Stuck on Muzzling Requirement
Omaha, NE - The city council is now looking at several amendments after a packed public hearing on the potential new law last week. But it could still be at least another week before they vote on it. In all, six amendments have been proposed. The changes include:
- Upping a pit bull owner's age from 19 to 21.
- Requiring pit bulls to be harnessed instead of just leashed.
- The Nebraska Humane Society wants to gives pit bull owners the option to take a course called the Pit Bull Breed Ambassador Program. If the owner and dog pass, mandatory muzzling would not apply.
- Jim Suttle wants the mandatory pit bull muzzling dropped all together even though such a law would prevent the type of attack that ripped off Charlotte's scalp. He said, "Maybe we should muzzle bad owners, maybe that's where our muzzling should be."
- It is reported that the mayor will not support a measure without muzzling.
Though various councilmembers disagree on aspects, they do agree that whatever passes needs to be tested and then tweaked. Garry Gernandt says animal control officers and law enforcement need to test the law in the field with animals and then make more changes.
It was reported earlier in the month that Councilman Suttle has formed an exploratory committee to making a bid for mayor. The current mayor, Mike Fahey, announced last month that he will not seek re-election.
Related article:
06/28/08: Coverage of the Omaha Pit Bull Attack - DogsBite.org
Muzzle, muzzle, muzzle! There’s far too many instances where only a muzzle would be effective, and this is still a long stretch to the next most effective policy – an outright ban.
Tell Jim (who wants to be Mayor) the pit bull people do not have a strong voter lobby—just a noisy one. The pit bull is genetically hard wired to fight and kill other dogs. Many so called good pit bulls have proven later on they were so not good after all—-Public safety first will get you elected Jim.
Who pays for the breed specific good citizen course? The taxpayer?!!
We have a leash law and we have people with their pit bulls off leash in the city park. A couple months ago one of our city police had to shoot a pit bull that was menacing some children. Wabash, IN
In Kokomo, IN, they have a leash law and the city police had to shoot and kill two that had attack a 9-year-old and a 11-year-old right in the city park. Most places have a leash law and still people are attacked. You can pass all the laws you want and it will not make any difference. These people do not care about the law, laws are for other people. There is only one answer.
BAN THIS BREED NOW !
Let me get this straight; A so called “domesticated” breed of dog needs a publicly funded safety training course to be allowed off property without a muzzle?
Unacceptable….
Another pit shot on Monday:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26852818
Check out the photo of all the police cruisers responding to the incident….How much does this silliness cost the taxpayer?!
Wonder if Major Fahey is beginning to feel that he was lied to by the Animal Welfare community?
If the Pit Bull Ambassador Program uses the AKC CGC test (as I suspect it may) there is a false reassurance of safety. The AKC CGC is a VERY simple test, taken just once. This was never meant to be a guarantee of lifelong good behavior. To defer a muzzle because of a CGC Certificate is a true disaster.
The dog that attacked me “somehow popped off her leash”, if she had been muzzled that day in the park there would never have been an attack.