Punish irresponsible pet owners, not the pets!
%u201CCITIZENS PETITION TO REPEAL ORDINANCE #89-22 OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHICH BANS PIT BULLS.%u201D
TO: THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
We the undersigned are tax paying, law abiding and concerned citizens from throughout the United States. By means of this petition, we are addressing Ordinance #89-22/Chapter 5/Article2/ Section 5.17 of Miami-Dade County, Florida. This ordinance prohibits and bans the Pit Bull and %u201CPit Bull type dogs%u201D from Miami-Dade County.
1) Counties or cities that have attempted to resolve their dangerous dog issues by placing BSL restrictions have discovered that it does not work; it is inefficient and absolutely unnecessary. A %u201CDangerous Dog%u201D Law or Ordinance, which Miami-Dade County has in place, resolves this problem. Law enforcement can use this to deal with dangerous dogs and their irresponsible owners.
2) BSL Ordinances takes an incredible amount of funding, it is costly to tax payers, time consuming for law enforcement agents, costly for dog owners, and a legal nightmare for law makers, animal rescue groups and animal activists.
3) There is no scientifically proven method and it is literally impossible, by which to determine if a mixed breed dog is 51% of any given breed. This places the burden of proof on the owner and it becomes a constitutional question in itself and on the other hand, a question regarding the rights of citizens in regard to their personal property. Most owners of Pit Bulls are law abiding citizens. The mix targeted breeds, clouded by the different breeds being classified as Pit Bulls, also pay the consequences as a direct result. The Center For Disease Control no longer includes breed identification dog-bite date, as it is considered irrelevant. The banning also directly punishes therapy dogs, assistance dogs for the handicapped owners, search and rescue dogs, drug sniffing dogs, and police dogs.
4) Miami-Dade County non-residents, cannot travel, vacation or visit this county with their American Pit Bull Terriers as a result of the Pit Bull breed-type dogs, such as the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, being banned. This is a financial %u201CPit Hole%u201D for Miami-Dade County. The loss of revenue for the city is tremendous.
5) Readily available and reliable data indicates and concludes that a dog of any breed can bite. There is NO reliable data identifying biting dogs by breed. This can be verified by JAVMA at http://www.atts.org/. The American Temperament Test Society has available results of dogs tested by them. Winnipeg%u2019s dog bite statistics identify the number 1 biter as the German shepherd.
The AKC, UKC, the American Medical Veterinary Association, American Dog Owners Association , Westminster Kennel Club, Best Friends, The Humane Society, and an assortment of other recognized and respected organizations all stand together against the BSL ordinance.
6) The Pit Bull breed in itself, is known as the %u201CNanny%u201D breed for it%u2019s gentleness with children. A trait of this breed is its friendliness and tolerance towards humans. The myth of the breed having a %u201Clocking jaw%u201D is just that. It is physically and anatomically impossible for this jaw mechanism to exist. They also posses stable temperaments. They are known as the %u201Call American%u201D dog. They are ever popular as a family dog. They have appeared in films, such as the pup %u201CPete%u201D from Our Gang (the Little Rascals). The Pit Bull is the only dog that has ever graced the cover of Life Magazine 3 times. To date, it is still one of the most popular breeds in the world.
7) A constitutional challenge was met in the year 2000 in the State of Florida. It is now a law, that no breed of dog shall be singled out and banned from any municipality. In other words, BSL is illegal in Florida. Unfortunately, the existing BSL ordinance was passed in Miami-Dade County in 1989, without so much as collection of factual data, consulting experts on the subject, or proper research being conducted. This is unconstitutional and it violates due process rights. It is inflammatory and discriminative and it lacks a rational basis.
In summary, this law has hurt humans as well as the Pit Bulls, for both have suffered at the mercy of this violent ordinance. The owners have lost their beloved pets and the dogs, their life. Thousands of innocent Pit Bulls, and other breeds labeled as Pit Bulls, that are not considered %u201CDangerous Dogs%u201D by our county ordinance, are killed with our tax dollars, in our county shelters, as a direct result of this ordinance. We implore you, the Commissioners of Miami-Dade County, to end this senseless hunt of Man%u2019s Best Friend and restore dignity to a breed of dog that has already endured enough hardship.
%u201CThe Greatness Of A Nation In its Moral Progress Can Be Judged By The Way People Treat Animals%u201D. %u2013Gandhi.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
%u201CCITIZENS PETITION TO REPEAL ORDINANCE #89-22 OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHICH BANS PIT BULLS.%u201D
TO: THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
We the undersigned are tax paying, law abiding and concerned citizens from throughout the United States. By means of this petition, we are addressing Ordinance #89-22/Chapter 5/Article2/ Section 5.17 of Miami-Dade County, Florida. This ordinance prohibits and bans the Pit Bull and %u201CPit Bull type dogs%u201D from Miami-Dade County.
1) Counties or cities that have attempted to resolve their dangerous dog issues by placing BSL restrictions have discovered that it does not work; it is inefficient and absolutely unnecessary. A %u201CDangerous Dog%u201D Law or Ordinance, which Miami-Dade County has in place, resolves this problem. Law enforcement can use this to deal with dangerous dogs and their irresponsible owners.
2) BSL Ordinances takes an incredible amount of funding, it is costly to tax payers, time consuming for law enforcement agents, costly for dog owners, and a legal nightmare for law makers, animal rescue groups and animal activists.
3) There is no scientifically proven method and it is literally impossible, by which to determine if a mixed breed dog is 51% of any given breed. This places the burden of proof on the owner and it becomes a constitutional question in itself and on the other hand, a question regarding the rights of citizens in regard to their personal property. Most owners of Pit Bulls are law abiding citizens. The mix targeted breeds, clouded by the different breeds being classified as Pit Bulls, also pay the consequences as a direct result. The Center For Disease Control no longer includes breed identification dog-bite date, as it is considered irrelevant. The banning also directly punishes therapy dogs, assistance dogs for the handicapped owners, search and rescue dogs, drug sniffing dogs, and police dogs.
4) Miami-Dade County non-residents, cannot travel, vacation or visit this county with their American Pit Bull Terriers as a result of the Pit Bull breed-type dogs, such as the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, being banned. This is a financial %u201CPit Hole%u201D for Miami-Dade County. The loss of revenue for the city is tremendous.
5) Readily available and reliable data indicates and concludes that a dog of any breed can bite. There is NO reliable data identifying biting dogs by breed. This can be verified by JAVMA at http://www.atts.org/. The American Temperament Test Society has available results of dogs tested by them. Winnipeg%u2019s dog bite statistics identify the number 1 biter as the German shepherd.
The AKC, UKC, the American Medical Veterinary Association, American Dog Owners Association , Westminster Kennel Club, Best Friends, The Humane Society, and an assortment of other recognized and respected organizations all stand together against the BSL ordinance.
6) The Pit Bull breed in itself, is known as the %u201CNanny%u201D breed for it%u2019s gentleness with children. A trait of this breed is its friendliness and tolerance towards humans. The myth of the breed having a %u201Clocking jaw%u201D is just that. It is physically and anatomically impossible for this jaw mechanism to exist. They also posses stable temperaments. They are known as the %u201Call American%u201D dog. They are ever popular as a family dog. They have appeared in films, such as the pup %u201CPete%u201D from Our Gang (the Little Rascals). The Pit Bull is the only dog that has ever graced the cover of Life Magazine 3 times. To date, it is still one of the most popular breeds in the world.
7) A constitutional challenge was met in the year 2000 in the State of Florida. It is now a law, that no breed of dog shall be singled out and banned from any municipality. In other words, BSL is illegal in Florida. Unfortunately, the existing BSL ordinance was passed in Miami-Dade County in 1989, without so much as collection of factual data, consulting experts on the subject, or proper research being conducted. This is unconstitutional and it violates due process rights. It is inflammatory and discriminative and it lacks a rational basis.
In summary, this law has hurt humans as well as the Pit Bulls, for both have suffered at the mercy of this violent ordinance. The owners have lost their beloved pets and the dogs, their life. Thousands of innocent Pit Bulls, and other breeds labeled as Pit Bulls, that are not considered %u201CDangerous Dogs%u201D by our county ordinance, are killed with our tax dollars, in our county shelters, as a direct result of this ordinance. We implore you, the Commissioners of Miami-Dade County, to end this senseless hunt of Man%u2019s Best Friend and restore dignity to a breed of dog that has already endured enough hardship.
%u201CThe Greatness Of A Nation In its Moral Progress Can Be Judged By The Way People Treat Animals%u201D. %u2013Gandhi.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
I cannot imagine my life without my 2 pit bulls. These dogs are our children, and my three year old daughter's best friends. If pit bulls are outlawed, the only ones who will have them are the criminals that have neglected them in the first place.
These are loving and friendly dogs - punish the irresponsible owners
I own three pit bulls. They are three of my best friends when I am hurt or upset they try their best to take care of me.I have one that never leaves my side unless I am t work he even sleeps with me.Please do not make all pit owners suffer because some people train theirs to attack and fight
Bad owners deserve death-warrant!!!
I used to have a mixed-breed pit bull. She was the greatest dog I ever had. Gentle, smart, happy, protective. I got her when she was 8 weeks old. I used to bring her to church picnics and let the 2 year olds walk around with her (yes, supervised) on her leash. She helped a few people get over their fear of dogs there too. I would love to have another pit, but...I live in Dade County and can't because a few idiots (the ones who should have been punished) have caused people to think poorly of a great dog.
PUNISH BAD OWNERS!!!! BAD OWNERS MAKE BAD DOGS!
I deinitely believe that irresponsible pet owners are the ones that should be punished not the breed of dog. I sincerely believe that it is the way humans raise them that makes them vicious and mean and this could happen with any breed.
I agree that owners should be the ones who have to deal with the consequences of their actions. After all, if dogs could talk they would tell us that they do not enjoy being "bullied" around! ALL dogs especially pits are loyal to their owners, and so we in turn should be loyal to them!! My pit is the sweetest dog I've ever owned-and I can't imagine how someone could harm their dog!!!
These are the real criminals they should be the ones getting i year at jail.Killing the dog will not solve any problem. Humans tent to eliminate everything they don't like or keep under a specific control and that's the case of Puerto Rico. Local authorities pay private companies to throw dogs and cats from bridges, they don't even provide proper care for the municipal shelter. Who's fault it is then. We gotta keep focused and be objective people, killing all pitbulls will not minimized the problem cause pitbulls are not the only dogs that if not well raised will bite and protect themelves if hurt FREE THE PIT AND PLE SING THE PETITION FOR PUERTO RICO http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/griten-si-a-la-vida-de-los-pitbull
Ban the stupid irresponsible owners and stop taking it out on the poor inocent dogs.
Having worked with dogs in NYC for 5 years, and having owned several pit bulls and pit bull mixes during my life, I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience with a pit bull, but I have had plenty of terrible experiences with my fellow human beings. Maybe we should think about banning ignorance instead of dogs?
Punish irresponsible owners not the breed of dog. Pit Bulls are loving and loyal dogs that don't deserve to be banned because of misinformed people and governments.
this is the most horrible thing you can do to an animal that just came to the world whit tons of love and tons of hope ,and its horrible that a person can do somethings like this to and animal, they dont ,born bad , the owners turn in to it.
AUDRA L HALBREHDER
Time and time again it has been shown that Pit Bulls are versatile, happy go lucky and loving family members, they are active in the communities in which they live as rescue dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs, but most importantly, family members. Most PB owners are responsible owners, it is the handful of criminals and irresponsible people, as well as media looking for a story for the big ratings, that has given this breed a bad name. You cannot hold the breed responsible for what it was trained to do......holding irresponsible people accountable for what they do with their dog will go a long way, animal abuse and neglect needs to be enforced, and the Pit Bull breed, if anything, needs to be protected, not banned.
please help pit bulls
It's not the dogs it the irresponsible pet owners that give the wonderful dogs bad names.
PIT BULL DOGS ARE LOYAL, COMPASSIONATE, LOVING AND PROTECTIVE. WHY DO WE ALL HAVE TO SUFFER BECUASE OF SCUM THAT ABUSE THEIR PIT BULLS. I PAY MY TAXES AND I WANT TO GET A PIT BULL. DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THIS MAJOR MISTAKE ON YOUR PARTS. THANKS ANTHONY TROXELL
PITS ARE NOT BAD DOGS... ITS THE PET OWNERS OR THE LOW LIFES THAT ABUSE THEM AND MAKE THEM FIGHT.... SO WHY ARE THE PIT BULL DOG BREEDS HAVING TO SUFFER HERE IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY... GROW UP PEOPLE AND READ ALL OF THE FACTS... NOT JUST THE ONES THAT YOU CARE TO READ... FIX THE LAW AND LET US HAVE OUR PIT BULL DOGS AGAIN... YOU ALL ACT LIKE A COMMUNISTIC COUNTRY... CUBA IS SOUTH OF US... THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA... THANKS.. SOPHIA BIRLIDIS...
stop dog racism!
why ban these animals you should ban the stupid humans that give them such a bad name. please don't punish the breed punish the deed by showing humans that they will be responsible.
The animals are innocent!!! It is MAN who exploits them!!! Go after the real villians - those who abuse and put these poor dogs in the fighting rings - these animals are not born killers. Please dismiss the BSL law.
Please don't punish innocent dogs and their responsible owners. While they suffer from the affects of BSL, the real villians continue to illegally exploit pit bulls in dog fighting rings. This legislation solves nothing. It only hurts the innocent and promotes discrimination. My dogs, both Beagles have many pit bull friends. They always play so nicely and truly enjoy each other's company. I have never worried about their safety when in the presence of these dogs and their responsible owners. Several of these pit bulls who have been rescued from circumstances from where they suffered much cruelty and abuse- and yet they have the capacity to trust and love and bestow kindness on the other dogs and humans they come in contact with. The only time one of my dogs has ever been in danger is when a human attacked one of them. I have never met a mean pit bull, only mean humans. Please consider that it is irresponsible owners who commit and promote cruelty, not pit bulls.
Iam tiried of the government always tring to dictate what I can and cant do. There are more important issues out there like: health care, poverty, and people dying and our government is worried about wasting money on putting dogs to sleep. Shows where the mind is at. What type of BS is that. Plain and simple we all pay our taxes weather we like it or not, there are some people that pay medicare taxes and dont even have medicare for them selves. Basically all the money we put into this messed up country we should at least and I say again at least be able to own what ever breed of dog we choose. If anything dont bann them, make first time owners go thru a class or get a specfic dog liccense. There are other ways to solve this problem instead of putting these dogs to sleep.
This is just another case of discrimination,dogs should not be punished for human mistakes. If a owner lets there dog off the leash or out the yard and that dog hurts somone its the owners fault for not being responsible enough to keep the dog from hurting anyone. Its no different then owning a gun if somone shoots another person with the gun that person is then punished, I dont see the govenment stopping the manufacturing of guns on the street so why kill a helpless animal that is just acting out its instincts or doing the things it was trainned to do; whether its bad or good. The fact of the matter is when it comes to these types of dogs comes great responsiblity on the owners part. We are all gods creatures and we all have a right to live here as well as a social responsiblity to society and to the anamals. And killing them off is not the answer.
This law is ridiculous, we found a dog that was being bullied by other dogs in the mami dade animal services..the day we tried to pick him up they said he was a Amstaff Mixed!! So they killed him because they did not transferred him to Borward!! We Checked. This dog did not look lika pitbull or amstaff and was certainly not aggressive!!! This law does not help to solve the issue with Cruelty towards Amstaffs or PitBulls! they are loving animals!!
Animals should not be made to suffer the consequences of their ignorant owners.
|
1:43 pm PST, Jan 31,
Sophie Szeferowicz, France
I completly agree with this petition. |
This petition says it all.
Dog spelled backwards mean....GOD!
Dogs are not criminals, no matter what the breed.
Breed-specific bans are very costly and ineffective ways to address dog aggression. Irresponsible owners and breeders are the problem. Punish the people, not the dogs.
Study after study shows that ANY dog, regardless of breed, will be whatever its owner makes of it....nothing more, nothing less. Owners can and should take responsibility for their pets. We suggest that the appropriate policy is "blame the owner, not the dog." If a dog attacks a person, the law should treat it as though the owner attacked that person.
To be useful, legislation must be effective, enforceable, economical, and reasonably fair. Recently, a resolution has been placed before you that fails all of these tests. This legislation is motivated by fear and lack of relevant knowledge. It is discriminatory, impractical, and unenforceable. Worst of all, it will not solve the problem. I urge you to vote against it. The proposed bill would restrict the ownership of certain types of dogs, specifically [targeted breed]. These breeds have been the subject of irresponsible and sensationalist reporting across the country. The media and the inexperienced would have you believe that these breeds are vicious and should be prohibited. The plain fact is that there is no relationship between the type of the dog and the number of incidents. If your town has 100 German Shepherds and 1 Poodle, you'll soon learn that the German Shepherds are responsible for 100 times as many incidents as the Poodles. Does this mean that German Shepherds are intrinsically vicious? Of course not. Voting for this proposal as it stands will harm both the law abiding, responsible dog owners and the victims, but it won't solve anything.
I am writing to you about House Bill No.101. I am strongly opposed to this bill and ask that you vote against it. Passage of this bill will not address the root cause of the problem, and it will have a negative impact on responsible, law abiding dog owners while those who do not abide by the law will simply continue to do so. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully, Marilyn M. Castro
Placing restrictions on or banning ownership of a specific breed only serves to encourage the element of society with whom the problem actually lies, to move on to another breed, while unfairly penalizing responsible dog owners. Breed bans are by far and large, unenforceable, and unfairly penalize responsible dog owners who properly train, socialize, care for and supervise their dogs. Placing restrictions on specific breeds of dogs does not address the real issue, which is that of irresponsible owners. Only when such owners are held accountable for the actions of their dogs will adverse dog incidents abate. Only when you see more owners committed to providing the proper training, care, socialization and supervision for their dogs will dog bite incidents be reduced significantly. I trust that you will be open minded and listen to responsible dog owners and well known, major organizations such as the American Kennel Club, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the National Animal Control Association and the American Canine Foundation which do not support legislation that targets any specific breed of dog. Temperament and aggressiveness in dogs are traits that are far more strongly influenced by environment than genetics. So, please, enact a law that emphasizes responsible ownership and your constituents will be glad you did.
Ban stupid people not these great dogs!!!
Hello, I believe Pitt bulls have received a bad reputation because of irresponsible owners. I also believe if you raise a dog to be a killer by abuse, fight training, etc.. that a dog will have that attacking nature whether a Pitt Bull, German Shepard, Yorkie, etc.. I've had Pitt Bull or American Staffordshire Terrier in the past and he was the sweetest dog I've ever encountered because we raised him in a loving and caring family. I just believe it's a shame for this breed to have this bad reputation and believe we should punish the people like Michael Vick that are inhuman and creating these killers out of these wonderful animals.
Every one tries to blame the dogs but if people train and treat the dogs right they would actright
I don't understand why it is so hard to understand that BSL doesn't work and only affects law abiding citizens who own sweet, loving dogs. Dangerous dog laws cover any problems that may occur from ANY breed that bites someone. BSL is unnecessary and unconstitutional. BSL works on the premise that an animals breeding makes it mean or untrustworthy. Why can't humans be labeled in the same way?? Because it is immoral and wrong, because it has been proven time and again that the individual is more than its breeding. It has also been proven historically that these dogs were NOT bred to be mean, aggressive, human attacking dogs. So why do we have to continuously fight against a law and a way of thinking that is archaic and false? Eliminate BSL and start doing something that will punish the owners that train any dog to be mean and human aggressive without provocation.
