Vicki
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IL: Elgin: Don’t ban pit bulls, residents plead
Don’t ban pit bulls, residents plead
October 16, 2009
Contact Erin Calandriello at ecalandriello@scn1.com
I can still remember my first puppy, Annie. I was 5 years old, and my parents and I were driving in the Clark Griswold-esque wooden paneled station wagon past the Amoco gas station on Cumberland Avenue in Chicago.
Outside the gas station was a cardboard box with a sign “free puppies.â€
Being the dog lovers that we are, my dad pulled over and it was all downhill from there.
I picked up Annie and my face lit up. My parents couldn’t resist. Annie was officially part of the family.
Since Annie, my family and I have taken in several dogs over the years, including Ginger, a schnoodle; Brownie, a mutt; Jinx, a Jack Russell; Wrigley, a Wheaten terrier; and our latest addition, Bailey, a Maltese.
No, my parents aren’t exactly running a kennel. Only Jinx, Wrigley and Bailey are still around.
But they are members of my family. I love them so much. I think my mom has a case of empty nest syndrome, and Bailey has become her fourth child.
In any case, every time we lose a dog, it’s so unbelievably difficult. We’re not just losing a dog, we’re losing family. Sadly, I’m probably closer to my dogs than some of my relatives.
At Wednesday’s Elgin City Council meeting, about 30 people showed up to protest a proposed pit bull ban by the city council. Two councilmen, John Prigge and Bob Gilliam, have openly advocated a pit bull ban.
But many residents said pit bulls aren’t bad dogs, they’re family.
Brian Anderson, 35, of Elgin, said his pit bulls make “great animals and great family members.â€
He said, “It’s not a vicious breed, it’s an intimidating-looking breed. It doesn’t mean it’s a vicious animal.â€
Another Elgin resident asked if the breed was so bad, “how would it attract so many devoted fans?â€
Others repeated the same cry: “Get temperament testing instead of a breed ban.†Many cited the fact that when it came to temperament, pit bulls ranked better than many dogs, including golden retrievers and beagles.
Natalie Salinas, an Elgin resident, echoed the thoughts of many residents, saying, “You’re blaming the wrong end of the leash.†She and others said instead of banning pit bulls, the city should make owners responsible for their dogs by punishing neglectful owners instead of the dogs.
Salinas, who volunteers at Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, also said a pit bull ban would take away a lot of adoptions, which means many dogs probably would be euthanized.
Maybe it’s because I’m a dog person, but why ban a breed of dog unless you have sufficient evidence to back that decision?
Even if I weren’t a dog lover, a pit bull ban doesn’t make sense. A pit bull ban will cost money, which the city doesn’t have. If anything, the city could provide licensing for dogs instead of sending dog owners to get it done through the county. This way, the city could make money by charging a small fee to cover licensing and it would know what kind of dogs reside in Elgin.
The bottom line is, a misguided perception of a dog based on appearance, one incident or a story you hear in the news shouldn’t be reason for a ban.
Don't ban pit bulls, residents plead :: The Courier News :: Town Talk
Don’t ban pit bulls, residents plead
October 16, 2009
Contact Erin Calandriello at ecalandriello@scn1.com
I can still remember my first puppy, Annie. I was 5 years old, and my parents and I were driving in the Clark Griswold-esque wooden paneled station wagon past the Amoco gas station on Cumberland Avenue in Chicago.
Outside the gas station was a cardboard box with a sign “free puppies.â€
Being the dog lovers that we are, my dad pulled over and it was all downhill from there.
I picked up Annie and my face lit up. My parents couldn’t resist. Annie was officially part of the family.
Since Annie, my family and I have taken in several dogs over the years, including Ginger, a schnoodle; Brownie, a mutt; Jinx, a Jack Russell; Wrigley, a Wheaten terrier; and our latest addition, Bailey, a Maltese.
No, my parents aren’t exactly running a kennel. Only Jinx, Wrigley and Bailey are still around.
But they are members of my family. I love them so much. I think my mom has a case of empty nest syndrome, and Bailey has become her fourth child.
In any case, every time we lose a dog, it’s so unbelievably difficult. We’re not just losing a dog, we’re losing family. Sadly, I’m probably closer to my dogs than some of my relatives.
At Wednesday’s Elgin City Council meeting, about 30 people showed up to protest a proposed pit bull ban by the city council. Two councilmen, John Prigge and Bob Gilliam, have openly advocated a pit bull ban.
But many residents said pit bulls aren’t bad dogs, they’re family.
Brian Anderson, 35, of Elgin, said his pit bulls make “great animals and great family members.â€
He said, “It’s not a vicious breed, it’s an intimidating-looking breed. It doesn’t mean it’s a vicious animal.â€
Another Elgin resident asked if the breed was so bad, “how would it attract so many devoted fans?â€
Others repeated the same cry: “Get temperament testing instead of a breed ban.†Many cited the fact that when it came to temperament, pit bulls ranked better than many dogs, including golden retrievers and beagles.
Natalie Salinas, an Elgin resident, echoed the thoughts of many residents, saying, “You’re blaming the wrong end of the leash.†She and others said instead of banning pit bulls, the city should make owners responsible for their dogs by punishing neglectful owners instead of the dogs.
Salinas, who volunteers at Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, also said a pit bull ban would take away a lot of adoptions, which means many dogs probably would be euthanized.
Maybe it’s because I’m a dog person, but why ban a breed of dog unless you have sufficient evidence to back that decision?
Even if I weren’t a dog lover, a pit bull ban doesn’t make sense. A pit bull ban will cost money, which the city doesn’t have. If anything, the city could provide licensing for dogs instead of sending dog owners to get it done through the county. This way, the city could make money by charging a small fee to cover licensing and it would know what kind of dogs reside in Elgin.
The bottom line is, a misguided perception of a dog based on appearance, one incident or a story you hear in the news shouldn’t be reason for a ban.
Don't ban pit bulls, residents plead :: The Courier News :: Town Talk