Today, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed SB 75 into law. SB 75 essentially prohibits local governments from targeting laws or policies at specific breeds. Here's the text:
"No local government may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance, policy, resolution or other enactment that is specific as to the breed or perceived breed of dog. This section does not impair the right of any local government unit to enact, maintain, or enforce and form or regulation tahat applies to all dogs."
It's short, and effective, and in the end was passed by two houses and signed into law today. Not only does the law prohibit any South Dakota communities from passing laws targeting breeds, but also will overturn any existing breed-discriminatory laws -- which I believe will impact about 8 cities with a total population of 16,000 people.
Meanwhile, in Utah, the Senate passed a nearly identical law 26-2 that prevented local governments from enacting laws and policies targeting breeds. The bill was similarly approved by the House, and now awaits the governor's signature. Given the overwhelming support for the bill by the legislature, the final signing seems like little more than a formality. Utah currently has 10 jurisdictions with breed-specific laws that would be forced to overturn their laws.
With the addition of Utah and South Dakota, the grand total is now up to 18 states that have laws that prohibit laws targeting specific breeds of dogs. These two states join Massachussetts, Rhode Island, Nevada, Connecticut, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,Virginia, Minnesota, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Colorado and California as states that have proactively prohibited breed specific policies.
More states may be on the horizon -- as both Missouri and Maryland are also hearing similar legislation and both states have had the legislation move out of various committees.
It is awesome to see the progress state governments are making in listening to true expert testimony about the ineffectiveness of breed-discriminatory laws, and are protecting their citizens from the tyranny of local governments who insist on trying to force ineffective laws on theri constituents.
Times are definitely changing.
Great news from out of South Dakota and Utah over the past 24 hours....as intelligence is taking precedence over hysteria in the decision-making about dangerous dog policies.
Let's hope New Zealand starts to listen too. No sign yet. After a recent serious mauling of a child left unsupervised with four (suspected resident) dogs the hysterics are out there beating their breed ban drums.
The dogs are believed to be Staffy mixes - possibly pig dogs in that part of the woods. Her injuries are apparently horrendous and she faces years of reconstructive surgeries.
It will be interesting to see what knee-jerk reaction our pollies make after this unfortunate incident. The last time we saw such a serious event we got mandatory micro-chipping and breed bans.
It is embarrassing that NZ is still donkey-deep in the dark ages.
Posted by: Karen Batchelor | March 15, 2014 at 01:32 PM