NYC Faces A Possible Pit Bull Ban

NYC Councilman Wants City Pit Bull-Free

NEW YORK (AP) -- Regarded as dangerous pets by their detractors but loved for their assertive nature by their owners, pit bull terriers may find themselves banned from New York City.

Queens City Councilman Peter Vallone said Tuesday that he wants to ban the canines, calling them a danger to public safety.

"Pit bulls are responsible for many, many attacks,'' the Democrat said. "A parent on the street can't protect their children, or themselves from this, what is actually a weapon.''

Vallone said that many gangs and criminals train pit bulls to be attack dogs.

The canines do account for 15 percent of animal attacks in the city. They are also among the most commonly abandoned, found in disproportionately high numbers at the city's pet shelters.

But pit bull lovers said they don't think pit bulls are inherently dangerous and that they don't need to be banned.

Pedro Rosario, who owns four pit bulls and has worked at the Manhattan shelter and adoption center for more than a decade, said Tuesday that the dogs' temperament depends on how their owners raise them.

"With a responsible owner, this could be a great pet in the house,'' Rosario said, as he sat in the shelter, ruffling the fur of one of the famously tough dogs.

Another pit bull owner, Greta Godoy, agreed with Rosario. "It all has to do with how you teach them, how you nurture them,'' she said. "If you do abuse them they will become very aggressive.''

Vallone's proposal would ban pit bulls from being sold or bred in the city. Current owners would be able to keep their pit bulls.

Other cities have placed similar bans on pit bulls - including Denver, Kansas City and Miami - after high-profile attacks involving the canines.
(TM & © 2006 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & © 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)


and if this happens:
Dec 28, 2006 9:02 am US/Eastern
Animal Shelter: Pit Bull Ban Means Thousands Die
Oppose Proposal By Peter Vallone
(CBS/AP) HUNTINGTON, Long Island A Long Island animal shelter said if New York City goes ahead with a plan to ban pit bulls as pets, thousands of the dogs will be condemned to death.
Maryann Chernovsky of the Little Shelter Animal Adoption Center in Huntington said pit bulls are wonderful family pets - but "irresponsible owners make these dogs vicious."
Chernovsky is responding to a proposal made by New York City councilman Peter Vallone to ban pit bulls in the five boroughs. She feels that the dogs are being unfairly blamed for violent acts. Chernovsky says their owners are the ones who train the dogs to be vicious and incite them to attack other animals and people.
The Little Shelter Animal Adoption Center is Long Islands oldest no-kill shelter. It was founded in 19927. Each year, Little Shelter rescues countless dogs and cats from traditional kill facilities in the New York area and from other parts of the country.

also:
http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=65429

 

He will be getting something as soon as I can get it sent. I'll dig up the contact info on the other city council members and post it, and send them and the Mayor something as well. This one is a biggie, largest city in the country.

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to pennsooner again.

TY.
and you're right, ...
this one is a biggie
and can have a huge ripple effect.
tx again
​

 

So... what are the other 85% of animal attacks??? Are they banned? This sucks =o.

 

his "facts" are baseless. no one follows the attacks by breed. hes a madman whos been ranting this for years nothing new. an extremist.

 

his actual plan is two fold. he wants to repeal the statewide anti-bsl law. if he cna do tht then he will try a pitbull ban. it will most likely be something like a cutoff date where pitbulls after that date arent allowed. pitbulls will be grandfathered in but after tht no more supposedly. crazy man with a lil foofoo dog.

 

Anyone have email addresses or an address for a letter?

 

A link was posted with the story.

 

Anytime the words "Pit Bull" hit the press, there is all
ways some off set
statistic about some kind mauling they are responsible
for."Responsible
for 15% of animal attacks in NYC Vallone

states". First of all its the most popular breed of dog in
existence.Especially in NYC.When Vallone
refers to animal attacks he is referring to ANYTHING which
is an ANIMAL.
How many rat bites where there in this pole??? Cat
scratches ETC... I wish
I could publicly contest ANYONE who opposes this fantastic
breed. They
wouldn't stand a chance. In the last 10 years I have
obtained and placed
more of todays Pit Bulldogs in good homes then anyone I
have herd of. Pit
Bulls are without question as good as any breed there is
for family
companionship. I can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.
What I say is
fact and not to be argued. Just explained. I think we need
to look long
and hard at the child abuser/molester problem which is...
Why do these
people get to live?? Everything starts with children. Why
are people
picking on dogs??

 

Ok, since this guy, Peter Valtone Jr. might just be a nut tilting at windmills I just wrote the Speaker of the NYC city Council. Here is her contact page, just write and let her know we don't want BSL. If you live out of town, point out that you can't visit or spend your tourist dollars in a place where a member of you family isn't welcome. Her contact page.


http://www.nyccouncil.info/rightnow/contactspkr.cfm?name=CONTACT_SPEAKER&form_path=%5C%5Cjuniper%5Casp%5Cqng%5Cima_forms



Edit: Until this looks like it might go somewhere then I'm not going to write every member of the NYC council, there are something like 40 of them. If someone more techsavvy than me knows how to link and e-mail them all at the same time then we could do that. I don't know how seriously Valtone is taken, maybe not very. But I did write the speaker and suggest everyone else do so as well. And if you live or have lived in NYC then write your councilmember.

 

Peter F. Vallone
22-45 31st Street
Astoria, NY 11105
Tel - 718-274-4500
Fax - 718-726-0357

Legislative Office:

250 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10007
Tel - 212- 788-6963
Fax - 212-788-8957

 

I already sent this moron a letter and alot of positive articles with regard to this breed.

 

TY, Michele. The more, the better.

 

your welcome.. And i think the next article I see in the papers from this moron, I"m going to take a walk up to his office in Manhattan and go face to face with him......

 

I can just imagine you bitch slapping him now, Michele!

 

LMAOO...you know I would too.....

 

Thanx for all the contact info.....I'm in a letter writing mood today. I've been hearing about this Vallone guy for some time now.......I do believe he was brought up on ethics charges or involved in some such scandal a few years ago. I will have to do some research.......

*EDIT*
This should be of great interest and importance for those of us in Upstate NY......as we know, the shit from the city seems to flow up the Hudson.

 

Apparently, Mr. Vallone has had more than his share of scandals. I remember his name from all the dirt that was brought up about him when he ran for governor and NYC mayor. He seems to be an equal opportunity bipartisan dirtbag as he is in the pockets of interest groups on the left and right. Perhaps he needs to be reminded of his own misdeeds so he goes on the defensive and leaves our dogs out of his sites.

http://hellskitchen.net/csdc/vallone/vdirt.html

 

well, if i see one more article with regard to this in the papers, maybe I'll remind him of what a scumbag he is.....he needs to mind his own damn business about things he knows nothing about.

 

When I write letters to politians, I find myself including the following:
I remind them that many voters are also dog owners, and being that the "pit bull" is the number one owned bred and registered breed, currently, that perhaps they should really reconsider their "stand" on the proposal of BSL, as this will ultimately affect how people will vote, especially inregards to them. And if they would like to see another term in office, they should take this into consideration. Also, then there's the revenue tactic, where, if, especially, a city that counts heavily on funds due to tourism, like many here in Mass, and many families like to include their dogs in their travels, then perhaps folks may reconsider visiting that particular city/state, due to their own personal inability to include their canine companion, for fear of it becoming seized, hence, may fail to include said city as part of their vacation plans.
...just a thought...