Post by: erik the bold on January 01, 2007, 10:01:28 AM
Pit bull terriers have already been handed in and destroyed ahead of Northern Ireland's first amnesty
from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6219379.stm
Owners of the outlawed breed in Ballymena, County Antrim, have been given the whole of January to hand in the dogs without fear of prosecution.
The town council's dog warden, Nigel Devine, said two pit bulls had been left with the council.
Both of the animals were put down, although Mr Devine stressed neither appeared vicious.
Nine owners have asked him in advance to check their pets in case they had unwittingly been sold pit bulls - none of those examined turned out to be the illegal breed.
"Two pit bulls have been presented to us already," he said.
"One was left at our landfill site early in December and the other was just handed in to us at the council."
Mr Devine expressed his concern at the difference in the legislation around the Dangerous Dogs Act which bans the ownership of pit bull terriers.
"In England, if the dog is not a danger to the public, a magistrate can allow the owner to keep it, but that doesn't apply in Northern Ireland," he said.
"I'm asking why are we being treated differently?"
The idea for an amnesty followed an horrific pit bull attack on a family in County Antrim in November.
Sean and Deirdre Doherty and their two children escaped serious injury in Randalstown Forest park.
But one of their pet Labradors, which protected them from being savaged, later died from his injuries.
Mr Devine claimed that some pit bulls were being bred for use in organised dog fighting.
"It's about criminality - obviously there's dog fighting going on, especially around border towns," he added.
"If you ban anything, there becomes a lucrative market for it.
"It's all macho image - the only reason these people have these dogs is because they are banned.
"You see these people out walking their dogs, saying `Look at me and my pit bull', but half of them are mongrels."
The warden told how anxious owners had been in touch after pups they believed were legal breeds such as Staffordshire bull terriers grew bigger and bigger.
He was able to confirm, along with USPCA experts, that none were pit bulls.
Mr Devine urged anyone with a pit bull to seize the opportunity rather than face fines of up to £2,000 or even a two-year jail sentence if they go to trial and get convicted.
He said: "If somebody has one, they know what it is and they surrender it to the council, no action will be taken against them."
Post by: Fly320s on January 01, 2007, 10:35:03 AM
Quote
Both of the animals were put down, although Mr Devine stressed neither appeared vicious.
That about sums up the British law enforcement attitude. "We can't take any chances; it's for your own good, you see.'
Post by: El Tejon on January 01, 2007, 12:20:26 PM
Cats respond with a war cry--France surrenders: http://www.dennyweb.com/viking_kittens.htm
Post by: Iain on January 01, 2007, 12:34:43 PM
Quote
As of July, 2, thirty-eight states had enacted BSL on a statewide level or in certain municipalities, or were considering BSL on one of those levels.27 Some examples of currently active breed-specific municipal ordinances:
(1) Denver, Colorado has prohibited "any person to own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport, or sell within the city any pit bull."28 The ordinance defines "pit bull" as "any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one (1) or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds."29
(2) Waterford Charter Township, Michigan has prohibited any prospective "possession, maintenance, and harboring" of any "pit bull terriers," and justifies the prohibition by stating that "the township has further concluded that it is in the interest of public health, safety and welfare that the presence of pit bull terriers be limited in this community to only those existing licensed pit bull terrier dogs in order that the threat of this breed will eventually be removed from this community."30
(3) Des Moines, Iowa defines "vicious dog" to include the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Pit Bull Terrier, and imposes stringent confinement, licensure, and control requirements (including provisions for animal seizure and disposal) upon any animals deemed "vicious" under the ordinance.31
(4) North Little Rock, Arkansas has restricted ownership of Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, or Bull Terriers or mixes thereof by implementing a breed-specific licensure fee of $500.00 - far more than license fees for other breeds.32
- http://www.animallaw.info/articles/aruslweiss2001.htm
(1) Denver, Colorado has prohibited "any person to own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport, or sell within the city any pit bull."28 The ordinance defines "pit bull" as "any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one (1) or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds."29
(2) Waterford Charter Township, Michigan has prohibited any prospective "possession, maintenance, and harboring" of any "pit bull terriers," and justifies the prohibition by stating that "the township has further concluded that it is in the interest of public health, safety and welfare that the presence of pit bull terriers be limited in this community to only those existing licensed pit bull terrier dogs in order that the threat of this breed will eventually be removed from this community."30
(3) Des Moines, Iowa defines "vicious dog" to include the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Pit Bull Terrier, and imposes stringent confinement, licensure, and control requirements (including provisions for animal seizure and disposal) upon any animals deemed "vicious" under the ordinance.31
(4) North Little Rock, Arkansas has restricted ownership of Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, or Bull Terriers or mixes thereof by implementing a breed-specific licensure fee of $500.00 - far more than license fees for other breeds.32
Post by: 280plus on January 01, 2007, 02:13:14 PM
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 01, 2007, 02:18:40 PM
Post by: Cromlech on January 01, 2007, 02:35:21 PM
Then she will scratch you.
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 01, 2007, 02:39:04 PM
fistful logs off to find the cat and give it a good beating.