heard of Pit Bulls by that name.  There was a 60 Minutes type show on TV around that time on Pit Bulls to make people aware of what they are...what they look like and how to watch for Dog fighting rings and such.   I was totally shocked at the time about it all.   Now, there are so many of the dogs like this out there.   Most people that own them are responsible.  Probably more responsible than that small dogs that always come running after you barking and charging....we have several of them in my neighborhood and the owners think its kind of funny when their tiny dog comes barking at my leashed Great Dane.  If my Dane barks back,,,everyone gets up in arms.   If she were to even pick up her paw to that little dog there could be damage,,,and who would be in trouble.    But the problem with the Pit Bull types is all the people and dog they do so much damage to.  Just a couple weeks ago in our local Cleveland Newspaper was a story how a Pit Bull was standing with its owner unleashed in a Metro Park and it attacked a horse with it rider...  What the heck? How can we blame people for being afraid of this breed and want them gone when you read stories like this??   A few years ago there was a Pit Bull that lived on my street,,,it was pregnant and the owners would walk it down the street 2 miles and back twice a day, it was used for breeding.    One day I was cutting my grass and had a Dane/Shepherd Cindy who never had a leash,,,she just never left me. She would lay under a tree while I cut the grass. She was just watching the PB walk by and the owner yelled to me "you better hold that dog back..if she comes after my dog she will kill you dog in a short time even though she is a lot smaller!"   My dog didn't even get up from the shade of the tree,,,she was just looking and could care less.... the owner of the PB might have been nervous, I understand that. But how can you have a dog that you can yell to someone what she yelled to me?      
In that same house that I lived,,, a couple moved in next door with a pair of PBs and 12 babies.   They kept them outside in a pen attached to the house... they used to throw a couple of bones out there for 12 dogs.  What does this mean??  Only the strong survive.  These dogs were sold for fighting.   Its these kind of things that make people want to ban this breed.  
What can be done about it? We can't just sit back and say the little Yorkies and Chi's are just as mean or troublesome, because they don't kill or hurt others so they will never be "as bad!"   I wish we could all get together and come up with something positive...to protect the breed by somehow weeding out the owners that are abusing this dog breed.

But how can you have a dog that you can yell to someone what she yelled to me?

But, sometimes people go to the extreme of saying their dog will bite because of past bad experiences with people not believing them or still allowing their dog to come over to them, etc.  I often give the impression that Willow is a heck of a lot meaner than she actually is. 

But, sometimes people go to the extreme of saying their dog will bite because of past bad experiences with people not believing them or still allowing their dog to come over to them, etc.  I often give the impression that Willow is a heck of a lot meaner than she actually is. 

 
I have to do the same thing with Ogre and Pepito. Pepito doesn't like strangers and growls at them (he's also snapped at a few who wouldn't leave him alone) and Ogre, while he's made progress, is a bit iffy with people he doesn't know. It's gotten to the point now where I have to say "DO NOT TOUCH HIM HE WILL BITE/ATTACK YOU" to keep people away from them. None of that is necessarily true- if people approach them PROPERLY, and follow my instructions on how to interact with them, there usually isn't a problem. But because people refuse to listen and insist on grabbing them like they're stuffed animals...I have to stretch the truth a bit and pretty much make them sound dangerous. I hate to do it, but I'd rather people think they're dangerous and leave them alone than think they're loveable teddy bears and risk getting snarled or snapped at.

i see what you're saying, DYAN, i really do. in fact, i am in complete agreement with you.  something needs to be done about the BAD PEOPLE who are forcing the hands of the law here. 
 
That is why i support the recent law passed in TX that makes a dog attack off of the dog's property a felony.  there was a discussion about it in general chat.  No specific breed was listed on the bill, which i know in my heart can lead to trouble, but i also think it's a step in the right direction- it holds PEOPLE responsible for the actions of their dogs.  THAT is the direction we need to head in- hopefully a felony charge will keep someone who thinks "dangerous" dogs are "cool" and refuses to contain them appropriately from ever owning another dog.  and for every one of those people that are stopped, one less litter is bred, the market dries up.  people stop beating their dogs to make them purposely mean... etc.  i know i'm wearing rose-colored glasses here, but it is my hope that a law like this might actually HELP the responsible citizens out there who happen to own target breeds.
 
to the point of the lady and what she hollered at you.... well... if her dogs were being used to breed fighting dogs, i can only imagine what type of person she was.  i'm wondering if anyone ever reported the suspicion you reported here? 
 
here's the deal with my dogs:  they do not deal well with off leash dogs approaching them.  sure, it might have something to do with their breeds, but i happen to know there are plenty of members here who have other breeds and have the same problem.   when i think this might happen and there's no way i can turn around, i WILL warn the other handler, if they are within earshot, that they need to gain control so nothing bad happens to ANY of the dogs.  if, however, i pass by a house where the dog is clearly not getting up off the porch, then i don't say anything. 
 
BUT.  and this is a big BUT.  some of us (us being pit bull handlers) feel like no matter what happens and who is technically or legally at fault, it will be OUR fault because of the stigma surrounding our breed.  let me put it this way:  if your off leash dog approaches my leashed dog and you are unable to prevent the interaction, if something happens- a fight, an injury, or a even a death- it is YOUR legal responsibility (assuming there is a leash law).  because some of us feel that not everyone knows or cares about this, we feel the need to issue warnings.  my particular warnings are not as extreme as the lady you described; i will say something to the effect of, "please, my dogs are not great with strange dogs, and i don't want anyone to get hurt."  i would NEVER suggest that my dogs would kill another dog as soon as look at it, mainly because that's simply not true, but also because it just sounds like i WANT it that way or something....
 
however, if your dog MIGHT kill another dog, and you know about it, and you are walking on a public city street, you have two responsibilities:  1) to put a muzzle on your dog.  2) to steer clear of other dogs whenever possible, and when not possible, to warn the other handler so they may steer clear of you.
 
is my position on this clear?  i would be happy to clarify it further if necessary.

 sure, it might have something to do with their breeds, but i happen to know there are plenty of members here who have other breeds and have the same problem. 
 

I'm probably one of them. Hey,,,I understand,,,I really do.  Please know,,,I have a "touchy" Great Dane. In fact just yesterday DH and I were walking her past a townhouse developement and a lady was sitting one her front step with her dog...and she was reading. Her dog watched us walk by for as long as he could take it,,,and then started running to us.  I yelled to her, I didn't want that dog by us,,,didn't want to deal with trying to control Bubblegum, she is strong and big.... so believe me...I understand!  Would I yell to her "if your dog runs by us my dog can kill her?"   Heck no!  Believe me,,, my dog COULD probably kill that dog...she is 4 times bigger and stronger.     But that Pit Bull that walked by my house that day, I don't know. My dog never even looked at them...never got up, and they were across the street, she could care less.   Did anyone ever report what we think was going on there,,,or the people that lived next door that threw a few bones to 12 puppies???    NO,,, I'm sure not.  Should have thats for sure.  That was a long time ago,,,,stories about Pit Bulls have developed a lot since.
I certainly do think a warning is in order while walking your dog and a loose dog is there...but I would be watching what I was saying.  Maybe its a fine line,,,but there are more reasons than one why so many people are trying to ban the Pit Bull breed.
I think I like that TX law that was passed.... I do think that we must make each and every dog owner responsible for their dog. That sounds like a good solution,,,,but someday I will have to check out the "other side" to this.

Sad news, and even sadder that there are dog people who agree with it. My best friend as a child was a Pit. It is sad to see the discrimination placed on them and other bully breeds. I have been around dogs all my life of all shapes and sizes, I have been bitten twice. Once by a Shitzsu and once by a Chihuahua. Had the Chihuahua had a few pounds and inches on him I would have surely lost my life. Fortunately he was only about 2 lbs and 6 inches.

No breed is more dangerous than another. Each is different in many ways but all are dogs, and if socialized and trained and cared for all are safe. People make bad dogs and people make mean dogs. The Chihuahua that bit me was outside off leash with his owner. Should the breed be banned?



The bully dogs all have my support!
 
BTW Badrap: I have a male Vizsla who is a complete ham with people, plays well with other dogs off leash but does not like it when dogs run up to him while he is leashed. He is not a fighter so you are correct that many breeds don't like unleashed dogs running up to them.

P.S. Don't worry Chihuahua and Shitzsu's you also have my support should you be next.

ORIGINAL: dyan

  Maybe its a fine line,,,but there are more reasons than one why so many people are trying to ban the Pit Bull breed.
I think I like that TX law that was passed.... I do think that we must make each and every dog owner responsible for their dog. That sounds like a good solution,,,,but someday I will have to check out the "other side" to this.

 
i'm not exactly sure what you are saying here. 
 
before we continue this discussion, i want to make something as clear as i can make it:  as long as people deliver their opinions respectfully, i don't care if they don't agree with my opinion. 
 
dyan, you have always been respectful, and that's why i'm about to ask you what i'm about to ask you.
 
if you had to quantify it, as someone who doesn't own pits, what would YOU list as the reasons why people want to ban them?  please be honest.  i'm asking for an outside perspective here.
 
i'm curious about how we separate "fact" from "fiction" and even what decides the definitions of fact and fiction.  i'm curious about how someone who may not be as close to the subject as i am would define the issues.
 
if we can continue a respectful exchange, i welcome opinions other than my own.  my word does not stand as fact.  of that, i am well aware.