Kind of a slow news week this week, and it feels like a lot of the bloggers out there have been busy also. But some good stuff still to go through today.
Cities/States/Nations and Laws
The city of Tupelo, MS is looking at potential breed-specific legislation targeting owners of 'pit bulls', Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers.
The Australian Veterinary Association is cautioning the Victorian Government about the number of perfectly good pets that are going to be impacted by the province-wide breed specific regulations.
Last week, St. Louis discussed the potential for a mandatory spay/neuter law in the city. Thankfully, there was not enough support for the law (which has failed in virtually all circumstances) and the law was tabled.
A new election in Denmark has a new political party in place -- which could mean the possible repeal of the nation-wide breed ban. Kenzo the Hovawart has the details.
Walker, LA passed a new dangerous dog law that defines dangerous dogs based on behavior, not breeds.
After a major dog attack in Waxhaw, NC, the city began working on a new dangerous dog law. Fortunately, they made a smart decision on a set a behavior based ordinance which should help that community.
Alert for folks in and around Waterville, ME -- the police chief their appears to be pushing for breed-specific legislation, likely involving multiple breeds of dogs.
Dog bites/Attacks
Major dog bites/attacks are rare - but when they happen, there is almost always a set of circumstances behind the attack. These can be prevented if we focus on the circumstances and not the type of dog involved -- as you can see, a variety of different types of dogs are involved in such attacks.
A 73-year old Australia woman was bitten muliple times by a "cattle dog". While authorities in Australia have been creating a host of hysteria about certain types of dogs, they have failed to make the public safer by recognizing that dogs of all kinds can be potentially aggressive and that responsible pet ownership is the key to improving public safety.
A Savannah, GA city council candidate was bitten in the face by a Blue Heeler. I'm highlighting this story because I love the fact that it goes into detail about the circumstances that led to the bite, and the council candidate's ownership of doing "everything wrong" that caused the bite. I really don't know that it was 100% the candidate's fault here, but mistakes were made on both sides and I think the recognition of that is a great step in educating people about public safety.
A Pittsburgh area boy was bitten by an Akita that was chained up in the front yard, but dug under the fence of the home (while on the chain) and bit the young boy as he passed by on the sidewalk.
A 6 year old Duncan, AZ girl was flown to the hospital after being bitten by a neighbor's German Shepherd while she was going door-to-door selling tamales.
No Kill News
Columbus, GA is taking steps to become a No Kill community.
Residents in Dobson, NC are pushing for changes to help their community become a no kill community.
Miscellaneous
A great story about Cherry -- one of the dogs saved from Mike Vick's Bad Newz Kennels who is doing very well under his new home.
A 'pit bull' in Atlanta sounds like he will be ok after being found with an arrow shot through his skull. Authorities are offering a reward for information in this cruelty case.
Animal Control officers in Kansas City, MO had an "oops" moment this week when they showed up to a home to break up a 'pit bull fighting" operation, and then confiscated 15 dogs that were a combination of Rottweilers and Mastiffs (no 'pit bull' type dogs) because they thought they were over the pet limit, then realized that the residence was zoned agricultural (where up to 25 dogs is allowed), the owners are licensed breeders and even if neither of these were true, the dogs STILL wouldn't have been illegal because they were too young to be counted under the city's pet limit. The dogs were returned, but it was an awesome look at animal control officers that were seizing dogs that there was never any reason to seize.
A Kansas City area man plead guilty this week to beating and choking his pregnent girlfriend and then was arrested on Sunday for his connection to two cases of animal abuse including smashing a kitten against the bathroom floor on July 5 and drowning 2 kittens in a bag in a creek on July 20. Interestingly, the man was dating a girl in 2007 who mysteriously disappeared and is still missing. If anyone ever wanted to build a case for animal abuse and abuse toward people being related, this guy seems like the case study.
Blogs
A couple of months ago, the animal shelter in Manatee, FL decided to adopt No Kill philosophies - in that time the shelter has gone from a 45% live release rate to a 65% live release rate. No Kill Tallahassee has the details.
The No Kill Nation Blog lays out the primary tenets of the No Kill Equation.
The Overpopulation rhetoric continues -- by Time 4 Dogs
The Poodle and dog Blog takes a look at a New York's new enforcement of its ban on dogs in neighborhood bars -- wondering if there really is a valid reason for this.
Profile: B -- Pound Dogs takes a look at his experience and changed perspective on Ontario's Breed-Specific Legislation. Ontario has a major election coming up next month -- and the results of that election could very well mean the life or death of thousands of Ontario dogs.
No Kill 2.0 - Winograd takes a look loopholes in existing laws that allow for killing to continue, and steps to take to avoid them.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter - -Why it does not work - -from New York City Animals
Tails: Free to good home -- Tails and Truths takes a nice look at adoption requirements...and eventually says this "I was hard for me to accept this truth -- that rescues are pushing people to backyard breeders and poentially god awful petstores," upon the realization that what once used to be "free to good home" rescues, now require 5 pages of paperwork to adopt.
They know what they know -- Winograd takes on the old-school animal rights movement.
Do pets dream? -- Paw Prints the Magazine takes a look at doggie dreamin'.
Nice roundup as usual, Brent!
Regarding the couple that had their dogs confiscated by KCMO animal control for "illegal breeding" - what in the name of Sam Hill IS that, anyway? "Illegal breeding". Just sounds funny.
The manner in which the police accessed the property is downright scary . The owners had a fire pit, as do most people on ag zoned property. the owner had burned trash prior to leaving for work, but the fire was out before he left the house. The fire department allegedly responded to an "uncontrolled burn", saw the dogs, and called the police and animal control. I told the owner to be sure and get a copy of the probable cause statement, since they didn't seem to think a search warrant was in order. I can't wait to read that piece of fiction.
The man had a state hobby/show permit. The city tried to hang onto the dogs by using the "over the pet limit" ordinance and that's when the city realized the property is zoned for agricultural use, not residential.
I'm not convinced there's any dog limit on property that's zoned ag. There is an avocation permit for breeders that's available if you jump through hoops (old limit is 25, new limit is ten animals) but I'm thinking the permit is for breeders that live on property that's zoned residential. I would have to read the ordinance to be sure.
The owner was quite surprised when I told him Fox4 news reported animal control was working with the owners "to secure the proper permits". I instructed him not to sign anything - (a)I'm not sure he needs any city "permits" on ag zoned property, and (b) if he agrees to an avocation permit he's giving animal control permission to come on the property any time they like - not that there appears to be anything holding them back at the present time.
Posted by: kmk | September 19, 2011 at 04:36 PM