In California? FIGHT BACK on Election day

[RedyreRottweilers]

From http://www.chako.org/dogblog/blogs/chako_official_dog_blg/archive/2006/02/01/169.aspx


Fight Back on Election Day by Remembering These Names for California

Jackie Speier is running for Lieutenant Governor, vacating her current State Senate Seat for Senate District 8. Speier sponsored SB 861, the law that allows California communities to engage in breed profiling. Obviously, responsible dog owners should vote NO to Jackie Speier, wherever and whenever her name appears on a ballot. Tom McClintock is also vying for Lieutenant Governor. He voted NO to the bill and even took the extra step to ask the Governor to Veto SB 861. I don't know about you, but I'm voting YES to McClintock come election day, and I've made absolutely sure my voter registration is updated!

Speier vacating her senate seat leaves an opening. Already, the political vultures are swarming around the opportunity to become State Senator. Amongst those vultures is Leland Yee, a current State Assemblyman. He voted YES to SB 861 and therefore YES to breed discrimination . He may have thought we wouldn't remember his yes vote, since it was just one among many, but we have. I certainly have, and I hope you do, too, come election day. Give Yee a good kick in the rump by NOT voting for him.

The other political hopefuls for Senate District 8 are Mike Nevin and Lou Papan. Neither one had any voting responsibiliti es for SB 861, but all three are democrats, and of course, SB 861 was a democrat sponsored bill. That doesn't necessarily mean either would support breed discrimination, but we know one thing for sure -- Leland Yee and Jackie Speier wholeheartedly support breed discrimination .

Both Yee and Speier need to be OUT of office if responsible California dog owners hope to be able to keep the dogs of their choice and persons with disabilities don't want to have to keep fighting for their right to keep their service dogs, regardless of breed. (After all, even when told several times that she should exempt service dogs, Jackie Speier refused to write such an exemption into her breed discrimination bill).

Politics is dirty, and here's even more dirt. Want to remember who voted YES and NO to SB 861:

Assembly members voting: http://www.pitbull.us/sb861vote.pdf

State Senators voting: http://www.pitbull.us/politicians.htm

And if you want to keep tabs on who is spending the most money on their campaigns, check out this article. Money might buy advertising and other campaign goodies, but it won't make people forget. We have the following message for Yee: No matter how much money you spend on your campaign, Mr. Yee, ye won't have the vote of responsible dog owners in California.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Ty for posting, Red!...Hopefully our West Coast friends will read this & make a difference!!

[PupDaddy]

Another option is to vote FOR the people who support protecting the public from dangerous dogs, and the owners of those dog.

If you are wondering the BPO comedian, Pupdaddy, is suddenly supporting BLS look at the pictures below. This is Lilly, one of SPIN's fosters. Lilly was rescued for Lousiana after Katrina. Two weeks ago, Lilly's foster mom was walking her when a loose pit bull charged her and tore her up. It took 5 people to seperate the dogs, and this was the second time this same pit bull has attacked a dog on this street.

It you think BSL is wrong, then help solve the problem of agressive dogs and irresponsible owners. Get out and campaign FOR the right law, not AGAINST the only people who are trying to do something to help!

[Teamshredit]

Thank you for clarifying an important issue. I get so confused during election time and this will most certainly help! 

[RedyreRottweilers]

The problem is not the dog.

The problem is the fact it was running loose.

Kill all the pitbulls. You will still have dogs running loose.

It is proven statistically that BSL does not work. BSL laws have recentley been overturned in several areas.

Animal control laws need to be fair, effective, enforced, and apply to all dogs and owners equally.

Anything otherwise is not fair.

Any person owning a dog who injures an animal or a person while at large should be liable for the damages, and subject to assault charges.

[PupDaddy]

Poor Lilly.   Pupdaddy, was anything done about the dog that did this?

Tina

Animal Control did nothing, the Pit Bull didn't bite a person, and the ACO's did not see the dog running loose

The foster was considering fileing charges on her own, but she's single, and a schoolteacher. She would have to take off from work to go to the court house and file the charges.

The HOA will probably address the situation, at their next meeting.

One of SPIN's board member is a lawyer. She will demand compensation for the medical bills, or take the guy to court.

[PupDaddy]

The problem is not the dog.

The problem is the fact it was running loose.

Kill all the pitbulls. You will still have dogs running loose.

It is proven statistically that BSL does not work. BSL laws have recentley been overturned in several areas.

Animal control laws need to be fair, effective, enforced, and apply to all dogs and owners equally.

Anything otherwise is not fair.

Any person owning a dog who injures an animal or a person while at large should be liable for the damages, and subject to assault charges.

The problem was a DANGEROUS BREED of dog, one bred to attack and fight, was running loose.

BSL might be as wrong headed as gun control, and STATISTICALLY as ineffective as gun control. But at least, someone has recognized that there is a problem, and is trying to do something about it.

Please consider trying to work with a politician who has recognized there is a problem to be addresses, not just vote against them.

(P.S. - I'm in Texas, so not campaigning for either canidate)

[Jessdryden]

I used to be afraid of many kinds of "dangerous" dogs: rottweilers, dobermans, german shepards, and pit bulls.  The bad reputations of these dogs were all I had heard.  Then I met a rottweiler--what a wonderful dog he was!  That made me think about what I had heard about these dogs and other breeds.  I made a point to meet these rotties, dobies, and GS and their owners.  My perception had been so wrong!

Our first newfie was attacked in a park by a loose dog.  An English Bulldog.  It was terrifying.  Just as terrifying as Lilly being attacked (Poor Lilly!).  However, in my opinion, it is the owners not the dogs that are the problem.  The bulldog that attacked our newfie had attacked a horse earlier in the same park yet the owners did not do anything to prevent it from attacking again. 

In my small town, there is a group of people who raise pit bulls for fighting.  You occasionally see them walking down the street with their fighting pits...they like to intimidate people with them.  (These are NOT nice people.)  These dogs are genuinely frightening.  But, it is the people who own them not the dogs who made them this way.  The dogs have been abused for their entire lives.  Mean people will have mean dogs whether they are pit bulls or not.  If pit bulls are outlawed, they will raise and fight labs or goldens or newfies or any other breed.  It isn't about their breed, it is about the abuse.

That being said, my sister has a rescued pit bull.  She is one of the sweetest dogs we have ever had.  My sister found her in the street, dehydrated and malnourished.  She tried to find her a new home but was told by the shelters that pit bulls are euthanized.  No questions asked, no grace period.  So, my sister kept her.  She has been a challenge to train and we don't take chances with her (she is never out unattended and she is crated when no one is home); we don't know her history.  In a loving, stable environment she is really thriving and has shown herself to be sweet, loving, and trustworthy.

I guess I've rambled on long enough.  My point is that it is the people, not the dog that are responsible for dangerous dogs.  Restricting the allowable breeds doesn't solve this problem.

[Newf Lover]

Die politicians!  DIE!  They are all jokes!  They pretend to be doing something admirable when all they're doing is trying to get voter support to get re-elected.  God forbid they get a real job outside of politics.  Pit Bulls are EVERYWHERE now, that is the god honest truth.  I don't care how many nice ones you have been around, you will eventually encounter a mean one.  Many of us have, fortunately my encounters have had a fence in between me and the dog.  The problem with this issue is that there is no bill to ban the  stupid people who breed Pit Bulls for fighting and in this ultra-liberal state that protects everybody, including child molesters and serial killers, that will never happen.  Our states legislature, like so many other states, waits until something bad happens before they react.  No wonder our schools are some of the worst in the US and our debt grows and grows.  I love living here in California, it is so beautiful, but things are so backwards.  Gay marriage and protecting sex offenders is a priority for many legislators, like Mark Leno, while Families and public safety comes last.  I don't think a ban on agressive dogs would do anything except make business more lucrative for the breeders and trainers of those dogs because they are taking more of a risk.  But that's just my opinion....

[PupDaddy]

Die politicians!  DIE!  They are all jokes!  They pretend to be doing something admirable when all they're doing is trying to get voter support to get re-elected.  ...

How true. One stakes a position supporting BSL, and his opponent chooses to fight against it. Neither of them wants to win the argument, so they can keep the BS flying

[RedyreRottweilers]

Having owned trained and shown dogs since the late 80s, I do not personally believe there is any such thing as a dangerous breed of dog.

Bad dogs happen, and they come in all shapes sizes and breeds. A golden retreiver just killed a kid in NY. Does that make Goldens bad? No.

Responsible owners who have well mannered and well bred dogs should not be made to pay for the mistakes and stupidity of others.

I am in NO WAY responsible for any other human being or their dogs or how they handle their dogs. I AM responsible for MY dogs, and the dogs I breed and place.

Dog bite injuries and dogs running at large is a people problem. Not a dog problem.

Unless and until the PEOPLE part of the equation is addressed, the problems will never stop.

We need public education, rigid leash laws effectively enforced, a wide campaign for early spay neuter and training, and the outlawing of chaining as a method of confinement for dogs.

My dogs are my hobby and a huge part of my life. I will fight as long as I have breath in my body for the right of anyone to own any breed they choose, and I will also fight for them to take absolute responsibility under the law for the actions of those dogs.

JMO as always.



PS I think the owner of the dog who inflicted the injuries above should be held criminally liable for it.

[GermanShepherdGirl]

I 100% agree!!!!

[Newf Lover]

I totally agree with you Red, but I don't think there's going to be public outcry if the bill passes.  This bill is fueled by people's fears and by the reality that our pounds are filled with Pit Bulls.  The sweet, well behaved Pit Bulls don't make the news, it's the ones that maul people and rip the ears off of little boys that do.  Unless the media changes their viewpoint on this, I honestly believe this bill will pass.  Aside from a government agency being created just to combat this situation, how will things change?  I'm all for alternatives if they are realistic and able to be implemented into State law.

[Jessdryden]

As always Red, very well said!  I completely agree.

[jupiterjenny]

i worked at the Denver Dumb Friends League (Animal Shelter) for years- and the Denver animal control was already euthinizing all pitts brought to their shelter- and that was in 1996! at the league we were transfering pits to shelters in longmont,boulder and other counties were pitts were still ok. But to what end- bad people who own bad pitts- fight them and other such crap- dont care about any law. I meet meny people - while i was working in the veterinary field- who regularly showed up with new pitts- saying the city had taken the ones we had seen before- so they just went and bought new ones.
what scares me the most..what breed is next? i have be told that most homeowners insurances wont cover great danes!!!!Is someone going to tell me i can't have my dog?
I agree- here in california- there NEEDS to be more strict licencing laws- and spay /neuter laws.
instead of breed bans- we need more public education- maybe a special licence for the breed people are worried about- a licence that requires a 'yard check' and a general interview with the owner??? i don't know..but a blanket law against one breed can only lead to more laws.