New Forum!!!!

Now up and running! The Pit Bulls in Truth online forum! :D

It is a Free Forum, open to everyone! Please stop by and sign up to join us :)

My goal is to have a place where people can come not only talk about
the issues related to owning a Pit these days, and fighting BSL...
but also a resource for those trying to find other like-minded
people from certain areas involved in fighting BSL and promoting
the positive image of the Pit Bull.

I especially would like to encourage those of you who keep up with
meetings and BSL to help fill up the sections on BSL listed by State
so that people searching can find the information they need.

There are also areas for general discussion, stories, adoption,
resources and much more!

I need everyone's help in making this into the best and most
thorough Pit Bull forum out there!!!

Won't you join us?

Ang'


Topics include......

Love-a-bulls
Breed Information and History
A place to learn about the Pit Bull

Love-a-bulls
A place to discuss Bully breeds and meet other people who love them!

Testimonials
Share with us what made you fall for the breed :D

In the news
Heard an interesting tid bit on tv or in the paper??? Please share it with us! :)

Breed Specific Legislation
BSL in general
Share your thoughts on BSL here.

Alabama - Georgia
States alphabetically listed! Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

Hawaii - Maryland
States alphabetically listed! Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

Massachusetts - New Jersey
States alphabetically listed! Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

New Mexico - S. Carolina
States alphabetically listed! Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

S. Dakota - Wyoming
States alphabetically listed! Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

Canada and the UK
Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

BSL Abroad
Please post BSL information, meetings, newsletters, groups, organizations, fund raisers and events here!

Judge the Deed, Not the Breed
Pittie Heros!
Share with us your Pittie Hero!!! We want to show the wonderful, loving, AMAZING side of the breeds!

Wrongfully accused
Please tell us of instances where a Pit has been wrongfully accused so that the record can be set straight!

Bad apples
A place for stories of pits that have indeed done wrong. We must be fair in examining both sides, and determining how best to address this issue.

Just for the Humans
The Park
A place for all other discussion and topics not relating to Pitties.

The Laugh Lounge
Have a funny joke?? We could all use a good laugh for sure! But try and keep it clean and non-offensive please ;)

Suggestions
Did I leave something important out? Let me know!

Resources
Books and Reviews
Read a good book on Pit Bulls, training or dogs in general? Share it with us here! If possible, please provide a link to a site like Amazon for those who wish to purchase a copy :D

Personal Websites
Have a website pertaining to Pit Bulls? Share it with us!

BSL Websites
Know of a good website about BSL? Share it with us!

Known Offenders - DNA List
Know of a person or persons that have mistreated Pits and are still seeking to aquire them? Please let us know.

Pit Bull Rescues
Rescue Groups
Please list your rescue group here.

Transport Requests
Have a dog seeking transport to safety or a new leash on life? You can find others available to help here or offer your resources.

Pits in need of Forever Homes
Have a Pit that has been waiting for a Forever Home... post your info here.

Please Read On!

London, Ontario City Meeting on PIT BULLS

From my friend's blog My World According to Conners

The dog to the left is Shasta... one of the loving, sweet and innocent lov-a-bulls that BSL seeks to exterminate :(

Please be sure to read the whole article.....

As many of you know, BSL is fast becoming the hot new way to address dog bite issues.... if only it did ANYTHING to actually prevent dog bites!!! Oh no my friends, it has nothing to do with prevention... it IS about extermination! The powers that be have decided that certain breeds are unfit to live with humans, and this is hysteria NOT fact, and are now looking for "legal" ways to exterminate every last dog. And the worst part of this....... CRIMINALS DO NOT ABIDE BY THE LAW!!!! What? You say... they DON'T??? Well, that means that only good, law-abiding, responsible dog owners will lose their most precious and loved K-9 companions! How can this be!?

That's right.... that IS how it will be. Hundreds to thousands of dog owners per large city will continue to have their rights, their beloved dogs and their faith in the system ripped away from them as BSL plows its way thru every country on the planet. And what do you think will happen when the not only the dog bites continue, since it is not just pitties that sometimes bite people, but the irresponsible pit bull owners continue to breed, fight and train their dogs inappropriately and unethically in underground rings?????? Oh yes, what WILL happen? How will the law-abiding public feel about that!?! Will the government that passed the laws just shake their heads and say "Hmmmmm.... this BSL doesn't seem to be working to help fix the actual problem. But, we are making lots of revenue off of the people who were never even a problem to begin with! Haha! Let's keep this going.... we will control the people with more propaganda and hysteria in order to keep our backing for this faulty legislation!".... that's probably about the jist of it >:(

Please read the full post, and the information that Conners has gathered on the proposed BSL in Ontario, and you tell me...... does it fix anything!? :(

Soon as I hear there was a City Hall meeting today, which I thought was at 4PM, I quickly grabbed Shasta's leash, baggies and my bike. We had to bike pretty far...well, considering I was concerned for Shasta as she was running and I wanted her to pace herself knowing it was a long way.
Since everyday has been warm, I decided to take a light sweater just incase...I should have taken something a lot warmer as the meeting didn't start until 7PM, so it was a long, COLD wait.
While I was waiting a reporter approached me and asked why I was there. I told him I was opposed to the specific breed ban and how London is making it virtually impossible to own a pit bull even by abiding to all the laws the Province of Ontario laid out.


We talked a little off camera and then I was more relaxed and felt more free to talk. I explained about my disabilities and how Shasta had succeeded to get me out of my of my phobia's...explaing that I was housebound, but taking Shasta for short walks, that slowley became longer and then the biking and told him where we had biked from.
I explained that people such as I was multiple disabilities and only a set income shouldn't be penalized for the breed of dogs we have, nor anyone else as long as they are RESPONSIBLE owners. I didn't set out to get a PIT BULL, it just happened and we bonded and she's my trusted and most wonderful companion that doesn't have a mean bone in her body.
He also took a lot of video of me playing with Shasta and then camera ham Shasta, decided she wanted a close up head shot to the camera. She was GREAT!!! No doubt about it. I'm glad we went as she showed the best of a pittie. Even a squirrel went by and she just sat and watched it to everyones amazement.
Since I didn't get to hear the meeting, I did get some information from the others.
This is just a 'bit' of it and I will post more as I learn more.
Here's the pertinent stuff from the 177 page agenda!! Unfortunately, you can't access the Environment & Transportation Committee agenda at www.london.ca at this time, as the agenda is not coming up...so here's what I can tell you. Hang on to your hats!!It's agenda item # 20, page 98. Try to view later.....
*States that London has about 756 licensed pbs. No estimates on unlicensed.
*States that major advantage of passing a pit bull dog bylaw is to provide dor a licensing system (money grab ) for pit bulls that the DOLA does not provide...
*PB licences would only be issued from the date of the passing of the bylaw until Dec. 31, 05; leaves 3 months for owner to get a grandfathered PB licence for the 2006 yr. After that, no more issuing except annual renewal of 2006 licence and any owners of pbs that do not have a pb licence MUST REMOVE THE PB FROM THE CITY OR HAVE IT DESTROYED!!
*No such tag, not allowed in town! At around the 16 year from now mark, no more pbs will exist in London or be allowed in the city. (can you say extermination?);
*No pbs in off leash area(s);
*must post pb property warning signs;
*$1,000,000 in insurance to be purchased;
*No pbs in multiple unit dwellings: too much insurance for landlord; this makes it possible that many pb owners may be required to move or have their dogs destroyed so city decided not to include such a strict provisin in the bylaw as it's "more desirable" to have the money from licences! and to account for the pbs! Mentions that it can be challenged in charter of rights too! Bless the city for this part: "the owner has the right to move with the dog (either out of London or to a non-multiple dwelling in London), to have the pb destroyed or to transfer ownership of the pb to someone who does not live in a multiple dwelling. Furthermore, the owner would have until Dec. 31/05 in order to move, should he or she chose to keep and licence the dog."
*goes on about muzzling;*enforcement: London bylaw used along with DOLA. For instance, searching for and seizing pbs is left to DOLA. There are 2 ways to lay charges:
1) issuing a Part 1 ticket;
2) laying a Part 3 information.Part 1: used at time of offence; defendant can plead guilty and pay fine w/no court. States disadvantage is that the max fine is only $500.
Part3: defendant must go to court and can't pay out of court; max fine is $5000.00; can seek probation order. Disadvantage: cumbersom administratively . Anticipate serious or repeat offences and orders to destroy would then be sought.List of ticketable offenses:
1) own non grandfathered pb: $500;
2) transfer a grandfthrd pb not by gift or bequest: $500;
3) allow pb run at lg: $500;
4) " " " " in off leash area: $500;
5) fail to renew pb lic: $200;
6) fail to attach tag to pb: $200;
7) fail to ensure pb has muzzle: $500;
8) fail to secure pb w/leash: $500;
9) fail to purchase warning sign: $200;
10) fail to post warning sigh: $300;
11) fail to apply to Licence Agent for chng in ownership of pb: $500;
12) fail to ensure pb has microchip: $300;
13) fail to ensure sterilization of pb: 500;
14) fail to provide Lic agent w/new address, phne #: $200;
15) " " " " w/name address, phone# of person to whom giving possession of pb: $200;
16) " " notify " " immediately if pb running at large: $500;
17) " " " notify " " " " " bitten/attacked: $500;
18) fail to remove/destroy pb: $500
The rest of the document, is ammendments to DOLA, definitions of Who's who and what powers they have, what dwellings are running at large, tags, control of pbs, apps for licence guidelines, when destroying dog is called for, fees, sterilization, muzzling etc excemptions, general provisions blah blah blah....so overwhelming and surreal!
Well that's a bit of 177 pages of agenda.
On a positive note, I didn't just sit there and do nothing. I was collecting signatures galour to fight against the Ontario Governments new law as of Aug. 29th. It can't be fought until it is actually law and then we fight for the new amendments.
If we can change the amendments to the Ontario Law, then that should also dismiss what London council is proposing.
If you are from another city, province or country, I think it wise to see what we are going through, just incase you happen to get targeted somewhere down the road. At least this gives you insite of what is possible and if we can change this, then you know the route to take, or something simular.
My goal is not just for Shasta or my city or my province. My goal is to give information of our goings on to possibly help you if it comes around to you.

Please be sure to stop by Conners blog and website for not only more information about pitties and BSL, but also detailed information about the fight against BSL in Canada!

Please Read On!

Another (almost) instance of ignorance.....

Here locally in Battle Creek, MI they are trying to pass a law that will require handlers of Pit bull breeds and mixes to be at least 18 years of age, on 3 foot leads and muzzled in public.

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm all for the basis of it and glad that they are not yet trying to pass BSL that destroys dogs or prohibits ownership. BUT, their BIG story to back this whole plan up is one of hype and hysteria. A boy was bitten by a pit bull in a friend's back yard. And that story has spawned the local laws to go up for a vote.

Even if the laws they want to pass were in effect back then, he STILL would have been bitten. This was not an attack that happened in public. It was in a private setting where the dog would NOT have been required to be muzzled.


Why punish the public for what happened and wouldn't have been avoided by the law being in effect? They are using something that the people find Scary to get backing for the law. Why not just be honest? The laws will not stop people from getting bit by dogs. Not even by pit bulls. It just gives people a false sense of security. Target dogs that have shown aggression and cannot pass fair and thourough aggression tests. Prohibit the conditions that lead to mentally unstable dogs. Apply these laws to ALL breeds, and you will see a reduction in dog bites.

I am not for certain, but by the footage shown, it appears that the dog was a junkyard style dog. Chained it's whole life on a logging chain. If this is the case, as it is in many dog bite cases, it could have been avoided by creating laws that require people to keep animals like dogs as PETS and family members as oppossed to livestock conditions where they are often ignored, neglected and abused and taunted by passer-bys.

The worst thing is that when they pass this law, and they realize that it really accomplishes NOTHING... they will seek to take the next step in the wrong direction.

Pick your battles carefully people. You only better the world thru intelligent, well-planned, fair & conscientious effort.

Pit bulls are NOT for everyone, hell, they're not even for most anyone.... but no more so than Great Danes, Newfoundlands, Greyhounds, Mexican Hairlesses, Beagles or Teacup Poodles. Every breed has specifications and care concerns that an owner MUST be knowledgable about before adopting. People really need to take a lot of time and consideration before getting a dog. They are not all the same. And because people vary so vastly in lifestyle and personality, there is no such thing as a worthless breed. Every breed has something to offer and something to be aware of.

My child has just as good a chance, if not better because the media teaches us that only certain breeds bite, of getting bitten by my friend's White Shepard, my neighbor's Black Lab mix or my mother's Aussie mix. Why? Because each of these people dog's are NOT trained and cared for properly. Why should they? They don't own a "Dangerous Breed"???? There are no dangerous breeds folks.... only Dangerous DOGS! And they can be effectively controlled if people are willing to take the time and utilize the resources to do so.

But honestly, with so many government and local cutbacks... what animal control has the time to investigate every aggressive dog call, to take the time to do temperment tests, and provide followups? How many times have you watched an Animal Cops show just to hear.... this person wasn't allowed by law to possess any more animals..... but yet, they do! Why, because no one took the time to make sure that unfit owners weren't getting MORE pets! So let's just slap a band-aid on it and call it fixed! If we ban the pit bulls.... no more children will get mauled by dogs. WRONG!!!

If you really want to do something to stop the problem, encourage local government to provide your local authorities with the proper laws, training, tools and resources to help put an end to dog bites.

An article from WWMT

BATTLE CREEK (NEWS 3) - Battle Creek officials have backed away from plans to strictly regulate the city's pit bull population - at least for now.

An ordinance change was to be introduced at Tuesday night's City Commission meeting. It would require that, when in public, pit bulls be muzzled, kept on a 3-foot leash and restrained by an adult.

After lengthy public comment, commissioners voted to shelve those proposed changes. The City will reconsider how to deal with the ongoing problem of vicious dogs.

At Monday's public hearing, Tanya Raab of the United Kennel Club encouraged Battle Creek to strictly enforce existing leash laws, and to continue to root out the practice of dog fighting. "It's the people that need to be taken care of, and not the dogs," she said.

Battle Creek officials began studying the issue in June at the request of the police department. In a memo, Assistant City Attorney Barbara Hobson told commissioners that pit bulls and pit bull mixes have become the "weapon of choice for many youthful offenders.

In the month of June, five pit bulls were shot after charging at Battle Creek police or animal control officers.

In that same month, the city's Animal Control picked up 105 stray dogs, 44 of which were pit bulls or mixes.

Meantime, a West Michigan animal advocate is leading efforts to change Michigan's dangerous dog laws.

Steve Lawrence, Director of Kalamazoo County Animal Services, says existing state laws give animal control officers little power to intervene - until a person is badly mauled.

Lawrence is proposing a new classification called "potentially dangerous dogs." Aggressive dogs and their owners could be put on notice. Animal control could require owners to fence their yard, muzzle their dogs, or even mandate obedience training for problem animals. "You put the responsibility back on the owner," he said.

Lawrence is working with officials in surrounding counties and plans to deliver a proposal to state lawmakers in coming months.

I am happy to see that they are handling this fairly and reasonably and that they will seek better, alternative methods to helping fix the problem.

Please Read On!

Update on Sparta Meeting :(

It is with much sadness in my heart that I have to announce that Sparta has passed a pit bull ban. I am also extremely saddened by the fact that I was the only person who attended the city council meeting in opposition to BSL.

I put together a packet of information which was reviewed by Henry, the attorney I work for. Henry, who is also very politically inclined, thought the packet was well put together and made many sound arguments. Unfortunately, the city council never even looked at it. Their minds were already made up. Immediately after I made my statement, the mayor recited bogus facts related to the PSI in a pit bull's jaws and many other of the pit bull "myths". Although I was allowed to rebut these statements, other members of the council immediately motioned for a vote, which was passed unanimously.


The mayor specifically made the statement to the council that we can be "reactive" and focus on dangerous dogs (which is what I urged them to do), or "proactive" and focus on pit bulls.

In speaking with Henry earlier today, we acknowledged the fact that I had so much trouble getting on the agenda because the council had, in fact, already decided this issue. Henry assured me that if the ban passed, he would personally call the Sparta city judge and also take my packet of information to him to review. At this point, the only hope we have is that Judge Mitchell will review the information and find the ban to be unconstitutional and speak with the council. Otherwise, pit bulls are banned in Sparta, Tennessee.

Jodi

Please Read On!

BSL in Sparta & Woodbury, TN meet THURS

Just a reminder that the Sparta Board of Aldermen and the Mayor will meet at 5 p.m., at Sparta City Hall tomorrow - Thursday, August 4, 2005. The proposed pit bull ban - which is in response to Sparta's drug problem, not a dog problem - will be the main topic of discussion. I would love to see as many of you there as possible to politely encourage the Sparta officials to focus on the problem at hand and not use pit bulls as their "scapegoat."

Thanks! Jodi



I went to Sparta this afternoon to visit the mayor and to get his approval to speak at the city council meeting on Thursday. After experiencing much runaround, I am on the agenda so pitties will have a voice and be represented in Sparta!!

I have been corresponding with a Commissioner in Woodbury. Fortunately, we do have an ally there as she is very much against BSL, and has promised to keep me advised as to what is transpiring there.

At any rate, keep those letters coming going to both cities.
Please write with positive pit bull information and opposition to BSL

Sparta city hall fax: (931) 836-3941.
Woodbury contact info: http://www.sparta-chamber.net/gov.htm
Thanks!!
The headline is very misleading. I just talked to someone in City Hall... this HAS NOT been passed yet. However, it can be passed after 2 readings, and the second reading is August 4... NEXT THURSDAY!!! The ban can be passed on 2 readings, and this will be the second reading. No one was aware of the first reading, so no one showed up to oppose it.
We really need people to show up at Sparta City Hall next Thursday in opposition to the breed ban. Breed bans do not work as they take the focus of the true issue - irresponsible owners - and target all the dogs of one breed, the guilty as well as the innocent.

Sparta is the next town over and 15 minutes from me!! We have just a little over a week to voice our opposition to this law! The Sparta city attorney is co-council on a case with my boss, so I'm going to ask him to talk with her about it to see if he can get any info. I will try to come up with more contact info, so far all I have is the mayor:

Sparta Mayor
Tommy Pedigo
6 Liberty Square
P.O. Box 30
Sparta, Tennessee 38583
FAX NUMBER: (931) 836-3941

I don't know how many of the below contacts are relevant, but I'm sending them all. I am also attaching a link to an article that states the breed ban was proposed due to "recent attacks on children." I live about 15 minutes from Sparta, and I have heard absolutely nothing about any attacks. Also, one of the girls I work with lives in Sparta, and she hasn't heard anything about any pit bull incidents either.
Update:
We got the "real" scoop on the proposed pit bull ban in Sparta. It is not in response to recent attacks on children as the newspaper articles indicated, it is because the city officials say "all the meth heads have pit bulls." Ok... so if you get rid of the pit bulls you automatically get rid of the druggies??

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/13271.asp

City of Sparta
www.spartatennessee.com

Sparta is governed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
The City Council meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays
at 5:00 P.M. at the City Hall which is located at 6 Liberty Square.

Mayor Tommy Pedigo
9 Cook Street
(931) 836-3273

Vice Mayor, Hoyte Jones
227 Cliffview
(931) 836-2426

Aldermen:
Ben Holland
58 Whispering Pines Drive
(931) 738-5955

Howard "Fuzz" Griffin
519 Cedar Lane
(931) 836-3408

Bobby Officer
216 S. Oak St.
(931) 837-4673

Margaret Pearson
P.O. Box 22
(931) 836-3772

Debbie Sopha
1136 Highland Drive
(931) 837-9000

City Officials
City Administrator
Marty Carmichael
PO Box 30
City Hall Liberty Square
(931) 836-3248

Administrative Assistant
Angie Wilhite
(931) 836-3248

City Recorder
Tonya Tindle
City Hall
(931) 836-3248

City Clerk
Lorie Cannon
(931) 836-3248

City Attorney
Lynn Sparkman
(931) 836-2226

Manager Sparta Electric & Water System
Wayne Rogers
Box 468
(931) 738-2281

Municipal Court Judge
Denny Mitchell
112 S. Main St.
(931) 836-3192

Police Chief
Jeff Guth
323 E. Bockman Way
ph (931) 836-3734

Fire Chief
Ed Kay
715 North Spring St.
(931) 738-7380

Codes Enforcement Officer
Dennis Clark
City Hall
(931) 836-3248

Animal Control Officer
Animal Shelter
East Bronson
(931) 836-6476

Street Superintendent
Clay Parker
South Carter St.
(931) 836-3422

Waste Treatment Plant
Dalmas Bussell & Ron Hutchings
(931) 738-3290

Jodi Preis
Bless the Bullys
http://www.blessthebullys.com/

Do justice to the orphans and the needy, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.
Psalm 10:18

LAST CHANCE PITS
http://last-chance-pits.tripod.com

Please Read On!

Dawn Watch Update on BSL

ALL THIS NEWS AFFECTS EVERYONE WHO LOVES PIT BULLS IN OUR NATION!

July 27 -- ABC NEWS
"Ban Has Denver Pit Bulls Marked for Death"
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=975154&page=1 -- Typical of the media, they got it wrong! CA is NOT considering a pit bull ban. They are working on laws to mandate spay/neuter, as well as have breeding licenses and fining irrresponsible owners (it's BSL, but not a death sentence; in fact, I think those laws should be in place for ALL dogs). And I doubt that the city council has only heard from 10 people in Colorado on this issue, and 1,990 from other states.


July 29 -- MSNBC
"Denver pit bull ban leads to 'dogs in hiding'"
http://rss.msnbc.msn.com/id/8644998/

Updates on BSL -- Thank goodness for sane Maine!
http://www.napbta.com/bsl.html

Aug 2 -- Los Angeles Times
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20050802/ts_latimes/denversdoggedoutlaws

[DawnWatch alert on LA Times story above -- ACTION NEEDED!!!!]
The front page of the Tuesday, August 2, Los Angeles Times has a heartbreaking story about people having to either adopt out family members or leave their homes thanks to Denver's overreaching pitbull ban. It is headed, "Denver's Dogged Outlaws; The city has banned pit bulls. Owners hide them, move away or turn to an 'underground railroad' to keep them from being put to death."

After some heartbreaking stories, including one about a man now living in a car so that he can keep his dogs, we learn that "Denver is not alone in banning the breed -- cities including Cincinnati, Miami and Lanett, Ala., have outlawed pit bulls." But then we get welcome news about California: "California cities cannot ban specific breeds of dogs, but a bill in the state Legislature would permit them to require certain breeds be spayed and neutered, making them less aggressive."

As California kills hundreds of thousand of dogs every year in shelters, most true animal advocates would be thrilled to see compulsory spay/neuter of all breeds as long as there are any dogs dying for lack of homes. Why not start with those breeds deemed dangerous, that tend to attract those who enjoy organizing dog fights for sport? I write that as the adoptive mother of a sweet little red-nose pitbull, who is, of course, spayed. But thousands of her relatives die every year in California shelters and countless others die in organized dog fights. A ban on breeding them would be wonderful. And it is no doubt the compromise needed that will prevent a misguided over-reaching law like that in Denver, which takes loving dogs out of loving homes.

The bill is SB 861, authored by Senator Jackie Speier, a democrat from the San Francisco/San Mateo area. It states, "Cities and counties may enact dog breed-specific ordinances pertaining only to mandatory spay or neuter programs and breeding requirements." You can read it on line at: http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0851-0900/sb_861_bill_20050705_amended_asm.html

The California Legislative Action Alert recommends that we "Tell the legislators that local government needs to have the ability to regulate the breeding of pit bulls, the unnamed subjects of this legislation, for the welfare of both the public and the dogs themselves. Too many misused and mistreated pit bulls flood the animal shelters."

Californians, you can WRITE IN FAVOR to your assembly member and please also send a quick note of support to the bill's author, Senator Speier. You can email her at: Senator.Speier@sen.ca.govIt is likely the office will print out emails in support. A written letter is preferable (but only if it actually gets printed out and sent) and should be sent to:

Senator Jackie Speier
State Capitol, Room 2032
Sacramento, CA 95814

You can read the full Los Angeles Times article on line at http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20050802/ts_latimes/denversdoggedoutlaws

OR http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-na-pitbulls2aug02,1,5499635.story OR try this Tiny URL http://tinyurl.com/amjb4

It presents a great opportunity for letters about California's companion animal overpopulation crisis and the need for extensive spay-neuter legislation. Legislators look to letters to the editor pages as barometers of public opinion, so your letters matter. The Los Angeles Times takes letters at: letters@latimes.com

Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. To unsubscribe, go to www.DawnWatch.com/unsubscribe.php. If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)

Please Read On!