Pit bull experts, backers vow to challenge breed ban -

Pit bull experts, backers vow to challenge breed ban
Lawsuit slated to reach federal court

http://www.aurorasentinel.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=13663&SectionID=8&SubSectionID=&S=1

[font=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]By J.C. O'Connell[/font]
[font=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]The Aurora Daily Sun & Sentinel[/font]

[font=ARIAL, SANS SERIF]Aurora |Pit bull aficionados are gearing up for their next attack on the city's breed ban.

Attorney Caroline Cooley said Aug. 2 she was ready to file a lawsuit in federal court challenging the ban on pit bulls on behalf of the American Canine Foundation, an Aurora resident who owns a pit bull and a Brighton pit bull owner who has rental property in Aurora.

"There's no data anywhere in the United States that proves breed-specific laws work," said Glen Bui, vice president of the canine foundation. "We're here to take out that law and put a better law in place. We want effective legislation, not this genocide of (a) dog breed."

Cooley said the ban is unconstitutional because it violates property rights, due process and interstate commerce laws.

City Attorney Charlie Richardson said he was confident the breed ban, which took effect Jan. 31, would hold up in court.

"It's hard to believe that the federal court would entertain a civil suit primarily because the state courts have not had a full opportunity to adjudicate the claims," Richardson said.

Tina Villani of Brighton filed a suit challenging the ban in Adams County court last month. In February, an Arapahoe County court dismissed a similar suit, also filed by Villani.

Opponents of the pit bull ban said the trend toward breed-specific legislation suffered a major setback in March when an Ohio court ruled a ban on pit bulls as unconstitutional.

The court stated that pit bulls are not inherently more dangerous than other breeds and therefore regulating ownership was unreasonable and discriminatory.

Florence Vianzon, the Aurora resident named in the lawsuit, said the ban is unfair and the city should be held accountable.

Aurora grandfathered in 477 pit bulls since the ban took effect. Restrictions include requiring owners to pay $200 a year for a dog license and carry $100,000 of liability insurance.

Cooley said the average pit bull owner spends $900 annually to meet those requirements, creating a separate class of citizens from other Aurora dog owners who pay $7 for a dog license.

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This is my first time posting, so I hope I don't break any rules.
This is a topic that has become a huge part of my life so parden me if I become a bit long winded.
I'm not up on the laws in the United States regarding Pit bulls & other breed bans but where I live they are considering a ban on Pit bulls.
What I am battling with is my two dogs (Rottweiler x Pit bull) have been declared dangerous only because my neighbours said they did not like the way they looked at them. They have never done anything to hurt any person or animal. It now costs me $300.00 per dog per year to license them. I have had to have them microchiped. I must have liability insurance of at
least $500,000. I must also keep them confined in my house or if they are outside, they must be leashed & muzzled (under the control of a person over the age of 19) or in an enclosure with a concrete floor, 4 walls & a roof. This enclosure must be locked at all times so no person is able to open it to let the dogs out.
I have to hide my dogs from my neighbours. Since every time they see them they call Animal Control & make up a story that the dogs were not properly contained. An officer then comes and issues a $500.00 fine per dog. These fines are given all going on the word of my neighbours. This such incident happened again today. The officer has become very friendly with my husband & I. We are always willing to comply with the By Laws & he is getting very frustrated with the constant complaining of the neighbours so rather than a $1000.00 fine today, he gave me a warning. However, if he gets the same complaint again they will obtain a search warrent, seize my dogs and have them put down.

I can almost say that I love my dogs more than I love myself. It is because I love them so much that a feel I have no choice but to end their suffering and put them down. They can't live a normal life. They need to know what it means to be a dog. We live on a 15 acre farm but I feel like we're living in a fish bowl. Our dogs can't make a move without our neighbours knowing it. I would much rather have my dogs depart from this world in my arms then by themselves in some animal shelter away from the people that love them.

I don't know what else to do. My dogs are almost 5 and this has been going on since they were 7 months old. I'm so tired of fighting what seems to be a losing battle that I'm at my wits end. What can I do?
Cody

 

this is what i'm saying,,,,stand and fight ppl... they'll only take ur rights if you let them,,, and say i don't really want to get involved,, these are ur property ,, make the career politians pay and vote there a@@ out of office,,,

 

Cody, all I can say is NEVER surrender!!! I raised rotts for 15 years, and pits for 5, so, like you, for almost 20 years, I've been fighting "the" fight as well. Yup, it sure does get tiring, but as long as I'm a registered, tax paying citizen, I will continue to defend my rights as a citizen, and continue to own the breed of my choice. If I cave in then "they" win, not me, and being such a stubborn SOB, I won't allow that to happen, so I continue, day after day. And yes, when re- election time rolls arond, as Ghost mentioned, just don't vote pro BSL officials back into office. The key is to perservere, no matter how exhausting it gets. I'd like to think positive and think that all of my efforts won't be in vain.
I guess that remains to be seen tho...