When you ban a dog because you thinks it's icky, that opens the door for government intrusion. As we have seen with the tobacco industry, the intrusion will not be limited to dogs.
Ya’ mite wanna read Bill Jordan’s book...
Seriously. Is it okay to keep chickens, goats, or rattlesnakes in your apartment if you clean up after them and don't let the rooster wake everybody up? Or could the city or county prohibit it?
That's about animal types or breeds. About risk: is it okay to keep explosives or dangerous chemicals in my apartment?
I'm struggling with this. Clearly the Feds have no business concerning themselves with pitbulls. But if there is a substantial indication that they are dangerous as a breed I think maybe local gov't has a right to be involved.
Look at the other side: I have a pit-bull, or a rattle-snake. I am not conspicuously excellent in my care and training, but not conspicuously negligent or worse. You live next door to me and you have a child. Since no amount of financial compensation from me and no duration of time I spend locked up can compensate you adequately for the loss of your child, and since you have no way of knowing my dog is safe, and since the breed (snake or pit-bull) is justly famous for a high proportion of serious injury and death incidents, you have to take precautions, cannot let your child play outside unless an armed adult is there, and so on. So can you complain that I am creating a nuisance? Or must you wait to lose your child before you can take any action legally?