Post by RealPitBull on Feb 20, 2009 18:15:38 GMT -5
www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/01/23/news/state/18-pitbull.txt
Pit bull owners decry proposed ban, which dies in committee
More than 100 of the breed's supporters show up to oppose bill
By JENNIFER McKEE
Gazette State Bureau
HELENA - The pit bulls of Montana are safe.
A bill to ban the breed died in committee late Thursday. The House Local Government Committee voted 17-1 against passing House Bill 191. Only the bill's sponsor, Rep. Robyn Driscoll, D-Billings, voted in favor of the bill.
Moments later, the committee voted unanimously to table the bill, a move that means the bill is dead.
HB191 proposed banning pit bills in Montana and was the subject of enormous interest. More than 100 pit bull enthusiasts showed up to oppose the bill. They filled the small meeting room and spilled out into the hallway, where they could be heard cheering when a pit bull owner delivered particularly rousing testimony.
In an unusual move, Ed Tinsley, the House sergeant-at-arms, had one of his security aides posted outside the door and another inside.
Driscoll said the bill was prompted by two serious pit bull attacks in Billings since 2007. One of those victims, Douglas Reubke, 58, told the committee about his experience last April when he was walking his Shih Tzu and was attacked by his neighbor's pit bull.
Rep. Don Roberts, R-Billings, also spoke in favor of the bill. Roberts is an oral surgeon and said he is often called upon to repair the deep facial tissue damage typical of a pit bull attack on a child.
"They go through the tissue and to the bone," Roberts said. "They don't let go."
Another woman, Shelly Wittman of Ballantine, said pit bulls often kill her chickens. One reached its head through her fence and grabbed her 4-year-old granddaughter, ripping off the youngster's coat, before getting its head stuck in the fence.
But more than 100 opponents to the bill countered those arguments with their own: Many said aggressive pit bull behavior is not endemic to the breed. Some people are attracted to the breed just for their vicious reputation and may abuse and neglect the dogs in an effort to "toughen them up." That creates vicious dogs.
But pit bulls don't have to be that way, said Christine Wagner Dernburger of Miles City, who came with her pit bull service dog, Butterfly. Wagner Dernburger's pit bull was wearing mesh butterfly wings and sat docilely at her feet.
Butterfly was trained by Erika Phillips, an animal behavior consultant from Miles City, who trains controversial breeds like pit bulls across the United States and North America. Phillips, who also came to oppose the bill, said in an interview after the hearing that pit bulls are no different from other breeds.
One man who testified against the bill said his pit bull is nice, but did "tear up" his neighbor's Doberman and, like any dog, would go after someone who came into his yard.
Rep. Elsie Arntzen, R-Billings, heads the committee. She limited testimony to 40 minutes. After the opponents of the bill had used up their 20 minutes, she invited the dozens of people still waiting to testify to simply state their name, where they were from and if they opposed the bill.
Ninety-six people filed to the microphone.
Published on Friday, January 23, 2009.
Last modified on 1/23/2009 at 1:27 am
Pit bull owners decry proposed ban, which dies in committee
More than 100 of the breed's supporters show up to oppose bill
By JENNIFER McKEE
Gazette State Bureau
HELENA - The pit bulls of Montana are safe.
A bill to ban the breed died in committee late Thursday. The House Local Government Committee voted 17-1 against passing House Bill 191. Only the bill's sponsor, Rep. Robyn Driscoll, D-Billings, voted in favor of the bill.
Moments later, the committee voted unanimously to table the bill, a move that means the bill is dead.
HB191 proposed banning pit bills in Montana and was the subject of enormous interest. More than 100 pit bull enthusiasts showed up to oppose the bill. They filled the small meeting room and spilled out into the hallway, where they could be heard cheering when a pit bull owner delivered particularly rousing testimony.
In an unusual move, Ed Tinsley, the House sergeant-at-arms, had one of his security aides posted outside the door and another inside.
Driscoll said the bill was prompted by two serious pit bull attacks in Billings since 2007. One of those victims, Douglas Reubke, 58, told the committee about his experience last April when he was walking his Shih Tzu and was attacked by his neighbor's pit bull.
Rep. Don Roberts, R-Billings, also spoke in favor of the bill. Roberts is an oral surgeon and said he is often called upon to repair the deep facial tissue damage typical of a pit bull attack on a child.
"They go through the tissue and to the bone," Roberts said. "They don't let go."
Another woman, Shelly Wittman of Ballantine, said pit bulls often kill her chickens. One reached its head through her fence and grabbed her 4-year-old granddaughter, ripping off the youngster's coat, before getting its head stuck in the fence.
But more than 100 opponents to the bill countered those arguments with their own: Many said aggressive pit bull behavior is not endemic to the breed. Some people are attracted to the breed just for their vicious reputation and may abuse and neglect the dogs in an effort to "toughen them up." That creates vicious dogs.
But pit bulls don't have to be that way, said Christine Wagner Dernburger of Miles City, who came with her pit bull service dog, Butterfly. Wagner Dernburger's pit bull was wearing mesh butterfly wings and sat docilely at her feet.
Butterfly was trained by Erika Phillips, an animal behavior consultant from Miles City, who trains controversial breeds like pit bulls across the United States and North America. Phillips, who also came to oppose the bill, said in an interview after the hearing that pit bulls are no different from other breeds.
One man who testified against the bill said his pit bull is nice, but did "tear up" his neighbor's Doberman and, like any dog, would go after someone who came into his yard.
Rep. Elsie Arntzen, R-Billings, heads the committee. She limited testimony to 40 minutes. After the opponents of the bill had used up their 20 minutes, she invited the dozens of people still waiting to testify to simply state their name, where they were from and if they opposed the bill.
Ninety-six people filed to the microphone.
Published on Friday, January 23, 2009.
Last modified on 1/23/2009 at 1:27 am
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