Missouri BSL

Pits in the news and info on Breed Specific Legislation.

Postby Maryellen » February 28th, 2006, 11:27 am

Missouri: HB 1686, Breed Specific Bill, Introduced in the House

Bill Number: HB 1686
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Chappelle Nadal
ASPCA Position: Oppose
Action Needed: Call and email your state representative and ask them to oppose HB 1686.


Laws that hold dog guardians responsible for unjustified harm or damage inflicted by their pets should be rational and should not impose bans or authorize discrimination against specific dog breeds without regard to the temperament and behavior of individual dogs. Such laws infringe on the rights of responsible dog guardians and do grave damage to the efforts of shelters and humane societies to place adoptable dogs of prohibited breeds.

Canine profiling fails to protect the public from dangerous dogs of all breeds and all dogs can bite. Moreover, in its study of human fatalities resulting from dog bites, the CDC did not support the breed specific approach. The CDC noted many factors beyond a dogs breed may affect a dog’s tendency toward aggression. These concerns seem well-founded given that more than seventy-percent of all dog bite cases involve unsterilized male dogs. 94% of all dog related human fatalities in the United States involved unsterilized canines.

HB 1686 would require “pit bull” owners to apply for a $500 yearly permit. Pet guardians could own no more than two “pit bulls,” and would have to leash and muzzle their dogs when not on property owned by their guardian. If a person’s pit bull attacked an animal or a person the owner would have to receive ten hours of psychological counseling, among other penalties. “Pit bull” is defined so broadly in this legislation, that it could easily include any short-haired mutt.

Please click here to contact your state representative and ask them to oppose HB 1686.

https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/A ... on&id=1905

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
default.htm http://www.house.mo.gov/default.aspx?in ... emmail.htm

this is how you can contact the house members
SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1686

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES CHAPPELLE NADAL (Sponsor), McGHEE AND BROWN (50) (Co-sponsors).

Read 1st time February 7, 2006 and copies ordered printed.

STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk

4287L.01I
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN ACT

To amend chapter 273, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to pit bull ownership.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 273, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 273.225, to read as follows:

273.225. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1) "Department", the Missouri department of agriculture;

(2) "Household", any single-family home or apartment building inhabited by one or more individuals;

(3) "Muzzle", a restraining device that, when fitted over a pit bull's snout, prevents the pit bull from biting;

(4) "Owner", any person who acquires or owns a pit bull as a pet or watch dog. Owner shall not include a veterinarian, an animal control officer, an animal shelter worker, or a dog breeder while such persons possess or acquire pit bulls in the ordinary course of business;

(5) "Pit bull", any canine, whether purebred or exhibiting the dominant characteristics thereof, of the following breeds: American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and American pit bull terrier.

2. Beginning January 1, 2007, every owner of a pit bull residing in this state shall apply for a state pit bull resident owner permit for each pit bull owned by the owner. Each owner shall not own more than two pit bulls. Any person who owns or acquires a pit bull shall, within ten days of acquisition, be required to apply for such permit. The applicant for a state permit shall submit the following:

(1) A fee of five hundred dollars;

(2) Proof that the pit bull has been spayed or neutered; and

(3) Any other information required by the department.

3. A pit bull owner shall be required to:

(1) Obtain a separate state permit for each pit bull owned by the owner; and

(2) Leash and maintain a muzzle on the pit bull at all times while the pit bull is on public property or any private property not wholly owned by the owner.

4. Any pit bull owner who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to the following penalties:

(1) For failure to obtain and maintain a state pit bull resident owner permit:

(a) An administrative penalty of one thousand dollars to be collected by the department;

(b) The pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for observation for a minimum of ten days and not more than sixty days. The owner shall be assessed a boarding fee of thirty dollars per day for each day of the observation period, with such fee being paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter boarding the pit bull; and

(c) If the sixty-day observation period lapses and the owner does not seek to reestablish custody and control of the pit bull or the owner fails to fully pay the boarding fees for the observation period, the owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the care, custody, and control of the pit bull shall remain with the animal control authority or animal shelter;

(2) For failure to maintain a leash or muzzle on a pit bull while the pit bull is on public property or private property not wholly owned by the pit bull owner:

(a) For a first offense, the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a ten-day observation period, with the owner being assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter;

(b) For a second offense, the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a thirty-day observation period, with the owner being assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; and

(c) For a third offense, the owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter, with a surcharge of eighteen hundred dollars to be imposed, payable to the animal control authority or animal shelter;

(3) When a pit bull physically attacks a person or another animal:

(a) For a first offense:

a. The pit bull shall be transferred to an animal control authority or animal shelter for a thirty-day observation period;

b. The owner shall be assessed a thirty-dollar-a-day boarding fee to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter;

c. The owner shall be subject to a civil action for restitution for damages to person or animal incurred during the physical attack; and

d. The owner shall be required to attend and bear the cost of ten hours of evaluation and counseling by a licensed psychologist to assess the capabilities of the owner relative to responsible ownership of a pit bull; and

(b) For a second offense:

a. The owner shall be deemed to have relinquished all ownership rights in the pit bull and the pit bull shall be transferred to the care, custody, and control of an animal control authority or animal shelter;

b. The owner shall be assessed a surcharge of eighteen hundred dollars to be paid to the animal control authority or animal shelter; and

c. The owner shall be subject to a civil action for restitution for damages to person or animal incurred during the physical attack.

5. The department may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2006, shall be invalid and void.





*VISIT THE REAL PIT BULL*
~Information center, rescue, RPB-L home~
http://www.realpitbull.com
Maryellen
I live here
 
Posts: 5971

Postby bahamutt99 » February 28th, 2006, 8:37 pm

Fighting BSL is like playing Whack-a-Mole. Even if you got one, keep your mallet ready for the next one.
~~~
[b]Lindsay
[i]& the [url=http://www.freewebs.com/bahamutt99/index.htm]Gravity Dogs[/url][/i][/b]
User avatar
bahamutt99
Confident Young Bully
 
Posts: 513
Location: west Texas

Postby Fear_the_Sheeple » March 1st, 2006, 12:15 am

So true. :(
User avatar
Fear_the_Sheeple
Enlightened Bully
 
Posts: 1558
Location: FL


Return to Pit Bull news and BSL

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users