Vicki
Administrator
Putnam County, WV: BSL repealed (multiple articles)
Posted on May 5, 2010 by www.stopbsl.com
Putnam County passed BSL against “pit bull†owners in December 2009. Previous alerts for Putnam County: http://stopbsl.com/?s=putnam+county
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201005040849
Putnam removes breed-specific language from dog ordinance
Pit bulls no longer being singled out
By Veronica Nett
Staff writer, Advertiser
May 4, 2010
WINFIELD, W.Va. — Putnam County commissioners changed the county’s vicious dog ordinance Tuesday to remove any language that singled out pit bulls.
The original ordinance, approved last December, required owners of pit bulls and other dogs deemed vicious to keep the animals on their property with a six-foot, enclosed fence or keep them on a four-foot leash held by the owner.
The ordinance was passed in response to Bancroft residents’ complaints about dogs — specifically pit bulls — running loose and attacking residents.
Commissioners approved the change 2-1 to make the countywide ordinance non-breed specific.
“It’s behavior, not breed,†said Commissioner Joe Haynes after Tuesday’s meeting. He voted against the original ordinance in December because of its breed-specific language.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Gary Tillis was the dissenting vote against changing the ordinance.
“We have something in place … I think we should have at least given it a year,†Tillis said after Tuesday’s meeting. “The issue was to make sure people can walk down the street safely.â€
The county’s humane officers have issued 10 tickets under the ordinance. Jon Davis, chief county humane officer, said two of those involved pit bulls. The sheriff’s department has issued about five tickets for vicious dogs.
Violators face up to a $1,000 fine, and a $300 to $2,000 fine for the second offense. For a third offense, owners face up to a year in jail and a fine of $300 to $2,000.
The ordinance still gives humane officers and other county officials authority to decide whether an animal is vicious, Haynes said. But it also keeps well-behaved pit bulls from becoming “unintended casualties of a well intended ordinance,†he said.
http://www.wsaz.com/newswestvirginia/headlines/92774084.html
Putnam Commissioners Amend Vicious Dog Ordinance
Posted: 12:34 PM May 4, 2010
Reporter: Anna Baxter
Email Address: anna.baxter@wsaz.com
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Putnam County Commissioners approved an amendment Tuesday that will change the county’s vicious dog ordinance.
The original ordinance was breed specific stating owners of pit bulls, mixed breed pit bulls and other dogs deemed vicious must be muzzled out in public and have specific caging in their yards.
Since commissioners approved the ordinance some dog owners have complained that pit bulls were being targeted.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioners voted to amend the ordinance and remove the pit bull and mixed breed reference. Now the ordinance gives the county’s Humane Officer the authority to determine if a dog is considered vicious.
The Humane Officer will also have the right to take a vicious dog away from the owner if it’s considered dangerous. The dog would only be able to be put down if there’s a court order.
The dog owner would be responsible for all fees and charges under the new ordinance.
“The problem I had with the ordinance was that it specified a specific breed of dog and defined a vicious dog as being a pit bull or pit bull mix,†Commissioner Joe Haynes said. “There are really no bad dogs, but there are some bad owners out there that have some dogs and certainly we need to address that. To label a dog vicious just by its breed is just wrong.â€
http://www.58wchs.com/includes/news_items/7/news_items_more.php?id=2598§ion_id=7
Vicious Dog Ordinance Has a Different Bite
(Winfield) The Putnam County Commission has retooled an ordinance dealing with vicious dogs in the county. Originally the commission voted 2-1 declaring pit bulls vicious dogs and placed additional responsibility own the owners of those animals to keep them contained.
Commission President Joe Haynes didn’t like the idea of making the ordinance breed specific. Although he was originally voted down, he was able to make his case when the ordinance was challenged by some pit bull owners.
“Whether a dog is vicious or not should be based on its behavior, rather than its breed,†said Haynes. “You’ve got people who have dogs of that breed who are family pets who’ve never exhibited that type of behavior.â€
Haynes believes the original ordinance was a slippery slope and anyone with a pit-bull, who wanted a vicious dog, would just get another breed that could be equally vicious and have no restrictions.
The retooled ordinance gives the county humane officer the discretion to determine if a dog is to be classified “vicious.â€
“A vicious dog is a vicious dog, regardless what the breed is,†said Haynes.
The catalyst for the ordinance originally was a mean pit bull that was terrorizing residents in the Bancroft Community. Haynes says the retooled ordinance, which removes that breed specific language, would still protect the residents who were most concerned about that specific animal.
More from StopBSL.com...
Posted on May 5, 2010 by www.stopbsl.com
Putnam County passed BSL against “pit bull†owners in December 2009. Previous alerts for Putnam County: http://stopbsl.com/?s=putnam+county
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201005040849
Putnam removes breed-specific language from dog ordinance
Pit bulls no longer being singled out
By Veronica Nett
Staff writer, Advertiser
May 4, 2010
WINFIELD, W.Va. — Putnam County commissioners changed the county’s vicious dog ordinance Tuesday to remove any language that singled out pit bulls.
The original ordinance, approved last December, required owners of pit bulls and other dogs deemed vicious to keep the animals on their property with a six-foot, enclosed fence or keep them on a four-foot leash held by the owner.
The ordinance was passed in response to Bancroft residents’ complaints about dogs — specifically pit bulls — running loose and attacking residents.
Commissioners approved the change 2-1 to make the countywide ordinance non-breed specific.
“It’s behavior, not breed,†said Commissioner Joe Haynes after Tuesday’s meeting. He voted against the original ordinance in December because of its breed-specific language.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Gary Tillis was the dissenting vote against changing the ordinance.
“We have something in place … I think we should have at least given it a year,†Tillis said after Tuesday’s meeting. “The issue was to make sure people can walk down the street safely.â€
The county’s humane officers have issued 10 tickets under the ordinance. Jon Davis, chief county humane officer, said two of those involved pit bulls. The sheriff’s department has issued about five tickets for vicious dogs.
Violators face up to a $1,000 fine, and a $300 to $2,000 fine for the second offense. For a third offense, owners face up to a year in jail and a fine of $300 to $2,000.
The ordinance still gives humane officers and other county officials authority to decide whether an animal is vicious, Haynes said. But it also keeps well-behaved pit bulls from becoming “unintended casualties of a well intended ordinance,†he said.
http://www.wsaz.com/newswestvirginia/headlines/92774084.html
Putnam Commissioners Amend Vicious Dog Ordinance
Posted: 12:34 PM May 4, 2010
Reporter: Anna Baxter
Email Address: anna.baxter@wsaz.com
PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Putnam County Commissioners approved an amendment Tuesday that will change the county’s vicious dog ordinance.
The original ordinance was breed specific stating owners of pit bulls, mixed breed pit bulls and other dogs deemed vicious must be muzzled out in public and have specific caging in their yards.
Since commissioners approved the ordinance some dog owners have complained that pit bulls were being targeted.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioners voted to amend the ordinance and remove the pit bull and mixed breed reference. Now the ordinance gives the county’s Humane Officer the authority to determine if a dog is considered vicious.
The Humane Officer will also have the right to take a vicious dog away from the owner if it’s considered dangerous. The dog would only be able to be put down if there’s a court order.
The dog owner would be responsible for all fees and charges under the new ordinance.
“The problem I had with the ordinance was that it specified a specific breed of dog and defined a vicious dog as being a pit bull or pit bull mix,†Commissioner Joe Haynes said. “There are really no bad dogs, but there are some bad owners out there that have some dogs and certainly we need to address that. To label a dog vicious just by its breed is just wrong.â€
http://www.58wchs.com/includes/news_items/7/news_items_more.php?id=2598§ion_id=7
Vicious Dog Ordinance Has a Different Bite
(Winfield) The Putnam County Commission has retooled an ordinance dealing with vicious dogs in the county. Originally the commission voted 2-1 declaring pit bulls vicious dogs and placed additional responsibility own the owners of those animals to keep them contained.
Commission President Joe Haynes didn’t like the idea of making the ordinance breed specific. Although he was originally voted down, he was able to make his case when the ordinance was challenged by some pit bull owners.
“Whether a dog is vicious or not should be based on its behavior, rather than its breed,†said Haynes. “You’ve got people who have dogs of that breed who are family pets who’ve never exhibited that type of behavior.â€
Haynes believes the original ordinance was a slippery slope and anyone with a pit-bull, who wanted a vicious dog, would just get another breed that could be equally vicious and have no restrictions.
The retooled ordinance gives the county humane officer the discretion to determine if a dog is to be classified “vicious.â€
“A vicious dog is a vicious dog, regardless what the breed is,†said Haynes.
The catalyst for the ordinance originally was a mean pit bull that was terrorizing residents in the Bancroft Community. Haynes says the retooled ordinance, which removes that breed specific language, would still protect the residents who were most concerned about that specific animal.
More from StopBSL.com...