A lot of news stories this week -- plus I owe a few from last week -- so I'm going to try to go through them fairly quickly. I also have a few that I'm going to hold because I want to spend a lot more time with them in the coming weeks. The "Science of Fear" series will resume tomorrow -- I hope everyone is enjoying them.
Cities and Laws
The community of Neguac, CA passed a very controversial ban on 'pit bulls'. Interestingly, the reason they passed the law was after a bite by a "pit bull mix" that they pictured in the article that barely resembles any of the 'pit bull' breeds at all...
Elkhart, IN continues to have a citizen's committee that is studying the dangerous dog issue to create a proposal for the council on what changes may be in order for their dangerous dog law.
Independence, KY passed an updated vicious dog ordinance this week. They had originally discussed breed specific laws, but like most cities, decided that breed specific laws were not effective and focused on an ordinance that would target dogs based on their behavior, not looks.
Ceredo, WV is considering repealing its ban on 'pit bulls'.
Bothell, WA is considering restrictions on owners of "pit bull' type dogs -- even thought they admit that enforcing a BSL will be extremely difficult. If you are in or near this community, please make your voice heard and stear them toward a more enforceable, and better, breed neutral law.
In Ft. Dodge, IA, it appears that there is no support of a 'pit bull' ban among any of the candidates for the mayor or city council. Some do appear to have more informed knowledge than others.
South Charleston, WV passed a new law on dangerous dogs. While the law is not breed-specific, it appears to contain a clause that singles out "fighting dogs" and does not allow for them to be rehabilitated.
Elk River, MN is discussing dangerous dog laws -- officials say that there are no common breeds in their bites.
Fremont, OH has called a meeting for October 15 to discuss the possibility of restricting or regulating 'pit bulls'.
East Pointe, IL has updated their dangerous dog law -- but it will not be breed-specific.
Southgate, MI is moving toward regulations that would be directed toward owners of 'pit bulls' and "presa canarios". I do think it is interesting to see presa canarios added to so many lists of late. This was a breed that was seldom heard of 10 years ago, but now has become fairly popular. This is one reason why choosing breeds is never the best option - -because there will always be another breed that people who have bad intentions will gravitate toward. The best solution is to get rid of dog ownership for the people who have bad intentions - not target breeds of dogs.
Royal Oak, MI candidates all oppose breed specific legislation.
Dog Bites
A five year old Plymouth Township, PA girl was seriously bitten this week in the neck by a German Shepherd. The bite occurred after the little girl tried to hug the dog (a behavior that is usually not well received in the dog world). The biting dog had a history of aggression -- having bitten two other people and another dog over the past 9 years. Major bites tend to not be the first sign of aggression shown by a dog...it is usually their last.
A five year old Australia boy was severely attacked in his back yard by his family's Rottweiler. The boy was out with the dog while the boy's father was mowing the lawn.
This was an odd, very popular story, from out of Adams County, CO. In the incident, a 70 year old woman was attacked by 2 dogs -- and suffered a heart attack while she was being attacked. The dogs were called a variety of different breeds. What seems to be the most common is the mother dog being called a "Boxer Mix" and the son dog being called a 'Mastiff-pit bull mix' (which defies what is written in most genetics books). The NCRC had a good article this week on all the different breeds that were claimed to be involved in the attack -- calling into serious question all breed identification that is quoted in the media. For the Pit Bulls had a nice post on this as well.
An 8 year old Moses Lake, WA girl was hospitalized after being bitten by a Doberman Pinscher. The girl bent down to the dog and blew in the dog's face. The owner of the dog, sensing the dog didn't like it, told the girl not to blow in the dog's face but the girl continued to do it and that's when she was bitten. Until we really, honestly, begin talking about what causes dog bites instead of blaming breeds of dogs, we will continue to have incidents like this.
A 3 year old Florida boy was attacked by a chained dog. The boy wandered into the back yard unattended out back of the family's mobile home and went up to the chained dog -- that was described as "at least part pit bull". Children should be monitored around dogs because they do things that are uncomfortable for dogs -- and often end up bitten because of it. Dogs shouldn't be left chained in yards as their primary form of containment.
An eight year old boy nearly lost an ear after being bitten by a Black Mouth Cur.
A Coeur D'Alene, ID girl was bitten by a neighbor's Belgian Malinois.
A S. African man died after being attacked by four Boxers.
Four Boxers in Whales Township, MI were put down after being involved in an attack on a 5 year old boy. The story of course wasn't front page news, but a small mention in the "In Brief" section of the newspaper.
The media
A National City, CA woman was "attacked" by three 'pit bulls'. However, it sounds as if the ill-behaved dogs merely jumped up on the woman -- there is no indication the woman was actually bitten. It does appear as if the woman may have knocked her head pretty hard when she fell -- but this wasn't an "attack", it was unruly dogs jumping up on a woman.
Abuse Cases
Four 'pit bulls' were found dead in a dumpster in Crawford, NY -- police are looking for what circumstances led the dogs to be dumped there.
Two 17 year olds in Baltimore were arrested after they fatally set a pit bull puppy on fire. The boys may have had a "gang affiliation".
More than 1,000 animals from rescued from a home near Houston that were not well-kept and living among piles of trash. The animals include a pony, puppies, chickens, parakeets, ducks, gerbils and snakes.
Miscellanious
An over-anxious La Marque, TX police officer saw a woman out playing in her yard with a dog. However, the officer was alerted by the woman yelling, and jumped out of his car and tried to shoot the dog -- but a bullet fragment ricocheted off the street and hit the woman in the chest. The hysteria that we've created about 'pit bulls' --that leads to police to jump out of cars and shoot at dogs -- injuring people -- is really creating a danger for society -- much more so than the dogs.
A good video report on 'pit bulls' from out of Buffalo.
A 'pit bull' that was paralized after being brutally beaten by two men who broke into his owner's home and robbed the home, is getting around nicely after a local rescue group got a cart for Red that he can now use to get around.
A great article about Charlottesville, VA's shelter that has been no kill for nearly 4 years now.
A good article from Friends of Animals on Nathan Winograd and the No Kill Equation.
Thank you, as always.
Posted by: YesBiscuit | October 12, 2009 at 07:46 AM
I enjoy these roundups. Liked the link to the Virginia shelter that has been no kill for four years.
Posted by: Lindsay | October 14, 2009 at 09:55 AM