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Watertown, Wisconsin: A Sociological Study in BSL Hysteria, Junk Science Misinformation, and Dogged Ignorance
Like the rest of the dog lobby, we’ve been watching the progression of Watertown, Wisconsin’s breed-specific law (BSL) proposal these past few months with a sense of head-shaking disbelief. Indeed, Watertown might be perfect for a sociological study in groupthink and hysteria given how some aldermen seem to have gone out of their way…
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Watertown, Wisconsin’s “Pit Bull” Ban Proposal Passes First Reading
By a vote of 5-4 — with aldermen Fred Smith, Mark Kuehl, Steve Zgnoc, Augie Tietz and Robert Stocks voting for a “pit bull” ban, and aldermen Emily McFarland, Ken Berg, John Coughlin and Jim Romlein voting against it — Watertown’s proposed extremely restrictive “pit bull” ban has passed its first reading. According to…
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Watertown, Wisconsin Inflexible on “Pit Bull” Ban; Resident Gets Frosty Reception
When last we heard from Watertown, Wisconsin, it sounded like the Safety and Welfare Committee and the city council were willing to take into account their constituents’ worries about being made to choose between their homes and their dogs. However, Alderman Bob Stocks, who had prior been sympathetic to his constituents’ concerns about the…
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Winnipeg “Pit Bull” Owner to Fight City’s “Pit Bull” Ban in Court; Winnipeg Bite Stats Increase Despite BSL
Steve Gagnon, owner of American Staffordshire Terrier, Odie, ran afoul of Winnipeg city officials when he moved to Winnipeg unaware his dog’s breed was banned. Now, faced with removing Odie from the city, Gagnon plans to fight Winnipeg’s “pit bull” ban in court. Gagnon maintains that, “It’s not the dog it’s his upbringing.…
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Pawtucket, Rhode Island Defiant in Maintaining BSL; “Pit Bull” Owner Plans to Sue
Writing about Boston and how they were forced to repeal their breed-specific legislation (BSL) after the state passed a law prohibiting breed-specific laws made me wonder why Pawtucket, Rhode Island hasn’t also had to repeal its BSL after Rhode Island likewise passed a law prohibiting breed-specific laws. In fact, Boston and Pawtucket have both…
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Boston: Abusive “pit bull” owners and breeders increase, as do maulings. Can’t they make the correlation?
Yesterday the Boston Herald reported that “pit bull” maulings are on the increase in Boston since Massachusetts prohibited breed-specific legislation (BSL) in 2012, thereby, in effect, repealing Boston’s 2004 “pit bull” ban. The article referred to the state BSL prohibition as “an animal-rights bill” that “nullified Bostons 2004 pit bull ordinance.” No, the…
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Bonner Springs, Kansas Task Force Still Looking at Repealing BSL
As we reported in a mid-July post, Bonner Springs, Kansas, has formed a task force to look into changing their breed-specific law (BSL) after resident Debi Baker, who did not know she owned a banned breed, was given a mere 15 days to remove her Staffordshire Bull Terrier Titan from the city. Currently, a…
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Hamilton, Ontario Admits Ontario’s “Pit Bull” Ban Not Working
Eight years after the Dog Owners’ Liability Act (DOLA) was passed in 2005 which banned so-called “pit bulls,” Hamilton, Ontario has admitted that “dog owners are getting around [Ontario’s] ban by registering their pets as another breed ” or not registering them at all.” Hamilton’s Animal Control Supervisor Jim Gillis acknowledged, “The fact that…
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Welsh, Louisiana Repeals “Pit Bull” Ban; BSL Unfair
Citing a need to treat all dogs of any breed equally, Welsh, Louisiana has repealed their 11-year-old “pit bull” ban. Perhaps readers will remember that in 2008, Welsh sought to add additional so-called “vicious” breeds to their 2002 “pit bull” ban. Welsh has now opted instead to replace the “pit bull” ban with…
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Kangaroo Court Decision from Denver & Aurora, CO? ADA Doesnt Apply to Pit Bulls Apparently
[Warning: This post contains photos of a graphic nature and should not be viewed by youths or those who are sensitive to graphic imagery.] As most know by now, Denver and Aurora, Colorado had banned so-called “pit bulls” well before a lawsuit was filed alleging an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violation. Yes, that’s…