Push for Ban on Dogs Likely to Bite
Posted by
Greg OwenJune 29, 2007 10:57 AMTags:
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On Friday last, Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, stated that he plans to push for a state ban on 5 particular breeds of dogs that are deemed a threat to the safety of the public. Included in the list of dogs that have a likelihood of attacking are: Wolfhybrids, pit bulls, akitas, chow chows, rottweilers or any mixed-breed dog with the above traits.
"You never hear stories about roving packs of golden retrievers attacking children in our streets," Lesch said. "But you do hear about the pit bulls, who are responsible, according to Minnesota statistics, for up to one third of the vicious attacks in this state in the past five years." If the proposed law was violated it would be considered a misdemeanor. The punishment for a violation would be up to 90 days in addition to $1,000 fines.
Not surprisingly, many people are against such a measure. I'm sure it would be safe to say that most people against serious public protection from dangerous breeds have probably never been attacked by a vicious dog. Understandably, many are against such strong measures such as Kellie Dillner, assistant education director with A Rotta Love Plus, who said "I don't think mass exterminating five breeds of dogs is going to solve the problem of dog bites." To many, she makes a good point.
In 2005 Denver enacted a pit bull ban. This year three dog owners filed a lawsuit over the ordinance. To date, no less than 1,110 dogs have been seized and killed under the law. The city of Denver is not alone; Miami and Cincinnati also ban pit bulls. In the interest of public safety, many other cities may follow suit.
For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Property Owners' Liability.