A couple of weeks ago, Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone -- who has spent the past year working with advocates,city council staff and the city's Animal Warden John Baird to rewrite the dangerous dog law -- introduced the new ordinance that would remove breed-specific measures in from Cleveland's law.
The City Council's Public Safety commitee will be hearing the bill on Wednesday, June 1, at 10 AM at the Cleveland City Hall -- 601 Lakeside Ave, Room 217. If you live in or around the Cleveland area, please show up to support the proposed ordinance as a strong turnout of support will really send a strong message to the committee.
So please make plans now to take time off work to show up for the meeting.
Also, HB 14 is still on the table in the Ohio House -- which would remove the state breed-specific laws....and we're hopeful that this can move forward in June as well.
As the economy continues to put many cities in financial risk, more and more of them are realizing the high expense and negative return on their breed-specific laws and looking for more sound legislation that will improve public safety and be fair to dog owners. Welcome Cleveland to the growing list of cities that are beginning to realize that BSL is not a viable solution.
H/T to Bless the Bullies on the News (as well as a nice email I received), and if you want more up-to-date news, follow Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates on Facebook for the latest.
I'll be there. Fingers crossed. Ohio is finally starting to show a little sense when it comes to pit bulls.
Posted by: Inaradog.wordpress.com | May 26, 2011 at 08:49 PM
I'm going to try to get there. Parking can be difficult at best, but I'll walk from a far off, cheaper spot if I can! If Cleveland changes, it might be easier to get our ridiculous suburbs to follow suit!
Posted by: KateH | May 27, 2011 at 03:31 PM
I'll try to get there, I wish Cleveland could set a precedent and be a city that can set the standards for others to follow suite when it comes to animal welfare and laws. If so I strongly believe the economy in this wonderful city could turn around. After all aren't we all looking to be apart of a community that enriches our lives and looks after its citizens? Well some of our four legged citizens need some justice and this outright stereotyped knee jerk reaction to labeling and banning dogs is at best immature and unreasonable.
Posted by: Tammy | May 29, 2011 at 06:13 PM
there was a dog attack in our town a few weeks ago and they are going to change the animal bylaws but the thing that really makes me proud is that at the townhall meeting and all suggestions given to the officials it has been a clear NO BSL, hope when they make the law they listen
Posted by: karen | May 30, 2011 at 08:25 AM