Marty
08-10-2005, 01:32 PM
San Diego, CA -- Some California leaders are calling for a crackdown on dangerous dogs, and even a possible ban of pit bulls.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wants laws changed, after a series of deadly pit bull attacks, including one that killed a 12-year-old boy back in June. But pit bull owners call breed-specific bans dog discrimination.
So far, Denver, Miami and Cincinnati have banned pit bulls. In response, some pit bull owners have sold their homes and moved to keep their pets. Others have resorted to an underground railroad, sending their pets to live elsewhere, or hiding them from authorities.
Here in San Diego County, we've seen our share of dangerous dog attacks, including one last week in Pacific Beach. A police officer shot and killed a pit bull that attacked him after the animal charged out of the dark.
One week ago, a rottweiler ripped a 16-month-old girl out of her mother's arms in Glendale, dragged the child up a driveway and mauled her to death.
In June, a 12-year-old San Francisco boy was killed by his family's pit bull, which is causing that city's mayor to call for a nationwide ban on the animals.
Back at home, at the animal shelter in the Morena district, 17 percent of the kenneled dogs are pit bulls. Facility director Dawn Danielson says it's really the responsibility of the pets' owners to train their dogs properly.
"I've seen some pit bulls that are absolutely great family dogs … the solution is not breed-specific legislation," Danielson said.
There is pending state legislation that would allow each city to deal with vicious dogs as they see fit -- from the total ban that San Francisco's mayor wants to a ban on breeding now being considered in Los Angeles.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wants laws changed, after a series of deadly pit bull attacks, including one that killed a 12-year-old boy back in June. But pit bull owners call breed-specific bans dog discrimination.
So far, Denver, Miami and Cincinnati have banned pit bulls. In response, some pit bull owners have sold their homes and moved to keep their pets. Others have resorted to an underground railroad, sending their pets to live elsewhere, or hiding them from authorities.
Here in San Diego County, we've seen our share of dangerous dog attacks, including one last week in Pacific Beach. A police officer shot and killed a pit bull that attacked him after the animal charged out of the dark.
One week ago, a rottweiler ripped a 16-month-old girl out of her mother's arms in Glendale, dragged the child up a driveway and mauled her to death.
In June, a 12-year-old San Francisco boy was killed by his family's pit bull, which is causing that city's mayor to call for a nationwide ban on the animals.
Back at home, at the animal shelter in the Morena district, 17 percent of the kenneled dogs are pit bulls. Facility director Dawn Danielson says it's really the responsibility of the pets' owners to train their dogs properly.
"I've seen some pit bulls that are absolutely great family dogs … the solution is not breed-specific legislation," Danielson said.
There is pending state legislation that would allow each city to deal with vicious dogs as they see fit -- from the total ban that San Francisco's mayor wants to a ban on breeding now being considered in Los Angeles.