Pit bull registrations push past deadline

Just a group of animal lovers that have been swept up in the political firestorm which has led to an unjust end. mans best friend has now been micro-chipped, tagged, muzzled, and put out to pasture within a closed in kennel. Sad really because I know some of these individuals and have met there dogs. I have a ferret that is more vicisious then the Rushing's dog and it irritates me to no end they are being treated like convicts because they own an animal which some people have turned into an unreliable breed.
Let's jail the owner not the animal which has been neglected or trained to defend to its death or someone elses.
Wake up people it is only a matter of time before this list grows to include Doberman Pinchers, German Shepherds, Chows, Rottweilers and rumor has it Labs. Lets not forget the Dalamation which has shown tendencies to be aggresive.
Should we talk about Siamese cats next??

Remember this valuable lesson if you learn nothing else today:
When you ask government to impose your values upon others, you wind up with government imposing someone else's values on you.

I'm Tom Martz the only candidate in the 139th which will fight to defend YOUR rights.

Owners keep up complaints that city keeps them on too short a leash.

Jane Huh
News-Leader



Jose Arroyo on Monday joined about 50 others in registering their pit bulls after the city ordinance deadline, bringing the total tally up to 255.

Arroyo registered his 6-year-old pit bull, Kane, to comply with the new rules regulating pit bull ownership in Springfield.

But on the other side of the law, at least 21 tickets have been issued to Springfield dog owners since Oct. 16, when the ordinance went into effect.

As the second week of enforcement begins, the volume of complaints and concerns seem to have "settled down a lot," said Ron Boyer, assistant health director.

But, "those who are not registered are still at risk for getting ticketed," Boyer warned.

The city registers the dogs at the Springfield Animal Shelter near Kansas Expressway and Norton Road.

According to the city, an estimated 4,000 pit bulls live in Springfield. The figure is based on a formula using national statistics.

Dog owners who get ticketed for not registering their pit bulls can face fines of up to $1,000. With permission from municipal court, the city can confiscate unregistered pit bulls found at large.

At the city's animal shelter, there are already half a dozen pit bulls given up by the owners. As a result, the shelter has maxed out its capacity to take any more pit bulls.

Shelter employees put pit bulls in separate pens. Other dogs can be grouped.

Randy Barnts, animal control supervisor, said those dogs may be euthanized as early as today to make more room for other pit bulls that the officers pick up.

The owners who gave up their pit bulls to the city were told that giving up the dogs could result in euthanization.

"We tell them that upfront," Barnts said.

Owners who want to give up their dogs to the city for no charge can still contact the health department.

While there have been some reports of pit bulls getting dumped outside the city limits, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department cannot do anything about it.

No effective date has been set for a proposed Greene County ordinance that would give the city's health department legal authority to pick up free-running nuisance dogs outside Springfield limits, Boyer said.

Besides Barnts, there are seven animal control officers and two full-time shelter employees who are responsible for maintaining the pound and euthanizing animals.

The ordinance has at least two pit bull dog owners still fuming.

Last week, Joshua Hunter contacted local media outlets to express his opposition to the ordinance — in particular, its requirement to keep pit bulls in a fenced-in enclosure with a top and an opening latch. Hunter has registered his dog with the city.

The ordinance requires pit bull owners to keep their dogs inside an enclosure if they are outside and unattended for a long period of time, Barnts said.

Brian Rushing, who also has registered his dog with the city, emphasized that he and Hunter realize that the animal control officers are doing their job. But Rushing said he feels the city is treating him like a criminal for having a pit bull.

"You can't violate everybody's rights for the few bad apples," Rushing said. "That's what's upsetting people like me. We went through the trouble of training our dogs, we went through the trouble of being responsible, and we're being treated like criminals."

Arroyo shared those sentiments Monday after his dog, Kane, was registered and microchipped.

He said could never give up Kane, which he raised since it was "a little pup."

Arroyo said he considers himself lucky for being able to foot the cost associated with compliance.

"I call (this law) discrimination against pits," Arroyo said. "I think all animals are equal. It's how you raise the animal, really."