[downtowndude]

Some dumbass let his Pit escape the house and it ate a Doxie. The owner asked the City of Taylor, MI to consider BSL. This is where I live!

Please, please, send a letter and go vote in the News Herald Poll. Its at the bottom of the newspapers page in the middle.

Newspaper Poll : http://www.thenewsherald.com/

Email from Anti_BSL list I belong to that includes contact info for City officials



According to the article below, a resident of Taylor, Michigan has requested the city consider regulating the ownership of "pit bulls." It is unclear whether a formal proposal has been introduced. The June 5 council meeting agenda does not indicate the topic was discussed by council, however the "open business" category does not list specific matters. In addition, the minutes for that meeting are not yet posted.

One thing that is very clear, however, is the media is fueling the flames of the issue, and residents need to reach out to city officials and voice their concerns regarding breed specific legislation. Please send your polite, respectful and informative opposition to any proposed breed specific ordinance to the Taylor officials. The link for council agendas is included below, and there is a link to watch council meetings on the city website, as well.


City of Taylor, MI
23555 Goddard Road
Taylor, Michigan 48180
(734) 374-1474
Fax: (734) 374-1343

Online contact form for the city: http://www.cityoftaylor.com/contact

City Council:
CBurke4Taylor@gmail.com,brandanaj@comcast.net,jackiemolner@comcast.net,jo hnedelo@aol.com,suefitzpatrick311@gmail.com,
dstaple417@aol.com,r_sollars@kutritemfg.com


Online contact form for Mayor Jeffrey Lamarand
http://www.cityoftaylor.com/contact/mayor%27s%20office


City Council agendas:
http://www.cityoftaylor.com/city-council-agendas/2012-agendas
TAYLOR: Pit bull attack sparks debate over safety of the breed

Friday, June 8, 2012
By David Komer
Twitter: @DavidKomer_NH

TAYLOR — A recent pit bull attack that killed a resident’s dog has sparked passionate debate from both sides.

On May 29, a pit bull nudged open an unlatched fence and mauled Elizabeth Smith’s dachshund as it was out for a walk. The daschund was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, where it was euthanized because its wounds were so serious.

The pit bull was taken by police and is being held at the city’s animal shelter for 10 days before it is expected to be euthanized.

Smith has since requested toughening city ordinances, such as requiring registration or muzzles for specific breeds like pit bulls.

Some cities, like Allen Park, have banned the breed.

Dr. Kerry McKinney, a veterinarian, said dogs should be licensed as a way to make sure they have their rabies vaccinations.

“That’s a public health issue,” she said.

McKinney said she is comfortable with the idea of euthanizing dogs that have a history of unprovoked attacks.

Taylor resident Mark Gersky said he has been an advocate for banning the breed after his 3-year-old nephew was killed by a pit bull in Detroit.

Gersky said his brother, Kevin, an Allen Park police officer, shot and killed a pit bull during an attack on a man when they were unable to pull it off him.

“People need to know they are bred for one thing,” Gersky said. “(Killing) is in their blood.”

Taylor resident Thomas Jenkins owns two pit bulls and said that any dog can be mean — it just depends on how it is raised.

“The worst offenders are kids teasing any animals, throwing rocks, taking sticks, poking at them,” he said. “I had to put a privacy fence up to keep my dogs safe.

“They still egg my dogs on and throw things in my yard.”

When it comes to legislation, McKinney said there is a gray area when it comes to being provoked, and that many laws don’t prevent incidents, but do allow for restitution and punishment.

Online, two posts on The News-Herald Newspapers’ Facebook page netted 86 comments as of Friday, with emotions running high on both sides of the argument.

Reader Liv Preston wrote: “I’ve always hated the false accusation of all pit bulls being aggressive or violent. I owned a pit bull, and he was loving and shy.”

Preston also wrote that she was mauled once by a golden retriever.

Reader Stephanie Monroe is a pit bull owner who is skeptical about attack report statistics.

“Know about a breed before owning one,” she wrote. “Don’t judge a dog if you know nothing about them. Someone that was close to me was attacked by a Labrador, which is supposedly the nicest dog you can get.”

Reader James Garrison II wrote that the bad reputation of pit bulls is not by accident.

“How many people and animals are going to be attacked before people admit how dangerous these dogs are?” he wrote.

Taylor reader Jess Crawford said he had his own close call with a pit bull last year.

“ I had one run out a door at me and my dog on Sloan (Street),” he wrote.

Reader Ronald Wakefield believes the owners are the ones who need to be punished.

“Hold the owners accountable for what their dogs do as if they committed the act themselves,” he wrote.

Monroe wrote that dogs still are man’s best friend, and that comes with a responsibility.

“The way a dog acts is a direct reflection of the owner,” she wrote. “Each and every dog is an animal that has a chance of being dangerous unless it’s trained right.”

Contact Staff Writer David Komer at 1-734-246-0866 or dkomer@heritage.com. Follow him on Facebook and @DavidKomer_NH on Twitter.


http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...mode=fullstory

[bgsavings]

I voted in the poll for owning a pit bull. It's a little disturbing how many "no" votes there are. Hope that turns around!

[downtowndude]

Me, too. Thanks so much!

[fluistulkn]

[Toivaluadiora]

Voted.. Only 23% of votes are yes.

[Quiniacab]

i voted. i hope you get more votes (or they do some more research before considering BSL) i am sorry to hear this news.

---------- Post added at 06:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:57 PM ----------

i voted. i hope you get more votes (or they do some more research before considering BSL) i am sorry to hear this news. this proves it only takes ONE incident to cause an uproar for BSL. People need to be more responsible.

[DoniandaCoado]

I voted for you, as should everyone here. I hope they are not counting that poll as public opinion. That poll is bias to begin with. Yes or no they are too dangerous? Really?

[romalama]

Im gonna spread this on my fb and on other pitbull lover siteS and fansites kk! I WILL NOT LET THIS PASS!!!

[Pypeassesty]

I voted. I'll be writing out an email when I get off work tomorrow as today's heat has left my brain pretty fried.

I hope this blows over for you guys, and I know you're already on the warpath.

[downtowndude]

Thank all of you for the support. I have my form email sent out to all council members. I have also called everyone I know that lives in the city or nearby. It's going up on FB soon. I debated FB since I was afraid shares would bring people who are in favor of BSL, but I am going to put it out there and hope the people in favor are a minority. Until I know more there isn't really much to do but keep netowrking and talking to people, plan for the worst, hope for the best and wait to see how the city responds.

[Waymninelia]

Where the heck do you vote? can't find it...

[downtowndude]

When I last looked it was on the page at the bottom, middle-ish, between some ads.

---------- Post added at 11:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 PM ----------

Just above "Local News" and below the tabs with "Most Popular".

[251EPyso]

I made the mistake of reading the comments. Note to self: Stay away from Troy, Michigan.

Good luck with the BSL garbage.

---------- Post added at 10:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------

Where the heck do you vote? can't find it...

http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...mode=fullstory

[DariushPetresku]

There's no more poll

[wmcelesta]

There's no more poll

X2...what the hell kind of poll only runs for one day?

It's unfortunate that people don't realize that what they really need to work on is finding a way to ban the idiots.

I feel bad for both dogs involved and the potential fall out on all the other bully breeds.

[ChicasCams]

no more poll, but there is a contact to send an email on the subject.. I did and attached a very good article about the breed and the ignorance of the human holding the other end of the leash.. Fingers crossed for you

[BDDkDvgZ]

no poll but I left a comment hopefully this all blows over soon!

---------- Post added at 09:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

oh and... 90 lbs? What kind of pit bull weighs 90 lbs? A pit bull that ISNT a pit bull maybe? maybe an Am Bully? Pits take the heat again...

[DoniandaCoado]

Are there any strong organizations out there dedicated to stopping BSL?

[downtowndude]

Quite a few. Just do what I did and Google. After finding a few you like, check and see if they need any help or volunteer work done. Join their mailing lists so you will be notified of places considering passing BSL. Also, the group I joined will spread the word when a place repeals BSL or proposed BSL is defeated, so it's not all doom and gloom.

---------- Post added at 11:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:53 AM ----------

And I slept like shit. This possible BSL thing was the last thing I thought about before I fell asleep and the first thing I thought about this morning. I feel sick to my stomach.

Local politics being what it is, if the Maylor comes out against BSL the city council would vote for it just to spite him. Seriously. They even tried to recall him, but the voters stood up for the Mayor we elected and he is still in office. The council is a bit...perturbed. The council is a holdover relic from the days when we had a lot of tax revenue and refuses to get it when it comes to budget cuts just to keep us afloat. Now this? Really?

I want to move so bad. The downside of owning a house is that you can do whatever you want, own what pets you want, right up until some asshat gets an idea and other asshats in politics see it as a way to A) claim they are "doing something" and B) can use said idea to distract from real problems.

[Nesskissabe]

This is very sad. I will send a letter too.