Tragedy, speculation, the hysteria of the moment, and a ridiculous laws that don't solve problems

In Feburary, seven year old Anastasia Bingham was found dead in Terry, MS -- a victim of an apparent fatal dog attack.  At the time, the media reported that the young girl was killed by a 'pit bull' that animal control officers found roaming at large near the scene. It must be noted though, that authorities also stated that there were several other dogs roaming at large in the same area at the time - but at the time they believed the 'pit bull' was responsible.

After DNA tests were performed to see if the 'pit bull' was responsible for Anastasia's death, it was determined that the dog  was not dog that killed her. Authorities also dug up a second dog to see if it was the guilty part, but DNA tests there proved inconclusive.

So at this point, police have no idea what type of dog was involved in the attack, and only that the 'pit bull' that was was one of several at-large dogs near the scene was NOT involved.

As with many tragedies, county officials felt they had to "do something" and started discussing potential legislation (note, immediately following tragedies is never the best time to discuss legislation because the laws end up becoming more emotionally based than fact-based). After a few months of discussion, the county, just this week, passed a new law that singles out 'pit bulls' and wolf hybrids and their owners need to apply for a special permit within the county to own the dogs-- even though it doesn't appear as if either of these types of dogs was actually involved in the attack.

The end result is a law that would do nothing to have helped this young girl, even if it had been put  in place prior to her death...and the whole conversation about 'breeds' is a huge distraction from what appears to be the real issue - which is groups of dogs seeming to be allowed to roam freely at-large with no repurcussions.  However, the county allowed them to get sucked into the hysteria-of-the-moment (note that in initial stories right after the girl was found dead, the officer at the scene said he planned to push for a ban on 'pit bulls') and created a policy that wouldn't even scratch the surface of stopping the problem (and even if the dog involved was the 'pit bull'-type dog, it still wouldn't have been a viable solution).

We need to quit encouraging our cities to make knee-jerk reactions based on speculative evidence of which dog was involved, emotions and hysteria, and really pressure them to make sound decisions based on the advice of experts in their community and nationally.  Maybe then we can make a dent in minimizing attacks like this...but Hind's county's solution isn't a solution at all.

Comments

[EmilyS]

"We need to quit encouraging our cities to make knee-jerk reactions based on speculative evidence of which dog was involved"

what do you mean WE??? I think you want to rephrase that.

WE are not encouraging such behavior. Who is?

[Brent]

We -- as in everyone who votes people into office who is responsible for irresponsible, knee-jerk policy.

[EmilyS]

Most of the laws you document are put in place/proposed by office holders without any consultation with the public. I don't see how "we" encourage kneejerk reactions, when the only recourse is after the fact: to vote the office holders out.

[MichelleD]

Emily, he is just trying to be polite instead of saying "Will you dumbasses quit being idiots!?!?!"