Post by michele5611 on Dec 5, 2013 9:45:34 GMT -5
www.pasadenastarnews.com/government-and-politics/20131204/pasadena-moves-to-impose-spayneuter-ordinance-for-pit-bulls
PASADENA>> The city is moving forward with an ordinance to require all pit bulls to be spayed or neutered in the latest attempt by Councilman Steve Madison to reduce the presence in the city of what he says are dangerous animals.
The move by the council last week jumped the gun on a separate ordinance in the works to require that all dogs and cats in the city be spayed or neutered. The council deferred a decision on the ordinance in October, agreeing to wait six months to see the results of a dog license canvass of local pet owners by the Pasadena Humane Society.
Madison brought up the new ordinance as an “interim step,” according to staff reports.
“Every month or two, you read about a pit bull killing a toddler or a senior, and I don’t want that to happen in Pasadena,” Madison said at the Nov.??25 council meeting. “We want to stop it before it happens here.”
One person spoke in favor of the ordinance at the council meeting, agreeing with Madison’s concerns about safety. But pit bull advocates voiced concerns about the proposed law on the Internet and social media.
Pasadena resident and pit bull owner Josh Liddy, 32, said he thinks the ordinance is just an attempt to discriminate against the pit bull breed.
“The bottom line is these dogs in general are incredibly safe, and (Madison) is up there talking about them in broad strokes as if they are land sharks out killing people every day, and it’s totally disingenuous nonsense,” said Liddy, whose two pit bull mixes are both spayed and neutered. “When a single incident happens, all of these dogs get blamed for the actions of one dog, and it’s clear discrimination in my opinion.”
There have been no pit bull fatalities in Pasadena.
Madison pushed for an all-out ban on the dogs last year, but state law prohibits cities from banning specific breeds.
Madison did not respond to calls for further comment Wednesday.
The ordinance, to be drafted by staff and returned to the council within 60 days, will be based on a similar law that was passed by Riverside County in October.
The council’s vote last week also instructed Mayor Bill Bogaard to send a letter to state legislators asking for a reconsideration of the state law to give cities back “local control.”
Steve McNall, of the Pasadena Humane Society, agreed that a breed specific ordinance was not the best option. In addition to being ineffective at reducing dog violence in the city, McNall said he thinks the ordinance would be difficult for the Humane Society to enforce.
McNall said he supports the previous ordinance requiring all cats and dogs to be spayed or neutered, which would help reduce the population of unwanted pets and lead to less euthanasia.
“Let’s be honest, you walk through our shelter and you will see all kinds of different dogs. Trying to isolate out one particular breed is very difficult,” McNall said. “It’s basically a nonenforceable law. It’s a law that will make people feel good and that’s about it.”
Councilwoman Jacque Robinson was the only vote against moving forward with the ordinance. She said she supports and overarching spay and neuter ordinance, but feels that the breed specific law goes against state law and also will not be effective.
“An irresponsible dog owner is an irresponsible dog owner,” Robinson said. “I don’t think us passing this ordinance will make pit bulls less prone to attacking individuals in the community.”
PASADENA>> The city is moving forward with an ordinance to require all pit bulls to be spayed or neutered in the latest attempt by Councilman Steve Madison to reduce the presence in the city of what he says are dangerous animals.
The move by the council last week jumped the gun on a separate ordinance in the works to require that all dogs and cats in the city be spayed or neutered. The council deferred a decision on the ordinance in October, agreeing to wait six months to see the results of a dog license canvass of local pet owners by the Pasadena Humane Society.
Madison brought up the new ordinance as an “interim step,” according to staff reports.
“Every month or two, you read about a pit bull killing a toddler or a senior, and I don’t want that to happen in Pasadena,” Madison said at the Nov.??25 council meeting. “We want to stop it before it happens here.”
One person spoke in favor of the ordinance at the council meeting, agreeing with Madison’s concerns about safety. But pit bull advocates voiced concerns about the proposed law on the Internet and social media.
Pasadena resident and pit bull owner Josh Liddy, 32, said he thinks the ordinance is just an attempt to discriminate against the pit bull breed.
“The bottom line is these dogs in general are incredibly safe, and (Madison) is up there talking about them in broad strokes as if they are land sharks out killing people every day, and it’s totally disingenuous nonsense,” said Liddy, whose two pit bull mixes are both spayed and neutered. “When a single incident happens, all of these dogs get blamed for the actions of one dog, and it’s clear discrimination in my opinion.”
There have been no pit bull fatalities in Pasadena.
Madison pushed for an all-out ban on the dogs last year, but state law prohibits cities from banning specific breeds.
Madison did not respond to calls for further comment Wednesday.
The ordinance, to be drafted by staff and returned to the council within 60 days, will be based on a similar law that was passed by Riverside County in October.
The council’s vote last week also instructed Mayor Bill Bogaard to send a letter to state legislators asking for a reconsideration of the state law to give cities back “local control.”
Steve McNall, of the Pasadena Humane Society, agreed that a breed specific ordinance was not the best option. In addition to being ineffective at reducing dog violence in the city, McNall said he thinks the ordinance would be difficult for the Humane Society to enforce.
McNall said he supports the previous ordinance requiring all cats and dogs to be spayed or neutered, which would help reduce the population of unwanted pets and lead to less euthanasia.
“Let’s be honest, you walk through our shelter and you will see all kinds of different dogs. Trying to isolate out one particular breed is very difficult,” McNall said. “It’s basically a nonenforceable law. It’s a law that will make people feel good and that’s about it.”
Councilwoman Jacque Robinson was the only vote against moving forward with the ordinance. She said she supports and overarching spay and neuter ordinance, but feels that the breed specific law goes against state law and also will not be effective.
“An irresponsible dog owner is an irresponsible dog owner,” Robinson said. “I don’t think us passing this ordinance will make pit bulls less prone to attacking individuals in the community.”
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