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Appeals Court Throws Out Lima, Ohio’s Breed-Specific Dangerous Dog Law
On Monday, December 23, 2013, the Third District Court of Appeals in Ohio reversed a lower court ruling, and, in effect tossed Lima, Ohio’s breed-specific dangerous dog law by declaring it unconstitutional. The appeals court ruling stemmed from a November 19, 2012, incident in which Lima, Ohio resident Theodore T. Stepleton was charged with…
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Lakeland, Florida Hearing Officer Overturns Dangerous Dog Ruling for “Pit Bull”
I have long written about the unconstitutionality of administrative hearing provisions in dangerous dog laws, but a Lakeland, Florida Administrative Hearing Officer recently illustrated why administrative hearings are unconstitutional and adversely affect owners of certain breeds more than others. On Monday, December 16, 2013, Lakeland Administrative Hearing Officer Maria C. Gallo overturned her own…
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Newark, Ohio Passes Canine Good Citizen Allowance for “Pit Bulls”
As expected, the Newark, Ohio City Council voted in its Monday, December 16, 2013, meeting to drop the ‘vicious’ label for “pit bulls” who have had formal training and pass their Canine Good Citizens (CGC) test. Once “pit bulls” have fulfilled these requirements, they no longer have to fulfill the requirement of a “dangerous”…
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Newark, OH: Resolution Allowing Bypass of Pit Bull Regs for Canine Good Citizens Moves to Full Council
Perhaps Newark, Ohio should take a hint from Canton, Michigan who will soon remove the “pit bull” language from their dangerous dog law and likewise remove all the hoops “pit bull” owners in Newark have to jump through in order to be able to keep their dogs. As Newark’s breed-specific law (BSL) stands now,…
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Canton, Michigan to Drop ‘Vicious’ Pit Bull Designation from Dangerous Dog Law
As we posted earlier this month, Jessica and Marcin Kowalewski lobbied the Canton, Michigan Township Board of Trustees to remove the ‘vicious’ label for so-called pit bulls from Canton’s dangerous dog law. Thankfully, the Kowalewskis were successful in their lobbying at the December 10 meeting, and Township Attorney Kristin Kolb has undertaken an ordinance…
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Australia: Jade Applebee Wins Reprieve for Kerser; Case to be Reconsidered
We first heard about the plight of Kerser, a dog labeled a “pit bull” and ordered to death by Australia’s Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, in March. Under Victorian dangerous dog laws, so-called “pit bulls” are restricted, must be registered, and must adhere to strict containment requirements. Thankfully, Kerser has won a temporary reprieve…
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Some St. Marys County, MD Residents Use Hysteria, Not Logic in BSL Push
Fresh off their “win” in the embarrassment that was the Tracey v. Solesky kangaroo court ruling in 2012, which deemed so-called “pit bulls” “inherently vicious” via extremely flawed and one-sided information, anti-pit bull protesters of the Avonlea Farm neighborhood in Mechanicsville, Maryland pushed for even more breed-specific legislation (BSL) by lobbying the St. Mary’s Board…
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Maryland Pit Bull Advocates Will Take on Tracey v. Solesky Once Again in Coming General Assembly Session
The 2012 Maryland Court of Appeals ruling in Tracey v. Solesky was a perfect example of why it’s not always a good idea for the judiciary to be involved in matters of legislation. In fact, poor rulings which change existing laws or even create new laws are what have come to be derisively known…
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Canton, Michigan Couple Seek Repeal of Vicious Dog Label for Pit Bulls
Jessica and Marcin Kowalewski have begun lobbying local officials in Canton, Michigan to repeal a provision in Canton’s vicious dog ordinance that declares so-called pit bulls vicious. While the Kowalewskis argue that Canton’s breed-specific law (BSL) is unfair because their bulldog mix Loki is obedience trained, loves children and cats, and is well-behaved on…
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Garden City, Kansas: Attorney Lobbies to Remove Pit Bulls from Breed-Specific Law
On Tuesday, December 3, 2013, local attorney Luci Douglass lobbied the Garden City, Kansas Commission to remove the breed-specific language that defines pit bulls as vicious from Garden City’s breed-specific law (BSL). Since 2002, Garden City’s ordinance has defined so-called pit bulls — American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers,…