jenbizagogo
08-30-2003, 11:57 AM
Michigan state wide ban on Pit Bulls proposed
http://www.detnews.com/2003/metro/0308/25/b01-253007.htm
You can comment on this story by clicking on the story above.
Attack on boy spurs plan to ban pit bulls in state
Critics say dogs unfairly targeted for owners' errors
By Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- Brian Johnson's wounds have healed, but the emotional scars run
deep from an attack by a pair of pit bulls two years ago.
Johnson, a 13-year-old middle school student, was bitten by two pit bulls in
April 2001 after the animals escaped from the back yard of their owners. The
dogs tore into Johnson's flesh, leaving 1-inch scars on his back, arms and
face.
"It was frightening," Brian said. "I was trying to hold them between my legs
and then stop one so I could focus on the other one. I was just trying my
best to survive."
Today, the lawyer for Brian and his family will launch an admittedly uphill
effort to draft legislation that would ban pit bulls from the state.
Southfield attorney Arnold Reed will meet with state Sen. Samuel "Buzz"
Thomas, D-Detroit, about the idea.
"We are talking about a vicious animal that was born and bred for violence
and fighting," Reed said.
Reed's proposal faces strong opposition from pit bull owners, who argue that
a ban would unfairly target one breed.
Pit bull owner Richard Tuttle Jr. of Macomb Township said he opposes a ban
"because it boils down to an owner-responsibility issue," said Tuttle, a
35-year-old father of two and automotive engineer. "It comes down to the
responsibility of the owner such as keeping the dog on a leash and on its
own property."
If, as is likely, the Legislature does not ban the breed, Reed would like to
see a law that places age requirements and mandates criminal background
checks on prospective pit bull owners. There are no statistics or records on
the number of pit bulls in the state, and Detroit animal control officials
do not rank dog bites or attacks by breeds.
In the past decade, several Metro Detroit communities have passed bans to
outlaw pit bulls. But some, such as Pontiac, ended up rescinding the
ordinances after public outcry that the bans unfairly penalized pit bulls
and their owners.
In Waterford Township, the ban was hotly debated when it was first proposed,
Clerk Betty Fortino said. The ban, which went into effect in June 1993,
carries a $500 fine and a 90-day jail sentence for residents caught owning a
pit bull.
"We had everything from complete approval to complete outrage," Fortino
said. "We haven't had any problems since (the ban was enacted)."
Reed said a Wayne Circuit jury's decision last month to award Brian Johnson
and his family $500,000 for damages suffered from the pit bull attack --
believed to be one of the largest jury awards in a dog-attack case in
Michigan history -- "sends a message that people recognize the vicious
nature of these animals."
"Every time you pick up the newspaper, you are hearing about one of these
vicious animals attacking young children," said Reed, a former pit bull
owner himself. He decided he no longer wanted to own one when one of his pit
bulls attacked the other one.
"They are the only breed that has a mechanism where they can lock their
jaws," Reed said. "These dogs are kind of like dangerous weapons."
But Tuttle, who has a 4-year-old pit bull terrier named Libby along with two
other dogs, said he trusts the dog with his two young children. But he adds
that owners of any breed of dog must make sure they handle the animals
responsibly.
"I never leave my kids and dogs in a situation where one can hurt the
other," Tuttle said.
Sean Nowicki, 30, a preveterinary student at Oakland University, said the
inbreeding of pit bulls has increased the animals' aggressiveness.
"It was a trait that was not supposed to be encouraged in the breed,"
Nowicki said. "Most of the attacks that happen are from pit bulls that are
not even pure breds. They are cross breeds. They are bred with (bull)
mastiffs."
Nowicki said to put a ban on the ownership would not only be impossible
because of the broad definition of what a pit bull is, but also would be
unfair.
"There isn't a breed that doesn't have any vicious dogs," Nowicki said.
"There are good and bad in every breed. Just like in humans."
You can reach Oralandar Brand-Williams at (313) 222-2690 or
bwilliams@detnews.com
http://www.detnews.com/2003/metro/0308/25/b01-253007.htm
You can comment on this story by clicking on the story above.
Attack on boy spurs plan to ban pit bulls in state
Critics say dogs unfairly targeted for owners' errors
By Oralandar Brand-Williams / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- Brian Johnson's wounds have healed, but the emotional scars run
deep from an attack by a pair of pit bulls two years ago.
Johnson, a 13-year-old middle school student, was bitten by two pit bulls in
April 2001 after the animals escaped from the back yard of their owners. The
dogs tore into Johnson's flesh, leaving 1-inch scars on his back, arms and
face.
"It was frightening," Brian said. "I was trying to hold them between my legs
and then stop one so I could focus on the other one. I was just trying my
best to survive."
Today, the lawyer for Brian and his family will launch an admittedly uphill
effort to draft legislation that would ban pit bulls from the state.
Southfield attorney Arnold Reed will meet with state Sen. Samuel "Buzz"
Thomas, D-Detroit, about the idea.
"We are talking about a vicious animal that was born and bred for violence
and fighting," Reed said.
Reed's proposal faces strong opposition from pit bull owners, who argue that
a ban would unfairly target one breed.
Pit bull owner Richard Tuttle Jr. of Macomb Township said he opposes a ban
"because it boils down to an owner-responsibility issue," said Tuttle, a
35-year-old father of two and automotive engineer. "It comes down to the
responsibility of the owner such as keeping the dog on a leash and on its
own property."
If, as is likely, the Legislature does not ban the breed, Reed would like to
see a law that places age requirements and mandates criminal background
checks on prospective pit bull owners. There are no statistics or records on
the number of pit bulls in the state, and Detroit animal control officials
do not rank dog bites or attacks by breeds.
In the past decade, several Metro Detroit communities have passed bans to
outlaw pit bulls. But some, such as Pontiac, ended up rescinding the
ordinances after public outcry that the bans unfairly penalized pit bulls
and their owners.
In Waterford Township, the ban was hotly debated when it was first proposed,
Clerk Betty Fortino said. The ban, which went into effect in June 1993,
carries a $500 fine and a 90-day jail sentence for residents caught owning a
pit bull.
"We had everything from complete approval to complete outrage," Fortino
said. "We haven't had any problems since (the ban was enacted)."
Reed said a Wayne Circuit jury's decision last month to award Brian Johnson
and his family $500,000 for damages suffered from the pit bull attack --
believed to be one of the largest jury awards in a dog-attack case in
Michigan history -- "sends a message that people recognize the vicious
nature of these animals."
"Every time you pick up the newspaper, you are hearing about one of these
vicious animals attacking young children," said Reed, a former pit bull
owner himself. He decided he no longer wanted to own one when one of his pit
bulls attacked the other one.
"They are the only breed that has a mechanism where they can lock their
jaws," Reed said. "These dogs are kind of like dangerous weapons."
But Tuttle, who has a 4-year-old pit bull terrier named Libby along with two
other dogs, said he trusts the dog with his two young children. But he adds
that owners of any breed of dog must make sure they handle the animals
responsibly.
"I never leave my kids and dogs in a situation where one can hurt the
other," Tuttle said.
Sean Nowicki, 30, a preveterinary student at Oakland University, said the
inbreeding of pit bulls has increased the animals' aggressiveness.
"It was a trait that was not supposed to be encouraged in the breed,"
Nowicki said. "Most of the attacks that happen are from pit bulls that are
not even pure breds. They are cross breeds. They are bred with (bull)
mastiffs."
Nowicki said to put a ban on the ownership would not only be impossible
because of the broad definition of what a pit bull is, but also would be
unfair.
"There isn't a breed that doesn't have any vicious dogs," Nowicki said.
"There are good and bad in every breed. Just like in humans."
You can reach Oralandar Brand-Williams at (313) 222-2690 or
bwilliams@detnews.com