Below my signature is a model of a set of laws devised by dog owners, for dog owners. It can be used as suggestions, or it can be modified to suit the local laws, any part or all of it can be a starting point to help reel in irresponsible dog owners. Instead of putting dogs on a dangerous list, the dog owner should be placed on probation for reckless endangerment to the public. No dog will ever have the capacity to be attendant to any law that is ever written. No dog will ever be cognizant of the breed(s) of which it is made. The licensing of dogs by city, county, and municipal governments has been in effect for over one hundred years in the United States. It has not been a successful method of controlling the irresponsible dog owner. The cost of enforcement far out weighs the benefits in revenue. A more cost effective method would be to make dogs personal property, and to tax them as such. Making the dog personal property makes the dog owner strictly liable for any harm, injury, or trespass done by the dog. It is time for the dog owner to be made to be responsible by government. Putting the public at risk should rate higher than an infraction. Loose dogs are a very serious threat to the public safety. Even a nice dog that is allowed to run at large can cause an auto accident, or knock down a child or an elderly person causing injury. It should be at least a gross misdemeanor for a dog owner to allow his/her dog to run at large. Behind every dog stands it's owner. Dogs cannot operate independently of the owners own measure of responsibility. Our research has shown that 83% of all dog bites are to unattended children under the age of ten years. We have found all too often, that when an unattended child meets up with a dog, either at home, or at large the results are tragic. Both children, and dogs exhibit behaviors that would not be expressed when there is a responsible adult present. When governments become embroiled in writing animal (dog) behavior into laws that have been devised for controlling humans, and writing laws to control that behavior, and to mete out punishments, and adding criminal labels for those animals, they lose sight that it is the human dog owner who needs to be controlled on an individual basis. It's far more important for government to control human behavior. A dog will only do that which it's owner allows, encourages, or trains it to do. Governments must not hold animals to a set of standards that are more stringent than the standards that we would hold a developmentally disabled person to. Breed specific dog laws do not protect the public from dangerous dogs. They do remove property rights in animals, and there are no stop gaps built in to prevent the addition of any or all other breeds of dogs. Ordinances like Denver's are so broadly written to be inclusive of all dogs, i.e,; "any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any of these breeds." All dogs have the same physical traits. That is what makes them dogs. Breed specific dog ordinances are the result of a hasty decision made upon the heels of a dog attack. When a city, county, or state specifically stipulates in legislation, or ordinance that a breed, or breeds of dogs are dangerous, it indemnifies all of the breeds that are not named as being safe, opening the enacting body to litigation by anyone who is bitten or mauled by any breed not specifically named. Let's please, let reason prevail, and look at the dog owner rather than the dog. This is a fair, but firm set of laws that does not infringe upon anyone's rights. It was developed by Responsible Dog Owner Groups from across the country uniting to help governments promote responsible dog ownership for the better good of all. Surely there is something in this model that your city, county, or state can employ to make life safer for all of your citizenry. Enacted and enforced this set of regulations will make a safer community, county, or state. Ginger Cleary, Rome, GA Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. C.S.Lewis www.rihadin.com <http://www.rihadin.com> My Ebay site <http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=ginny2003> ====================================================== MODEL DOG OWNER REGULATIONS 1. Dogs are Personal Property (a) The (city) (county) (state) of _____________ recognizes that dogs are personal property. (b)No city, county or state authority shall restrict, or prohibit the ownership of dogs by breed. (c) No breed specific ordinances enacted in _________ shall stand. (d) The (city) (county) (state) of _____________ recognizes the right of the people to own any breed of dog in a responsible manner. 2. Containment and Care Regulations (a) All dogs shall be contained to their owners property in either an escape proof securely fenced yard, or enclosure, or on a securely fastened steel cable run. (b) Every precaution must be made to protect the public from dogs that are not behind fenced enclosures. The assumption of liability is upon the dog owner. (c) All dogs shall be securely leashed, and controlled by an adult when off of the owners property. (d) No child under the age of sixteen (16) years shall be allowed to lead a dog in public areas. This does not include Junior Showmanship competition in the show ring at a dog show. Any parent whose child under the age of sixteen years is found in public unattended with a dog on, or off lead shall be charged with reckless endangerment. (e) No child under the age of ten (10) years shall be left unattended with any dog. (f) The owner shall provide his/her dog with shelter appropriate to the climate, and a clean healthful environment in which to live. (g) The owner shall provide shade from the sun, and cover from the rain/snow. (h) The owner shall provide his/her dog with food, and plentiful clean drinking water daily. (i) Owners of dogs found at large must produce immunization documentation to authorities upon demand. (j) Violations of statutes f, g, h, i, shall be considered cruelty to animals the owner shall be charged fines, and or jail time commensurate with the harm done to the animal. The Court may remove the animal from the custody of the owner. (k) The property of irresponsible dog owners shall be posted with warning signs that state, "IRRESPONSIBLE ANIMAL OWNER" that are clearly visible on all perimeters. 3. Dogs At Large (a) Any owner who allows his/ her dog to run at large shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the first violation, the second violation two hundred dollars ($200.00, the third violation four hundred dollars ($400.00) after which the dog shall be confiscated by the Animal Control Authorities and, after evaluation of temperament by qualified personnel either placed into a responsible home, or humanely euthanized as verified by documentation. (b) Nothing in this section shall pertain to owners hunting with dogs. 4. Strict Liability (a) A dog owner will be held strictly liable for any harm, injury, fatality, or trespass done by his/her dog when off of the owners property at large, and out of the owners immediate control. This liability shall include remuneration, fines, and or jail time depending upon the severity of the damage done by the owners dog. (b) A dog owner shall be charged with negligent homicide whose dog kills a person when off the owners property, the dog shall be confiscated by the authorities and humanely euthanized, except in the case that the dog is protecting it's owner's life. (c) A dog owner shall be charged with reckless endangerment whose dog injures a person, or causes an accident while at large off the owners property, or out of the immediate control of the owner. The dog shall be removed from the owners custody, and be evaluated on temperament by qualified personnel, and either be placed in a responsible home or humanely euthanized. (d) A dog owner shall be charged with aggravated nuisance, and animal cruelty if he/she is found facing off dogs in any public area, and fined five hundred dollars ($500.00). The dog owner shall be placed on strict probation for the period of one (1) year during which time if any violations occur the dog owner shall be fined one thousand ($1000.00), and he/she shall lose custody of the dog. The dog shall be evaluated by qualified personnel, and either be placed in a responsible home, or be humanely euthanized. (e) A dog owner shall be charged with aggravated nuisance should his/her dog menace a person when at large. The owner shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500.00) and placed on probation for six months, during which time if any violations occur he/she shall lose custody of the dog. The dog shall be evaluated by qualified personnel, and either be placed in a responsible home, or humanely euthanized. (f) A dog owner shall pay remuneration, and fines when his/her dog kills, or injures an animal, or animals belonging to another person when at large off the owners property. The dog owner shall be placed on strict probation for the period of one(1) year, during which time should any further violations occur, the dog shall be removed from the custody of the owner. The dog shall be evaluated by qualified personnel, and either placed into a responsible home, or humanely euthanized. (g) Any dog owner by whose violations has caused his/her dog to be removed from his/her custody shall not be allowed to own another dog for a period of ten (10) years. (h) No dog owner will be held liable if the dog bites, injures, or kills an intruder, a burglar, a trespasser, or anyone who threatens the owner, or his/her safety while on, or off of the owner's property while the dog is under control of the owner. (i) Any person who is bitten while teasing, or tormenting a dog that is contained to the owner's property shall have no legal recourse for damages. (j) Any parent whose child is bitten, or mauled due to the parent's inattendance to his/her child shall be charged with reckless endangerment of a child. 5. Dog Abandonment (a) Any person who abandons a dog by either dumping it alongside any thoroughfare, or by moving away and leaving the dog shall be subject to a one thousand dollar fine ($1,000.00), and jail time, or community service not to exceed six months. ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2006. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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