Posted on 09/23/2016 11:14:57 AM PDT by MichCapCon
The Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning people from owning pit bulls. Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Sen. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc Township, has passed the Senate and is being considered in the House.
According to the Detroit Free Press, 26 towns have enacted ordinances that restrict pit bulls and 14 outright ban them and other dog breeds.
It’s true that pit bulls harm more people than any other type of dog. According to one report, they have killed a total of 233 people since 1982. That makes them about 40 percent more likely to kill than Rottweilers — though, when the number of deaths is adjusted to reflect the number of each breed, huskies are actually far more dangerous. Other studies have a slightly higher estimate, with approximately 19 people per year dying because of dogs.
But the question is whether pit bulls are dangerous enough that governments should ban them. While the breed often makes the news, the number of injuries and deaths they cause is still very small.
Evidence suggests that pit bulls are not more inherently dangerous than some other types of dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the federal Centers for Disease Control are both opposed to breed-specific legislation because studies show them to be ineffective and harmful. Other research suggests that while pit bulls are aggressive, other breeds are even more hostile. In other words, pit bulls are only more dangerous because they are bred that way by their owners, meaning local bans just encourage people to train other types of dogs to be violent.
Many cities have ordinances that restrict residents from having any dog that is dangerous or out of their control. This policy is much better than a specific ban on pit bulls or other breeds.
Yes!!
Yep.
Yes. The folks in the towns know what’s best for them.
Allowing a bunch of bureaucrats to force dangerous animals onto localities who don’t want them is a paradigm of what’s wrong with this country.
Yes, when I see people walking pit bulls in the park I walk in a different direction or I look for the nearest tree to climb. I just don’t understand the fascination with pit bulls, but then again I don’t understand a lot about what is happening in the world lately.
I think cities should be able to pass such ordinances, and then the citizens of that city should be free to voice their opinions via their votes for future councilmembers and such.
My big concern would be for existing dog owners and whether there would be a grandfather exception to the ordinance. Not very fair to force existing dog owners to make a decision to move or give up a dog they had from before the change.
I don’t think the state should get involved one way or the other unless there is some direct violation of the state constitution.
Yes. Since they are not under control of an owner, they have instincts/minds of their own, they cannot be considered “arms” as in keep and bear arms.
So, the city can, at a minimum, ban unleashed pit bulls.
Tattoos and pit bull ownership — it’s how the lower classes identify themselves to the rest of us.
In that sense they’re doing us a favor.
Put another way, guns don't have free will.
Correct
Pit Bulls are KILLERS and that is why dog pounds are FULL of them. Even their OWNERS become afraid of them, especially when they get older and cranky.
A lot of blacks own pit bulls. I know drug dealers like them.
Bloomberg and crew would love to have this ability to regulate the lives of more Americans.
I know some people who have them and they are very well behaved. That said, hell yes.
“Even their OWNERS become afraid of them, especially when they get older and cranky.”
I think my children would describe me like that.
No, but towns should have the right to allow them to be shot on sight by armed citizens.
That should solve the problem.
No - it's just more Big Government run amuck. Replace "pit bulls" with "guns" and the arguments are the same.
My big concern would be for existing dog owners and whether there would be a grandfather exception to the ordinance. Not very fair to force existing dog owners to make a decision to move or give up a dog they had from before the change.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.