Ohio tries to plug hole in vicious dog law
Court says owners have right to appeal
BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS - A dispute over Ohio's 17-year-old practice of automatically labeling pit bulls "vicious" has stalled a bill designed to plug an enforcement loophole created by a state Supreme Court ruling last year.
Ohio is the only state with a breed-specific dangerous dog law. The bill pits dog wardens and law enforcement groups against veterinarians, dog breeders, and kennels. "Folks who are determined to be irresponsible for one breed will be irresponsible for another breed," said Stephanie Lane, legislative director for the American Kennel Association. "Singling out a single breed does not teach people to be more responsible." In a case involving two German shepherds, the court voted 4-3 that allowing dog enforcement officers to unilaterally determine that a dog is dangerous or vicious, cite the owner, and confiscate the animal represented an unconstitutional taking of property without due process. Dog owners must have the right to appeal such a determination, the court ruled.
Court says owners have right to appeal
BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU
COLUMBUS - A dispute over Ohio's 17-year-old practice of automatically labeling pit bulls "vicious" has stalled a bill designed to plug an enforcement loophole created by a state Supreme Court ruling last year.
Ohio is the only state with a breed-specific dangerous dog law. The bill pits dog wardens and law enforcement groups against veterinarians, dog breeders, and kennels. "Folks who are determined to be irresponsible for one breed will be irresponsible for another breed," said Stephanie Lane, legislative director for the American Kennel Association. "Singling out a single breed does not teach people to be more responsible." In a case involving two German shepherds, the court voted 4-3 that allowing dog enforcement officers to unilaterally determine that a dog is dangerous or vicious, cite the owner, and confiscate the animal represented an unconstitutional taking of property without due process. Dog owners must have the right to appeal such a determination, the court ruled.
No comments:
Post a Comment