Recordpub.com - Ravennans growling about new dog law Proposal would register pit bulls

By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
Several Ravenna residents Monday voiced their dissatisfaction with a proposed ordinance about vicious and dangerous dogs to City Council.
If passed, the ordinance would require owners of pit bull breeds to register their dogs with the police department, or face prosecution.
LuAnn Stuver Rogers, along with three other Ravenna residents, opposed the ordinance at the meeting, even though none of them own pit bulls.
Rogers said she fears the inclusion in the ordinance that any dog can be deemed "dangerous" and required to be registered if it attacks another animal or human being.
"It's really a slippery slope," she said. "This year it's pit bulls, next year it could be German shepherds, and so on. I just have a lot of concerns with that."
Rogers said vicious and dangerous dogs result from the lack of socialization, training and responsible dog owners, not breed types.
"The real problems caused by dogs are from the dog owners," said Rogers, who writes the weekly "Dog Tales" column for the Record-Courier.
Councilman Bruce Ribelin said the city will host a public meeting Aug. 4 to entertain further dialogue between residents and to discuss possible changes to the draft resolution.
"I will certainly listen to any (suggestions)," he said. "That is why I left (the ordinance) on first reading. It may need tweaked before we vote on it."
The ordinance, seven pages in length, outlines possible regulation for dangerous and vicious dogs.
If passed, failure to follow the ordinance could result in misdemeanor charges for the dog owner.
The dogs that would need to be registered are different breeds of pit bull, including American pit bull terrier, bull terrier, Staffordshire terrier and American Staffordshire terrier.
The ordinance defines a dangerous dog as one that "chased or approached in either a menacing fashion or an apparent attack, or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person."
Police dogs and dogs that are provoked into attack are exempt from the ordinance.
According to the ordinance, a vicious dog is defined as one that has killed or caused injury to people has caused injury to or killed another dog or is a pit bull.
Vicious dogs not only will need to be registered, but owners also will need to have the dog insured, and have a microchip implanted by a veterinarian.
The ordinance was modeled after regulations in several other communities and has been proven to hold up in court, said Ribelin.
In other business, pedestrians and motorists alike will no longer need to worry about the falling light posts in the event of inclement weather " or at least that's what city officials are hoping. Council approved a resolution Monday to spend $70,000 to repair 104 light posts throughout the city.
In other business " and farther down the thermometer " council agreed to be included with the Ohio Department of Transportation's salt purchasing cooperative effort during winter months. Mayor Kevin Poland said if the city had the co-op last year, it could have saved as much as $14,000.
It was determined that starting today a few of the traffic lights will begin blinking a caution yellow, as opposed to the typical red, yellow and green motorists expect.
Poland asked City Engineer Mark Bowen to make the changes immediately to two intersections: Sycamore and Spruce streets and Central Avenue and North Chestnut Street.
More traffic lights are expected to be examined at the next streets and sidewalks committee meeting.
"I would like to see this get done," said Poland. "Coming to a stop at Chestnut (Street) and Central (Avenue) at 3 a.m. and there's no one there " it makes no sense."

43.	Posted by JG July 13, 2008
	It sure is true, pretty sad that they're going after our dogs,a domestic animal first.My husband found that information on-line,he just looked under exotic pet laws in Ohio.We've been on-line alot doing research since this whole dog dilemma came about. I also found a real interesting analogy that makes ya think. It's about banning Pit Bulls and I realize that they're not trying to ban them here...yet... Banning Pit Bulls woud be like banning cars because people get killed or injured in car accidents! Who's responsible, the car or the driver/manufacturer? Any car can be deadly in the wrong hands or if built with defective parts.Same thing with dogs...any dog. Pit Bulls are no more respondible for the way they are bred,raised,and trained, than cars are responsible for the way they are designed,built, and driven. I found this on on the Pit Bull Presss website.It's so true!! If you haven't checked out this website yet you really should,it's awesome! People hate Pit Bulls so much it's as if common sense has just flown out the window.This is what the media has done to these beautiful and wonderful creatures,it's horribly sad. Also, I have no idea what makes our Ravenna City Councilmen think they are Pit Bull experts! Do you think any of them own or ever have owned a Pit Bull? Do you think any of their friends or family have ever owned a Pit Bull. I may just be guessing but I'm pretty sure that's a BIG FAT NO to both of those questions. If they actually knew anything about the breed at all this wouldn't even be an issue! Pit Bulls still to this day come highly recommended by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as a good family dog. If anybody knows anything about dogs it's the AKC! Another big organization against Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). They work with dogs all day everyday, I think they probably know a little more about dogs than our fine councilmen of Ravenna! The American Veterinary Medical Association is against BSL also. Again I ask, who do you think knows more about dogs? The Center for Disease Control is against BSL too. All dog bites have to be reported to them,and they don't think Pit Bulls should be banned or discriminated against either! I'd also like to add that my veterinarian has 2 Pit Bulls, this woman studied dogs for 8 years and she works with dogs every single day of her life. I think she knows dogs!! Don't you? Who made the councilmen experts and why in the world do they have the authority to do something this absurd! There are defenitely more pressing issues to deal with here in Ravenna. I'm much more concerned about the people that fly down my road going 50 miles an hour when the speed limit is 25 and there are children out playing all over the place and riding their bikes down the road. I'm more concerned that there is no work here in Ravenna anymore, this city is dying and they're worried about the breed of dogs we have! They seriously need to rearrange their priorities!

41.	Posted by JG July 13, 2008
	Here's some food for thought...What would you be more afraid of, a Pit Bull or a Tiger? The answer is obvious of course. Ohio is 1 of 9 states that currently has no legislation whatsoever regarding owning an exotic or wild animal. Many people think you have to have a special license or permit to have a lion, tiger, bear or any other type of exotic animal,not true. You don't have to have anything!!! No license,no permit,no micro-chip, no insurance required,you don't even have to register them as dangerous and vicious with your police department! The only requirement is that you notify authorities within 1 hour if the animal should escape.I could go to an auction and pick up a pet tiger and that would be just fine,but God forbid owning a Pit Bull! This makes no sense at all! HB 45 was introduced on 2-7-2007 it's regarding legislation on exotic and wild pets but it's sitting idle,nothing has been done with this bill.But...let's go after the Pit Bulls!!! Pretty ridiculous huh?