[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Texas Action Alert! BSL Threat
- From: SCHARO1@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 14:43:07 EST
In a message dated 1/22/2005 6:35:28 P.M. Central Standard Time,
rpoa@xxxxxxxxx writes:
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance,
the reasonable voice regarding animal issues.
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization,
not "animal rights" and, yes, there is a difference.
Permission is granted to crosspost with
credit given to the TX-RPOA List.
*************************************
Representative Al Edwards is considering filling legislation during the 79th
Legislative Session (which just convened) to exempt the city of Houston from
the current state law which prohibits Breed Specific Legislation. He told
RPOA he doesn't want to repeal the state law. However no bill has been
filed to date so anything can happen.
Please contact Rep. Edwards to OPPOSE changing our existing state law and to
OPPOSE passing Breed Specific Legislation in all Texas cities.
Representative Al Edwards
Capitol Building
Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
al.edwards@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone: (512) 463-0518
Fax: (512) 463-5896
Let us know of any feedback you receive from the legislator. RPOA's letter
to Representative Al Edwards is below:
January 10, 2005
The Honorable Al Edwards
Texas House of Representatives
Capitol Building
PO Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Re: Opposition to Breed Specific Legislation in Texas
Dear Representative Edwards:
Thank you for returning my call during the Christmas holidays regarding your
plan to introduce Breed Specific Legislation during the 2005 Legislative
Session. You expressed your concerns about dangerous dogs in Houston, so I
am enclosing a copy of the San Antonio Dangerous Animal Ordinance as I
promised you at that time. The San Antonio ordinance is one of the best in
the country. It targets all dangerous animals and does not discriminate by
dog breed.
The Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an American Kennel Club (AKC)
Federation for the state of Texas, which has expanded to include all-species
pet clubs and concerned pet owners statewide. AKC wrote you a letter also
saying that â??Deeds, not breeds, should determine whether a dog is
dangerous.â?? We concur with their statement as no breed is inherently
vicious. Our organization urges you to reconsider changing our current
state law prohibiting breed-specific legislation in Texas cities or
exempting the city of Houston from the state law.
By passing Breed Specific Legislation, the door is open for all manner of
litigation as many maligned breeds are certified therapy dogs, assistance
dogs, participants in American Kennel Club, United Kennel, and Agility Club
events. Many more are wonderful family pets.
In 1987 the city of Richardson, Texas, passed a breed-specific law naming
American Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Bull Terriers,
and Staffordshire Bull Terriers (or anything with the appearance thereof).
This resulted in litigation which was appealed all the way to the Texas
Supreme Court. The courtâ??s ruling made enforcement of vicious dog
ordinances risky and uncertain in Texas. Therefore a coalition was formed
between the animal control people in the state and a newly formed dog group
to seek passage of a state law which would give cities the right to pass
general dangerous dog ordinances but prohibited breed-specific ordinances.
The state law was passed on June 16, 1991 and Richardson repealed the
breed-specific provisions in their ordinance.
Breed Specific Legislation will not eliminate dog bites nor attacks in the
Houston area and excludes dogs that are currently in your community and
proven dangerous by their exhibited behavior and bite histories. It is
unenforceable as accurate breed identification can only be reliable with DNA
profiling. The Rottweiler and pit bulls that attacked Fannie Pearl Pharms
were already in violation of the Leash Law and were in a neighborhood with
the highest number of loose dogs. Strict enforcement of the Leash Law would
be much more effective.
A resident of Cotter, AK, recently contacted us and asked for our advice.
He has been harassed twice by animal control officers and threatened with a
$500 fine because he owns a White Boxer and AKC Bulldog. The city has an
ordinance banning â??Pit Bull Terriers.â?? Breed misidentification is common
among animal control personnel and sometimes even veterinarians.
Legislation should target irresponsible pet owners, not those who are
responsible. Breed Specific Legislation is opposed by the American
Veterinary Medical Association, Humane Society of the United States,
American Kennel Club, American Dog Owners Association, National Animal
Interest Alliance, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA),United Kennel Club, and other national organizations.
I am also enclosing a letter written by the president of the American
Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) which states that the rate of passing
for the â??Pit Bull Breedsâ?? is slightly better than the national average for
all breeds tested. He further states ATTS has tested over 190 different
breeds. Unfortunately the media is not interested in good dogs for their
news stories as they donâ??t increase ratings.
As I told you during our telephone conversation, I own a spayed female
Staffordshire Bull Terrier named â??Halle,â?? who is the love of my life. She
is black and beautiful -- named after the movie actress Halle Berry. She is
training for AKC obedience work and is my constant companion. It is
inconceivable that she should be punished for what some dog does in another
city. Should you need more information, please donâ??t hesitate to contact
me.
Sincerely,
Mary Beth Duerler
Executive Director
Enclosures:
San Antonio Dangerous Animal Ordinance
American Temperament Test Society, Inc. Letter
American Kennel Club Letter of Opposition
To share information, subscribe or unsubscribe,
please send an e-mail message to rpoa@xxxxxxxxxx
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #205-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Fax: (210) 822-9038
E-mail: rpoa@xxxxxxxxx
Website: http://www.responsiblepetowners.org
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