From ItemLive.com:
“[Lynn] City Council President Timothy Phelan said last week’s brutal dog attack has stirred up a range of emotions and has resurrected the debate on a possible pit bull ban in Lynn.
On Oct. 17, Shoemaker School teacher Julie Potter was mauled by a mixed breed pit bull on Lynnfield Street while out for an afternoon jog.
Due to increased awareness and frustration from this and similar incidents this year, Phelan said he and city officials have begun talks on ways to prevent future dog attacks…
Phelan said he met with City Solicitor Michael Barry and Animal Control Officer Kevin Farnsworth on Thursday and plans to meet with members of the police and the City Council next week to strategize ways to either ban the particular breed, or enforce stricter muzzle laws for safety measures.
In addition, Phelan said he requested a list of dog attacks in the city during the last five years from Farnsworth to look at the matter in further detail. ‘We are going to aggressively pursue ways to increase fines, change ordinances and also attempt to ban pit bulls from the city,’ he said. ‘Right now it’s in the hands of the law department to make sure whatever we do is bulletproof so to speak’.”
Read this article in its entirety here.
Please contact members of the Lynn City Council at the following addresses/phone numbers and politely inform them that breed-specific legislation in any form is ineffective and unenforceable. An enforced leash law and a non-breed-specific dog law are more than adequate to police irresponsible dog owners of any breed.
Lynn, Massachusetts contact information:
Mayor Edward Clancy, Jr.
Phone: (781) 598-4000
Fax: (781) 599-8875
City Solicitor
Michael Barry, Esquire
(781) 598-4000 x 6843
FAX: (781) 477-7043
kbelliveau@ci.lynn.ma.us
Lynn City Council:
Paul T. Crowley
(781) 593-4700
86 Holyoke Street
Lynn, MA 01905
Loretta Cuffe-O’Donnell
(781) 599-1450
11 Lake Avenue
Lynn, MA 01902
Charles T. O’Brien
(781) 581-5175
153 Marianna Street
Lynn, MA 01902
John Timothy Phelan
(781) 592-0894
2 Meghans Way
Lynn, MA 01904
Wayne A. Lozzi (Ward 1)
(781) 595-2389
335 Den Quarry Road
Lynn, MA 01904
William R. Trahant, Jr. (Ward 2)
(781) 592-7463
215 Verona Street
Lynn, MA 01904
Darren P. Cyr (Ward 3)
(781) 598-3601
50 Morton Hill Avenue
Lynn, MA 01902
Richard C. Colucci (Ward 4)
(781) 595-3048
265 Ocean Street
Lynn, MA 01902
Paula M. Mackin (Ward 5)
(781) 595-2041
57 Woodlawn Street
Lynn, MA 01904
Peter L. Capano (Ward 6)
(781) 598-4187
101 Alley Street
Lynn, MA 01905
Richard J. Ford (Ward 7)
(781) 581-9581
9 Florence Street
Lynn, MA 01905
**All e-mail correspondence to the city council should be sent to:
tyoung@ci.lynn.ma.us
One response to “Lynn, Massachusetts Considers “Pit Bull” Ban and/or Restrictions”
As a responsible “pitbull” owner it is frustrating to read articles like this one because of the naive and uneducated statements that people make. Pitbull is not a breed…how many times do we have to say this…maybe the American Pitbull Terrier or the Staffordshire Terrier but to group aggressive dogs into this category is infuriating. If there is an attack by a dog that is roaming freely probably due to an irresponsible dog owner will it be the same people that wrote this article trying to properly identify the “breed” of this dog…if that is the case that is a scary thought…punish the deed not the breed…punish the owner not the dog.