Sioux City councilman to propose limited pit bull ban
Owners would have to register their pets with the city
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, July 18, 2008
SIOUX CITY -- Councilman Aaron Rochester said Thursday he will propose that the council ban ownership of pit bulls in the city but allow current pit bull owners to keep their pets under a grandfather clause.
On Monday, he will introduce a proposed ordinance that would allow owners to keep their pit bulls as long as they registered and licensed the dogs with the city clerk's office. Puppies born to registered dogs would be exempt from registration until they were 6 months old.
Animals cared for at the Siouxland Humane Society and Sioux City Animal Control also would be exempt, as would pit bulls participating in dog shows. Under the proposal, when a registered dog died, it could not be replaced.
"There are 78 pit bulls licensed in Sioux City out of 3,232 total dogs," City Attorney Andrew Mai said in a report to the council. "Therefore, pit bulls make up less than 3 percent of the dogs licensed in Sioux City. However, since October, they account for 47 percent of the number of high risk/vicious dog hearings in Sioux City. Clearly some pit bulls are not licensed, but other breeds of dogs are not licensed as well."
The council majority did not agree with Rochester's earlier proposal to ban all pit bulls. Rochester said the new ordinance would allow responsible pet owners to keep their dogs.
Nonexempt pit bulls picked up by Animal Control officers would be destroyed after 10 days unless the owners could prove they would place their dogs outside the city. Even if the dog were registered, if that animal bit someone and were declared vicious, it would be euthanized, as any other dog would be under current city law.
If the ordinance passes, Rochester said, "We won't allow any new pit bulls in Sioux City."
The proposed law would define a pit bull as being an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that appears to have those characteristics.
"The more we looked into this, the statistics are pretty damning of that breed," Rochester said. "When you get multiple cities and countries banning them because of the same issues, it's time to take a look at it. ... In Council Bluffs, you had to muzzle them whenever they were outside or keep them in a kennel. "
Des Monies has a similar muzzle law.
"In Sioux City, I'm just proposing you register them," he said. "I have spoken with citizens who have had multiple problems with pit bulls. They've gone after people, dogs and even cats. They're an aggressive dog. Because of their strong bite, they can latch onto you or another animal and cause tissue damage."
On Monday, he will introduce a proposed ordinance that would allow owners to keep their pit bulls as long as they registered and licensed the dogs with the city clerk's office. Puppies born to registered dogs would be exempt from registration until they were 6 months old.
Animals cared for at the Siouxland Humane Society and Sioux City Animal Control also would be exempt, as would pit bulls participating in dog shows. Under the proposal, when a registered dog died, it could not be replaced.
"There are 78 pit bulls licensed in Sioux City out of 3,232 total dogs," City Attorney Andrew Mai said in a report to the council. "Therefore, pit bulls make up less than 3 percent of the dogs licensed in Sioux City. However, since October, they account for 47 percent of the number of high risk/vicious dog hearings in Sioux City. Clearly some pit bulls are not licensed, but other breeds of dogs are not licensed as well."
The council majority did not agree with Rochester's earlier proposal to ban all pit bulls. Rochester said the new ordinance would allow responsible pet owners to keep their dogs.
Nonexempt pit bulls picked up by Animal Control officers would be destroyed after 10 days unless the owners could prove they would place their dogs outside the city. Even if the dog were registered, if that animal bit someone and were declared vicious, it would be euthanized, as any other dog would be under current city law.
If the ordinance passes, Rochester said, "We won't allow any new pit bulls in Sioux City."
The proposed law would define a pit bull as being an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that appears to have those characteristics.
"The more we looked into this, the statistics are pretty damning of that breed," Rochester said. "When you get multiple cities and countries banning them because of the same issues, it's time to take a look at it. ... In Council Bluffs, you had to muzzle them whenever they were outside or keep them in a kennel. "
Des Monies has a similar muzzle law.
"In Sioux City, I'm just proposing you register them," he said. "I have spoken with citizens who have had multiple problems with pit bulls. They've gone after people, dogs and even cats. They're an aggressive dog. Because of their strong bite, they can latch onto you or another animal and cause tissue damage."
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Tim wrote on Jul 24, 2008 9:10 AM:
America wrote on Jul 19, 2008 8:28 AM:
Just last year I was made aware of a vicious black lab, I was across from the address watching the loose dog after notifying animal control. Anyone walking within a block of this residence was chased by the snarling dog, and then the dog would return to the porch. I then observed a group of small children playing outside about 2 blocks away and determined that I would stay until animal control arrived. I called animal control yet again noting the dogs aggresiveness. Needless to say 1 hour and 45 minutes after my 1st of 3 phone calls to animal control, the owner(not animal control) emerged from the house long enough to be notified of the calls and to be put on notice to restrain the animal. Note: animal control had been called by others on different occassions regarding this dog and still showed no urgency, and what do we do then reaward the animal control contract to the very outfit that has proven completely irresponsible. "
Sebastiano wrote on Jul 18, 2008 10:30 PM:
Sebastiano wrote on Jul 18, 2008 10:12 PM:
Jen wrote on Jul 18, 2008 8:20 PM: