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.