Who said we have a representative government

In one corner we have the owners of a dog that has been deemed to be vicious.

You already have guessed who is in the other corner "City Government."

On the night that this topic came up on the city council docket there were over 50 people present to speak against this proposed ordinance, while the people in favor of this ordinance could be counted on one hand.

I don't know anyone that has a Pitbull that has attacked anyone, however we have had attacks in this city which got widespread attention with all the news media coverage. The last attack was an unattended child that had wandered off and into the back yard of the dog. I don't blame the dog for attacking the child since the dog probably assumed that the child was intruding into an area that it didn't belong in.
There will be those that will say the dog should've known that the intruder was only a child and the dog should've never attacked.
I wonder why the dog is at fault and not the parents that left their child unattended and unsupervised?
I'm not an uncompassionate person but I do believe there is enough blame in these stories to go around.
I've seen Pitbulls be as gentle as any other dog, and I've seen chihuahua become obsessed with attacking people, and yet these dogs are never labeled for RFiD chips.
As a citizen of Springfield, I'm sorry to say if I owned a Pitbull at this point I wouldn't lawfully turn over my dog to government.

Pitbulls are chipped today and should I dare say juvenile deliquents will be next in line?


City embarks on pit bull PR campaign

Along with a litany of requirements, the dogs must be registered annually.

News-Leader staff

Springfield's new pit bull ordinance goes into full effect Oct. 16, the city announced Monday.

But the Springfield-Greene County Health Department has already begun a public information campaign about the new requirements for pit bull dogs living inside the city limits.


www.springfieldmove.com
According to the ordinance, city residents may keep pit bull dogs within the city limits only if they follow these regulations:

# Pit bulls must be registered annually with a $50 fee.

# Pit bulls must be vaccinated for rabies.

# Pit bulls must be spayed or neutered.

# Pit bulls must be microchipped.

# Pit bulls must be kept in a secure, fenced enclosure while on the owner's property.

# A sign at least 8 inches by 10 inches that reads "Pit Bull Dog" must be clearly displayed at all entrances to the owner's property.

# When off the owner's property, the pit bull must be leashed and muzzled.

# Owners must notify authorities within five days if the pit bull is lost, stolen, dies or has puppies.

# New litters of puppies must be registered following the same guidelines, in order to stay within the city limits.

The Springfield City Council approved the new law April 17.

Starting June 5, pit bull owners can begin registering their dogs with the city's health department, by appointment only. Scheduling for appointments begins May 15.

The appointments will take place at the Springfield Animal Shelter, 4002 N. Farmer Ave.

Dogs may be microchipped by health department staff, unless the owner provides proof the procedure has already been conducted by a veterinarian.

For more information, call the Pit Bull Information Line at 864-1166 or visit http://health.springfieldmogov.org.

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MARTZ4MISSOURI

tom martz