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11 thoughts on “Cities with Successful Pit Bull Laws; Data Shows Breed-Specific Laws Work

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  1. This all goes back to the argument of what BSL does. Many pit nutters howl that dog bites go up after BSL is enacted. However, BSL doesn't target all dog bites. It targets pit bulls, and invariably, PIT BULL attacks go down after BSL is enacted and enforced. Serious injury rates from dog bites drop. It's also entirely possible that dog bites only seem to go up because there are awareness campaigns usually involved with the enactment of BSL so more people actually report dog bites. Excellent data!

  2. This is a fantastic post and a boatload of good info. I am going to print it out and send it to my mayor's office and alderman(because they no longer have email addresses available).

    I have read but never looked into the alleged bite increases after BSL is enacted. I always assumed it was lies, I can't think of one logical reason there would be an increase. The theory postulated by Dark is plausible, but has anyone looked into whether the allegations are true? So many of nutters' claims are just BS.

    I'm going to send links, if I can to local communities that have BSL, too.

    Thank you so much!

    In the last couple days, I also just read stories of pit owners who have had epiphanies. There is so much good news in the last few days, its exciting.

    The good news almost balances the fact that the neighbors, after getting their first pit bull in March of this year, just got a new one today. And the fence still has to wait until next spring.

  3. I hear that this make quite a fuss on the Fifth Floor (Board of Supervisors) in San Bernardino, CA. They are voting on MSN this coming Tuesday.

  4. Art, can you let their insurance company know about the pit bull escalation?

    THESE people should be paying for the fence.

    Is there any way for animal control to force them to install a fence?

    One pit bull is a danger. TWO has just increased the danger by a wide margin.

    Also, as you may have seen on the craven desires site, the video of the pit bull climbing 12 feet. These dogs climb and can dig under, very easily. They can also break through even the slightest weakness in a fence.

    A fence must be solid, with no place they can put a foot to easily climb, and rock or concrete at the bottom so they can't dig under. It really should have barbed or razor wire at the top, electrified wire if possible, to prevent climbing.

    It's got to be bomb proof, especially now that there are two. Two pit bulls together heads into the pack mentality that makes the situation worse.

    Some people even put a fence inside a fence.

    And if they are menacing you at the fence, install a video camera and document.

    Still, I would never, ever leave a pet or child outside in even a fenced yard with pit bulls nearby, especially next door.

    Are these people breeding by any chance?

  5. The "dogs bite go up after pit bull regulation" is an absolute fallacy. There are NO accurate or true statistics to even come close to backing up this FABRICATION by the pit bull breeders and advocates. It is just a lie.

    The pit bull community just started LYING about it to try to stop regulations.

    And it is one of the stupidest lies that anyone could create, which shows the desperation and bloodthirstiness of the pit bull community.

    Dog bites overall are being reported more, especially because more towns and cities are documenting them officially, particularly in areas that have had horrific pit bull maulings or a large population of pit bulls. Most towns and cities never documented bites before! Now there is LITIGATION, and more dangerous dog laws that go along with the pit bull regulation that REQUIRE documenting.

    But Pit bull regulation (or breed specific laws) are not to protect against dog bites. Most dog bites by most pet breeds are just tooth marks, bruises, a few stitches maybe. Fighting breeds, Pit bulls, MAUL. They remove flesh and limbs. They KILL. A pit bull doesn't "bite," they MAUL. The damage is vast.

    And that is what pit bull regulation is preventing.

    Pit bulls also kill more pets and livestock than all other breeds put together and then some. Pit bull regulation is also PREVENTING that.

  6. Boston Massachusetts has had very successful pit bull regulation for many years.

    For a few years, dog fighters and pit bull breeders in the state (along with some hypocritical "shelter" organizations such as MSPCA and Animal Rescue League that have become pit bull lobbyists,) and some corrupt animal control, STOPPED enforcing the laws.

    Then pit bull attacks went up and the public demanded that the mayor have pit bull laws enforced.

    They are being enforced now, and the pit bull maulings stopped.

  7. Tragedy, Thank you for all the helpful advice and info and support.

    I know that the addition of a second dog is dangerous – this is a catastrophe in the making – with the owners saying they don't know anything about pits, no obedience training, leaving the door open to allow free access without supervision, a 4 ft fence, getting a second young dog 3 months after the first, both 1/2 grown puppies…it goes on. the only positive thing they do is walk the dogs twice a day.

    I've got no kids but 2 dogs, 30 lbs, 8 and 9 years old, that I don't let out in the yard anymore at all unless i'm there and I know the neighbor's dogs are in. I've told the neighbors how I feel, and that I would like "to be allowed" a couple hours a day to work in my yard and let my dogs out. Yes, I ask permission to be in my own fenced in yard, and still, they prop the door open to allow their dogs out with no supervision.

    I've read here on dogsbite.org about how to try to go after pit owners who own their homes by notifying an insurance fraud hotline. The specific advice was for dogs that had a bite history. If I don't know the insurer, I don't know if the fraud hotline will help with a dog with no bite history.

    In any case, I think any insurer would be lenient about notification for an owner that only had the dogs 3-4 months . I'm not sure, but it seems like I have to bide my time before I can do anything on that front.

    I am allowed a 7 foot privacy fence. There is a 4 ft chain link fence now. I can't pay for a fence now. I could do it on credit, but I figured, when there was the one dog, that its still a puppy, and I wait til I can pay for the fence outright in the spring. I've looked, btw, I can't have barbed or electrified wire in city limits.

    Thanks again for your suggestions, I'd appreciate any help, maybe i'm missing things, please tell me.

  8. Art, in all cases, the insurance company requires that the policy holder (they or landlord, the property owner) notify the insurance company a) if they have any dogs at all and b) ESPECIALLY if they own pit bulls because of the vastly higher claim risk.

    Most of these people never inform their insurance companies, for clear reasons.

    There does NOT need to be a biting incident. The insurance companies want to know what is going on at their clients' homes, if there is fraud (which is what failure to disclose is), and if these dogs have not been reported, they are defrauding the insurance company and breaking the rules.

    Most insurance companies are VERY willing and happy to take the reports/questions because they will end up being in court because of a dishonest policy holder.

    Even if the dog is just "staying" there, the insurance company is supposed to be officially notified.

    Do you have a list of insurance companies that sell insurance in your state (also there may be a state pool for the difficult to insure)

    Many people go through the list asking if such and such at such and such is their client and if they are aware there are two pit bulls there.

    You may wish to send this in. It may be anonymous.

    (Also check to see if the dogs are licensed. If unlicensed, that could get traction with the town or city)

    There are no "privacy" laws or anything like it, no matter what pit nutters may try to claim. The insurance companies may not tell you whether or not they are a client, but they will take the info, and if these people are cheating their insurance company, that is fraud, very serious.

    I am so sorry that you are in this predicament.

    Many people have hired lawyers to crawl all over situations like this, but I realize that lawyers are expensive. However, rates vary, and some may do it contingency if you get a hungry one. You may wish to consider it.

    You are losing the "peace and quiet enjoyment of your property." That is legalese. You might want to do a little internet digging.

  9. I went to a city council meeting today in Wyoming Michigan. It was discouraging as the officials bought the LIE that breed specific laws don't work! The police officer presenting the information also said it would be nearly impossible to enforce to an ordinance and that it would be nearly impossible to determine which dog is a pitbull. EXCUSES EXCUSES
    In addition, A god darn vet from the humane society said that RABIES outbreaks might occur (OMG Bull crap ) if Breed specific laws were enacted because people would go undergound and not get the dogs vacinnated. It is my belief that many people don't vacinate pitbulls now and they don't get them a computer chip either so they can't be identified as the owner if it attacks. It was so discouraging for me as I live across from 6 pitbulls that are not well cared for animals that are not safely contained. How do we keep from discouraged and keep
    on fighting for sane laws to protect our communities? I do like the idea above of calling insurance companies. In my case the people are renters so I am thinking of sending a certified letter to the landlord letting them know they might be liable if one of the pitbulls on the property bite someone. The only problem is I don't know of a way to this anonymously and I don't want to make enemies of my neighbors.

  10. Another question.. a lady at the city council meeting tried to give the impression that a pitbull ordinace would make current owners give up their dogs immediately and have them euthanized. I have never seen legislation like this as it always grandfathers in the existing dogs owned and gives a time peroid of a decade in advance or more when the persons with current pitbulls can't own them anymore so the dogs can live out their natural lives. A pit nutter at the meeting got up and said no: The Denver law resulted in hundreds of mass graves for pitbulls rounded up and euthanized without warning. This is another lie I would guess?

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