Andrea Rosebrock 
Yet another city jumping on the BSL bandwagon; Sioux City, Iowa is discussing plans to enact a ban on pitbulls within its city limits.
The city council is set to review a proposed ordinance on Monday that would outlaw the breed in Sioux City. Pit bulls currently make up about 3 percent of Sioux City’s canine population, but are responsible for about 50 percent of violent animal incidents.
City Council member Aaron Rochester says pit bulls are a specific problem because they have dangerous instincts.
The proposed ordinance would not require current pit bull owners to give up their dogs, but would require them to register their pit bulls to keep them. Once the dogs died, they could not be replaced.
If passed, ban would go into effect in six months.
It seems that rather than getting better, when it comes to pitbulls, it’s only getting worse! It’s not pitbulls that need to be banned, it’s idiots owning pitbulls that need to be banned but rather than placing the blame where it belongs, the dogs will pay the price and the price is going to be a death sentence.
Rather than addressing the real problem, they are treating the symptom. The problem is criminals, gangs, irresponsible owners, thugs. These are the kinds of people who want a tough, scary dog to make them look tough and media hype only feeds the image and reputation.
Are pitbull attack and bite numbers up? Possibly, it’s really hard to tell. Since ‘pitbull’ it a rather unspecified breed to most people and any dog that fits certain characteristics falls into it, bites and attacks by just about any breed of dog which resembles a pitbull is usually just another mark against it. There is no doubt that in many areas and segments of the population, the pitbull population has increased. The worse their reputation is, the more appealing they are to the very segments of the society who least should own them.
Thus the cycle perpetuates and pitbulls, once called ‘nanny dogs’ for their wonderful disposition and temperament, especially with children, pay the price. Responsible owners pay the price.
And day by day, the death knoll tolls louder and louder for this majestic breed.
As always, Thank you!
@Betty Howard (Gig) – Gig, you know this is something that I fight just as hard as you and MPR. One day, I hope and pray, people will wake up and see what this prejudice is really doing. Can only hope it’s not too late. Every day it continues to too late for too many dogs as it is already!