It seems that Ohio is well on its way to becoming the most BSL-friendly, and Pit Bull unfriendly, state in the US. Not only do they have a number of counties that outright ban the ownership of Pit Bull-type dogs (the designation is given by Animal Control Officers determining whether or not a dog is a “breed of dog commonly known as a Pit Bull), but they have passed an absolutely unconstitutional, and almost comically prejudice, law designating each and every Pitbull breed dog as a “vicious dog”. According to the lawmaking geniuses in Ohio, “By State Law all Pit Bull type dogs are automatically termed to be “vicious dogs”. It doesn’t matter if the dog is a service dog, guide dog, therapy dog etc. If it resembles a Pit Bull, it is vicious by default. As an owner of a “vicious dog” you are subjected to specific laws regarding liability insurance and how your dog must be confined.”
What are these laws that all Ohio Pit Bull owners must follow? Well, if you are one of the lucky residents that lives in a county still allowing Pits, the first part of the legislation is not so terrible, basically requiring people to be responsible owners. All owners need to make sure their dog is securely confined to their yard, always be under control of the owner when out in public, and walked/run on a leash less than 6 feet.
After these simple regulations is where I start to have trouble. The Ohio law also states that all “vicious dogs” need to be muzzled when outside of the home. Now, if you have ever seen a dog wearing a muzzle, you can agree with me that any dog fitted with a muzzle is automatically about 1,000 times more aggressive and vicious looking, no matter what the actual demeanor of the dog. Odds are that if an owner is caring enough to take their pet out on daily walks in the neighborhood, they also are not harboring some sort of inherently vicious creature that will attack anything that moves. I can only imagine that this mandatory muzzling was done in an effort to further spread hatred and fear throughout the community against this already misunderstood breed; what a shame.
Do not let me forget to mention the $100,000 liability coverage that “vicious dog” owners are required to carry on their pets. Under Ohio’s state law, any dog that falls under their loosely defined Pit Bull category must be liable for up to $100,000 in personal injury/damages due to their supposition that they are likely to attack someone. Once again, here Ohio goes with punishing the responsible owners. Does your state really think that drug dealers or other unsavory characters that are keeping these dogs for protection, or to achieve some sort of status, are actually going to follow this law? Do you think these types of people really care that if they are caught not following the law they can get fined up to $1,000 or spent up to 6 months in prison? Come on… The only people you are hurting financially and threatening with prison is the loving, caring people, who have opened their homes to these dogs, many of whom have rescued a dog from a bad situation to give them a second chance at life. How is that any way to treat someone who rescues an animal?
Oh Ohio, I do not know how you managed to float under my radar for so long, but over the past few years you have been hard at work trying to eradicate Pitbulls and any dog resembling a Pit Bull from your state. Has anyone in your legislation ever even considered the pros/cons of introducing such a program? Are you aware that Pit Bulls (defined here as the American Pit Bull Terrier) perform better in temperament tests than Golden Retrievers? Do you know that many rescued Pits are employed as search and rescue, therapy, and guide dogs? Have any of you actually ever even MET a Pit Bull?!
Let me break it down for you. BSL is all fine and dandy while you are going after OTHER PEOPLE’S DOGS, but I have to tell you, your dog is going to be next. You will soon realize that Pit Bulls are not the problem. After all of the Pit Bulls are gone, the focus will shift to another breed, maybe the German Shepards or Rotweilers, then everyone will jump on the new BSL bandwagon, proclaiming that all GSD’s are vicious are ought to be put down, starting a never ending cycle of hurt, despair and senseless killing; all because you are quick to give into sensationalism and are utterly blind to the truth.
Pit Bulls are not for everyone, and unfortunately for the Pits, they have been gaining popularity over the past few decades, and have found themselves in the hands of ill-willed and irresponsible owners. I am completely against violent animals, and I do believe that any animal that has shown aggression towards humans should seek medical attention, but these dogs are not born this way. It is disgusting people like Tyler Eison and proponents of dogfighting that have led to many of the incidents we hear about all too often in the news. The dogs you hear about are not well cared for family pets, they are abused, neglected and improperly cared for canines, doing what they can to please their master. If you would take the time to carefully examine the extenuating circumstances taking place in most of these attack incidents, it will become apparent that the only thing we have to fear is the evil and careless nature of humans.
To me you are all the same. Anyone that thinks its right to ban/euthanize an entire breed of dog because of the actions of a few is no better than the person holding nightly dogfighting events. You are all killing these defenseless animals, and that is the only thing that matters to me. Wake up Ohio, you are not helping anyone with your BullShit Legislation, in fact, you are helping to make these dogs a lot more favorable to that segment of our society that enjoys breaking the law. To all of you out there in the same boat as me, Tucker and Guapo would really appreciate it if you contacted some of the people below and let them know how much their law stinks. Let me know if you need some help writing your letters:)
For those of you preferring to use the telephone –
Tyrone Yates, bill author #614-466-1308
David Daniels, chairman of committee #614-466-3506
Be sure to ask them about the new legislation in the works that will ban Pit Bulls in the entire state of Ohio – HB 568 (currently put on hold until fall 2008).
Emails –
David Daniels, State Representative – district86@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Tyrone Yates – district33@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Webster – district53@ohr.state.oh.us
Comprehensive List of ALL Ohio Reps –
Representative Steve Reinhard, Chairman
77 S. High Street
12th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
(614) 644-6265
(614) 719-6982 FAX
district82@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Danny R. Bubp, Vice-Chairman
(614) 644-6034
(614) 719-6988 FAX
district88@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Jim Aslanides
(614) 644-6014
(614) 719-6994 FAX
district94@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Courtney Eric Combs
(614) 644-6721
(614) 719-6954 FAX
district54@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Diana M. Fessler
(614) 466-8114
(614) 719-3979 FAX
district79@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Lynn R. Wachtmann
(614) 466-3760
(614) 719-3975 FAX
district75@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative John J. White
(614) 466-6504
(614) 719-6966 FAX
district38@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative John Widowfield
(614) 466-1177
(614) 719-6942
district42@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Allan R. Sayre, Ranking Minority Member
(614) 466-8035
(614) 719-6996 FAX
district96@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative John Domenick
(614) 466-3735
(614) 719-6995 FAX
district95@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative William J. Healy, II
(614) 466-8030
(614) 719-6952 FAX
district52@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Dale Mallory
(614) 466-1645
(614) 719-3586 FAX
district32@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Eugene R. Miller
(614) 466-7954
(614) 719-0010 FAX
district10@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Robert J. Otterman
(614) 644-6037
(614) 719-6945 FAX
district45@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Peter S. Ujvagi
(614) 644-6017
(614) 719-6947 FAX
district47@ohr.state.oh.us
James says
I have a female Pit and a male 1/2 Pit 1/2 Lab. Never have they been agressive with each other or out in public. I walk both of them in the evenings on leashes and when another dog is seen coming the direction we are walking they do not try and run toward that animal. I knew from the beginning that I was going to be viewed as someone owning a Pit Bull so I made sure that from the very start that both were trained to follow orders, no jumping, no barking, no pulling on their leash, walk next to my side, ect. Now four years later when I am out walking with them the neighborhood knows these two to be very well trained and I am asked where I took them for dog obedience classes. No place. I read a book, name I do not recall, and also found tips online. The dog breed is not the problem, it is the owner showing their slack in training and/or their treatment to the animal they own. These people that want this law put into effect have another motive under their aim and it does sound like they want all animals that could be used for protection removed from the citizens of Ohio. Like, Uncle Sam wants all guns removed from the public so that we are not able to protect ourselves from an evil government regime. God bless in your effort to stop this from being put into law. From Budd, Neissa and Jim.
Ashley says
I adopted a dog just a few weeks ago. When I got him from the shelter the lady said they did not know what kind of mix he is. Unfortunately, everyone who saw him thought he looked like a pit. He has a big head that’s wide at the jaw, muscular build, and a broad chest. When I took him to a nearby vets office, everyone, even the Vet himself, said “Oh, he looks like a pit for sure.” This is very discouraging because I live in Ohio. We are doing a doggie DNA to make absolutely SURE he is or is not any part of a “pitbull breed”. I do not want to give him back to the shelter, but if the DNA test comes back that he any tiny element of pit that’s where he has to go. He is such a good dog. He shows NO signs of aggression. He doesn’t even know how to play tug-o-war! He sleeps with me and follows me everywhere. You can stick your hand in his food bowl and in his mouth and he will NOT bite or even try. He rarely barks-in fact he didn’t even attempt to bark for the first 5 days we had him. I have about two more weeks until I know for sure if he is part pit or not. I’m praying not. I just think this BSL is complete CRAP! In Ohio, even if my dog has any element of a pitbull breed, I cannot keep him. I would love to if I could afford the insurance, but I’m a poor college student. These BSL laws have to be stopped or there should at least be some kind of exemption. I live out in the country for heavens sake, I can have whatever freakin farm animal I want, like a pig, which is more vicious than this dog could ever be. I just don’t understand how the state of Ohio can tell me I cannot have a dog just because it’s a little bit pit. Are they going to tell my neighbors they can’t have horses…of course not. Pitbull breeds are completely misunderstood and it’s not fair to them or the responsible owners who would love to have one or do have one. They are loving and loyal and that’s why irresponsible people use them for dog fights, because they will do anything to please their master. The State of Ohio has gone too far this time. If the doggie DNA test comes back that Pride (my dog) is a small part of the so called “pitbull breeds” according to Ohio’s standards…I refuse to go down without a fight for my baby!
Karen says
I am dying to know what the dna came back as? I hope he was not in the pit bull breed. I want to get a boxer but I live in Ohio and I have researching to find out if a boxer whom the AKC has declared a good family dog is considered vicious under Ohio’s stupid law, I think responsible dog owners should be excluded from this law.
Kelly Jo says
Ohio House Bill 13 was in an attempt to fight any dog in Ohio to be on a “vicious breed list” Pitbulls were the main focus of Barbra Sears. My friends and I wrote up a petition, got about 400 local residents to sign it, and sent it into Lynn Slaby of the Criminal Justice Committee because he was the main protester of this bill. Needless to say the bill was taken into full consideration. Fellow Ohioans please help in attempts to ban discrimination against Pitbulls!