Vicki
Administrator
Carthage, MS: “Pit bull†ban passed, no grandfather clause
Carthage, MS: “Pit bull†ban passed, no grandfather clause
Posted on May 12, 2010 by www.stopbsl.com
Thanks to Jodi for bringing this into the spotlight.
Carthage has no leash law. This quote from the city attorney, Alan Rhea, boggles the mind: “By putting in the ban on the specific breeds,†the attorney said, “you eliminate having to prove the dogs are dangerous.â€
Contact city officials and attorney:
City Hall, 212 Main Street, Carthage, MS 39051
Phone: 601-267-8322
Fax: 601-267-5955
Mayor Jimmy Wallace
Aldermen
Larwin Atkison, Ward 1
David Cockroft, Ward 2
Terry Jones, Ward 3
David Herrington, Ward 4
City Attorney: Nettles and Rhea Attorneys at Law, (601) 267-8404
http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/140000/140738.pdf
Ban on pit bulls kicks in, enforcement urged
Even as the Carthage Board of Aldermen adopted two new ordinances, Mayor Jimmy Wallace was pushing hard for enforcement of a newly effective statute.
City fathers Monday evening approved plans for two new ordinances, one to ban weapons from city parks and the others to deal with solid waste left on the sides of city streets.
However, Wallace emphasized his immediate concern was a new ordinance which had only just taken effect dealing with pit bulls within the city limits.
“Today’s the day,†he told aldermen. “If there’s anybody with this breed of dog on their property, we’re now able to go in there and get it.â€
The ordinance applies to pit bulls and pit bull mixes.
He said the ordinance applied to dogs in the city, even if the pit bulls were chained, fenced or housed in some shelter.
Seized dogs, Wallace said, would be taken to a kennel and kept for a prescribed period of time.
For the owner to reclaim the dog, and then take it outside the city limits, he would have to pay kennel fees and costs, plus fines.
The mayor urged anyone with concerns about a pit bull in the city to call authorities.
“We will take any kind of reports that we can,†Wallace said.
[Irrelevant text elided]
Previous article on April 8, 2010: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130178.pdf
Animal ordinance
Aldermen also adopted an ordinance to ban certain breeds of dogs in the city.
“We have worried about this for some time now,†the mayor said. “We found the flaw in our (dangerous animals) ordinance.â€
Recent incidents of pit bulls attacking pedestrians had brought the matter to a head, he explained. “We couldn’t identify where the dogs came from and they couldn’t pick the dogs out.â€
The answer, said Alan Rhea, board counsel, was to amend the current dog ordinances to name “specific dogs we wanted to outlaw.â€
The initial list included American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers and any half breed canines from the list.
The ordinance would take effect 30 days after publication and would include no “grandfather†provisions, Rhea said.
“By putting in the ban on the specific breeds,†the attorney said, “you eliminate having to prove the dogs are dangerous.â€
Such dogs, once found, he said, would be seized and housed until the owner, if he chose, completed an appeal process to argue the dog was not one of the banned breeds.
The owner, if the appeal was waived or lost, would be fined, the attorney said, for maintaining a banned dog, charged for upkeep and euthanizing the dog.
Alderman David Herrington moved that Rottweilers be removed from the list, pending further study, but otherwise there was no opposition to the amendment to the ordinance.
“I’m for it,†said Alderman David Cocroft, “no doubt about it.â€
Read the whole ordinance here: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130181.pdf
More from StopBSL.com...
Carthage, MS: “Pit bull†ban passed, no grandfather clause
Posted on May 12, 2010 by www.stopbsl.com
Thanks to Jodi for bringing this into the spotlight.
Carthage has no leash law. This quote from the city attorney, Alan Rhea, boggles the mind: “By putting in the ban on the specific breeds,†the attorney said, “you eliminate having to prove the dogs are dangerous.â€
Contact city officials and attorney:
City Hall, 212 Main Street, Carthage, MS 39051
Phone: 601-267-8322
Fax: 601-267-5955
Mayor Jimmy Wallace
Aldermen
Larwin Atkison, Ward 1
David Cockroft, Ward 2
Terry Jones, Ward 3
David Herrington, Ward 4
City Attorney: Nettles and Rhea Attorneys at Law, (601) 267-8404
http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/140000/140738.pdf
Ban on pit bulls kicks in, enforcement urged
Even as the Carthage Board of Aldermen adopted two new ordinances, Mayor Jimmy Wallace was pushing hard for enforcement of a newly effective statute.
City fathers Monday evening approved plans for two new ordinances, one to ban weapons from city parks and the others to deal with solid waste left on the sides of city streets.
However, Wallace emphasized his immediate concern was a new ordinance which had only just taken effect dealing with pit bulls within the city limits.
“Today’s the day,†he told aldermen. “If there’s anybody with this breed of dog on their property, we’re now able to go in there and get it.â€
The ordinance applies to pit bulls and pit bull mixes.
He said the ordinance applied to dogs in the city, even if the pit bulls were chained, fenced or housed in some shelter.
Seized dogs, Wallace said, would be taken to a kennel and kept for a prescribed period of time.
For the owner to reclaim the dog, and then take it outside the city limits, he would have to pay kennel fees and costs, plus fines.
The mayor urged anyone with concerns about a pit bull in the city to call authorities.
“We will take any kind of reports that we can,†Wallace said.
[Irrelevant text elided]
Previous article on April 8, 2010: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130178.pdf
Animal ordinance
Aldermen also adopted an ordinance to ban certain breeds of dogs in the city.
“We have worried about this for some time now,†the mayor said. “We found the flaw in our (dangerous animals) ordinance.â€
Recent incidents of pit bulls attacking pedestrians had brought the matter to a head, he explained. “We couldn’t identify where the dogs came from and they couldn’t pick the dogs out.â€
The answer, said Alan Rhea, board counsel, was to amend the current dog ordinances to name “specific dogs we wanted to outlaw.â€
The initial list included American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers and any half breed canines from the list.
The ordinance would take effect 30 days after publication and would include no “grandfather†provisions, Rhea said.
“By putting in the ban on the specific breeds,†the attorney said, “you eliminate having to prove the dogs are dangerous.â€
Such dogs, once found, he said, would be seized and housed until the owner, if he chose, completed an appeal process to argue the dog was not one of the banned breeds.
The owner, if the appeal was waived or lost, would be fined, the attorney said, for maintaining a banned dog, charged for upkeep and euthanizing the dog.
Alderman David Herrington moved that Rottweilers be removed from the list, pending further study, but otherwise there was no opposition to the amendment to the ordinance.
“I’m for it,†said Alderman David Cocroft, “no doubt about it.â€
Read the whole ordinance here: http://media.iadsnetwork.com/contentitempdf/pdfs/130000/130181.pdf
More from StopBSL.com...