Post by RealPitBull on Jul 25, 2009 7:23:00 GMT -5
MWC & Residents Fight Over Dog Ban
KSBI News
Story Created: Jul 20, 2009 at 5:24 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jul 20, 2009 at 6:23 PM CDT
Covering the metro, a battle continues in Midwest City over which dogs can be owned by residents. Bull terrier is one of the breeds that are not allowed. But a local family won a ruling to keep their dogs and now, the city is waiting for their appeal to be heard in court.
Jerry Stuckey, a bull terrier owner said, "Show them love and they show people and other dogs love. All my dogs love other dogs."
Diesel is a 5 year-old bull terrier, who loves to play.
"She's just a real good dog, she's real laid back unless you have a treat in your hand," MWC resident Carol Stuckey said.
That's why the Stuckey's are fighting to keep all 3 of their bull terriers as part of the family. Midwest City ordinance says that pit bulls, bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, and a few others are banned from the city.
"It is not the dog and it is not the breed it's the person who raises that dog," Carol explained. "To me it's education because first they're not pit bulls. And if you want to keep vicious dogs out of Midwest City, it shouldn't involve one specific breed because any breed can be a vicious dog."
Midwest City has appealed a ruling to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals after the Stuckey's won a lawsuit against the city.
Katherine Bolles, the City Attorney for Midwest City said, "Those dogs will seek out small children or petite women as their prey. They don't just bite them and release, they bite to kill."
Oklahoma Statute indicates that no one can practice specific breed banning. So Midwest City says they should be able to rule over local issues since they're a Home-Rule Charter City.
"If Midwest City can't control the types of animals in it's borders. If it can't allow that than what can it decide?" Bolles describes.
But the Stuckey's say no breed should be banned, and that Midwest City needs to stop spending money to fight the ruling.
"Other cities around the country have had to get rid of their breed specific legislation, and in turn they work together with people and they wrote vicious dog ordinances," Jerry added. "You can have a half pit bull half rottweiler in Midwest City, but you can't have a registered, $2,500 bull terrier."
The Stuckeys will continue their fight, But only in the best interest of their 4 legged friends.
"We don't care about winning or losing, we just want to keep our dogs and get on with life," Carol concluded.
Jerry Stuckey says his lawyer has found no registered bites by a bull terrier breed in the United States in the last 20 years. The city says they're trying to be pro-active and prevent an incident before it happens.
KSBI News
Story Created: Jul 20, 2009 at 5:24 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jul 20, 2009 at 6:23 PM CDT
Covering the metro, a battle continues in Midwest City over which dogs can be owned by residents. Bull terrier is one of the breeds that are not allowed. But a local family won a ruling to keep their dogs and now, the city is waiting for their appeal to be heard in court.
Jerry Stuckey, a bull terrier owner said, "Show them love and they show people and other dogs love. All my dogs love other dogs."
Diesel is a 5 year-old bull terrier, who loves to play.
"She's just a real good dog, she's real laid back unless you have a treat in your hand," MWC resident Carol Stuckey said.
That's why the Stuckey's are fighting to keep all 3 of their bull terriers as part of the family. Midwest City ordinance says that pit bulls, bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, and a few others are banned from the city.
"It is not the dog and it is not the breed it's the person who raises that dog," Carol explained. "To me it's education because first they're not pit bulls. And if you want to keep vicious dogs out of Midwest City, it shouldn't involve one specific breed because any breed can be a vicious dog."
Midwest City has appealed a ruling to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals after the Stuckey's won a lawsuit against the city.
Katherine Bolles, the City Attorney for Midwest City said, "Those dogs will seek out small children or petite women as their prey. They don't just bite them and release, they bite to kill."
Oklahoma Statute indicates that no one can practice specific breed banning. So Midwest City says they should be able to rule over local issues since they're a Home-Rule Charter City.
"If Midwest City can't control the types of animals in it's borders. If it can't allow that than what can it decide?" Bolles describes.
But the Stuckey's say no breed should be banned, and that Midwest City needs to stop spending money to fight the ruling.
"Other cities around the country have had to get rid of their breed specific legislation, and in turn they work together with people and they wrote vicious dog ordinances," Jerry added. "You can have a half pit bull half rottweiler in Midwest City, but you can't have a registered, $2,500 bull terrier."
The Stuckeys will continue their fight, But only in the best interest of their 4 legged friends.
"We don't care about winning or losing, we just want to keep our dogs and get on with life," Carol concluded.
Jerry Stuckey says his lawyer has found no registered bites by a bull terrier breed in the United States in the last 20 years. The city says they're trying to be pro-active and prevent an incident before it happens.
I look forward to learning much here