Marty
07-20-2005, 11:22 PM
Columbus, GA -- Good news for all those dog owners outraged by a proposed statewide ban on pit bull dogs: The ban is off.
The legislator who proposed it promised during a public hearing Monday to instead strengthen laws targeting all kinds of dangerous dogs.
Dog attacks prompted the proposed ban in Georgia, much like a fatal attack in Lanett, Ala., provoked authorities there to ban the breed earlier this year. More attacks have been reported since.
Breeders, owners and humane association advocates in Georgia rallied against the proposed ban here, arguing pit bulls are hard to identify and besides, the owner of any dog that attacks people ought to be held responsible.
Pit bulls are bred to be fighting dogs, and dogs trained for that purpose do a lot of damage and get a lot of attention when they attack humans. But the problem isn't that too many Georgians own pit bulls. The problem is that too many Georgians are into dogfighting, and dogfighters prefer pit bulls.
A veteran dog-show judge quoted in the Atlanta paper noted pit bulls aren't the only animals used for fighting. Some Georgians raise fighting cocks, too, but "nobody's suggesting we discontinue breeding chickens," he said.
If folks breed fighting cocks, how long before someone's killed by chickens? Should there not be laws to ensure owners keep their roosters under control? What if one of their cocks gets loose and pecks someone's eye out?
I asked Carolyn Danese, president of the Humane Association of Georgia, who said chickens are different.
"There are some dogs, you let them off the leash, they're going to go run looking for another dog. Chickens aren't that way. As long as you give them enough space, they're not going to go looking for a chicken to beat up. It's just when you put them in these confined spaces, then they go into their territorial routine. But that is not the issue. We are not worried about chickens attacking people."
Similarly, some people reportedly have been arranging fish fights -- putting fighting fish in the same bowl and betting on which wins. Yet no one's proposing a fighting-fish ban, as people rarely get attacked by pet fish.
Instead of pondering pit-bull bans, legislators should take these steps to help prevent dog attacks, Danese says:
Strengthening penalties that hold owners responsible -- making them pay higher fines; making them buy permits to own dangerous dogs; having the dogs neutered, tagged and microchipped; and making owners take a course on responsible pet ownership.
Euthanizing any dog that maims or kills without provocation.
Making sure all dogs are neutered before they're adopted from animal shelters.
Outlawing the practice of leaving dogs chained and unattended, which tends to make them aggressive.
Pit bulls have become status symbols for men who need mean dogs to feel macho, Danese says. But deny them pit bulls, and they'll just use another animal.
They should be allowed to own only a chicken or a fish.
The legislator who proposed it promised during a public hearing Monday to instead strengthen laws targeting all kinds of dangerous dogs.
Dog attacks prompted the proposed ban in Georgia, much like a fatal attack in Lanett, Ala., provoked authorities there to ban the breed earlier this year. More attacks have been reported since.
Breeders, owners and humane association advocates in Georgia rallied against the proposed ban here, arguing pit bulls are hard to identify and besides, the owner of any dog that attacks people ought to be held responsible.
Pit bulls are bred to be fighting dogs, and dogs trained for that purpose do a lot of damage and get a lot of attention when they attack humans. But the problem isn't that too many Georgians own pit bulls. The problem is that too many Georgians are into dogfighting, and dogfighters prefer pit bulls.
A veteran dog-show judge quoted in the Atlanta paper noted pit bulls aren't the only animals used for fighting. Some Georgians raise fighting cocks, too, but "nobody's suggesting we discontinue breeding chickens," he said.
If folks breed fighting cocks, how long before someone's killed by chickens? Should there not be laws to ensure owners keep their roosters under control? What if one of their cocks gets loose and pecks someone's eye out?
I asked Carolyn Danese, president of the Humane Association of Georgia, who said chickens are different.
"There are some dogs, you let them off the leash, they're going to go run looking for another dog. Chickens aren't that way. As long as you give them enough space, they're not going to go looking for a chicken to beat up. It's just when you put them in these confined spaces, then they go into their territorial routine. But that is not the issue. We are not worried about chickens attacking people."
Similarly, some people reportedly have been arranging fish fights -- putting fighting fish in the same bowl and betting on which wins. Yet no one's proposing a fighting-fish ban, as people rarely get attacked by pet fish.
Instead of pondering pit-bull bans, legislators should take these steps to help prevent dog attacks, Danese says:
Strengthening penalties that hold owners responsible -- making them pay higher fines; making them buy permits to own dangerous dogs; having the dogs neutered, tagged and microchipped; and making owners take a course on responsible pet ownership.
Euthanizing any dog that maims or kills without provocation.
Making sure all dogs are neutered before they're adopted from animal shelters.
Outlawing the practice of leaving dogs chained and unattended, which tends to make them aggressive.
Pit bulls have become status symbols for men who need mean dogs to feel macho, Danese says. But deny them pit bulls, and they'll just use another animal.
They should be allowed to own only a chicken or a fish.