Bill Aimed At Owners Of Dangerous Dogs

[size=-1]Sallisaw,OK -- [/size]A local legislator is working to impose stiffer penalties on owners of dangerous dogs, instead of banning specific dog breeds, such as the pit bull terrier.

House Bill 2076 by State Rep. Glen "Bud" Smithson (D-Sallisaw) would impose a fine of $1,000 for anyone who fails to register and keep enclosed a dangerous dog, defined as a canine that has caused serious injury on a person without provocation. The fine increases to $5,000 and the dog owner could face a prison sentence of up to five years in prison for each subsequent offense, according to the proposed bill.

Smithson worked with Joan Morrison of Gore, treasurer of the Endangered Breeds Association (EBA), to come up with the language for this bill.

EBA, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1980 for the purpose of preserving the American Pit Bull terrier. According to the EBA's newsletter, their goals are public education, media monitoring, legislative lobbying, and legal intervention to protect responsible owners from breed-specific legislation and unfair harassment by public officials or agencies. Morrison and her husband have owned and bred American pit bull terriers since 1968. They have since retired from the breeding business, but are still advocates for the dogs.

Smithson is not alone in his fight to make dog owners more liable. Morrison said there is a total of 10 bills that deal with dogs being proposed in the upcoming legislative session, which starts Feb. 6.

Smithson said the reason he wanted to author the bill was in response to a bill proposed by State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore) that would lead to the eventual ban of the pit bull terrier breed in Oklahoma. Wesselhoft proposed his bill after a three-year-old Moore child lost his arm after being attacked by a pit bull terrier last summer.

Morrison said she believes the influx of bills dealing with dogs is in response to Wesselhoft's attempts to ban the pit bull terrier breed from the state. She noted that Wesselhoft has since come up with a compromise bill that doesn't mention the word "pit bull," but describes a potentially dangerous dog as one that has physical strength, strong jaws, and a muscular build.

Smithson said he thinks it is important not to target a specific breed of dog since pit bulls aren't the only breeds that bite.

"This targets reckless ownership of dangerous dogs instead," Smithson said.

What Smithson wants to focus on is putting the burden on dog owners, including ensuring owners of dangerous dogs keep the dogs enclosed.

Smithson said if Wesselhoft's ban on pit bulls is passed, it does nothing with other breeds of dogs that can be dangerous.

Smithson noted that when Richard Moore of Sallisaw was attacked by two dogs in July, one of them was a pit bull terrier, but the other wasn't. The other dog was a shepherd mix.

According to court records, the two dogs ran toward Moore, attempting to attack his dog when Moore picked up his dog and placed it in a garbage dumpster to protect it. The dogs then attacked Moore, who received numerous wounds on his arms and legs.



Neighbors who heard Moore screaming for help came to Moore's aid. Sallisaw Police officers showed up during the attack and as neighbors got Moore away from the dogs. The dogs were shot by the officers. Moore was released from an area hospital several days after the attack.

The owner of two dogs, Larry W. Patterson, 54, of Sallisaw, was charged in Sequoyah County District Court in Sallisaw with two misdemeanor counts for failing to secure the "dangerous dogs" in a proper enclosure. He pleaded guilty to both counts on Aug. 26, and received two one-year suspended sentences, to run concurrently, and he was ordered to pay fines, costs, and restitution, according to court records.

Smithson emphasized that the main idea behind the bill is making dog owners responsible for their dogs, and gives jail time for repeat offenders. He said his bill will be introduced this session and should go to committee in mid-February.

Morrison said the language of Smithson's bill came from a law passed in Oregon last year. She said the EBA wanted to increase penalties and make it difficult to keep a dangerous dog. She said the wording of the bill would make owners strictly liable for anything a dog does.

"Nobody wants to get these dogs out of the hands of irresponsible owners more than we do," Morrison said.

http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/articles/2006/01/27/news/frontd.txt

 

I agree with this, owners should be held accountable for their dog's actions. Alot better than banning the breed.

 

i got no problem with punishments and what not, for people who cannot control these animals. its the PRE-judging that bothers me. i'll support a bill that weeds out the ignorant, or at least convinces them to contain their animals.

 

Nice post! And this is how it should be!

If the first time offenders were hit with a really stiff penalty, I seriously doubt they would become 2nd, and 3rd time offenders.
This is exactly the "route" I plan on taking to council=stricter penalities. I can now use this article as a reference. Tx, Marty!

 

I don't believe in second chances for any breed of dog. One unprovoked bite/attack is an automatic death sentence. Period.

Edit: Wanted to add that I'm speaking about biting humans, not other animals.

 

see i think if you have a dog you should have atleast a 6 foot fence. anything that comes inside of my fence is well on my property. that way no children come to play with my dogs etc. its like going to the zoo they dont put the bear down if you climb over the rail into the cage with it. Make laws that punish people for allowing animals to roam free. make laws that if your pet is out in the street and randomly attacks a person you lose the animal. if your pet exhibits any sign of human agression your dog should not bee without a leash ever not that it should in the first place.

i would like to say however that by no means should a dog that attacks another dog be equated to a human attack because dogs will be dogs and they will get into fights. i think in this case penalties should be more in line with keeping dogs on leashes etc.

its like the news article about the cat getting killed by someones dog. again if my dog is on my property and you have to come over a large physical barrier to gain unauthorized access to my animal then you or your pet was at fault.

pathetic owners who are not careful with their animals. its like when at my friends houses with kids if the dogs are loose then the kids stay off the floor it prevents bumps spills or any other kind of accident and just like at feeding time animals are seperated and children are kept away.

i was never allowed to play unsupervised with my dogs as a kid. things happen dogs nock ppl over start playing to rough etc. but of course i had responsible parents if i was out of line of sight i was allready in trouble. This all comes down to this country's current mind set that we as a people are not responsible the its not my problem mentality. the lul and complaicency that we have become accustomed too and when its shattered we are horrible surprised. Our own lack of responsiblity, neivety, and ignorance has been and will continue to be our own dowfall.
Wise up.

 

Absolutley the best piece I've read in a long time.

 

Good post.
Dangerous dog laws are much more practical than breed specific ones.

 

Couldnt agree more. Though, i think there are certain situations that might need to be "reviewed". like, it was really the persons fault.

Ive had to deal w/idiots that have people biting curs... do they listen about putting there dog down? NO Do they keep the mutt away from others? NO
Damn dog needs to be shot, and put 10 feet under where they belong..... :mad:

Can you tell i was talking bout one person? LOL funny thing is, this person BEGGED (& even offer'd to pay ANY stud fee i asked) me on many many different occassions to let him breed to one of my males. i laughed at him the first few times,,,, then had to get kinda ugly lol

Damn fools never learn!