Potential statewide BSL-Mississippi

A state level alert is being issued for the state of Mississippi.

Best Friends Animal Society has discovered that a bill, House Bill 1261, has been introduced that would target dogs resembling pit bulls, including in the definition, American Bulldogs.

The language of the bill:

“BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The provisions of Sections 1 through 6 shall be known and may be*cited as the “Mississippi Regulation of Dangerous Dogs Act.”
SECTION 2. For purposes of Sections 1 through 6 of this act, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: Dangerous dog means: 1. Any pit bull dog in a class of dogs that specifically includes the
breeds of American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog, and any other pure bred or mixed that is a combination of these breeds.”

The bill creates a list of requirements for owners of dogs designated as restricted and criminal penalties for failure to meet these requirements. *Dogs must be muzzled when off the property, secured when on the property either by a kennel or tether. *The owner must place a sign on the property alerting the presence of the “dangerous dog,” keep their windows closed in a manner that the dog cannot potentially escape and a person convicted of a felony cannot own a “dangerous dog.”

One thing that stands out is the encouragement of tethering in this bill. *The bill specifies that an owner of a “dangerous dog” must *“Leash, chain, tie or tether the dog to an*inanimate object other than one within a secure enclosure, such as*a tree or building.”

The bill gives “law enforcement officers” blanket authority to enter a person*s property in order to check that they are in compliance with the bill.

“In order to determine if there is a violation of this section, a law enforcement officer, at any time, may enter the premises where a dangerous dog is kept, or is believed to be kept, for an on-site inspection of the premises.” (emphasis mine)

This is a costly piece of legislation. *The Best Friends fiscal impact calculator estimates the expense of this piece of legislation at almost $4 and a half MILLION dollars a year.

As more and more states prohibit breed discriminatory laws, this would be a huge step back for community safety, and the rights of individuals, as well as starting a potential landslide of even more stringent forms of breed discrimination, such as bans, across the state. *We saw this effect in Ohio, when their statewide restrictions were in place.

The language of the bill in general tramples on many constitutional rights in many different ways, as well as allows dogs to be taken and killed off-hand under certain circumstances, regardless as to the actual breed or type of the dog. *As usual, we see no thought as to how these dogs will be identified and how people may contest identification, nor is there any understanding for the monumental financial strain this will put on both the state and the dogs owners.

You may view the full text of the bill here: *http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2015/pdf/HB/1200-1299/HB1261IN.pdf

MISSISSIPPI RESIDENTS: *It is extremely important you make you voices heard to your legislators as well as the sponsors of this bill.

If you cannot communicate in a polite and factual manner, please limit communication. *Phone calls go a long way to making an impact, but must be brief and polite at all times. *References can be found for communications about the many failures of breed discriminatory laws under the tab “What is BSL?” *http://stopbsl.org/bsloverview/.

You kind find your specific Representatives and Senators, here:*http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

Bills sponsors:

Principal sponsor:
Representative Larry Byrd, District 104: * lbyrd@house.ms.gov, (601)359-3352

Additional sponsors:
Representative Randy P. Boyd,*District 19:***rboyd@house.ms.gov, (601)359-2435
Representative Lester Carpenter, District 1:*lcarpenter@house.ms.gov,**** (601)359-2425
Representative Tommy Taylor, District 28:**ttaylor@house.ms.gov, Phone N/A


Filed under: BSL Proposed, Mississippi

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