Dog days of Louisville: Horror stories about enforcement of the city’s dangerous dog ordinance

Leo Weekly ^ | October 14, 2009 | Jonathan Meador

[missycocopuffs]

After 30 years remodeling homes, Orson Crisler lives a retiree’s life with his family in a modest house on M Street in central Louisville. On a hot day last July, one of Crisel’s family members — a rottweiler, one of six — ran into the street.

Within moments a friend returned the wayward canine, but it was too late: A neighbor had called Louisville Metro Animal Services, and the responding animal control officer determined Crisler’s dogs, which were safely inside at that point, were not properly enclosed, hadn’t received proper shots and needed to be impounded. The officer reportedly entered the home without a warrant, seized the animals, levied a $1,000 fine and catalyzed a legal battle that would test not only the limits of Crisler’s fixed income, but also the limits of our constitutional rights.

“I went to an attorney and paid him a thousand dollars,” explains Crisler. “All he did was write a letter. Then I went to another attorney, and all he did was make a phone call. I couldn’t afford to keep doing this, so I went down to the courthouse myself, got enough paperwork together to take my case up before a judge, only to find out I had typed it up wrong ...”

Aided by a courthouse employee, Crisler managed to get everything in order. But when all was said and done, he had lost time, money and two of his rottweilers, which apparently died under “mysterious circumstances” during impoundment.

[Darnright]

"intersted" should be "interested.

[LongElegantLegs]

I suspect a lot of people claim their dogs never showed signs of aggression in order to excuse their own negligence.
If your son has educated himself in the ways of a discontented pitbull, and take steps to prevent bad habits from forming, that dog will be fine.

I highly reccomend getting involved with a pitbull owners group, if there’s one nearby; I learned alot from more experienced owners!

[kanawa]

Woof!

[panthermom]

Does she look like a pitbull to you? She looks like she could be a mix to me but I am not an expert on Pits.

[LongElegantLegs]

She could be a mix; It's hard to tell when they're little. She's a CUTE little girl, though. To give you an idea of how hard it is to classify a pit bull just by sight, here's some pictures of several purebreds that I know:

This guy was about six months old when I took this picture.

Here's three together; See how long and leggy the dog on the left is? The puppy in the middle is already almost as tall as him, but quite a bit thicker. The dog on the right is short and built like a tank.

This one's kind of hard to see, but the dog behind that guy's leg is a registered pulling dog; Probably weighs about 40 pounds. The other one is a four or five month old puppy.

This girl was rescued from someone who cut her ears off with scissors. She's what most people would easily identify as a pitbull.

And this is my mix with another full grown mix.

It's just really, really hard to tell. Behavior combined with appearance is a better indicator.

[Salamander]

I'm very pleased to announce that he hasn't eaten any innocent bystanders.

[so far]....:)

[Salamander]

Repealing it now is cold comfort to the ones already killed and the people who loved them.

[why don’t we “ban” the human “types” who commit the highest percentage of murders and deadly assaults? because it’s UNFAIR to judge one whole group of beings based on the atrocities committed by a few of their members, that’s why. /object lesson]

[LongElegantLegs]

What a handsome boy! He’s got such amazing, crisp markings.

[Salamander]

Thank you!

Since “roaning” of markings [one color “bleeding” into another via ‘stray hairs’] is considered a fault, albeit a fairly minor one, I’m very pleased with how he’s turning out.

I really think he’s going to do his legendary ancestors great honor when he grows up...:)

[and his cheek “kiss marks” look like little devil horns...so appropriate for his impish, prankster nature]....LOL

[mom4melody]

Pit bulls are just dogs. Mine is a sweet natured silly puppy. My daughter has a very large pit that was a rescue from a dog fighter. He is also a very sweet lap dog. The problem with the pits is their strength and their desire to please their masters. The two legged animal is always the worst part of the bad dog equation.

That said, would I allow either of the above mentioned dogs free reign in my home or yard? No way.

Thanks for the picture, I’ll view it tonight (can’t see pictures on the work computer).

[missycocopuffs]

Agree. I was in CO when a pit bull ban was enacted in Aurora outside of Denver. TV news had segs with families trying to figure out what if anything they could do to keep their dogs. One family’s old dog, who had been raised as a puppy along with their kids, was subject to confiscation and euthanasia. Those who could move did; those who couldn’t had either to give dogs to friends outside of the area or surrender them to animal control for euthanasia. All because a few bad actors could not or would not train and appropriately confine their dogs.

Repealing the Denver ban now is better than not repealing it at all. Meanwhile, in municipalities across US, idiotic bans persist...Check out Fairfield, Iowa where no one can own a dog over 100lbs (There was a very large, super friendly Golden retriever male at my shelter a couple of weeks ago—I’d bet he tipped the scale at over 100lbs.) Of course, all bully breeds are verboten there, too.

In Windsor, Ontario animal control has seized dogs, being walked on a leash by owners, right off the sidewalk because AC thought the dog was a ‘pit bull’...recent case was resolved after DNA testing, oath by person who owned the dam, and evaluation by CKC judges that the dog was indeed a (poorly bred) boxer.

[missycocopuffs]

Nice!

[missycocopuffs]

The problem with the pits is their strength and their desire to please their masters. The two legged animal is always the worst part of the bad dog equation.

Yep.

[Salamander]

That has got to be one of the saddest posts I’ve ever read.

[Salamander]

Thank you....:)

But unlike irresponsible dog owners, I *know* what he is and is capable of and he will be trained accordingly.

People greatly underestimate the impact that simple socialization and obedience classes have on potentially “sharp” dogs.

I’ve had Dobermans for 35 years and each and every one of them went through complete, intensive obedience classes and were constantly “refreshed” and worked at home, after the classes ended.

NONE of my Dobermans ever acted inappropriately.

He is the second European line bred I’ve had [versus the ‘sweeter’ “Americanized” Doberman] and will require extra effort to temper his nature but he will, in the end, be well worth it.

[LasVegasMac]

OMG!!!!!!

that is so sick....