Pit/Rott Legislation

My city recently passed dog laws on only Pits and Rotts. They are that the owner must have a 6 foot fence and at least 3 feet from any public street, alley or sidewalk. The person walking them must be at least 16 years old and the leash must be no longer than 6 feet. The fines are very steep. I am curious about any other places with limitations for my favorite dog, the Rott. The writer of the statute also wanted the dogs muzzled if they were around children under 6 years old.

 

Yes, I have heard of this. Even our homeowners ins. will not allow 20 different breeds of dogs. Do you know how hard it is to adopt a mutt!! They all look like they have rottie or dobie in them! No, i don't agree with this legislation. BUT, my neighbor keeps getting pits off the street and she doesn't know their temperment...the first one I went to her house and looked at the dog and it went after me. we only have a 3ft fence between our yards....I wish it were 6ft! Not only do I have a dog but a small child and i use to worry that they were going to put this dog in the yard when we were out. Thankk god she gave her to someone who could work with her, and the pup she has now is wonderful. This is why legislation gets put into action. I totally agree with the age limit....watch animal cops one time when they are in Detroit, kids there fight these dogs adn it is against the law for them to have them. I can see both sides. It just takes one unresponsible person to ruin it for all.

Check your legislation....sometimes there are holes...like if your dog has been obedi. trained and received title of good cit. you may be able to get around this law.

 

There are no exceptions. I, too, have had problems with my home insurance. My old insurance could care less if he was a therapy dog or not. Blanket policy, no pits or rotts.

 

KLF It is one thing to impose dangerous dog acts those I am completely for which bases the punishment on the crime and the situation not on the breed of dog. As the owners of two rottweilers I know the hysteria among these dogs. However as the owner of well behaved dogs you can change people's opinions. A neighbor of mine who moved in a few months ago wouldnt come near my dogs and he was scared to death of them. Today for the first time he pet one of my rotties and laughed when she decided to give him a bath. Laws should never be based on breed alone. And as far as pitbulls being fought there are far more adults that fight dogs than kids. Secondly because of pitbulls becoming illegal to own in alot of cities dog fighters are going to other breeds including but not limited to rottweilers, Am Staffordhire terriers, german shephards, dobermans, boxers, chows, even different breeds of retrievers. Eventually the rise of dog fighting will escalate in another breed and than those dogs will start to become euthanized based on their breed and not their temperament. In Ohio for instance any pitbull that comes into a shelter is automatically euthanized even if it comes in with its tail wagging and licking everyone. The amount of german shephard mixes being used for fighting is rising and is also a very popular dog which is causing shelters to automatically euthanize shephard mixes who come into the shelter simply because there are just too many of them. This is what is going on people this is the reality. I have seen pictures of rottweilers dead in a euthanazia room killed simply because they were rottweilers. I have the pictures and anytime people think that Breed Specific Legislation is right I show them to them. Its wrong. Very wrong! No dog should be punished based upon its breed just like people shouldnt be discriminated against based upon their color! ITs wrong! And if people dont wake up soon and realize this more breeds will become illegal and unneccesarily murdered just because of their breed. There are no bad breeds, just bad owners!!
The owned by two gorgeous rescued rottweilers
Abby and Daisy

 

In Phoenix, AZ, we haven't had ordinances enforced on us, but insurance companies here have stipulations on at least 10 breeds of dogs. I own 2 PitBulls and before I got them, just out of common sense, I made sure my home was secure enough to have them. Your city and a lot of cities are forced to have these laws because of negligent people. Example being, this morning my Husband and I took our two PitBulls for a walk. As we turn the corner of this one street, a medium size mutt jumped a 3ft. wall and came charging at us. If it tried to pick a fight with my Pits, my Pits would have won the fight. But if law enforcement was involved, I'm sure my dogs would have paid the price for just being the kind of breed they are. My point is, breed profiling and specific breed laws are just a "feel good" ordinances which masks the real problem of irresponsible people owning dogs. I haven't heard of any dog fighting rings being busted here in quite awhile. Maybe they are just going further underground. But what is happening is the Pits and the Rotts are being used as guard dogs for criminals who deal in drugs, stolen goods, etc. These dogs are being drug down in the muck along with the criminals. Maybe Law Makers and Law Enforcers should try to look beyond "What's guarding the Gate" to more like "What's Behind the Gate!" Don't punish me, and you, and all the other responsible owners of dogs that happen to be on a city's "Dog Hit List."

 

I understand restrictions on Pits but only to the extent that they stay away from other dogs not other people. All the other breeds in question are perfectly fine with people unless trained to act another way. The same goes for pit bulls and people. Even great danes make the top list of bite statistics but you dont see them banned anywhere. These rules are made of people who are unfamiliar with dogs and their nature. These and more are reasons why when I purchase a house...it will be in a state that has not heard of the words "homeowners association".

 

If a responsible Pit owner wants to take their Pit for a walk and a irresponsible dog owner has a 3' wall that their mutt can jump over and come after my Pits, why should my dogs be penalized because of its breed.

 

Most pit bulls are naturally dog aggressive and while training and proper care will calm these tendancies.....there will always be a trace of it since that is what the dog was originally bred for years back. In the event that a dog jumped a fence and attacked your dog....thats not what I'm talking about. That wouldnt be your fault in any case....there shouldnt be any dogs running loose period anyways but by additional restrictions I would think that the home of a pit bull should have its fence inspected to make sure nothing would happen whereas the home of a shihtzu...i wouldnt be too worried about the sturdiness of its fence. Thats all I meant by additional restrictions...just make sure that the owners of them are careful...I dont think any dog should be outright banned anywhere.

 

Here's an article in the L.A. Times this morning regarding Pit Bull bans in Denver, CO. It pretty much discussed the same things we're talking about here. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 4207.story

 

It is all so irritating!! I wonder if they will keep adding breeds when until they discover that it may be the humans not the dogs. Will they ever take breeds off the lists or will the lists just get longer?

 

Hi,
That's is a really harsh law you got there. A couple of years ago we had a dangerous dogs act put into force where a couple of the terrier breeds had to wear muzzels in public, but I've never seen one dog wear one.

Any dog can walk the streets off a leash here, anywhere infact, and there are no laws what so ever about having your garden fenced in.

I'm going to have to look at statistics now on how many attacks there have been, cause just like with there being no muzzeled dogs around, I've heard no stories of dogs attacking. I'm not saying they don't, just that it's obviously not a big thing or there'd be cries for more laws.

I approach ANY dog with caution, but to be honest when there's a rotty playing on the feild and he comes over for a sniff I feel more confident than when this one little black poodle comes bounding over who's vicious!

 

From my stint as a groomer....I found the small poodles and chihuahuas to be among the worst for biters. They cant cause a whole lot of harm to an adult or most medium + sized dogs so this is why they will never be added to the list. I know I sure used the small muzzle when clipping nails a whole lot more often than I used the large ones. Like I said...the laws are made by the ignorant. I think a person should be held 100% responsible for their pets actions. If they dont clean up after their dog...they should get a ticket or arrested for the same thing as if it were them who had gone on the lawn...indecency or something. And littering.

 

ILOVEGREATDANES - there are many dogs out there that are known to be dog aggressive as a breed, boxers are one of them, mastiffs are another that I know just off hand. So it is not only pit bulls that are knon as a breed to be dog aggressive but you dont see stipulations on other breeds that tend to be dog aggressive. Let alone the fact that just because as a whole a breed tends to be dog aggressive doesnt mean all are and vice versa I know many dogs that as a breeed arent dog aggressive but individual dogs are. I rescued rottweilers for years but the most aggressive dog I ever placed was a golden retriever. IT was never abused, lived with the same family but became aggressive to kids, men, and other animals. I wouldnt even foster that dog because of fear that it would hurt or possible kill my rottweilers and I have no doubt in my mind that it would have tried to kill them. Does that mean that every golend retriever out there should be forced to wear a muzzle whenever it is outside? Of course not just like it is wrong to do that to a pit bull when 90% of the owners of pitbulls are responsible with their dogs and do participate in the necessary training of their dogs and have their dogs under control. But due to the hysteria of people in the media anytime a pit bull bites someone it is all over the news. But a JRT which is the nations top dog for bites you never hear about them bitting people. People didnt go into hysteria over pomeranians when that pom killed a baby cuz they realized it was the owners fault in that case. Just like people should realize the same with other breeds including the pit bull.

 

Single legislation on any breed for any reason is wrong .
I totally agree with that .What one does is not and cannot be the 'law ' for all of that breed .
It is the dog fighters and dog fight breeders and the owners of the dangerous ones that should be stopped .
I personally think any dog ,even a chi would kill if taught or let kill .
It is a part of the "nature ' of any dog ,but more so in the larger kinds as they still have to fend for themselves more and can 'smell " fear from people that they come close to .A chi is an ankle biter ,but most people do not "fear them ' .however they do 'fear ' a larger dog and a dog knows that .
Alot of these laws are based on that 'fear " .more will be passed unless people can be educated and unless these "fighters and breeders of fighters " can be stopped .
You can't fight a losing battle when the fight is done as alot of talking and bullying .Have to do it the right way ...Get out and educate people .Take the dogs you have to schools ,churches ,town hall meetings ,anywhere you can 'teach 'someone the difference ,you are making a difference .
Sorry if I offended anyone ,just my opinion .
I have a bull and a chow /bull mix ...Sweetest things alive ,but my meter people will not get out and read the meters unless i am home to walk with them .Stupid ,but true .But Iwill not put my babies down or make any concessions on this as I totally believe it is the stupidity on the meter readers part and has nothing to do with Bullet or Sheba ..
My brother has a rott and he is the sweetest thing ! I love large dogs .I recue alot of them when I can ,but the pound and shelters here will not let me take rotts or pits to find homes for .I hate that !

 

I posted an article that was in the L.A. Times about PitBull banning in Denver. I guess you have to be logged in to read. This is important if you live in a city who bans or is planning on banning a paticular breed of dog. Denver, CO. has had a ban on Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terrior and the Staffordshire Terrior since 1989. If you owned one of these dogs and were caught with it you are forced to surrender it so it can be euthanized or move with your dog out of the city limits. A man in Denver who owned a Bull Terrior had city animal control come to his house to confiscate his dog. It was due to be euthanized April 30. He went to his State Representative, Debbie Stafford and told her that his Bull Terrior was a family dog who never hurt anyone and the city was going to put it to death. Ms. Stafford checked into the statisics and found that Denver had killed thousands of innocent family dogs, 410 PitBulls that didn't hurt anyone. She put a state law proposal on the desk of Governor Bill Owens asking that breed banning by a city be prohibited. He signed it on April 21 saving the life of the man's Bull Terrior and the lives of 21 other dogs that were on Death Row. He stated that banning PitBulls and related breeds is nothing but "Doggie Profiling." Needless to say the Denver City Council was outraged. City attorneys are planning to sue the State for violating the community's home rule responsibilities. Rep. Stafford is sponcering a bill to stiffen penalties on dog owners whos dogs are not contained and are a menace to the community in the way of attacking people and other animals. By banning a specific breed is only putting the focus on the breed and ignoring the real factors that there are too many irresponsible people owning certain dogs. There is no evidence that PitBulls in general were inherently vicious dogs attacking people. What it boils down to is you live in a city that has breed ban enforcements, call you Sate Rep. Call your Governor. Just because your city says it's "LAW," doesn't mean the State will abide by such ordinances.

 

I read it awhile back .I think the city should be sued for their stupidity too .
that was about the dumbest law I had ever seen .And they had no right to do what they did .

 

They have got to do something about the idiots that fight pitbulls or any other dog! I just watched a show a couple of nights ago where: Neighbors of this man called the animals cops to his house because of fighting dogs in his back yard. The man said they were stray dogs and nothing happened to him at all! even though everyone knew the dogs were his. What the cops found was absolutely horrible!!! a young puppy was thrown into the the pits pen just to see what would happen. The pit about tore his leg off! as well as many bite marks all over the pup. Thier was evidence that the pup tried to defend himself, in that he had teeth missing and some small punture marks on the pits nose What was soooo sad is: the pits tail was wagging away at the cops, he had no idea he was about to be put to sleep And they were able to save the puppy, that's the only good thing that happened in that case...

IT MAKES ME SICK!!! They should turn these dogs loose on those idiots that fight them...

Susan

 

JRTs do make the top list of biters but are by no means first. They rank around 10th for the past 5 years. As far as death by bites go its Pits then Rotts then GSDs. Obviously a small dog isn't going to kill a full sized human very often so they dont make that list.

They say that over half of the reported dog bites occur within the home of the dog in question anyways.

I do believe still, sorry Rotty Mommy, that all pit bulls have a natural dog aggression to *some degree* due to the lines of which they were bred. I also do believe it is possible that any dog could be predisposed to be dog aggressive without improper treatment. A pit bull is the only breed that I do not trust with my smaller dog due to their high prey drive.

Like I said...the bite thing is not the dog's fault it is the trainers fault or the person provoking the dog. The only possible restriction I could understand would be ensuring that purebred pits are properly fenced. I disagree with any and all other breed/size restrictions of any kind.

 

I hear how Rotts and Pits are treated in the city. It makes me sick that instead of passing laws to stop the idiots we pass laws to make the responsible owners suffer. What bothers me most is the fact that the idiots are not trainers. Somehow, locking a dog in the basement and allowing only one person to feed or interact with is training??????? :x These lawmakers don't get that it is the lack of training :cry: that makes these terrible dogs. They "learn" to fight because they are scared and never learned to communicate. Sorry, but thanks for letting me vent.

 

The thing is with these laws... they are here to protect us. We have to remember we are here because we love our pets and like to see our types of dogs to live happy long lived lives, and there are those who think that dags are possesions and tools to earn money. As a mother, I will not go near a dog that could potentialy be dangerious to my children. As a childcare provider it is my reaponciblity to make sure my kids are safe. As a dog ouner i know it is in everyones best interest for my dogs(s) to behave like good doggies. But there are enough people out there who feel their untamed dog should be allowed to go and do whatever he/she wants. As a mother, porvider and pet owner I don't want to take a risk of my child/pet/self getting mulled by a "pet" that someone isn't taking the responcinility for owning. I know it isn't right to punish every good dog owner because of a few bad dogowners. But i would rather have tough laws than dead children because of bad people with higher risk dogs. It is like having a loaded gun. Like i said we are here because we care about our pets, but there are still too many people who don't. Yes, i agree there are some breeds that have some rooten eggs, In the town i useto live when i would take a walk i would stay clear of one road because none of the neighbors would keep their dogs on leash. my dog, son(infant) and i were trapped by 5 dogs(all labs) that were very friendly, but they all growled at us when we went down the street. We went to the other side and they came after us. I was afraid for my baby's life and my dogs(lab). My dog went on defenssive mode and bared all teeth and raised his hair on his back and I grabbed a stick. Yes the owners are at fault for letting their dogs off leash. But i had been by these dogs before and not once had a problem with them. I want some regulations. like leashes. I don't want to be scared to walk down the street. we have laws to protect us just like we have speed limits to keep the roads safer, we have some radiculiious dog laws to keep us safer. I respect all those who help to improve the different breed reconition. there will always be 1 bad apple to ruin it for every 10 good apples!
sorry for the spelling it is late!