Rogersville is one of the oldest and poorest cities in Tennessee. With a lot of history in its background, the ban on pit bulls however is the most controversial city law in 2018. The law was made in the early '80s but was never enforced until early this year. They are forcing people to give up their precious family memebers.
ROGERSVILLE, TN (WJHL)- - Some pit bull owners in Rogersville will soon have to decide to give up their pets or move out of their home.
Rogersville's city ordinance is decades old, but many people said it was only recently the city started to implement the ban.
On Tuesday night, the Rogersville Board of Mayor and Alderman passed a revised version of the ordinance, which bans pit bulls inside city limits.
Long time pit bull owners Brandi Church and Aaron Smoak said the past few weeks have been torture.
"Not knowing if we are going to have to get rid of our boys or how we're going to be able to keep them and still have a roof over our head," Church said.
The couple said they are unsure if they will have to move or get rid of their dogs, a decision their landlord has yet to make.
"It's devastating," Smoak said. "I can't pick and choose, I rather have my dog."
Church and Smoak have two pit bulls together, Biggin' and Blu. They said the dogs are a part of their family and they can't imagine giving them up.
"There's no way possible in my heart that I could take either of those dogs to the shelter and drop them off and walk away like they never existed," Church said. "I can not do that."
Rogersville City Attorney Bill Phillips said the ban is nothing new.
"The law has been on the books since the early 80's," Phillips said. "We were just amending the ordinance to define a domesticated animal." On Tuesday night, the Board of Mayor and Alderman passed the final reading to amend the ordinance which defines a domesticated animal as any dog 50% or more pit bull.
However, Phillips said the animal control officer won't be confiscating pit bulls.
"I suspect there would have to be a complaint made and then the animal control officer would have to investigate that and determine what the facts are," Phillips said.
He said as far as owners getting rid of their pets, that's a decision they will have to make.
"If their dog probably doesn't cause any problems or creates an issue then I doubt very seriously there will be any sanction against them," Phillips said.
Phillips said the ordinance was only recently implemented because the city hired a animal control officer.
PLEASE HELP ME SIGN THIS PETITION!!
