City Eyes New Dog Rules After Attack
Advocates: Blame Owners, Not Dogs
POSTED: 7:21 am PST November 9, 2009
UPDATED: 5:31 pm PST November 9, 2009
AUBURN, Calif. -- The Auburn City Council might increase restrictions on certain dogs after a teenager was attacked by four pit bulls almost two months ago.
"Something snapped. They started biting and attacking," JoJo Kerschner said.
Kerschner had to get 40 stitches after the attack.
Councilman Kevin Hanley is getting the rest of the City Council talking about adding some new regulations to the city's animal codes for the first time in 12 years.
He said he hopes additional restrictions on certain dogs will prevent an attack such as the one Kerschner suffered.
Hanley and other City Council members will discuss ways to restrict certain breeds such as pit bulls at Monday night's meeting. One consideration Hanley mentioned is requiring pit bulls to be spayed and neutered.
"I've asked the police department to look at a number of options of what other jurisdictions in California do," Hanley said.
Dawn Capp, an advocate for pit bulls, and other pit bull owners fear will the changes would do more harm than good.
"Breed-specific legislation doesn't work," Capp said. "It targets the wrong end of the leash. The only thing discriminating against breeds does is harm responsible people."
Capp grew up around pit bulls and she said her dog, Savy, is the furthest thing from vicious.
About a dozen people in Auburn voiced similar opinions Sunday afternoon for a video testimonial.
"I'm trying to show the City Council that pit bull owners come from all walks of life," Capp said.
Capp plans to present the stories to the City Council Monday in defense of dogs such as Savy, who Capp said would be the undeserving victims of a new ordinance.
Capp said attacks could come from any dog, not just pit bulls.
"It's just about how they're bred and raised," Capp said.
http://www.kcra.com/news/21560325/detail.html
Pit Bull Restrictions May be Considered in Auburn Written for the web byPosted By: Wendy Poon, Multimedia Journalist
AUBURN, CA - The Auburn City Council will vote Monday night on whether to begin the process of amending the current animal ordinance with harsher restrictions in light of recent pit bull attacks.
In September, a 17-year-old was attacked by four pit bulls and severely injured in a parking lot in downtown Auburn.
Auburn city council members have learned that a state law prohibits the city from banning the breed within city limits. But there are a number of other options the city council can consider.
Among them, requiring that pit bulls be spayed or neutered, putting restrictions on ownership, and adding pit bulls to the dangerous dog registry. Another idea is limiting owners to one pit bull per household.
Auburn Council Member Kevin Hanley, who proposed the pit bull ordinance, said that he wants the community's opinion. The city council meeting is Monday at 6 p.m. at 1225 Lincoln Way in Auburn.
By Wendy Poon, wpoon@news10.net
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=70070&catid=2
