All right, so maybe we won’t be seeing the headline that ALL dogs are banned as a companion in Columbia, South Carolina right away.  However, if the current Breed Specific Legislation that is being worked on currently in Richland County goes through as planned, it could become a reality for some dog owners of specific breeds identified as having “vicious” tendencies.  I was shocked to see in the recent Richland County Council minutes that Councilwoman Valerie Hutchinson is working on such laws as I write this.  As many of you know, I am passionate about animals and especially the rights to have a canine companion. 

Granted, my darling pooch is not one of the breeds often singled out in breed specific legislation, but he did have a Rottweiler as a best friend growing up.  He and Abby (the Rottie) used to get into trouble together as puppies at doggie day care.  Currently, we are taking obedience classes (so we can compete) and he has another Rottweiler as a classmate there.  She has had orthoscopic surgery to correct her hip displasia and has issues doing the sits and downs we are working on.  Yet, she remains stoic and wants to do nothing but please her master.  This pup never causes any issues with the rest of us in class and is the last dog one would consider to ban from living here happily with her family.

In looking through what others have experienced in other parts of the country with Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), here is what I was able to find from the American Kennel Club (AKC)’s website as their official position:

“Dangerous Dog” Control Legislation

The American Kennel Club supports reasonable, enforceable, non-discriminatory laws to govern the ownership of dogs. The AKC believes that dog owners should be responsible for their dogs. We support laws that: establish a fair process by which specific dogs are identified as “dangerous” based on stated, measurable actions; impose appropriate penalties on irresponsible owners; and establish a well-defined method for dealing with dogs proven to be dangerous. We believe that, if necessary, dogs proven to be “dangerous” may need to be humanely destroyed. The American Kennel Club strongly opposes any legislation that determines a dog to be “dangerous” based on specific breeds or phenotypic classes of dogs.

From: Kathy Smith [mailto:kathy@smith.net]
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 9:54 AM
To: Val Hutchinson
Subject: Vicious Dog Ordinance

I read in the Richland County Agenda and Minutes that you are seeking to place breed specific legislation in our county.  As one who has a dog that I work with in obedience, I have noticed that often it is not the breed of dog that is the issue but rather the owners of an individual dog that are the problem.  If a dog owner ties their animal to a tree with no shelter and is cruel to them, then obviously you will have a vicious dog, no matter what breed they are.  If you work with and provide consistent training and reasonable discipline to a dog, no matter what the breed, you will have a more balanced and well-behaved animal. 

I am concerned that the legislation currently being worked on will make a stereotypical judgment about certain breeds and not actually deal with the problems that are most often seen by animal control officers:  dog fighting, animal cruelty and neglect by their owners.  It is not the choice of the breeds of dog that are often singled out for breed specific legislation to be abused by their owners, utilized in dog fighting or to become symbols of “tough guys” as vicious animals. 

I believe there is an immediate need to educate people on how to be responsible pet owners and to ramp up the county’s resources so that they can remove animals from dangerous situations.  It is often these situations where dogs have been abused and we hear about it only after they have finally turned against their owners or innocent bystanders.  I have heard that we only have 7 Animal Control Officers for the entire county of Richland; however, they answer 12,000 complaints or requests for service annually.  Animal Control is severely under funded and understaffed.  How can we accomplish any education or control with such a lack of staff and resources to handle what is needed?

Thank you for taking time to read this email and I look forward to hearing about what you are currently working on in regards to handling animal issues.

Kathy Smith

Kathy, I think you’ve made some great points, and I agree about the animals being victims of abuse. We have had some serious incidents involving Pitt Bulls in local neighborhoods, endangering pets and children. We will look at our wording carefully, as we go forward. I appreciate your thoughtful remarks, and I, too, think we are understaffed. Sincerely, Val Hutchinson

Your “No Bull” Realtor,

Kathy Smith
Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors, Inc.
(888) 808-4Moo ext. 0
(803) 781-5729
http://www.kathy.smith.net/