Vicous dog laws

[mike6623]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I own 2 mix breed dogs that resemble Pit bulls. For one, pit bull is not a breed just a descrpition. There are over 20 breeds categorized as "pit bulls". I recently went to a coucil meeting to voice my opinion on the current dangerous dog ordinance in my city (Newark). The city code states if you have a "pit bull" (not a breed) you must have 100,000$ insurance, a 6 foot fence, muzzle the dog when you walk it, microchip it, and you can only have one per household. I have all but the last one. I have 2, and neither a pure bred anything. Although the authority to determine breed is given to the animal warden. All you need to be an animal control officer is a GED/equivalent.

I have never had a complaint, never broken a law in the city, nothing. Now, 2 weeks after voicing my opinion as a concerned citizen at a council meeting I am being harassed. They have been here twice in one day, neither time was I personally home. There is no reason for them to come other than they heard my speech against breed specific legislation. no one called, no one complained. My dogs are never outside other than to go tot the bathroom in my back yard which is surrounded by a 6 foot fence. They do not bark.

Now, I will wither have to
A. Move
B. Give one of my beloved pets away
C. Have my dog put to sleep.

This is all based on the appearance of the dog, not the behavior. My dogs are my property, do I not have a right to own property?

Is there any way around this, I will not separate my dogs because they are considered vicious just from looks.

Please help.

[ERAUPIKE]

Originally Posted by mike6623

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I own 2 mix breed dogs that resemble Pit bulls. For one, pit bull is not a breed just a descrpition. There are over 20 breeds categorized as "pit bulls". I recently went to a coucil meeting to voice my opinion on the current dangerous dog ordinance in my city (Newark). The city code states if you have a "pit bull" (not a breed) you must have 100,000$ insurance, a 6 foot fence, muzzle the dog when you walk it, microchip it, and you can only have one per household. I have all but the last one. I have 2, and neither a pure bred anything. Although the authority to determine breed is given to the animal warden. All you need to be an animal control officer is a GED/equivalent.

I have never had a complaint, never broken a law in the city, nothing. Now, 2 weeks after voicing my opinion as a concerned citizen at a council meeting I am being harassed. They have been here twice in one day, neither time was I personally home. There is no reason for them to come other than they heard my speech against breed specific legislation. no one called, no one complained. My dogs are never outside other than to go tot the bathroom in my back yard which is surrounded by a 6 foot fence. They do not bark.

Now, I will wither have to
A. Move
B. Give one of my beloved pets away
C. Have my dog put to sleep.

This is all based on the appearance of the dog, not the behavior. My dogs are my property, do I not have a right to own property?

Is there any way around this, I will not separate my dogs because they are considered vicious just from looks.

Please help.

American Pit Bull Terrier is a breed, get your facts straight.

[mike6623]

[quote=ERAUPIKE;2397683]American Pit Bull Terrier is a breed, get your facts straight.[/QUOTE

Yes it is, but "Pit Bull" is not. Over 25 breeds are classifed as Pit Bull. Get your facts straight. There is no breed called simply "Pit Bull". It is a descriptive term. It is slang.

[Adalaide78]

You say you never broke the law, but you admit to owning two dogs at the same time that qualify you as breaking the law. If you knew about this law before you got a second dog you should have brought up your concerns before adding to your family. I suggest either house shopping or looking for a new family for one of your dogs before one or both are seized. I'm not familiar with the possibility of that in your city, but in some it could happen without an incident. Better to be proactive then reactive.

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by mike6623

Is there any way around this, I will not separate my dogs because they are considered vicious just from looks.

About all you can do is either convince them to change the ordinance, or, you can hire an attorney and challenge the ordinance based upon its vagueness.

Or, you can choose from among your three original options.

- Carl

[mike6623]

Originally Posted by Adalaide78

You say you never broke the law, but you admit to owning two dogs at the same time that qualify you as breaking the law. If you knew about this law before you got a second dog you should have brought up your concerns before adding to your family. I suggest either house shopping or looking for a new family for one of your dogs before one or both are seized. I'm not familiar with the possibility of that in your city, but in some it could happen without an incident. Better to be proactive then reactive.

I Was unaware, I was refered to the county dog ordanince which does not have a restriction on the number of dogs one can own. Only after owning the dogs for over a year was I told that I was refered to the wrong one. It is not as if I knew, and did it anyways.

[Yertle8]

I feel for you, I could never give up my dog. But as long as the law remains unchallenged you are in violation of it and what they are doing is legal, although extremely petty when you've met all the other requirements.