Update on the situation in Sikeston

As everyone in the world seems to know, on Wednesday night news started coming out a roundup of pit bull type dogs in Sikeston, MO. As time grows, and the story gets passed along, things become a little, eh, exaggerated. So I want to provide the most accurate information I can on the situation there.

Earlier this morning, Trace White of the Sikeston Humane Society posted an update on their facebook page. And here are a few more details of the situation in Sikeston:

-- First off, the Sikeston Humane Society holds the animal control contract for the community of 16,000 people. They are NOT animal control -- which is separate. Nor does SHS support the city's pit bull restrictions

-- Earlier this week, SHS shipped around 30 dogs to other shelters in the region in order to make room for the dogs expected to come in.  These are the dogs talked about in the news report -- as many were shipped to the St. Louis region.

-- From animal control's perspective, the "roundup" was part of an "audit" of the people who had licensed dogs under the city's pit bull restrictions. The restrictions require registration, Beware of Dog signs, insurance, top and bottom gate locks and requiring a muzzle if the dog is off your property. Animal Control was "auditing' these owners to be sure they were complying. If they weren't in compliance, their dogs were seized.

-- Earlier, Animal Control had estimated that SHS would receive about 20 dogs through this "audit" -- which is why the dogs at the shelter were shipped out. However, due to the push back, animal control never finished their audit -- and Mr. White isn't sure they ever will. Because they didn't finish, the final number of dogs received at the shelter was only 3 (which is still 3 too many). The dogs are going to be held to give the owners enough time to comply with the regulations and hopefully get their dogs back. Mr. White is working with these owners to get their dogs back, and if they cannot, they will be adopted out or sent to rescue.

 -- Mr. White agrees that the BSL in Sikeston needs to be changed - and he, himself, moved from Sikeston so he could walk his dogs without muzzles. He does feel that this is as close as they've ever been in his three years at the shelter to getting the law repealed.

-- If people want to help, they can send letters to the city staff and council stating they think the law should change. LETTERS MUST BE PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS in order to be well-received. We should be sure they are focusing on the real goal, which is to protect families from aggressive dogs, and also from having their family pets removed from their home. If you aren't capable of doing this professionally and politely, please don't write to them.   

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I want to quickly note that I'm very grateful for Mr. White's presence at SHS -- if city shelter workers were of the same mindset as the city, and animal control, many animals likely would have died during this process. Even so, the animals that were sent out to other rescues are still displacing animals in those communities that badly need the shelter space also.

I'm also very grateful that due to the public outcry and support for the dogs and the families, the 'audit' has ceased. This is very good news and thanks to everyone for their support of the dogs and families.

I have a few other thoughts on this as well -- but I'm going to hold them for now until the urgency of the matter blows over.

Comments

[Debbie]

I rescued a pit bull/mixed, We live in America, not a hitler ran country! Dogs are like people, u treat them the way u want them to treat u!
The pit bull is NOT a mean breed at all, it's all in the way the human raises it!
Mine is a big baby n a big sissy! She thinks she is a lap puppy! giggle.
She loves kids n licks the day lights out of them!
How about other breds, ex Germanshepards,
doberman's, etc... they all had a bad reps! But all the sudden they r out of the spot light??
Come try n take my baby away! HA HA to u bunch that think they can! I live in America not some 3th world country that is told what to do!

[Brent]

Christie, you are very kind. I will say that getting "facts" in this situation is a bit of a moving target. Actually, the facts remain pretty clear, the motivations are up for debate...

[Brent]

Emily S -- still trying to figure out how a "drive by audit" resulted in more than 10% of the city's pit bulls in the shelter. The city's story doesn't completely add up either...

[Laura]

Very few people and NO Government officials care about the killing of "innocent dogs". I wish people would stop talking about dogs like they are kids. They are NOT. They are private property and that is how we should look at them. There are a lot of strong laws in this country about private property of citizens. START USING THOSE LAWS to defend ourselves. STOP talking about your sweetums who loves everyone and how you spoon and snuggle every night. NO ONE CARES.

[Brent]

Honestly Laura, I think you're wrong. While I love the idea that property rights are strong in this country, it's simply not true. Government controls your property in countless different ways -- in most places your car has to pass emission standards, your house has to be kept in a proper fashion and up to neighborhood standards through codes, you can't leave junk cars parked in your front lawn, etc, etc.

Granted, they still cannot TAKE your private property from you without a warrant and due process, which does need to change.

The more compelling story for a government official is that of fear....and in this case, it's the fear of someone's dog. The government can and does regulate private property in order to maintain public safety. In order to win this, we must get authorities to see them as being dogs, and pets, and parts of the family that are being ripped from people's homes because of ridiculous legislation. They're more than property, because we have an emotional attachment to them that does not exist with most property.