KennelSource Archives > Legal
Tuesday, August 30, 2005 at 9:30:31 AM by Edward Knittel
It was a year ago nearly to the day that we mentioned Ontario Canada Considers Banning Pit Bulls. It's a topic that gained a lot of response. Well, they considered it and now it's official:
TORONTO -- Ontario on Monday became the first province in Canada to ban the pit bull in the wake of vicious attacks by the dogs, but defiant owners have already challenged the law.
The measure makes it illegal to breed pit bulls or bring the dogs into the province. Owners who violate the law can face up to six months in jail.
"I've seen enough, I'm glad the law is finally coming into effect," said Louise Ellis, whose 5-year-old daughter needed 300 stitches to close the wounds of an attack.
A number of serious attacks prompted Attorney General Michael Bryant to make the move. In another case, two dogs severely mauled a Toronto man, forcing police to shoot the animals repeatedly to stop the attack.
But opponents of the ban argue banning one breed of dog is unfair.
Catherine Cochrane, 22, who owns an 18-month-old, female, pit bull mix named Chess, says her dog is well behaved.
"I don't think I'm going to muzzle her at all," Cochrane said.
Prominent Canadian lawyer Clayton Ruby announced a constitutional challenge of the law on Monday.
In the United States, pit bull bans are in place in Denver, Miami and Cincinnati.
The ban affects four breeds of pit bulls:
- pit bull terriers
- American pit bull terriers
- Staffordshire bull terriers
- American Staffordshire terriers
- dogs that are similar in appearances to those breeds.
Unbelievable. Not only must the Pit Bulls be muzzled while in public, but they must also be spayed or neutered . And fines for violating these rules have also increased to as much as $10,000 for the worst offenses.
This is an outrage and it's good to see news of residents in Ontario fighting back. A group of dog owners is launching a legal challenge, saying the ban infringes on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They also (rightly) claim that the ban is too vague and will focus on dogs that should not be targeted.
More information from Chicago Sun-Times
Wednesday, April 06, 2005 at 3:45:59 PM by Edward Knittel
Wow... first it was Ontario Canada that was considering a ban on pit bulls - labeling the entire breed "aggressive" - now there's word out of Clarksdale, Mississippi USA that local resident Rocky Jaco would like the City to consider an ordinance to ban the breed or curb their numbers.
Consider this gem:
Rocky Jaco says there's a change in the population of Clarksdale. Not a day goes by that the animal control officer doesn't get calls from people with complaints about Pit Bull dogs.
And although nobody has asked specifically for an ordinance to ban a specific breed...yet, City Attorney Curtis Boschert says the board may consider the idea.
And Rocky Jaco hopes that eventually happens, because those calls about pit bulls keep coming every day, and he wonders if it may get worse.
First, who is this Rocky Jaco? The article fails to mention whether or not he works for the City. I assume he does, because it's definitely inferred that he's the one who has answered the phone every day from people with Pit Bull complaints.
Secondly, I love it when people talk like this. I want to take everything they're blaming on these defenseless animals and replace "Pit Bull" with "shooting" or "guns" or pick a human race (dog breeds are like races)... when you do that, their arguement loses all merit and sounds completely ridiculous. Case it point, I've replaced some key words from the article with my own [in brackets]:
Most people know about [Chinese], because they're often [fighting]. They've become frightening to many people... and in the town of Clarksdale... they're getting a lot of attention these days.
Rocky Jaco says there's a change in the population of Clarksdale. Not a day goes by that the [local authorities] doesn't get calls from people with complaints about [Chinese].
And although nobody has asked specifically for an ordinance to ban a [race]...yet, City Attorney Curtis Boschert says the board may consider the idea.
And Rocky Jaco hopes that eventually happens, because those calls about [Chinese] keep coming every day, and he wonders if it may get worse.
Lets hope Rocky Jaco doesn't get his way.
More information from WREG: Memphis, TN
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 at 4:33:01 PM by Edward Knittel
Currently, there is no fine against not having your dog licensed in the city of Chicago even though City Clerk James Laski says that you have to. Well, that could all change very quickly. He told the council's Budget and Government Operations Committee he wants to change the situation by fining those who fail to buy dog tags.
The cost of a license is $5 for a spayed animal and $10 for an unspayed one. Senior citizens 65 years of age or older pay $2.50 and $5, respectively.
City officials estimate that 600,000 dogs live in Chicago, but last year only 17,000 new dogs were licensed.
Some vets don't like the idea because it might discourage people from vaccinating their dogs
More information from Chicago Tribune [registration required]
Tuesday, August 31, 2004 at 4:23:29 PM by Edward Knittel
Can a dog, a living thing, really be considered a weapon?
Attorney-General Michael Bryant and the Ontario government is
considering a province-wide ban on pit bull dogs. Bryant's reasoning:
Some animals amount to nothing less than dangerous weapons.
Under
the Ontario Municipal Act, municipalities have the right to ban dog
breeds. Kitchener has already done that. Its bylaw says anyone who has
acquired a pit bull since April 7, 1997 and did not remove it from the
city faces a fine of up to $5,000. The province of Ontario is not
ruling out the idea of instating a complete ban on this breed of dogs.
In the meantime, before a decision is made, they are encouraging
other municipalities to consider similar bylaws.
Bryant goes on to say:
I
have long been concerned about this issue. I have had constituents come
into my office with concerns and complaints about pit bulls and their
effect not only on a community, but with respect to other animals and
the harm that they may cause to other animals.
So is this what we've come to? ALL
pit bulls are vicious, mean dogs - it's the way they are and there is
nothing anyone can do to change that? Forgive me if I just don't get
it. I mean, the dogs that are being bred to be vicious and mean are
done so by people who are vicious and mean. Banning the likes of
Staffordshire terriers and American pit bull terriers will not deter
these people - they will simply move on to another breed. So as far as
I can tell this is not a real solution but more of a bump in the road.
Bryant has asked Ontarians to e-mail him at michael.bryant@jus.gov.on.ca
with their thoughts and to include "pit bull" in the memo field. If you
write to him consider this juicy bit as well: The Canada Safety Council
estimates 460,000 Canadians are bitten by dogs each year. Maybe they
should just ban ALL dogs so that we can all be safe.
More information from The Toronto Star
Thursday, July 22, 2004 at 10:41:49 AM by Edward Knittel
One of the biggest obstacles that many prospective kennel owners face when looking to build a kennel is getting the town's approval through the appropriate permits. Dr. Curtis Geary of Bullskin Township in Pennsylvania has been fighting such a battle with his neighbors.
Dr. Geary, however, is not new to these matters you see. Dr. Geary currently owns two veterinarian clinics in the surrounding township but the neighbors of the proposed new kennel location don't want to see another one opening up right next to them. With all of the barking and traffic from his clients how could blame them? Except the nearest of his neighbors lives 750 feet away. You can't even see the house from the property. Yet even with the distance between the properties Dr. Geary is still finding it hard to get the approval to build the two story facility.
As I said, this is often the toughest and longest parts of the whole process. It's the one thing that you will have little, direct control over. If you design and plan a facility for a specific location only to be denied the proper permits you will have wasted a lot of time, money, and energy. That's why it's important to secure the building permits before you begin to make plans for the rest of the construction. Make sure that the land that you are considering building on is also zoned for a kennel business. Purchasing the land only to realize later that it is not zoned appropriately will leave you only with some "worthless" property that you must now get rid of AND you will need to find a new, and properly zoned location.
Share your success stories or nightmares that you have encountered when looking to start your new kennel business.
More information from PittsburghLIVE
Thursday, June 24, 2004 at 4:40:20 PM by Edward Knittel
Did you know that over 20 years ago New York City's City Council passed a law that would allow tenants who sneaked their cats and dogs into apartment buildings, co-ops and condominiums with no-pet policies to keep them as long as no one took action against them within the first three months?
Well, they did and now they're looking to expand that law by allowing residents with smuggled-in pets to replace them - without fear of eviction - when they die.
Supporters say that pets become family members, especially for those with no children, and that those in rent-stabilized buildings cannot afford to move elsewhere.
"This is such a common-sense bill," said Mary Max, the artist's wife, who testified yesterday at a Council hearing on the bill. "There are people that want their animals - they miss the love, they miss the companionship - and it's a way of life in New York."
Do you think that those people who have already admittedly broken their lease agreements should be legally protected to bring another pet into the house after the first one has passed away? Even when that means that someone else (maybe yourself) who tries to bring a pet into their home illegally for the first time would have to get rid of the pet or face eviction?
More information from NY Times [registration required]
21 COMMENTS | Post a Comment | Posted in Legal, National News
