Andrea Rosebrock 
Looks like another city will be voting today whether to jump on the BSL bandwagon or not. Ridgeland’s Board of Alderman is considering a breed ban and today will decide whether or not pitbulls and Rotweillers will no longer be allowed in the city.
It seems the more people fight against BSL and try to show that it’s not the breed of the dog that is the danger but the owner, more idiots get these dogs and turn them into the very thing that ‘proves’ the media’s point.
The media and BSL proponents pull out statistics that show pitbulls cause the most bites and deaths but what the statistics don’t show is that the pitbull population and popularity grows more and more every day as idiots and thugs and gangster wannabes attain ownership of these breeds to make up for their own lack. They turn them into weapons and then them to wreak havoc.
And the ones who suffer are the responsible dog owners, the dogs themselves and of course those in the ‘line of fire’ when these dogs are let out of control.
BSL is not the answer because irresponsible owners don’t give a damn! If one breed is banned, they’ll just get another and do the same thing. These people don’t care about the dog or the law.
And now, if Ridgeland passes their BSL, more innocent dogs will die!
The city is proposing to ban American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers and “any dog whose mama or daddy is one of those things,” said City Attorney James Gabriel.
Proposed Ordinance
A proposed addition to Ridgeland’s Animal Control Ordinance defines “banned breeds of dogs” as:
- American pit bull terrier.
- Staffordshire bull terrier.
- American Staffordshire terrier.
- Rottweiler.
- Any dog whose sire or dam is a dog of a breed which is defined as a banned breed of dog under this section.
- Any dog whose owner registers, defines, admits or otherwise identifies their dog as being of a banned breed.
- Any dog conforming or substantially conforming to the breed of American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or Rottweiler as defined by the United Kennel Club or American Kennel Club; technical deficiencies in the dog’s conformance to these standards shall not be construed to indicate that the subject dog is not a banned breed of dog under this ordinance.
- Any dog which is of the breed commonly referred to as “pit bull” or “Rottweiler” and commonly recognizable and identifiable as such.
There are people on both sides fighting, for and against.
“I have a great fear of children being bitten. Pit bulls, Rottweilers – they’re dangerous animals,” said Ridgeland Police Chief Jimmy Houston who supports the ban.
But Aldermen Ken Heard and Scott Jones are not convinced the ban s the answer.
“We think we need to go slower on breed specific legislation,” Heard said and Jones wants to see more data.
If the amendment passes, other dog owner keeping banned dogs will have 30 days to remove the dogs.
Any person found guilty of violating the ordinance, considered a misdemeanor crime, may be fined no more than $1,000 and/or imprisoned no more than 90 days.
Each day of violation will be considered a separate offense and will be enforced as such.
the way that's written is pretty dumb. it basicaly covers any black and tan dog in the universe and assumes it's part rottie. and any dog with a square head and moderate muzzle is assumed to be of pit origin. when town govts. write crap like this and are allowed to pass it into law, and people stand for it, then they deserve it. whey doesn't the town just ban dogs, period. that would be much fairer and much easier on the dogs.
how can people be so obtuse?
lawabiding people elect these people to govern thier town, then allow themselves to be pushed around like this just because the criminals don't obey the laws of common decency. duh! something wrong with this picture?
Better way to rewrite this BULLShit!
If anyone race, color or creed is seen training a Pit Bull, or any dog as such which describes the PIT BULL by color or gender, to ATTACK or FIGHT other PIT BULLS, OR any other LARGE DOG which is considered by ORDINANCE to be DANGEROUS…OWNERS OF THESE DOGS ARE TO BE PUT TO SLEEP BY GAS.
There will be no second chances and you are given 30 days to turn yourselves in. The sentence for turning yourselves for TRAINING of PIT BULLS to be a DANGER to the community shall have a lighter sentence to 2 to 15 yrs in PRISON.
This is awful. They are punishing the wrong people (none of the dogs deserve to be punished). If this happened in my neighborhood and I had one of these breeds, I would have to move – there would be no choice. But there is no way could I find a new place in 30 days. It is absurd that I would even have to move at all but I sure wouldn't give up my dog for anything.