From: BSL-UPDATES@yahoogroups.com [mailto:BSL-UPDATES@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jodi
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 6:10 AM
Tougher city dog law is welcome
Posted: Monday, October 19, 2009 11:45 pm
The city of Lincoln appears to be moving toward enactment of new laws that are tougher on dangerous dogs and their owners.
Good.
Other communities have shown that tougher laws can have a desirable effect.
Lincoln is experiencing its share of problems. A Lincoln woman sued to force her neighbor to get rid of two pit bulls she said attacked her in May while she was gardening.
In June, a 10-year-old boy received 30 stitches to repair damage caused by a pit bull puppy who bit him on the face, head and arms. This month, a Lincoln woman was bitten by a pit bull that ran out of an apartment and bit her on her arm and leg.
In a Local View column in Sunday's Journal Star, Bruce Dart, director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, said the department wants to boost fines for owners whose dogs are frequently at large or not restrained properly. The department wants to enhance penalties for frequent offenders.
At least two city council members, John Spatz and Jon Camp, want the Health Department to move quickly.
Dart, citing the cost of DNA testing and accompanying complexities, wrote that the department is not yet ready to recommend banning certain dog breeds.
"If this does not prove to be effective, we still have the option of implementing breed-specific legislation or other solutions," he wrote.
It will be interesting to see if the department's reluctance to single out specific breed will stand up to public pressure. In Lincoln, pit bulls are responsible for more attacks than would be expected based on the number of pit bulls in the city. Some enthusiasts say, however, that the breed has an undeserved reputation.
The topic deserves further exploration as it moves through the public process. Laws that aim specifically at pit bulls are becoming more prevalent and have survived legal challenges.
Council Bluff, Iowa, for example, banned pit bulls in 2005. The number of pit bull attacks dropped from 29 in 2004 to just two in 2007. Other Iowa cities including Sioux City have adopted similar laws.
Omaha last year passed tough new laws that require an owner of a dog that is declared potentially dangerous to carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy. Omaha also required that pit bulls be required to wear muzzles when outside unless they were in a securely fenced yard. Pit bull owners also are required to have a $100,000 policy.
It should be pointed out that under a new state law that went into effect this year, owners can be charged with a misdemeanor for the first time their dog bites someone and a felony the second time.
In an urban environment, however, more comprehensive and stricter laws against dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners are appropriate.
http://journalstar.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_9caef91e-bd04-11de-a229-001cc4c03286.html
