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Administrator
Des Moines Considers Pit Bull Ban
Animal Rescue League Argues Breed-Specific Bans Don't Work
POSTED: 8:12 pm CDT July 24, 2009
UPDATED: 8:19 pm CDT July 24, 2009
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines city leaders are considering a ban on pit bulls in the city, but the head of the Animal Rescue League said he thinks it's a bad idea.
Council Bluffs and Sioux City have already passed ordinances back in 2005, and as a result, dog bites have gone down dramatically," said Des Moines City Councilwoman Christine Hensley.Tom Colvin of the Animal Rescue League said that banning a specific breed is a bad idea.
"Does that mean that a lot of dogs that would never bite get swept up in that ban? Absolutely. That absolutely happens," he said.He said a breed-specific ban is hard to enforce.
"Even what sounds simple, ban it, you can't have it, it isn't always that simple," he said. "It takes a lot of resources to do that type of thing."Resources are also a concern with Rains.
"What I would like to see is whatever regulations they do come up with, that they are enforceable. I don't know how easy it will be to enforce a ban," Rains said.She said she hopes something will be done so no one else goes through what she and her dog did."We don't enjoy our walks together. We always look over our shoulder," she said. "When we see a loose dog, it makes both of us cringe.
"Des Moines police said that last year, they dealt with 380 vicious dogs. All but nine of those were pit bulls.
Council members will discuss the ban at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 24 at City Hall and the public is invited to comment. People who already own pit bulls would be able to keep them under a grandfather clause.
http://www.kcci.com/news/20173040/detail.html
Animal Rescue League Argues Breed-Specific Bans Don't Work
POSTED: 8:12 pm CDT July 24, 2009
UPDATED: 8:19 pm CDT July 24, 2009
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines city leaders are considering a ban on pit bulls in the city, but the head of the Animal Rescue League said he thinks it's a bad idea.
Council Bluffs and Sioux City have already passed ordinances back in 2005, and as a result, dog bites have gone down dramatically," said Des Moines City Councilwoman Christine Hensley.Tom Colvin of the Animal Rescue League said that banning a specific breed is a bad idea.
"Does that mean that a lot of dogs that would never bite get swept up in that ban? Absolutely. That absolutely happens," he said.He said a breed-specific ban is hard to enforce.
"Even what sounds simple, ban it, you can't have it, it isn't always that simple," he said. "It takes a lot of resources to do that type of thing."Resources are also a concern with Rains.
"What I would like to see is whatever regulations they do come up with, that they are enforceable. I don't know how easy it will be to enforce a ban," Rains said.She said she hopes something will be done so no one else goes through what she and her dog did."We don't enjoy our walks together. We always look over our shoulder," she said. "When we see a loose dog, it makes both of us cringe.
"Des Moines police said that last year, they dealt with 380 vicious dogs. All but nine of those were pit bulls.
Council members will discuss the ban at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 24 at City Hall and the public is invited to comment. People who already own pit bulls would be able to keep them under a grandfather clause.
http://www.kcci.com/news/20173040/detail.html