Marty
07-23-2005, 08:02 PM
Carlisle, Pa -- With the news certain to be dominated over the next few months by the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, it might be useful to remember a simple fact: You can't make everything that upsets you illegal.
It's not clear that the city fathers — and mothers — in Denver, Colo., have learned this lesson. An Associated Press story in Thursday's Sentinel described the city's war on pit bulls.
Yes, Denver made a particular type of dog illegal. The state Legislature had overruled the ban but the city sued and a court sided with Denver on constitutional grounds.
It doesn't seem that long ago that pit bulls were grist for the media, as it became trendy to own them — especially among a particular lawless element who trained them to exhibit their aggressive tendencies and even to fight each other.
And Denver isn't alone with the ban. Miami and Cincinnati have similar laws. This despite the fact that the dogs typically identified as pit bulls could be any one of three different breeds. Denver simply bans any dog that "looks" like a pit bull.
The Associated Press relates stories of people who have had their dogs confiscated with the threat of being put down even though the dogs were not involved in any dangerous incidents.
The Centers for Disease Control say that 20 years of studies have shown that dog-bite incidents tend to follow the popularity of particular breeds. As there was a craze for pit bulls during the study period, it's understandable they share the title for most bite-related deaths with Rottweilers.
A more pertinent point is that the many offenses related to pit bulls, or more accurately their owners, are already crimes. Nearly all such incidents involve harassment, assault and cruelty to animals.
It is easier to round up people's pets than it is to seek out and prosecute lawbreakers — but it's unfair at the very least, even if your city can get a court to declare it legal.
It's not clear that the city fathers — and mothers — in Denver, Colo., have learned this lesson. An Associated Press story in Thursday's Sentinel described the city's war on pit bulls.
Yes, Denver made a particular type of dog illegal. The state Legislature had overruled the ban but the city sued and a court sided with Denver on constitutional grounds.
It doesn't seem that long ago that pit bulls were grist for the media, as it became trendy to own them — especially among a particular lawless element who trained them to exhibit their aggressive tendencies and even to fight each other.
And Denver isn't alone with the ban. Miami and Cincinnati have similar laws. This despite the fact that the dogs typically identified as pit bulls could be any one of three different breeds. Denver simply bans any dog that "looks" like a pit bull.
The Associated Press relates stories of people who have had their dogs confiscated with the threat of being put down even though the dogs were not involved in any dangerous incidents.
The Centers for Disease Control say that 20 years of studies have shown that dog-bite incidents tend to follow the popularity of particular breeds. As there was a craze for pit bulls during the study period, it's understandable they share the title for most bite-related deaths with Rottweilers.
A more pertinent point is that the many offenses related to pit bulls, or more accurately their owners, are already crimes. Nearly all such incidents involve harassment, assault and cruelty to animals.
It is easier to round up people's pets than it is to seek out and prosecute lawbreakers — but it's unfair at the very least, even if your city can get a court to declare it legal.