[PitBullMommie1206]

I posted a thread on this a little while back and it got closed because no one was staying on topic, including myself. It turned into a "pit bull" argument, and this is not about whether or not people like the "pit bull" breeds (American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers). This is very important and Floridians need to know what is going on, so I'm going to try this again and word it differently this time.

Okay, I recently learned about a bill that could pass here in Florida. Right now, in the state of Florida, nothing breed-specific can be enacted. Cities/ counties like Miami/ Dade, that already had breed-specific laws passed were grandfathered in. But nothing new, that's breed-specific, could be passed. Now, they are trying to pas a bill that would lift that. This bill says..

German Shepherd Forum :: View topic - BSL Alert -- FLORIDA State Wide
Taken From Text:

HB 101
A bill to be entitled
An act relating to dangerous dogs; amending s. 767.14, F.S.; eliminating the prohibition of Breed specific local government regulation of dangerous dogs; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 767.14, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

767.14 Additional local restrictions authorized.--Nothing in this act shall limit any local government from placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dangerous dogs or developing procedures and criteria for the implementation of this act, provided that the provisions of this act are not lessened by such additional regulations or requirements. This section shall not apply to any local ordinance adopted prior to October 1, 1990.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

Now, let me say again, this is not just about "pit bulls". It's not even just about the breeds that are normally labeled "dangerous" such as, APBTs, AmStaffs, Staffies, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Chows, German Shepherds, Huskies, American Bulldogs, etc. This can and will effect many, many breeds and many, many mixes! Just to show you how out-of-hand this kind of thing has gotten, this is just one of the many different lists of breeds that are considered "dangerous" and are banned..

I have only included 1 or 2 cities/states where the breed is affected by BSL so that the breeds can be verified as targets.

1. American Pit Bull Terrier (Note: Laws dealing with “pit bulls” also state any mix of the 3 breeds AND the MOST important line, anything that has the characteristics or appearance of these breeds. There are 20+ breeds that are commonly mistakenly identified as “pit bull” dogs. ) (Denver, CO)
2. American Staffordshire Terrier (Note: Laws dealing with “pit bulls” also state any mix of the 3 breeds AND the MOST important line, anything that has the characteristics or appearance of these breeds. There are 20+ breeds that are commonly mistakenly identified as “pit bull” dogs. ) (Denver, CO)
3. Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Note: Laws dealing with “pit bulls” also state any mix of the 3 breeds AND the MOST important line, anything that has the characteristics or appearance of these breeds. There are 20+ breeds that are commonly mistakenly identified as “pit bull” dogs. ) (Denver, CO)
4. Rottweiler
5.Doberman Pincher (Fairfield, IA) (Sisston, SD), (Westfield, IL), (Travelers Rest, SC) Shar Pei’s (Smithfield, UT)
6.German Shepard (Fairfield, IA)
7.Belgian Malanois (Fairfield, IA)
8.Siberian Huskies (Fairfield, IA)
9.Alaskan Malamutes (Fairfield, IA)
10.Great Danes (Fairfield, IA)
11.Irish Wolf Hounds (Fairfield, IA)
12.Scottish Deerhounds (Fairfield, IA)
13.Mastiffs (Fairfield, IA)
14.Boerboels (Fairfield, IA)
15.American Bull Dog (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA), (North Little Rock, AR)
16.Akita (Ulyssas, KS)
17.Chow Chow (Travelers Rest, SC), (New Port, RI)
18.English Mastiffs, (Yale, IA)
19.Tosa Inu (Aurora, CO)
20.Presa Canario (Aurora, CO)
21.Dogo Argentino (Aurora, CO)
22.Cane Corso (Aurora, CO)
23.American Bulldog (Aurora, CO / North Little Rock, AR)
24.Bull Terrier (Grandview, MO - Akron, OH)
25.American Bull Dog, (North Little Rock, AR)
26.Presa Canario (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA), (Lanett, AL)
27.Wolf Hybrid (Huntington WV)
28.Canary Dog ( Akron, OH)
29.Perro De Presa (Akron, OH)
30.Old Country Bull Dog (Akron, OH)

NOTE: These are breeds that are typically over 100lbs. If your dog is less than 100lbs than they are safe in Fairfield.

31.Bull Mastiff (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
32.Neopolitian Mastiff (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
33.Tibetan Mastiff (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
34.New Foundland (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
35.Anatolian Shepherd (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
36.Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
37.Great Pyrenees (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
38.Komondor (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
39.Kuvaz (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
40.St. Bernard (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
41.Tosa Inu (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
42.Dogo Argentino (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
43.Cane Corso (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
44.Fila Brasileiro (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
45.Spanish Mastiff (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
46.Italian Mastiff (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
47.Dogue De Bordeauxs (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
48.Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
49.Akbash (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)
50.Leonberger (Other dogs in excess of 100 lbs - Fairfield, IA)

This could very easily happen in any city in Florida if this bill passes! Not only will pure bred dogs be effected, but mixed breeds will be effected as well. Any dogs that fits this description..

United Kennel Club: UKC-Recognized Breeds (broken link)
Taken From Text:

medium-sized, solidly built, short-coated dog with smooth, well-defined musculature... The head is of medium length, with a broad, flat skull, and a wide, deep muzzle.

is considered a "pit bull" and is therefor "dangerous". I have said this before, but the first breed that comes to my mind when I read that breed description, besides the three "pit bull" breeds, is a Lab. And there are countless other breeds that fit that description. Any dog that is on that cities so-called "dangerous" breed list will be effected, along with any dog that could pass for one of those breeds, or could possibly be a mix of one of those breeds.

Anyway, this thread is not to argue about "pit bulls", or any breed for that matter. I just wanted to make sure my fellow Floridians are aware of what's going on, that way those who want to take action can.

[mrs1885]

This is a great post and I wish people would pay attention. Everyone rolls their eyes and acts like it's no big deal. Then the next thing you know, it's passed in your town and because you have a mixed breed dog that they 'think' looks like the noted breed, you're cited and told to get rid of or destroy your pet even though it's never done a thing wrong.

For the record, when we were planning on moving to TN from FL, we looked at a home in Smyrna, TN and nearly bought it. Then we found out they have BSL (*ull *hit legislation if the full term I use) so we backed out. We had 3 rotts at the time that had been used in nursing homes, day care centers, hospitals, schools, etc in Florida. Phenomenal ambassadors of the breed. But we'd have had to 'get rid of them' or 'destroy' them if we bought the house. We backed out and I promptly wrote a letter to the local politicians and told them that I drive +/- 100 each way to and from work every day, including through their town and until the BSL is removed I won't even stop for gas there. I'd rather push my car to the next town that doesn't have it.

BSL is just another example of the gov'mnt sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong. Between media hype and uninformed citizens, pets are being destroyed. It's time for people to use the brain God gave you. How about we ban the bad pet owners that aren't socializing their pets? The ones that aren't confining their pets? The ones abusing them or allowing them to breed willy-nilly left and right with any dog that comes along, producing a litter of unwanted puppies that won't get the socialization they need and be more prone to 'pack mentality'.

Those of you that sit on your hands thinking you're safe and you're pet is safe do more harm than you know. First they'll tell you what breed of dog isn't allowed. What happens when all of those breeds are gone? There's going to be another breed coming right up behind it that will get the same treatment. All dogs bite, it's a fact. Different dogs will cause different types / amounts of damage. But a bite is a bite. One of the most notorious breeds for biting are poodles and chihuahuas. So if you think Fifi is safe, think again. Fifi could be next on the gov'mnt hit list.

[PitBullMommie1206]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

This is a great post and I wish people would pay attention. Everyone rolls their eyes and acts like it's no big deal. Then the next thing you know, it's passed in your town and because you have a mixed breed dog that they 'think' looks like the noted breed, you're cited and told to get rid of or destroy your pet even though it's never done a thing wrong.

For the record, when we were planning on moving to TN from FL, we looked at a home in Smyrna, TN and nearly bought it. Then we found out they have BSL (*ull *hit legislation if the full term I use) so we backed out. We had 3 rotts at the time that had been used in nursing homes, day care centers, hospitals, schools, etc in Florida. Phenomenal ambassadors of the breed. But we'd have had to 'get rid of them' or 'destroy' them if we bought the house. We backed out and I promptly wrote a letter to the local politicians and told them that I drive +/- 100 each way to and from work every day, including through their town and until the BSL is removed I won't even stop for gas there. I'd rather push my car to the next town that doesn't have it.

BSL is just another example of the gov'mnt sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong. Between media hype and uninformed citizens, pets are being destroyed. It's time for people to use the brain God gave you. How about we ban the bad pet owners that aren't socializing their pets? The ones that aren't confining their pets? The ones abusing them or allowing them to breed willy-nilly left and right with any dog that comes along, producing a litter of unwanted puppies that won't get the socialization they need and be more prone to 'pack mentality'.

Those of you that sit on your hands thinking you're safe and you're pet is safe do more harm than you know. First they'll tell you what breed of dog isn't allowed. What happens when all of those breeds are gone? There's going to be another breed coming right up behind it that will get the same treatment. All dogs bite, it's a fact. Different dogs will cause different types / amounts of damage. But a bite is a bite. One of the most notorious breeds for biting are poodles and chihuahuas. So if you think Fifi is safe, think again. Fifi could be next on the gov'mnt hit list.

Wow! GREAT post! I couldn't have said it better myself! lol! I agree with everything you said, and I too wouldn't even get gas in a town that had enacted any form of BSL. I'm 5'3" and weigh 110, but I would push my 2,983 pound Altima as far as I had to just to avoid spending any money in a town that had a breed bad (or any other form of BSL)! Well, maybe I would just walk/ find a ride to the next town, get gas and walk back/ find a ride back to my car. I don't know if I could push it myself! lol!

[mrs1885]

Well, maybe I would just walk/ find a ride to the next town, get gas and walk back/ find a ride back to my car. I don't know if I could push it myself! lol!

That does sound like a much better plan!! LOL!!

[PBCboy]

This is wonderful news and I hope they incorporate this into Palm Beach County. It seems like everyone here has some dangerous pit bull that they don't keep on a leash. It would be nice to get those nasty dogs the hell out of here.

[mrs1885]

Originally Posted by PBCboy

This is wonderful news and I hope they incorporate this into Palm Beach County. It seems like everyone here has some dangerous pit bull that they don't keep on a leash. It would be nice to get those nasty dogs the hell out of here.

The dogs aren't the problem, it's the owners. There's no such thing as a 'bad breed' of dog. It doesn't exist. Dogs are by nature pack animals and will defend their pack - they're very loyal. It's the owners that go get a dog when they know nothing about the breed, not caring if the dog will fit in with their family group, that don't bother to socialize them, don't have them spayed or neutered, don't keep them confined, etc.

If you read the stats I posted you'd see that they aren't bad dogs. If however you choose to remain ignorant to the truth, that's your choice I guess. It'll be sad when something of yours is taken from you by the gov'mnt some day even when you / it have done nothing wrong. But everyone is entitled to sit on their hands and live in a bubble I guess.

[PBCboy]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

The dogs aren't the problem, it's the owners. There's no such thing as a 'bad breed' of dog. It doesn't exist. Dogs are by nature pack animals and will defend their pack - they're very loyal. It's the owners that go get a dog when they know nothing about the breed, not caring if the dog will fit in with their family group, that don't bother to socialize them, don't have them spayed or neutered, don't keep them confined, etc.

If you read the stats I posted you'd see that they aren't bad dogs. If however you choose to remain ignorant to the truth, that's your choice I guess. It'll be sad when something of yours is taken from you by the gov'mnt some day even when you / it have done nothing wrong. But everyone is entitled to sit on their hands and live in a bubble I guess.

The dogs for the most part are dangerous. There was an owner in Coral Springs who had a bread of dog similar to a Pit Bull and it turned on her and killed her. I was almost attacked by a Pit Bull once, good thing I'm athletic and was a fast runner or otherwise I would have been ****ed up badly from that vicious dog.

Since most of the owners I've met aren't as careful as you apparently are I still say that this is good news. Great news, even. Wonderful news. Incredible news. Now I won't have to risk getting my face bit off every time I decide to walk down the street.

[nanwalt3]

I wasn't aware of this type of BSL even being considered, so I appreciate you bringing it up.
I live in FL. and have a 12 & 13 yr. old mixed breed that have never bitten or even crossed their mind to do so, but they could get caught in a net this big.
I feel that all dogs will bite. That doesn't mean that all dogs bite.
You can't condemn ANY breed, as being dangerous. I think the owners need to be responsible and see their dogs are on a leash or in a fenced area.

Is this something that the legislation is going to put up for a referendum? Or is this something they want to pass at the 11th hour while we're all asleep.

Next maybe the GESTAPO will come and remove all dogs over 20 lbs.

[nanwalt3]

Read your own words::::"that they don't keep on a leash. You're talking about ignorant owners and condeming the BREED for their owners ignorance. I'm really starting to question your mental capacity.
I have never seen an unleashed dog that begs his owner,,,,"OH PLEASE PUT ME ON A LEASH!! YOU KNOW ITS A CITY ORDINANCE!!" If you haven't got the intellect to comment on the issue at hand,,,,NOT THE BREED, maybe you should put your cat online.

Originally Posted by PBCboy

This is wonderful news and I hope they incorporate this into Palm Beach County. It seems like everyone here has some dangerous pit bull that they don't keep on a leash. It would be nice to get those nasty dogs the hell out of here.

[desertsun41]

It's not the dogs, it's the owners fault. If I hear this one more time I will puke.

Funny thing. The fact that Poodles and Ausies and Labs and Poms and all the other good dogs by nature.......is it the owners fault that they bought or bred "good" dogs?