Philadelphia Vicious dog bill

[HANNAPOOH]

City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller introduced legislation yesterday that if approved would require owners of attack dogs to buy special liability insurance, get special licenses, keep dogs in cages rather than fenced yard. It would single out American Pit Bull Terriers, Am Staffordshire terriers, and ROTTWEILERS.

State Rep. John Myers D-Phila will introduce legislation next week to exempt Phila from state regs. so the City can enforce Miller's bill if it passes.

The story goes on to cite specific attacks that have happened in the city including one by a Boxer but of course it is not singled out.

How can legislators be so stupid and naive?????

:(

[Soapie&Buddy'sMom]

wow I didn't hear about this one.... and I live in a suburb of Phila.
Do you have any links or cites I could look at? Thanks

[RSQRottweiler]

Originally posted by HANNAPOOH
City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller introduced legislation yesterday that if approved would require owners of attack dogs to buy special liability insurance, get special licenses, keep dogs in cages rather than fenced yard. It would single out American Pit Bull Terriers, Am Staffordshire terriers, and ROTTWEILERS.

State Rep. John Myers D-Phila will introduce legislation next week to exempt Phila from state regs. so the City can enforce Miller's bill if it passes.

The story goes on to cite specific attacks that have happened in the city including one by a Boxer but of course it is not singled out.

How can legislators be so stupid and naive?????

:(

I don't know if they're really stupid, but they are certainly not educated dog people for the most part. Sadly, what they do "know" is often fed to them by people/groups who support BSL.

In some cases it's an ACO who claims he's never met a nice pit bull or Rottweiler (how often is someone going to call AC to report a nice Rottweiler?), using that as "proof" that the breeds are naturally vicious. Other groups want to see an end to dogfighting (don't we all), but believe the only way to accomplish it is to ban the dogs. Again

It's up to the responsible, common-sense dog owners to keep in touch with the legislators and provide them examples of non-BS laws.

Good luck!

Audrey

[HANNAPOOH]

Originally posted by Soapie&Buddy'sMom
wow I didn't hear about this one.... and I live in a suburb of Phila.
Do you have any links or cites I could look at? Thanks

It was in the Phila. Daily news last week. If anyone would like to contact Councilwoman Miller, her phone and fax # can be found and www.phil.gov. I couldn't find an email address. I wanted her to know that they should make baseball illegal first because more children are in emergency rooms each year for injuries sustained playing baseball/softball than dog bites.

[abraxas]

I couldn't find an email address.

this may work as e-mail. i received the following e-mail address from a poster on another board. please get involved even if you do not live in the city. ato's trainer brought up a good point last night at class. if this passes you may not be able to bring rottweilers to places like University of Pennsylvania for premium health care. the potential implications are far reaching!!!!

City Clerk states the Council members have e-mail, and their system
is set
> up as follows:
>
> lastname.firstname@phila.gov

example: (verna.anna@phila.gov)

here is a list of other council members and at the bottom is an address if you choose snail mail:

The Honorable Anna Verna (President)
> 215-686-3412 (ph) 215-686-1932 (fax)
>
Council Member Frank DiCicco
> 215-686-3458 (ph) 215-686-1931 (fax)
>
> Council Member Jannie Blackwell
> 215-686-3418 (ph) 215-686-1933 (fax)
>
Council Member Michael Nutter
> 215-686-3416 (ph) 215-686-1934 (fax)
>
> Council Member Darrell Clarke
> 215-686-3442 (ph) 215-686-1901 (fax)
>
Council Member Joan L Krajewski
> 215-686-3444 (ph) 215-686-1935 (fax)
>
> Council Member Richard Mariano
> 215-686-3448 (ph) 215-686-1936 (fax)
>
Council Member Donna Reed Miller (sponsor)
> 215-686-3424 (ph) 215-686-1937 (fax)
>
> Council Member Marian Tasco
> 215-686-3454 (ph) 215-686-1938 (fax)
>
Council Member Brian O'Neill
> 215-686-3422 (ph) 215-686-1939 (fax)
>
> Council Member David Cohen
> 215-686-3446 (ph) 215-686-1927 (fax)
>
Council Member Wilson Goode, Jr.
> 215-686-3414 (ph) 215-686-1928 (fax)
>
> Council Member James Kenney
> 215-686-3450 (ph) 215-686-2013 (fax)
>
Council Member W. Thacher Longstreth
> 215-686-3452 (ph) 215-686-1925 (fax)
>
> Council Member Angel Ortiz
> 215-686-3420 (ph) 215-686-1930 (fax)
>
Council Member Blondell Reynolds-Brown
> 215-686-3438 (ph) 215-686-1926 (fax)
>
> Council Member Frank Rizzo
> 215-686-3440 (ph) 215-686-1929 (fax)

Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller
Attn. Naomi Williams
Room 312 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107

[Vicki]

http://www.akc.org/love/dip/legislat...a_breedleg.cfm

[SarasMom]

Unbelievable!!! Late January gives plenty of time to work on this. How many can get involved?! I will and I will also make sure TDI is aware of this. Can you imagine the implications if therapy dogs are not allowed to visit places where children might be??

[jellings]

Details on this bill can be found here:
http://www.hallwatch.org/councilnoti...264248100/view

(url may wrap)

Also, you can fax your anger with this legislation to the sponsor of the bill, by going here (I implore you to do it, as Phila has a long history of unresponsive council-folk):

http://www.hallwatch.org/profiles/miller

May this bill be shot down.

[Karyn]

Well, I guess the U of P canine blood bank won't be allow to get blood from Rottweilers any more!

[abraxas]

i have talked to some affiliated with U of P vet...they do NOT think this will happen. of great concern to me, is that NO ONE i talk to had any idea that BSL is an issue in philly...not even those at penn and other vets. rest assured, they now know :D

spoke to the legislative aid yesterday and there will be a hearing soon...most likely at the end of march.

[Judy Chrusch]

My husband and I will definately be at that public hearing in Jan. We are members of a new Rottweiler club that covers the Greater Philadelphia area so it is in our backyard so to speak and it affects us tremendously. We have just recently formed this club to educate and help those who own rottweilers and most importantly to preserve the breed. If at all possible we will have all our members attend as well. I made a copy of the article and will pass it out to as many people as possible. We will do whatever we can to stop this.

Judy

[abraxas]

there will be no meeting in january due to the budget. naomi williams (legislative aid to donna reed miller, sponsor) informed me that they are looking toward the end of march to schedule the hearing...i will post as soon as i am aware of the exact date.

please keep this in mind...and if you cannot attend, perhaps a meeting via telephone can be scheduled with ms. williams.

if you would like to testify at the hearing, you will need to be put on a list and can do so by contacting a council member. i recently received an e-mail from frank dicicco which informed me to contact his aid in order to be put on this list.

see you at the hearing!!!

[Therin]

Well there are alot of speeders in Memphis and if you are speeding you MUST drive a sports car so lets outlaw sports cars,...That will solve the speeding problem........arghhhhh

[SarasMom]

I have notified TDI (Therapy Dogs International) about this.

[TwitEm]

There are a few paragraphs about this proposed pHILADELPHIA ordinance in the mARCH, 2002 issue of Dog World. According to the article, the ordinance d efines as dangerous one who "is o5r exhibits the characteristics of Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler or any other breed determied by the Department of HeALTH to exhibit particularly power5ful jaws, aggressiveness, and the ability to withstand infliction of pain to a degree that makes such preeds particularly dangerous." Talk about constitutionally vague and/or overbroad! Such animals are to wear a special high risk license and tag. These "igh risk" dogs are forbidden trom entering school yards, playgrounds and other areas where children congregate. Violaters to be fined $300.00
iN ADDition to the "high risk" license fee, owners must microchip their dogs and maintain a $50,000 liability policy.