Vicki
Administrator
Ordinance Targets Pit Bulls
Published: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 8:12 PM
NEW FLORENCE – The Mayor signed an ordinance Tuesday changing the rules for pit bull owners.
People in New Florence can no longer adopt pit bulls. The ordinance bans residents from bringing in new pit bulls, and sets guidelines for current pit bull owners.
New Florence alderman Andrew Johnson said the council started discussing the ordinance because of recent recurring problems with dog bites in the small town 15 minutes east of Kingdom City.
“There’s been quite a few dog bites here, and the dog bites that was here I guess kind of involved the pit bulls, and I that’s why some people are against it,†Johnson said.
The New Florence city council debated the issue for weeks before coming to a decision Monday night. Two Alderman voted in favor of the ordinance and two others opposed the ordinance. Mayor John Burroughs made the tie-breaking vote in favor of the ban.
Johnson said some of the opposition is based on statistics.
“We had paperwork saying sixty-six percent of dog bites were by pit bulls. The pressure that they have from the jaws and the DNA they have in them are part of it,†Johnson said.
Mike Miller and his family live in New Florence with their three pit bulls. Miller said he’s had pit bulls for 23 years.
“I’ve never had a problem with them. They’re just like big ‘old kids,†Miller said.
Johnson said many pit bull owners feel like the ordinance is unfair.
“I think it’s picking’ on one breed of dog. It’s discrimination is what it is,†Miller said.
Other New Franklin residents are happy about the ordinance. Gene Devlin said he’s had several run-ins with pit bulls on the loose. And one of them frightened his grandchildren.
“The pit bull caught my cat right here in the yard, bit it’s head off, right in front of my seven year-old granddaughter,†Devlin said.
Devlin said he wants to know that his grandkids are safe outside in his own back yard.
In addition to banning new pit bulls, the ordinance sets rules for existing pit bulls. Some of these include registering the dog, using a metal leash and muzzle when walking it and installing a locked cage with a cement floor. Also, owners must obtain liability insurance with a minimum amount of $100,000.
Reported by: Christine Fillmore
http://www.komu.com/satellite/Satel...4c70b769/52fb9f96-80ce-0971-00cd-18c64e2d196c
Published: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 8:12 PM
NEW FLORENCE – The Mayor signed an ordinance Tuesday changing the rules for pit bull owners.
People in New Florence can no longer adopt pit bulls. The ordinance bans residents from bringing in new pit bulls, and sets guidelines for current pit bull owners.
New Florence alderman Andrew Johnson said the council started discussing the ordinance because of recent recurring problems with dog bites in the small town 15 minutes east of Kingdom City.
“There’s been quite a few dog bites here, and the dog bites that was here I guess kind of involved the pit bulls, and I that’s why some people are against it,†Johnson said.
The New Florence city council debated the issue for weeks before coming to a decision Monday night. Two Alderman voted in favor of the ordinance and two others opposed the ordinance. Mayor John Burroughs made the tie-breaking vote in favor of the ban.
Johnson said some of the opposition is based on statistics.
“We had paperwork saying sixty-six percent of dog bites were by pit bulls. The pressure that they have from the jaws and the DNA they have in them are part of it,†Johnson said.
Mike Miller and his family live in New Florence with their three pit bulls. Miller said he’s had pit bulls for 23 years.
“I’ve never had a problem with them. They’re just like big ‘old kids,†Miller said.
Johnson said many pit bull owners feel like the ordinance is unfair.
“I think it’s picking’ on one breed of dog. It’s discrimination is what it is,†Miller said.
Other New Franklin residents are happy about the ordinance. Gene Devlin said he’s had several run-ins with pit bulls on the loose. And one of them frightened his grandchildren.
“The pit bull caught my cat right here in the yard, bit it’s head off, right in front of my seven year-old granddaughter,†Devlin said.
Devlin said he wants to know that his grandkids are safe outside in his own back yard.
In addition to banning new pit bulls, the ordinance sets rules for existing pit bulls. Some of these include registering the dog, using a metal leash and muzzle when walking it and installing a locked cage with a cement floor. Also, owners must obtain liability insurance with a minimum amount of $100,000.
Reported by: Christine Fillmore
http://www.komu.com/satellite/Satel...4c70b769/52fb9f96-80ce-0971-00cd-18c64e2d196c