Possible BSL in Rochester, NY

[Stacy White]

I posted the following as part of a response to the Humane Society topic, but I really need all the help I can get.

If you'd like to help me out, please also send a message to <A HREF=mailto:crmayor@www.rochester.lib.ny.us> Mayor William Johnson</A> of Rochester, NY. After a couple recent pit bull attacks, he is proposing to hold pit bull owners more accountable for their dogs' actions than the rest of dogs. He wants to have the NY law outlawing breed-specific legislation changed.
Please help me convince him that breed-specific is not the way to go!

A step in the right direction is to enforce and penalize the existing leash and license laws. One of the recent attacks involved two dogs whose owner was ticketed a total of 7 times for unleashed or unlicensed dogs.

Thanks for your support!

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Stacy White
stacywhite@rottweiler.net

[MJ22LAM]

Stacy and everyone,

I am a resident of Buffalo and have sent a letter to the Mayor of Rochester:

Dear Mayor Johnson,

Athough I do not live in the city of Rochester, I live in neighboring Buffalo. I understand the concern of people in regards to viscous animals, and the dangers that they do present to everyone who is around them. On the other hand there are few bad people who do not treat their animals the way they need to be treated, and are not responsible owners, these people abuse their animals, don't license them and don't give them the direction and attention that they need to be good canine citizens. I do not own a Pit Bull, however I am one of many extremely responsible Rottweiler owners that is constantly subjected to people calling my animal by very nasty names, when in fact they don't even know him, they cross the street when we are walking, call him a killer dog, and can be very nasty to myself and my family. Our Rottweiler was screened for temprement ( which is excellent), has basic obedience training, is loved, cared for, and treated as a member of our family. He is going for Canine good citizen, and is licensed, and has regular vet visits. We follow all the laws in our area in regards to canine behavior, and our Sampson has better temperment that some small breed animals in our area. If you change the law in New York State that doesn't allow breed specific banning, you are going to take the good people who respect the law and love their pets they way they love their children, and break their hearts because a minority of dog owners have tarnished and destroyed the names of these wonderful animals, Rottweilers and Pitbulls alike are not viscous by nature and are actually very loyal family oriented animals, the problem is not with the dogs, the problem is with the immature irresponsible people who beat, starve, and leave their animals chained up to a tree to fend for themselves, who make their pets viscous. Please do not punish those of us who cherish these breeds, we are the ones setting an example and showing the world that these animals are good, and the people are responsible for creating the troubles that we see. We love our dogs, and have so many other heartaches during our lives, and they are our unconditional friends, the only ones who will be true to us until the day they die.

Sincerely,
Leigh Ann Misechok
A concerned NYS resident

[Barbara Surplus]

Good for you, Leigh Ann, and well said. Let's hope it makes a difference.
Barbara