2016 Legislative Highlights: Local Control Dominates Again; Six States Reject Preemption Bills Prohibiting Pit Bull Laws

Rejection Rate Grows to 90% Since January 2014 DogsBite.org - During the first 5-months of the 2016 legislative season, state preemption bills barring local governments from enacting breed-specific legislation were introduced in eight states. As of May 13, six states have rejected these bills and two remain pending. So far in 2016, this is a 100% success rate for municipalities retaining local control. These states are: Missouri, Kentucky, Washington, Georgia, West V… [Read full blog post]

Announcement: DogsBite.org Releases New FAQ about Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL)

An analysis of 860 cities with breed-specific laws showed that pit bulls were named in 100% of these ordinances, followed in distant second by rottweilers, named in just 7%. Breed-Specific Legislation FAQ DogsBite.org - Today we release our Breed-Specific Legislation FAQ that will empower advocates and city officials who support breed-specific laws. The FAQ drills down into the effectiveness of these ordinances, which breeds are involved and the three most common typ… [Read full blog post]

Who Can Identify a Pit Bull? A Dog Owner of 'Ordinary Intelligence' Say the High Courts

Pit Bulls Are Identifiable Meme Campaign DogsBite.org - For 25 years appellate courts have ruled that a dog owner of ordinary intelligence can identify a pit bull (See: Ohio v. Anderson, 1991). In addition to this, the high courts have ruled that scientific precision is not required when determining the breed (See: Colorado Dog Fanciers v. Denver, 1991). Yet still the myth persists ad nauseam -- pushed by the Pit Bull Propaganda Machine, pit bull advocates, animal groups an… [Read full blog post]

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Recently Adopted Out Pit Bull Kills 6-Year Old Boy in Henderson County, North Carolina

Joshua Phillip Strother, 6-years old, mauled to death by a recently adopted pit bull. County Lifts Moratorium UPDATE 08/06/15: Buncombe County officials completed its review of the screening and transferring procedures by the Asheville Humane Society (AHS). The group contracts to operate the county's open admission shelter. On July 7, a 6-year old boy was savagely killed by a pit bull that was adopted out by AHS 3-weeks earlier. The dog came in as a stray. It was then screen… [Read full blog post]