Proposed ban up for more discussion

Springdale, AR -- Twelve Bentonville dogs have given the pit bull breed a bad reputation here.

Those 12 pit bulls are on a list of 16 canines who found themselves on Bentonville's dangerous status list, meaning they have injured a person or animal, attacking without provocation. The other four on the list, compiled since 2003, include a German shepherd, a Shar-Pei, a heeler and two boxers.

The Bentonville City Council is considering a ban on the pit bull breed. The ordinance, which will return for the Oct. 25 meeting, allows pit bulls already in the city to stay if they are sterilized, kept in enclosures and registered with the Police Department. The ordinance exempts pit bull breeds that are registered AKC American Staffordshire terrier or Staffordshire bull terrier show/performance dogs.

Otherwise, no pit bull breeds or mixes would be allowed to live in Bentonville if the ordinance passed.

In the past year, a pit bull has killed a dog and another has severely injured a greyhound.

The greyhound's owners, Mike and Mary Mumma, spoke Tuesday about their pet's ordeal. A pit bull broke loose from a staked leash while Mary Mumma was walking her dog on Southwest "C" Street. Four surgeries later, the dog has not completely recovered, she said.

"We were lucky that our dog survived, but I'm concerned the next time the dog attacks, the child or other person might not be so lucky," she said.

The pit bull who killed a dog last year kept going even after being shot, Bentonville Sgt. Mike Smith said earlier Tuesday. Officers had to use a catch pole to get the pit bull to drop the small dog, he said. Another pit bull was recently euthanized after biting three times.
"The numbers will tell you an answer," Smith said about why a ban by breed should happen. "It's not probably the breed, but when you look at the numbers in Bentonville, 12 out of 16 are pit bull breed. The numbers are there. They speak for themselves."

But two pit bulls up for adoption now in Bentonville are nice dogs, he said.

"It's just a huge difference in some of them," Smith said. "I think it's in just how they're raised."

That's the point many speakers were trying to get across to council members Tuesday night.

"My dogs are not one bit aggressive," said a man who owns a 9- and a 10-year-old pit bull. His children enjoy the dogs.

Sandy Wall, president of Ozark Working Dog Club, read a letter from Michael Roy, president of Continental Kennel Club. Both Wall and Roy were against banning by breed. They also pointed to exempting AKC-registered pit bull dogs as discrimination. Registering a pit bull with the AKC doesn't make it any less aggressive than nonregistered pit bulls, Wall said.

Several pit bull owners said their dogs were the best pets they've had. Two women who don't own pit bulls also spoke against the proposed ban.

"There are a few people out there who like having a mean dog, that it's cool. Go after them. Not the loving dog owners," said Joan Chism of Bentonville.

Chism also spoke of the ordinance as detrimental to people's rights and said an expert would be needed to determine whether a dog is a pit bull.

"I'm afraid, if this passes, this ban will open up a can of worms and a lot of hurt," she said.

Most speakers weren't against registering pit bulls, some said they thought all dogs should be registered or spayed or neutered. Rob Crotts said he was against the spay/neuter clause because it would end a blood line. He used to breed pit bulls.

Council members usually pass ordinances on first appearances, but the proposed ban will come back a second and third time for reading and then a final vote. Bentonville Staff Attorney Camille Thompson encouraged people to attend those meetings and write to either the mayor's office or the animal control officer.

Several aldermen said they would do their own homework on the issue.

"I'm mindful of a person's right to own a dog and to nurture it and take care of it regardless of its breed," said Alderman Scott Comiskey. "But I'm also concerned that, if some child were attacked after the fact by a pit bull or a breed named in the ordinance, then perhaps it's too late. We could have done something about it."

He and other council members said they want to know whether the city's current dog ordinances already solve the problem or whether they need to be more proactive.

Alderman Jim Grider said he would like to see statistics, where these dangerous dogs live and whether there might be other alternatives to a breed ban, such as increased punitive language.

Before Tuesday, Alderman Bryan Bennett believed pit bulls had a higher probability and tendency to be aggressive, but said he doesn't know whether banning the breed is the right answer.

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2005/10/12/news/bentonville/02bzbvillecouncil.txt

 

Better start talking, sending letters, and what ever else you can think of, and quick

 

at least it sounds like they are willing to research and arent all gung ho on just banning!

 

Yep so far so good

 

i already have sent a letter against it with pictures, of jhow the breed really is and why it is not just to ban a breed of dogs because of irresponsible owners.