FW: Stop BSL, AR, OH

Stop BSL


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Fremont, OH update: Dog law discussion continues at council (BSL under consideration)
Posted: 20 Nov 2009 05:38 PM PST

Previous alerts for Fremont: http://stopbsl.com/?s=fremont%2C+oh
Remember: Ohio state law already considers pit bulls to be “vicious” dogs, with special regulations for owners.
http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20091120/NEWS01/911200310
Dog law discussion continues at council
BY LESLIE BIXLER • Staff writer • November 20, 2009
FREMONT — No decision was made Thursday regarding pit bulls and other dog breeds in the city, but the consensus from residents and city officials is that owners should be responsible for their dogs.
Several residents voiced their opinions and talked about their experiences with pit bulls and other breeds during the laws, rules and ordinance committee meeting before City Council met. This was the third city discussion of the topic.
Each person had five minutes to speak.
Judy McKinney talked about an attack she witnessed in her neighborhood, when a pit bull ran from its house and attacked a small dog that a family was taking for a walk.
“I hear there are good and bad dogs, and I don’t want anyone to lose a good pet …,” she said. “There’s got to be some way to make owners responsible.”
Scott Williams said his niece was involved in the incident McKinney witnessed.
“We really need to protect the public,” he said. “We need a way to identify dogs that will attack.”
Williams said he has had two relatives attacked by dogs. One case involved a pit bull, and the other involved a rottweiler. He, too, agreed owners need to be responsible.
Penny Forsythe, a local business owner, was with her daughter Nichole and son-in-law Jason Wolf at the meeting. She said she feels her grandchildren are safe around pit bulls, and that the dogs are not vicious.
Jason Wolf said, “You have to train that dog and be stern with it. If you want to have the dog of your choice, you should … but train it and love it every day, just like your kids.”
Council President Duane Simmons said he has a problem identifying vicious dogs. He said that when he was a meter reader, he was bitten by a Labrador retriever that didn’t seem aggressive.
“The people that don’t care about their dogs are the ones we have to make the law tough enough for so they understand,” Simmons said.
Councilwoman Karen Wagner and councilman Richard Root said they’re not in favor of a ban for any dog.
“We just need to do something about the vicious dogs,” Root said.
Mayor Terry Overmyer said he was shocked at seeing some of the pictures after an attack, and he said the city needs to go after people who are not responsible owners.
Councilman James Melle said council would take everything under advisement before drafting legislation.
[Irrelevant text elided.]
Posted in Ohio, Whispers of BSL

Prescott, AR: Pit bulls banned
Posted: 20 Nov 2009 05:30 PM PST

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/11/20/prescott-ark-council-no-pit-bulls-in-tow-39.php
Prescott, Ark.: Council:No pit bulls in town
Ordinance passes after toddler’s death
By: Jim Williamson – Texarkana Gazette – Published: 11/20/2009
PRESCOTT, Ark.—The recent death of a 2-year-old boy motivated the Prescott City Council to approve an ordinance banning pit bull dogs from the city, said Mayor Howard Taylor.
The ordinance, approved Monday night, makes Prescott the fifth town in Southwest Arkansas to ban the dogs. Similar ordinances have been approved by Nashville, De Queen, Dierks and Mineral Springs.
The council was going to consider the ordinance banning pit bull dogs in the December meeting, but decided to declare an emergency and approved the ordinance Monday night.