INDEPENDENCE, Mo. While Houghton said he does not care for pit bulls, he understands that a lot of people own them and they believe they are great pets.. Pit bulls have not legally been allowed in Independence since 2006, when an incident led to the citys current breed specific legislation, banning them. It's . Everyone please take the time to sign this. Its how you treat them and how you train them. Some people in Independence want their city to be the latest in the Kansas City metropolitan area to reconsider a ban on pit bulls.It's been nearly a decade since Independence banned the breed, but there's a passionate part of the population who think it's time to extend the leash on pit bulls.Out of all the dogs at the KC Pet Project is Kansas City, there are far more pit bulls than any other. You Care. You are our people. The bill will need another vote in the House before moving to the Senate, where it has sputtered in recent years. We welcome victims (and their sympathizers) who wish to share their experiences and receive support without being censored by mobs of pit apologists. - The House perfected legislation restricting breed-specific laws (BSLs) on dogs Wednesday.. Rep. David Gregory's HB 2241, which has been joined with HB 2244, would prohibit local governments from passing and enforcing regulations on dogs in a breed-specific manner.Nearly 50 municipalities in Missouri have BSL laws on the books now, according to the American Society for . The updated version increases fines for violation to $250 to $1,500, up from the $200 to $1,000 range that . Last night the city council voted five-to-one to prohibit new pit bulls from the . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport, or sell within the City any pit bull. Regulations. Other breeds like Boston terriers have similar features, such as "blocky" heads, she said. Such license tag shall be attached to the pit bull by means of a collar or harness and shall not be attached to any pit bull other than the pit bull for which the license was issued. The owner shall, within five (5) days, notify the Director of Health of any change of address. Watch: K9 Lor recovers from injury and journey home. "That is really a direct cause of the fact there are so many cities around our community that don't allow pit bulls," said Tori Fugate, of the KC Pet Project.Right now, there are about 100 pit bulls and pit bull mixes up for adoption.Fugate said many times, families will fall in love with a pit bull, only to learn that they're not allowed to have one where they live.She said that's a shame. More: Therapy dog delivers comfort to students. Because after 30 years, the city finally lifted the law that banned Pit Bull ownership. d. In addition to the above penalties, a violation of this section by a registered and licensed breeder will result in the immediate revocation of their breeding license. I wonder if maybe theres a white people have more of an entitled opinion online thing (not a logical explanation, I know). If it is ultimately enacted, it would preempt rules in dozens of Missouri cities, including those still on Springfield's books enacted in 2006 after widely publicized biting attacks. 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Each show dog registered with the City must be shown at least once during each license renewal period. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. A lot of people love pit bulls anyway, and theyre really not violent, so people really shouldnt judge the dog on the breed when its really the owners that arent raising their dogs right because any dog can be violent, Amanda Jolly said. In Liberty, Missouri, it is be unlawful to keep, harbor, own or possess any pit bull dog, with exceptions for pit bull dogs already residing in the city. The ordinance banning pit bulls in Independence has been in force for nearly two decades. I think I would lean toward no, and thats not because of the dog, but I just dont think a lot of the owners are responsible enough, Debra Heck said. A city spokeswoman had no comment on the legislation. 2. They are going to be able to register their dogs and not fear that their dogs are going to be taken and put down or killed just because they want to have a pit bull type of a dog," said Tamie Thurston, with the Animal Justice League of America. A majority of speakers were in favor of lift Let us know. Please be the voice of your constituents and vote to repeal Independences pit bull ban. An Independence man is fighting to keep his dogs but a pit bull ban in the city may force him to move or get rid of his family pets. The ASPCA is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization. H. The Director of Health shall establish written policies and procedures for the discretionary evaluation and placement of spayed and neutered abandoned pit bulls with established non-profit animal welfare organizations who have a Missouri Animal Care Facility License for the placement and adoption of individual pit bulls, under the following conditions: 1. 3. Dear Independence City Government Official. Liberty voters obliged when they went to the polls April 2, with the new ordinance passing by just 133 votes. My daughter has pit bulls, and we have babies. No final decision from the Independence City Council is expected for several weeks or perhaps even months. Breeders must obtain a background check on all prospective buyers of puppies, and must not transfer a pit bull dog to anyone having been convicted of a felony or of any crime related to animal abuse or neglect, fighting of animals, any conviction related to or of a violent nature, possession of illegal firearms, or for the use, sale, or distribution of drugs. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. Residents in Independence, Missouri, voiced their opinions on the fate of a pit bull ban in the city. The vote was the same as first reading two weeks ago. The owner shall bring the pit bull to the Director of Health where a person authorized by the Director of Health shall cause a registration number to be assigned by the department and a micro-chip shall be implanted in the pit bull. The problem is we have people, parents today, that are unfit to even be a parent, let alone raise a child, let alone raise a dog, said one resident in favor of lifting the ban, and so its really not an animal thing its a people thing.. If you live in Independence, please call Mayor Eileen Weir at (816) 325-7027 and ask her to repeal this ban. Aka pit bull lobby. "Mace is 2-years-oldold and Diamond is 12," Charles Ray said about his . Any pit bull puppies kept contrary to the provisions of this subdivision are subject to immediate impoundment and disposal pursuant to subsection E. of this section. The ban, first enacted in 1989, was lifted by a vote of 7 to 4. Call him at 417-403-8096 or email him at ahuguelet@news-leader.com. The hearing, if any, will be held before the Director of Health or a hearing officer designated by the Director of Health. The neighboring cities of Liberty, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, have already overturned their former discriminatory bans against pit bulls, giving residents the right to freely choose their animal companions. E. The Director of Health is authorized to immediately impound any pit bull found in the City which is not licensed under subsection D., above, and does not fall within the exceptions listed in subsection C., above. Its definitely a hot-button issue around town. He received a letter in the mail telling him he had 10 days to relocate the dog. The ban on pit bulls in Independence is a divisive issue, something Mayor Eileen Weir knows all too well. The pitbull ban in Independence has caused many loving dog owners an exorbitant amount of heartache and sorrow. "There was an issue on the ballet to provide additional funding to our animal shelters and hire some more police officers, and the animal welfare activists that were involved in that issue, they were very engaging looking at the pit-bull issue in Independence," Jason White, chairman of the sub-committee exploring the possible ordinance change, said. Make Pet Adoption Your First Option and urge all those you know to do the same. This ban targeted the American pit bull terrier, the Staffordshire terrier and the Staffordshire bull terrier, making it unlawful to have these breeds within the city limits. I guess all Ive seen factually/research -wise is crime related incidents and ownership of pit bulls - there was not shockingly a correlation. Denver just voted to end its 30-year ban on pit bulls. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. KC area has some holdouts. Pit bulls have been banned in Independence since 2006, which Fugate said makes things difficult for shelters. . Adopt Pit Bull Dogs in Missouri. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Residents in Independence, Missouri, voiced their opinions on the fate of a pit bull ban in the city. Chapter 3. The ordinance banning pit bulls in Independence has been in force for nearly two decades. However, the pit bull ban does not apply to registered show dogs that meet certain requirements or dogs whose owners have received a pit bull license on or before the date the ordinance was enacted. Therefore, Denver . Such petition shall include the name and address, including mailing address, of the petitioner. Doug Ford's government has eased regulations related to the province's pit bull ban, allowing seized dogs that look like the prohibited breed to be released - and several dog owners say . Share with your friends and family! This may include veterinary papers, AKC papers, adoption papers from a shelter or other records that prove the dog is not a pit bull. In addition, no such dog may be kept in a structure when the windows are open or when screen windows or screen doors are the only obstacle preventing the dog from exiting the structure. Im willing to move Im not going to let my dogs go like I said its a part of our family, Ray said. The city has reviewed the ban several times, but it remains in place. 41 Action News, KSH. The owner and any proposed transferee of ownership and possession acknowledge that should the pit bull be found within the City in the future, in violation of this section, the pit bull will be destroyed; and, c. The pit bull is spayed or neutered before its release, unless a licensed veterinarian states in writing that a pit bull is unfit to undergo the required surgical procedure because of an extreme health condition of the animal. Remove Pitbull ban in Independence, Missouri. * By opting in, I agree to receive periodic text messages from the ASPCA. We were all devastated, Ray said. Three commissioners voted for the lift and two voted against. "Anytime you come in, there are a lot of bully breeds looking for homes at KC Pet Project," KC Pet Project Chief Communications Officer Tori Fuguate said. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Snow chances Friday, One man found dead after standoff, 3 KC officers, Dicks Sporting Goods to buy retailer with KC stores, KC Police Board remembers fallen KCPD officer, K9, KC needs volunteers for Big 12 Championships, events, Kansas City weather: Why your car may be dusty today, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. placement of abandoned pit bulls for adoption. For some of us this affects our families. 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