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Proposed Pit Bull Ban for the State of TennesseePosted Friday, January 18, 2008, at 8:35 AM
On January 14, 2008, Senator Tommy Kilby introduced Senate Bill 2738. SB2738 bans owning Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes of 50% or more in this state. Ownership would be classified as a Class A misdemeanor. Here is a snip of the bill:
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, relative to pit bull dogs. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2, is amended by adding the following new section thereto: § 39-14-215. (a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Own" means to harbor, keep or exercise control over the dog, and "owner" means a person who, at the time of the offense, regularly harbors, keeps or exercises control over the dog; (2) "Pit bull dog" means any pit bull terrier; and (3) "Pit bull terrier" means any American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog or any mixed breed of dog which contains as fifty percent (50%) of its breeding the breed of American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier, so as to be identifiable as partially of the breed American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier. (b) It is an offense for any person to knowingly own a pit bull dog in this state. (c) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
To view the legislative action on this bill so far, click HERE. To view the bill in it's entirety, click HERE. To let your local legislators know your opinion, you may contact them at the following: Senator Jim Tracy District Address: 106 Finch Lane Shelbyville, TN 37160 Nashville Address: 304 War Memorial Bldg. Nashville, TN 37243-2016 Phone: 615-741-1066 e-mail: sen.jim.tracy@legislature.state.tn.us House Representative Curt Cobb District Address: 802 South Brittain Shelbyville, TN 37160 Nashville Address: 34 Legislative Plaza Nashville, TN 37243-0162 Phone (615) 741-6824 Fax (615) 253-0344 Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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Ban them all !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not own any dogs, but was curios to know what are they going to do with all the pitbull dogs that are already hear? Send them to another state/ or uethanize (sp?) them? How would the owner get rid of them. :(
The bill proposes that Pit Bulls taken would be turned over the the local humane associations:
(d) In addition to the penalty imposed in subsection (c), the court making the
sentencing determination for a person convicted under this section shall order the
person convicted to surrender custody and forfeit the pit bull dog or pit bull dogs if the
- 2 - 01197133
person convicted is the owner of the pit bull dog or dogs. Custody shall be given to a
humane society incorporated under the laws of this state.
Now wait... is this bill saying that people who already own pit bulls must surrender the dogs, even those dogs whose owners are responsible dog owners? My friend has PB's, and she keeps them behind a privacy fence, with warning signs all over her property. The way I see it, those dogs are on her side of the fence, with no way to get out. Why should she have to surrender her dogs because a few irresponsible dog owners let their PB's run, and attack people/other pets?
Were citizens allowed to vote on this measure? I never saw this bill on any ballot in 2007.
Instead of banning one breed, why doesn't the laws already in place hold for all dogs and their owners?
"(b) It is an offense for any person to knowingly own a pit bull dog in this state. "
Unfortunately even responsible pet owners will not be allowed to own a "pit bull dog" in the state of Tennessee. I don't think it's fair to blame the victim (dog breeds used for fighting).. as it is the owner who trains/allows... the dog to be this way. This is an outrage to me. Instead of stereotyping every "pit bull type" dog, they need to make the fighting and dangerous dog laws more strict for all dogs. It's not going to help anything if this law is passed... every dog has the capability to be aggressive and injure someone. It is in how they are socialized and raised to be.
This is crazy and this is coming from a mama who's child (about 7 at the time) was attacked by a pit bull. It was not this dogs falt it was the owner who beat the dog and taught it to be mean. We know several people who have pit bulls and there dogs are good dogs because they are raised to be good. What are we going to do next band kids because some are not brought up to be "good"?
**craftin-mom~
This is a new bill for the 2008 legislative session. It hasn't come up for even a legislative vote yet. It was just introduced on the floor 1/14/08.
**Everyone~
The best thing to do right now, especially if you have strong feelings on the matter, is to contact your representatives and let them know EXACTLY how you feel. It's as easy as sending a letter to the e-mail addresses provided above.
You know I realize there are a lot of people out there that love their Pit Bulls. Personally I do not like them and do not trust any of them but that is just my opinion.
Banning every Pit Bull sounds every much like the SSA program to me everyone gets punished for what some few do.
I'm planning on moving down there in the next 5 years... so yes I'm a yankee for now. Hopefully ya'll be able to help me convert :-)
I don't want to move to a place that has laws that punish the wrong people. I have had pitbulls in the past and I have had Collies and Golden Retrievers as well. My pitbull was an awesome dog. My collie had to be put to sleep because she got agressive (the previous owners didn't treat her right). Dogs are a product of their environment. So are people. I agree with craftin on that note.
I believe that we should treat people the way that they treat their critters.
C'mon,this might not be THAT bad.
I'm sure that some nice agencies will help those of us who love our animals to relocate.
They'll see that we get new homes,new jobs,new schools for our kids and new medical caregivers for human and non-humans.
They've gotten a lot more practice at moving mass numbers of people since the Trail of Tears.
(We probably won't have to walk to the appropriate states this time.)
Once we've taken our dollars,our skills and our votes to places that don't stereotype,Tennessee won't have to worry about these potentially dangerous pets.
Of course,they might then have to focus on the next most dangerous dog breeds and then maybe even the scariest humans.
The beings who seem to pose the biggest threat could be identified by DNA testing and then marked with specific colored labels or tattoos to help round them up for isolation from the public.
Once they were impounded,they could be humanely put to sleep-in showers,maybe...
Such things have been done before.
An alternative would be to follow the suggestions other posters have made.
Require that any human in charge of another being provide that being with adequate shelter,nutrition,medical care,education and socialization.
The public would aid those people as necessary but would not permit anyone to have a being under their control that they weren't going to maintain as a healthy,happy member of society.
When these rules are ignored and the irresponsible acts result in someone being harmed,then we can talk about imprisonment,mandatory neutering and,if necessary,euthanization.
(We might do something with the offenders' animals then,too.)
It seems just a little reliance on common sense and personal responsibility would relieve us of the need for denying any group or individual its right to exist among us and benefit our society.
I admit my prejudice.
A pitbull saved the life of a baby in our family.
If a group is going to be judged by the actions of a few,let's count its best behavior as well as its worst.
C'mon,this might not be THAT bad.
I'm sure that some nice agencies will help those of us who love our animals to relocate.
They'll see that we get new homes,new jobs,new schools for our kids and new medical caregivers for human and non-humans.
They've gotten a lot more practice at moving mass numbers of people since the Trail of Tears.
(We probably won't have to walk to the appropriate states this time.)
Once we've taken our dollars,our skills and our votes to places that don't stereotype,Tennessee won't have to worry about these potentially dangerous pets.
Of course,they might then have to focus on the next most dangerous dog breeds and then maybe even the scariest humans.
The beings who seem to pose the biggest threat could be identified by DNA testing and then marked with specific colored labels or tattoos to help round them up for isolation from the public.
Once they were impounded,they could be humanely put to sleep-in showers,maybe...
Such things have been done before.
An alternative would be to follow the suggestions other posters have made.
Require that any human in charge of another being provide that being with adequate shelter,nutrition,medical care,education and socialization.
The public would aid those people as necessary but would not permit anyone to have a being under their control that they weren't going to maintain as a healthy,happy member of society.
When these rules are ignored and the irresponsible acts result in someone being harmed,then we can talk about imprisonment,mandatory neutering and,if necessary,euthanization.
(We might do something with the offenders' animals then,too.)
It seems just a little reliance on common sense and personal responsibility would relieve us of the need for denying any group or individual its right to exist among us and benefit our society.
I admit my prejudice.
A pitbull saved the life of a baby in our family.
If a group is going to be judged by the actions of a few,let's count its best behavior as well as its worst.
Sorry for the double post.
One of my cats felt so strongly about this issue that she hit the save button a second time-and she doesn't even like dogs!
It will be a cold day in hadees before any person will be able to come get MY dog and tell me that b/c he is half pitt bull that he is also a danger to society and put him to sleep. Some pit bulls are mean, and sometimes they come from great owners and are still a pain in the butt. I know. Some cocker spaniels are the same way and matter of fact my sister once had a crazy cat. IT HAPPENS. Crazy people happen and sometimes there is no family history or reason for it. BUT, does that make it ok for you to look at a child that resembles a crazy person you once knew and have him/her uthenized?
i DO NOT LIKE PITS AT ALL- BAN THEM ALL!! I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS HOW THEY ARE RAISED, IT IS IN THEIR BLOOD AND THEY WILL TURN ON YOU IN AN INSTANT! I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WITH PITS AND ONE CAME ON OUR BACK PORCH AND ATTACKED AND KILLED OUR 2 MONTH OLD JACK RUSSEL PUP. MY CHILDREN WATCHED FROM THE BACK DOOR! IT WAS HORRIBLE AND I CALLED OFFICIALS AND NO ONE WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!
I do not like ppl with the screen name jssg1975, I do not believe it has anything to do with the actual person or the people that trained them to be said person it is simply the name. Do away with them all! That, my friend, is how you sound, good day!
I honestly think that a dogs behavior is based on how it is trained and treated.
I live two houses down from a home that has two PB's tied up outside. These dogs get loose all the time and the police have been called. One of them actually bit a little boy in our neighborhood about a year ago. The womb was gruesome (sp?). These neighbors NEVER train or play with these dogs.
As soon as news spread about the little boy being bit in our subdivision, up went our really expensive privacy fence. Having two little boys of our own, we certainly were not going to take a chance.
I think that PB's and their owners should be evaluated to determine if they are both of stable and good nature.
I do not think all PB's should be turned over the the AC. We know what result that will bring.
Isn't there a law forcing PB owners to have their dogs in a six foot fence?
Mary, I've never heard of the six foot fence law. It raises interesting questions though. I know that homeowners insurance requires special measures to be taken if you own a pitt, or a chow. I think there may be a few others in there as well. My dog is a mutt, and that is how he is listed. He is half pitt, half lab. He looks like a pitt bull with the mindset of a jack russell. By the way, we also own a jack russell. Neither of my dogs would hurt a flea (and yes, I am aware that all owners say that) but there are some that are dangerous. Just as there are dangerous people. Most of the time, it has to do with your mentality and alot of that is predetermined.
Yes,what of the mixed breeds?
Is the state paying for examination of every dog's DNA?
Is anyone going to look at the dog's behavior or the stability of the owners?
"I'm sorry but we'll have to confiscate your dog. Yes,I know it weighs four pounds and has no front teeth but these Chi-Pittie-Pom-Poos have been declared a menace to society."
Sane people get angry when their families are threatened with injustice.
There's no telling what the kind of people who select pets to be violent and abuse them will do.
It'd make more sense to require that dogs go to obedience school and pass the Canine Good Citizen test.
(Yes,they could be "home-schooled" but, as with human students,they'd have to demonstrate all the required skills.
Their vet could help determine if the dog had psychological problems that needed to be addressed.)
School would be more productive and less invasive for people with companion animals.
1. The pets would be identified.
2. They would have to be vaccinated before registration.
3. They would be better behaved.
4. They'd be less apt to be abandoned or euthanized due to being un-housebroken,unruly or "unadoptable".
5. Their home life would come under scrutiny so a lack of shelter,inadequate enclosures,etc. would become apparent.
6. The humans guardians would have to present a good reason why an animal was un-neutered. Animals kept for reproduction couldn't be overbred and no animal could be destroyed just because it wasn't wanted for breeding.
Shouldn't laws that would benefit many dogs and humans (mandatory education,no puppy mills,home screening before adoption,etc.) be tried before one that would hurt a lot of non-destructive canines and their families?
Even if Pit Bulls and other banned breeds were the dangers they are supposed to be,proper breeding and training could remove a lot of the problems.
Which better reflects who we want to be?
Helping to make dogs safer to be around or destroying them "just in case"?
My neighbor's cat just killed my favorite pigeon at my birdfeeder, and now I'm terrified! Let's ban all orange cats while were at it! :
-- Posted by craftin_mom on Mon, Jan 21, 2008, at 2:01 PM
i don't think a owner that is a responsable person and the dog a good dog needs to be "surrendered". That is like saying all Doberman's are bad..
My dobie was great... he just hated black folks..... i found out later that some black kids were taunting him and that was why.
Easch dog is differant just like humans are there are bad ones and good ones.
most are made.
It's recommended that babies of all species be exposed to all kinds of people at an early age so no one type of person seems alien or scary.
Should they later meet some sorry folks that belong to a certain group,they'll notice them as an individual and not as an example of that group.
(I.E. The set of pit bulls can contain the subset "bad dogs". The set "bad humans" can contain a subset that includes black children.)
It would be as foolish to declare all pitbulls or black children bad as it would to look at a bird in flight and decide that bats must be birds and penguins aren't.
Judge the individual-not the group.
This is ridiculous... Banning one breed of dogs just b/c they are more troublesome than others is no more prejudice than banning certain races from events just b/c their statistics say they are more likely to go to jail..
It's wrong to ban everyone from having the liberty to own a pit bull b/c a select minority decides to ruin their image. Dog's don't have harm in their blood, just like horses don't walk like a World Grand Champion unless you train it, beat it, and force it to do something it isn't naturally bred to do.
Actually,the Walker has natural talent.
Even with all Man has done to it,you can see the beauty of the breed in foals and how they move without training or artifice.
How ironic it is to watch such innate and effortless grace in the young horses then observe how so many of them are "refined" into cripples.
These horses are born Champions.
The lucky ones get to retain their birthright whether they ever see a showring or training barn or not.
The rest are condemned to being distorted parodies of the breed by those who can't trust natural ability and skilled instruction to be sufficient.
The breed is special enough to outlast such corruption.
Perhaps,the industry formed to develop and honor it will,as well.
Let's work at converting all animals from "property" that exists solely for our pleasure to a confirmed status as our partners on this planet.
Let's embrace their special qualities and be respectful stewards of their well-being.
That would give us horses that don't bleed and wince with every step and dogs that are valued for the strength of their love instead of their jaws.
How a given person or beast is treated depends less on their worth than it does our own.
It is our ability to be kind and just that determines whether we are guardians of the world we live in or just another blight.
Some dogs are naturally meaner than others. Not one specific breed over the other just certain dogs who take a liking to being mean. I once owned a crazy (in every sense of the word) red heeler. So crazy that she was in heat and my male was so afraid of her he STILL stayed away! She was mean, she didn't like children and we had her since she was a puppy. None of the other dogs were mean, just her. Just so happens that one particular dog was nutso. It happens. We had to have her put down because she got to be too much to handle. I have known many heeler's before and since then that are terrific dogs along with some who describe their dogs just as we used to describe "Sally". Do we ban red heelers now?
On another note, is this ban going to be for all BULL DOGS or just pitts? As you must know there are other bull dogs, some are even bigger and probably more dangerous when provoked b/c of said size. Also, just because the original purpose of the breed was to protect does not mean it is inherent that they will all fight anything that moves. I'm thinking (and I could be wrong) that the purpose for Jack Russell's was to run rabbits and such, well mine has no interest in rabbits. Come to think of it, he's not interested in much but playing with our other dog and sleeping in a nice cozy lap!
The mother of the little boy that was bit in our neighborhood was telling me about the possibility of a law being passed stating that all PB's be contained in a six foot fence. I guess it never passed, but it would be a logical, realist law.
I honestly feel, with all my heart, that the PB's two houses down from me are neglected, and fierce. I am not saying that about all PB's, just the ones here in my neighborhood. I feel that these dogs need to be taken away, evaluated, and rehomed to peole that can care for them. Their current owners are the most violent people in our subdivision, threating anyone that looks at them. They have threatened to kill or shoot just about everyone in our neighbood, including us. That should give you a good idea about their dogs behavior.
I personally think that this law needs to be revised and balanced before considered by the legislation.
Mary evaluation and being rehomed does sound like the best option for these dogs. I am not above uthenizing a dangerous dog, I just don't think the innocent ones should suffer as well.
~LauraSFT
"On another note, is this ban going to be for all BULL DOGS or just pitts? As you must know there are other bull dogs, some are even bigger and probably more dangerous when provoked b/c of said size."
The bill proposes:
(3) "Pit bull terrier" means any American pit bull terrier,Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog or any mixed breed of dog which contains as fifty percent (50%) of its breeding the breed of American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier, so as to be identifiable as partially of the breed American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier.
Thanks Cheryl. I'm sure I read that and forgot it.
It sounds like the "nutso" humans need to be picked up and evaluated before we start in on dogs.
Even dogs that have been trained as professional killers can,on occasion,be saved if given new conditioning by people with the right skills.
They may never be safe for a regular home with pets and children but they become controlled enough to live.
Maybe dangerous humans can be rehabilitated,too,under the right circumstances.
But,too often,dogs and humans are ignored until something tragic occurs.
Let's try some timely interventions before anyone loses his life or freedom.
An existence based around fear and hate isn't worth living for anyone.
Let's see that those who are being terrorized and their tormentors escape being victims and have peaceful lives they can look forward to enjoying for years to come.
I tried to read several posts...
yankee..You're on the right track, you have already said 'ya'll' and 'critters':-)
I do not like Pit Bull type dogs. They just don't suit me. I like small and medium sized dogs. On that note, I am totally against this bill.
Dogs will gravitate toward natural instincts if left to their own will, as will any creature on Earth. These dogs have unfortuantely been the means to a cruel sport and therefore more publicized. I used to have a copy of a story about a Jack Russell who shook an infant. That is the inclination of a dog bred for killing vermin. I have a Jack who does not like children, mostly because I don't have kids and he has never been around any. If anyone in this state says I have to give him up, I'll be moving to Alabama. I keep him in the house and when we are away from home, he has a collar double leashed to a halter.
I think a better law would be to make it a felony for people whose dog causes bodily harm to another living creature, no matter the breed.
Make that knowingly keep a dangerous person/animal where he could hurt someone and you're onto something.
Anyone could be taken by surprise by a violent act they didn't expect or reasonable precautions might not prove enough.
I don't think they deserve the same punishment as someone who has been willfully negligent or has deliberately encouraged and cultivated the violence.
BTW,what of animals who cause harm accidentally?
If they trip someone,are they as accountable as if they lunged at someone and knocked them down in an attack?
Civil penalties and insurance claims should kick in before criminal charges.
Cheryl,
I just realized something, you know my dogs! I lived across the street from you.
~Laura
It took me a minute. You're Laura, Laura. How are you?
Haha, we're going pretty good. How bout yourself? And, I thought about ya'll the other day, someone had two little kittens that they were trying to give away.
I live in Fl.. My sister(she sent me the link to this site) & my dad live in Tenn. My sister has pits, she don't want to give them up. I have 2 pits. And always owned Pitbulls. I had them as hunting & family dogs.. I love them. I would never give up my animals, for a stupid state law. Our pits are a part of our family. Animals are taught by their owners.. NOT just pitbulls bit.. What about chows,or the little ankle bitters, German Sheppards???? They bite.
It's all about how you raise them.. Is the State Of Tenn going to band all dogs that bite??? No because the Pits have a repretation of bitting .. That's because of the dumb people that make them that way..
I think Tenn should ban all those people that raise dogs to fight....
Or what about the rapers, killers and child abbuse people..they are out on the streets praying on our children. Get rid of them.. Will Tenn put those people in a chamber and utherize them...???
Tenn can also make the laws more stricker on those indivuals that do fight the pits and keep them of the streets for good. The county where I live have leash laws for dogs..Why not do that.??
I think is so ridicilous.. That a state would ban our animals....
I wanted to move to Tenn but you know what.. It ain't worth it if I have to give up my family members..
Like I said before it's how you raise them.. It's not the dogs fault........