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This is realy scary, I can't imagine the pain that is going to be inflicted on these dogs and their owners. Yet, I still here people say it's a free country. How did the lawmakers in Ohio miss the story with Michael Vick. It is not the dogs it is the people. I sincerely hope the people of Ohio can put a stop to this madness.

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I just signed a petition that opposes the pit bull ban in Ohio. I also read the statement regarding BF taking no position on the legislation in Ohio, and I followed the link that explains BF priorities regarding animal legislation. This proposed ban seems so serious that I would like to pursue support from BF for opposing it. Does anyone know how we can go about obtaining BF opposition to the Ohio ban?

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Bravo, Lori, for posting this story! Let's everybody contact Rep. Tyrone Yates and Gov. Strickland.

And do sign the petition! The link is given in the comment below mine.

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So...let me get this straight....if this bill passes, the law can come to your house with a search warrant, CONFISCATE your pit bull and KILL him? I am not a pit bull owner nor am I in Ohio, but this really sounds like the Red China Dog Cull, where 50,000 dogs were dragged out of people's houses and clubbed them to death, due to rabies? What happened to the constitution? Are we in the US? This is VERY scary....where will it end? With GSDs? Rotties, Dobies, LABS? GOLDENS? All over the US? All dogs over 25 lbs??? We need to contact our politicians right away!

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Lori,
Thanks so much for the link to sign the petition.
My name is on it!
Have a great day.
Conni

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I signed the petition too!! This would be really really bad.... I can't believe that this could happen...

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Of course I'm as appalled as everyone else, and certainly opposed to this legislation - I own a pit mix myself here in Calif. But I am confused as to why the author states that pits cannot be sent out of state within the 90 days (assuming there are still states where they're legal,)

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This is shotgun legislation at its most dangerous. Now is the time to rally the troops, people. Laws enacted in one region or state can spread to other regions and states as people point to other jurisdictions for an example, be it good or bad. If you know anyone remotely close to Ohio, let them know what's going on and encourage them to speak out.

How a region, let alone a state, can ban a breed when a vast majority of supposedly trained individuals cannot even identify the breed is beyond comprehension. Even if the breed could be identified, why do we punish the innocent and not deal with the source of the problem - the people? Amazing. It doesn't help that some animal oriented programs on television continue to perpetuate myths about pits, their jaw structure, their natural temperament.

Speak out, people, and think about it: what would you do if someone misidentified your dog as a banned breed and took him or her from you, leaving you no recourse?

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Please dont let them kill my brothers in Ohio! :(



Woofs, from a scared Jiminy.

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Signing this petition is a great way to get yourself involved, it takes so little time to sign it and forward it on to friends, family, neighbors, co~workers, any animal advocate. You can do it in the privacy of your home, wearing your jammies for goodness sake! The hard work is being done for us in just getting the research together, reading the proposed legislation and putting together the petition and getting the initial word out. This must be extensive work just to get something like this off the ground. Signing the petition is a piece of cake, comparatively.

This petition is so very wrong on so many levels and the ramifacations of this proposed legislation actually passing is enormous. Every state in the union could follow suit......

And where would the witch hunt end? What happens when they come for YOUR companion? What are they going to say to a child who's dog has been confiscated simply because they're a pit bull? What kind of message will that be sending. Since when is murder legal? Does this yahoo remember what happened to the Jews and to the Japanese after Pearl Harbor? It's discrimination and racism................................

The last I knew we still live in the United States, land of the free and home of the brave. What is happening to us when our governments start telling us what we can and cannot do.....? What is happening to our freedom?

I have been so frickin' outraged since I first learned what this yahoo was proposing that I can hardly stand myself.

Sign the petition, pass it along to fellow animal lovers, write letters and emails to Rep. Yates and Governor Strickland. Tell them that we want solutions that we can ALL live with and a mass ban of pit bulls is NOT a solution. Killing never is......

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Okay, I'm red faced.............2nd paragraph I meant to write this BILL, I did NOT mean this PETITION. Many apologies to everyone......the petition is extremely important...................

See how flippin' mad this so~called "legislation" makes me????

Signed,
Red~faced Mom of Niki.............................

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Hello,

I just have been made aware of House Bill 568 and am very disappointed that humans choose to label a whole breed as not worthy of life. I am a proud owner of a pit bull, he is the joy of my life. I’m so proud of him and I love the breed and will never own another breed of dog. I have never had a problem with my dog nor has anyone who have been around him.



Please, I beg you, please don’t impose this bill. I will be forced to move out of the state and no longer visit friends and family. My dog is my life.



In addition, please note the following:





• Best Friends work with the Vicktory Dogs
• The need to direct laws at the owners and not the breed
• Encourage spay/neuter and support funding for free or low cost spay/neuter
• Ban tethering or chaining dogs – both the USDA and AVMA say that tethering dogs is inhumane. Tethering of dogs tends to lead to unsocialized animals that are potentially dangerous.
• Enforce current dog at large and leash laws
• Pass stronger animal anti-cruelty laws
• Increase education on proper care of dogs



Thank you,

Sara

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Veronica,

I couldn't agree more with you and thank you for commenting on my news story. There is a petition on The Petition Site that you can sign, if you haven't done so already.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/425509632

Lori

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Every state has legislators that are clueless about revenue enhancement, propose tax increases to assist in overrun government expansion and programs to give away much of what is collected. So where does this less than thought out bill take Ohioans? The next step is creating similar people for people based on ethnicity, skin color, religion, country of origin, or some other thought up or perceived misconception of the rumors of evil. It's a shame animals are considered property and do not have the same Constitutional rights and protections as some of the enemies of our citizens and our country given those rights while in custody on our soil! Will you and your family be the next victims? It's scary. During many years of volunteer service in a community animal shelter, and while handling police impounds, "red tagged vicious dogs", I was only bitten once. My aggressor was a cocker spaniel who was a "fear biter". I am also pleased to read that one state in our Union has so little crime that their local and state police have the time to go door to door to round up family pets based on the "way they look."

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This is plan stupid. When are we going to stop taking things out on the animal and start making the pet owner responsible for their pet's behavior and actions?
Based on this bill, all vehicles and guns and anything capable of harming a human be banned while the individuals responsible be free of all consequences.

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I just sent this to OHIO and will forward to all my friends.

Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 12:52 PM
To: 'district33@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'keith.dailey@governor.ohio.gov'; 'first.lady@governor.ohio.gov'; 'district78@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district33@ohr.state.oh.us'
Cc: 'Best Friends Network'
Subject: Ban of Pit Bulls HB 568

This surely has to be a joke or the person(s) proposing this bill must surely have taken leave of ALL THEIR SENSES. These are not bad dogs. The problem is bad owners or people who do not take responsibility for their animals as they should.

You better be glad I do not live there or anyone participating in this nonsense would certainly NEVER AGAIN BE ELECTED TO OFFICE. This is STUPIDITY BEYONE BELIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rep. Tyrone Yates it appears this is your bright IDEA. Hope your constituents are aware of this.

Erma Huntley

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I sent this letter this morning, the Governor web site busy and has been. I hope to send it to him later today.

Mr. Yates,

I am not sending this letter to yell scream or call names regarding bill 568, I am however asking that you please read my letter regarding my experience. Thank you in advance.

As the former owner of a Pit bull let me tell you about my experience. I am a 47 year old married Caucasian female with one son residing in an upscale area of Pickerington. We began fostering our Pit bull at the age of nine weeks, within three weeks, we as a family saw not a Pit bull but a typical loving playful pup and finally adopted him. He was raised with nothing but love during his life which made him a very loyal loving obedient dog. He was a regular at all of my sons baseball games everyone loved him and he loved everyone. He was a constant visitor at the nursing home where my mother was recovering for several months and again everyone loved him and he loved everyone. My 76 year old neighbor who was once unsure began adding dog treats to her shopping list eventually calling our Pit bull her Grand puppy. As you can see he was anything but vicious and I welcome you to check out my story. We were responsible owners never letting our dog run free, making sure his vaccinations were current and never taking any encounter for granted. As with any living creature behaviors are learned and come from repetition.

The same rules that you have for your children also apply to pet ownership. They need rules, boundaries and guidance throughout their life. I am truly shocked that anyone could or would blame the Pit bull alone for it's aggressive behavior when humans are responsible for creating this problem. The constant abuse that so many of these dogs deal with on a daily basis would make ANY dog aggressive. That is a fact. Unfortunately there are far too many Pit bulls that are owned by criminals and or horribly abusive people in general. These poor dogs are also victims, it's their owners that need to be held responsible not the dog. There isn't a need for a specific breed ban but, there is a serious need for one regarding the owners. Stop slapping these people on the hand and do something about it. Again it's like raising a child, if you do nothing but warn them and never follow through nothing will ever be accomplished and you will never have their respect. This ban will not stop those people who use these poor dogs for reasons other than having a pet it will just go further underground. This ban will only hurt the people who are responsible owners and law abiding citizens.

Also, I have one last question. Everyday on the news we hear about all of the young people who have committed terrible crimes. How often do we EVER hear about all of the good kids, the ones who help the communities and it's residents, work in soup kitchens, etc? Rarely, if ever that's how often. The same goes for these dogs, you never see a story about a good Pit bull. Do you?

Best Friends Animal Society took 22 of Michael Vicks Pit bulls and made remarkable changes in them. I ask you to please visit them in Kanab Utah (435) 644-2001 or go to their web site at www.bestfriends.org. I beg you to please educate yourself on this breed. Take the time to interview people at the American Kennel Club - 260 Madison Ave. New York, New York 10016 (212) 696-8200 they in turn can tell you all about this breed and put in you touch with reputable owners and breeders.

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As usual, our loving animals are to blame because owners take care of them, it should be the owners who are banned. Animals depend on humans to help them in life, so it's humans that are against them instead of finding ways to help them. Come on OHIO, get with it, repremand the humans not the animals.

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As usual, it is easier to go after the dog than the irresponsible owner. The breed is not to blame. Since they do not welcome responsible pet owners with these breeds, every dog show, horse show, or other event should refuse to bring their business or conferences to the state as some of their members would not be welcome. What breed will be next?

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What's next? People with brown eyes, overweight people, people who like fried chicken? "Big Brother" unfortunately is alive and well. What will "they" want to ban next??? Hey, here's a thought . . . how about bad, irresponsible owners!!!

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Sorry Lori! I ASSumed it was the other petition. EVERYONE should sign Lori's petition. I'm on my way there now.

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I've just sent an email to the Ohio rep. Please do the same. The only way to defeat this is if we all voice our opinion. At the least, ask that they allow the pet owners to find suitable homes for their pets. This is a travesty.

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Remember, you can get their fax numbers too.

Sounds like our voices are being heard. I cannot say thank you enough, everyone.

I hope to have an additional article up this weekend with some of the faces that will be on death row if this bill passes including a pit bull that has recently received his certification through International Therapy Dogs, Inc. Wait until you see Riddick and his little sister Ellie.

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Governor Stricklands website is up and working now, or at least it was. The response I received after I sent my letter states that we can also call the Constituent Hotline at (614) 644-4357 regarding immediate concerns.

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This email group includes Representative Yates and all the other reps on the committee. It does not include the Governor who has his own web page.

'district33@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district86@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district25@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district76@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district89@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district03@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district48@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district90@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district95@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district70@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district57@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district19@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district13@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district82@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district44@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district35@ohr.state.oh.us'

I wrote one e-mail and sent it to the whole group. I included the link to the .pdf version of the March 08 BF mag with the article "Wrong End of the Leash." If at least two of them read the article, that's a start.

I also encouraged them to consult with BF. I'm not holdilng my breath but each time someone writes to them, we're chipping away at the stone of their collective ignorance.

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Irene, fantastic letter! I think maybe YOU should run for office.
This is from the Petfinder message board:
The best thing anyone can do is write a handwritten letter. Emails are quicker, but can also be deleted quicker too. Handwritten letters shows you took the time to express your thoughts....
http://www.canineadvocatesofohio.org/BSL/Pending_OH_BIlls/H.B._568_Action.htm

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irene- that was a wonderful, truly informative letter. i am going to write to them as well, and hopefully i will be able to sum it all up as well as you did. either way- i am praying this bill does not get signed... as a HUGE pit bull advocate and lover, even though i don't live in ohio, this will be devastating. my boyfriends pitty maxine thanks you for the letter, and thanks everyone else! -sigh-

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From the text:

Best Friends Animal Society has not taken a position of support or opposition to this piece of legislation. For more information on how animal legislation is reported on the Best Friends Network, click here.

Why hasn't Best Friends taken a position against this??? It's pretty clear that they want us to be against it.

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Scotto55,

The article is mine and the information contained in it and the suggestion to let Ohio lawmakers know that we opposed this bill is mine as well.

I have elevated my concerns and those of others to the proper people in BF for their review. Because there is so much legislation going on across the country that BF can't possibly know it all or be able to review it quickly enough to post an official opinion each and every time.

However, BF does want communities to be able to get the word out about legislation that affects animals locally as it can be so time sensative. So, BF has given us Volunteer Writers the okay to post and discuss local legislation before BF they take an official position while they are reviewing it.

I hope that helps with understanding the tag at the bottome of my article. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me through the Network Mail.

Lori

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Send this comment to your politicians:

As an observer from Canada, I can only state that it is upsetting to witness that you Americans will fight for the right to free speech, and bear arms- yet you will pass legislation to forcibly remove pets from their families with no regard for proven stability of the animal.

Is this the value of your FREEDOM? Having an arbitrary ban on a breed isn't the issue - it's the unstable people who buy them. How about classes and testing for bully-breed ownership - kinda like you would do for firearms purchases?

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This is outrageous!! I certainly hope that this bill does NOT pass. It is inhumane!
This story needs to be on the front page of the network! This bill cannot be passed. It is an undermine of all things good about Pit Bulls and the work that BF has done in the Vicktory dogs. Not to mention all the families who will be forced to give up their family member. I cannot imagine what I would do if suddenly a new law came in to play that said I had X amount of time to get my GSD out of the state or he would be killed. I'd pack up and move out of state; unfortunately, most people can't do that.

This is not right, not right at all!

Lisa & Jiminy

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This proposed house bill is simply outrageous. We need to get everyone we can to contact those responsible for drafting this and letting them know that this is barbaric, cruel and prejudicial.

There are so many things wrong with this house bill that I cannot begin to list them all. There are so many other options available nowadays that these "representatives" {BTW just WHOM are they representing anyway?} need to look at. This, IMHO, is tantamount to cold~blooded murder.

What kind of message does he want to send? What will this young generation learn...that it's acceptable to murder someone because they "might" be different? They "might" be dangerous? What is a child going to think when someone takes away their family pet because they're a pit bull??????

If I were told that I had to surrender any of my pets I would not do it. If I had to, I would move.

BAN THE DEED, NOT THE BREED.

We should all be outraged and appalled by this..................what the **** are they thinking with this proposed legislation????????

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This is bad. This is really bad. What is next? Statistics show that most dog bites are mixed breeds, so now what....euth all of them? Maybe just ban dogs from the whole USA. Then we can start on cats, hamsters, whatever some crackpot lawmaker decides to deem unworthy? I know, I am preaching to the choir :) If Ohio does it, you know that other states will start following.

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If you have friends or relatives in Ohio, please ask them to contact their state representatives. I used to live in Cincinnati, and my sister still lives there. I wrote and asked her to get her friends to contact their state representatives. Also, is there any way the animal friendly community can organize to boycott travel for work or play to or through Ohio? There are enough animal lovers, that we ought to be able to put economic pressure on cities or states where breed specific legislation is considered.

I feel angry and helpless. I just read the post by cactusflower. I think I will write again to my sister and point out the idea of supporting candidates who oppose BSL,

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Barbara,

This legislation has been escalated to the right people in BF. There are several reasons for the post at the bottom of my story. BF needs the opportunity to read the legislation and stories posted by Network Volunteers may not always reflect BF views. It's really a protection for the Volunteers so we can continue to post things that may be high priority in a State without having to get the BF Official take. I work in the legal field and understand why this is necessary. We all know that BF is there for the animals otherwise we wouldn't be here.

The link to the petition is http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/425509632

The best thing we all can do is just get the word out to our friends and family and let Ohio lawmakers know that this is not acceptable. I see this as an issue that could potentially affect every state in the country so it doesn't matter where you live. Let Ohio know you won't let this happen.

Opinions expresed are mine and not necessarily that of BF.

Lori

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I just want to make sure people are aware that only OH residents may sign the petition. Which is very frustrating for those of us who reside out of state. I did forward the link to my sister who lives in OH.

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I think Best Friends should take a stance on this bill.
I think it's very important that they do so.
Amy

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A quick reply to FDonald from Canada:

Dog breed bans are terrible no matter what country they are in. And if you look around, these bans are appearing in more and more countries.

As the owner and prime author of The Dog Den Digest, a small e-mail newsletter, we have been following the plight of Rambo, a pit-bull type dog that has been on death-row since christmas. Not in the USA but in your country of Canada.

Before throwing disparaging remarks about other countries, prehaps you should investigate the laws in your own country - in this case - Mississauga, Ontario.

It does look as if the dogged resistance of Rambo's owner, Gabriela Nowakowska and intervention by the good people in many countries not only will save the dog's life but rewrite the laws as well.

If you are unfamilar with this case, I can send you links to copies of the news reports.

What dogs all over the world need is understanding and help - not negative comments from the uninformed.

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Oh, and one more thing...

For the love of God, do NOT vote for TY-RONE in the next legislative session!

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I sent the following letter to Ohio state Representative Tyrone Yates and to Governor Ted Strickland -->

To Whom It May Concern:

I urge you not to support Breed Specific Legislation - specifically House Bill 568. Banning a breed is far from a lasting solution to any problems experienced in regards to canines. As with most things, instituting wide-reaching and comprehensive bills do the most good. In the case of perceived breed issues, please consider that, according to the National Canine Research Council, dog bites & attacks are at record lows - despite the fact that both canine & human populations have increased -, less than 5% of all dog bites can be considered "severe" (for a definition of "severe" and for specific numbers and dates, please visit http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/fearvsfact.asp). Additionally, consider that over the last 43 years (1965 - 2007), there were a total of 17 fatal dog attacks in the state of Ohio - there were 11 different breeds involved in these attacks & the victims were both adults (6) and children (11). Five of these 11 children were killed when trying to interract with penned, chained or tethered dogs. Three of the children were infants left unsupervised with unfamiliar dogs. All dogs involved in these attacks in Ohio were NOT spayed or neutered. Several of the dog owners were criminally charged after the attacks because they actively encouraged their dog to attack, or through criminal negligence allowed the attacks to occur. Just in the year 2001 alone, the state of Ohio experienced more deaths caused by any one of the following: struck by lightning, farm animal-related, bicycle-related, child drowning, ATV-related, and auto-related. So in just one year, more people died from EACH of those causes than because of a dog attack (by the way, one person died in Ohio in 2001 due to a fatal attack by a canine).

So, I ask you instead to consider NON-Breed Specific Legislation for the state of Ohio. Why not support a bill that holds owners culpable? Why not support a bill that effects all dog owners instead of a smaller percentage? Why not support a bill that reaches every breed within the state instead of just one? Why not support a bill that is inclusive instead of exclusive? If there were a bill created that covered all breeds, wouldn't that make it much more difficult for negligent, ignorant & dangerous dog owners to remain an owner? I suggest a bill enforcing spaying/neutering of all breeds, enforcing fines & jail times great enough to deter people from dangerous canine handling practices for all breeds, enforce a ban on tethering or chaining dogs of all breeds, enforce leash laws & enforce proper canine identification (microchipping, collar identification). Why keep legislation breed-specific when eleven different breeds have been involved in canine attacks in Ohio? Why not encourage education rather than scare tactics? Why not enforce existing laws for proper containment of canines?

I see no reason to pass breed-specific legislation in any state, though I am greatly concerned with society's welfare in terms of aggressive and poorly handled or contained animals. I see every reason to include education, spay/neuter support (if not mandates), containment laws (leash laws, no tethering/no chaining laws), and enforcement of penalties for those who disregard public safety through negligence or criminal intent. Banning a breed in Ohio seems ineffective given that irresponsible pit bull owners can easily buy a dog of another breed and handle it just as poorly... do you then propose to ban all breeds from Ohio? Slippery slope logic at best. Instead, help your constituents remain safe and secure by supporting education, responsibility in dog ownership & handling, and enforcement of stric

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This ban just makes me sick! As an animal lover, I felt I needed to at least express my opinion on this horrible bill. I sent the following letter. Let's hope all of our efforts make a difference!

Dear Mr. Yates,

I am writing in regards to House Bill 568 which I just learned about through the Best Friends Society. Although, I do not live in your state, I would be remiss in not acting as a voice of reason for innocent animals everywhere. Breed discrimination is a horrible thing.

Pets are most certainly the product of their environment, so how can you blame an innocent animal for the acts of a stupid, irresponsible owner? All you have to do is take a look at the wonderful work Best Friends Society is doing with the pit bulls that were mercifully rescued from Michael Vick. They are now referred to as the "Vicktory" dogs which is a true testament to the resilience of these animals. With love and care, these dogs are thriving. I challenge you to visit www.bestfriends.org to learn the heart-warming stories of these precious animals. There are wonderful stories like this concerning all breeds of dogs throughout the world.

I urge you to rethink your position on this bill. You should be drafting legislation to protect animals and punish the humans who do them harm through abuse and neglect. People are the root of the problem, not innocent creatures who depend on us for love and care.

I hope for the sake of these wonderful dogs and responsible pet parents everywhere, that you and the state of Ohio are unsuccessful in your attempts to ban any breed. It's certainly a sad commentary on our society when people have the right to carry a gun but not the right to provide a loving home for a dog.

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Perhaps Representative Yates feels immune to being voted out of office because he is a Democrat but i believe that the Pit and dog loving public are going to tell him he is very wrong! We can and will remember and will lobby our friends and family to see that he is not reelected. That is a politicians prime motivation to be re elected and if they think we have power to kick them out of a job, they can change their minds on humane issues in a hurry.

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This sounds exactly like what happened around the time of WWII.....nazi's going from place to place and rounding up those who they were prejudiced against, and sending them to their deaths.

The stupidity of some members of the human animal species is very scary.

I am hoping that THE INTELLIGENT MEMBERS OF OUR SPECIES WILL STOP THIS RIDICULOUS NONSENSE FROM HAPPENING.

If they can do it to pit bulls, the ignorant, arrogant, speciesist, prejudiced dimwits among us can do it to any species.

They must fail. Or none of us (namely our four-legged family members) will be immune from similar prejudicial B.S. in the future.

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andyfarescue,

The reason I state that Ohioians will not have the opportunity to send pits out of state is that on the day of the signing of this bill, it becomes law. Day one and pit bulls are illegal. Owners will have 90 days to surrender their dogs voluntarily to animal control for euthanasia. After 90 days animal control will be able to seize animals. All dogs surrendered or seized will be euthanized within 10 days.

The bill makes no provision for allowing owners and rescuers to attempt to rehome Ohio pit bulls in other states. Will there be dogs that cross borders? Of course. Are there people making plans to move pit bulls out of Ohio now just in case? I am sure everyone can guess the answer to this. Could the transporters get in trouble? We don't know. The bill makes no provisions for this. Could a dog be seized from a car if it is stopped? Possibly.

Then there's the pit bulls and mixes that reside in our shelters. Whether the shelter is known for its high kill rate or known for euthanizing few animals, the date that bill becomes law, they will all have to euthanize the pit bulls and mixes in their care.

The bill is so broad and gray in these areas, that it is truly frightening.

Please feel free to email me by Network mail if you still have questions.

The opinions in this comment are my own. At this time BF has not decided to oppose or support the current house bill.

Lori

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Mom of Niki,

No worries. I know exactly how you feel about this Bill. :-)

Lori

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I will drive to Ohio to help.
please let me know if this terrible bill does go into effect. I will drive to Ohio from California to help to rescue.
saratatro@hotmail.com

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I say we Ban the perpetrator not the innocent animals. Let's Ban the men who are fighting them, teaching them to be mean. They really need to go after the men harshly. We need to have harsher laws on them. Set an example. Not the innocent puppies. A pit bull puppy named Abigail had gasoline poured on top of her and set on fire. Is that her fault because she is a pit bull? Another pit bull puppy names Penelope was tied up and men aggressively aggravated other dogs to bite her to death so to get them ready to fight. This was not her choice. She was tied up. She is a loving little girl. A deaf little girl. Is this the Pit Bull fault? NO! It's these men who are getting away with it with minimal penalty if any. Who is making up these laws. Are my tax dollars going towards their pay checks so they can make up these - not thought out laws. Go after the Men. Make the laws harder on them. Make them pay. Not the innocent puppies.

Let's make smart laws that protect the innocent! Something we can all agree on. Something that make scents. The right thing. Something we can all wrap our paws around.
,-._,-.
\/)"(\/
(_o_)
U
Veronica

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This petition under this link can be signed by anyone anywhere. I specifically set it up that way, because I want Ohio lawmakers to know that they are being watched by the world.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/425509632

There is another petition being circulated for Ohio residents only, but it is not this one.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me through the Network.

Lori

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I just sent this letter to both the Governor of Ohio and Representative Yates. Thanks, Lori for posting the link to the petition which I've also signed. Thanks to Best Friends Network for making people aware of this legislation while there is hopefully still some time to change its course. You can bet if this legislation passes, I will not step foot in Ohio.

Dear Sir:

I would like to encourage you to withdraw House Bill 568. Banning the breed is not the solution to the problem of pit bills. If you ban pit bulls, then the same uneducated thugs who now have pit bulls will simply switch to a different breed. Do you then ban all dogs from Ohio; that’s not a reasonable solution and neither is banning pit bulls. Pit bulls are no more dangerous than other breeds; any dog will be vicious if it is raised to be so. Look at the work that Best Friends Animal Society is doing with the pit bulls confiscated from Michael Vicks. These dogs are being re-trained to be good canine citizens; all it takes is some love, attention and cruelty free training.

An alternative would be to pass a comprehensive Animal Care bill that would better serve public safety interests. Provide laws that punish the owners of dangerous dogs, no matter what the breed, and ensure that fines/jail time are significant enough to discourage breaking the laws. Encourage (indeed require) spay/neuter and support funding for free or low cost spay/neuter. A part of this law should also include a ban on tethering or chaining dogs – both the USDA and AVMA say that tethering dogs is inhumane. Tethering of dogs tends to lead to unsocialized animals that are potentially dangerous. Enforce current dog at large and leash laws, pass stronger animal anti-cruelty laws, and increase education on proper care of dogs.

A comprehensive law as outlined above would improve public safety and certainly improve the lives of thousands of dogs in Ohio. I again urge you to withdraw this breed specific legislation and replace it with a comprehensive Animal Care bill.

Thank you for your time.

Irene Paino
ipaino@cfl.rr.com

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Heartfelt thanks to BF for stepping up and taking a position on this matter. This is scary stuff in a rather Orwellian sorta way. I had already written to the Governor, Mr. Yates and the other committee members. Now I've sent a new e-mail with the link to the Find the Pit Bull test. I imagine they'll all fail miserably and I hope it makes them think about what in the world they're doing.

Spread the word, bang the drum loudly, tell everyone you know to get busy on those keyboards sending e-mails and signing the petition. This simply cannot be allowed to become law in even one state.

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I'm scared too Jiminy...this is crazy...it's terrifying - whats next? We have to stop this now - I just signed the petition and forwarded it to everyone I know...maybe, just maybe, the voices of reason will be heard, if we're loud enough.

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That is dog Genocide.
Why dont we just get rid of all dogs while we are at it.

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To have government coming to my door and tell me my dog is being taken is unimaginable to me. Instead of focusing on housing, gas, etc they're spending time and tax payers money to get rid of pit bulls. I have always owned pits and they're sweet natured and loyal. What breed are they going to decide is dangerous next? Of course the ones sponsoring this bill probably don't own dogs or feel their dogs are special. Too bad someone couldn't find out if these people even have animals.
I've passed on this article to my friends as I have already written my letters.
Does Ohio even have a law against dog fighting?

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I have had the privilege of working at my local animal shelter as well as Pets Alive in NY and as of yet I haven’t seen a bit bull that didn't want attention and love. Even the ones that have been mistreated are longing for that affection they deserve. Unfortunatly some are so untrusting and scared that they need special care and people who can help just like any animnal or person would need if they have been abused. Stop blaming the animals for the way they have been brought up or mistreated and start addressing the problem of how the people who mistreat dogs and other animals should be punished. Have we forgotten that it has been proven that people who mistreat and abuse animals are most likely to be the ones who mistreat and abuse other people? Make the laws, and strictly enforce them, that protect animals from abuse and the problem of aggressive animals will diminish as time goes on. We will be a much better society for doing so. It’s so easy to dismiss the problem rather than address the real problem. Our law makers should stop using animals for their own political agendas. I wonder how they can sleep at night? Maybe they should be forced to look into the sad eyes of a dog, or any animal that has been abused, mistreated, forgotten and thrown away like trash. Almost all of these poor animals only want to be held and give their family love and attention! Maybe these politicians should try it, they might have a change of heart.

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Bellamicoure,

I also urge you to write the Ohio lawmakers. The way this bill is written, people traveling through or staying in our state with a pit bull could be seen as "harboring" it. Theoretically, you could have your dogs seized even if you don't live here. It could also mean that Ohio might be a risky state for doing transports of pit bulls through. Just things to think about.

Lori

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How convenient that all but one of the political leaders of tOhios' email address is working. The rest "appear" to be "not working".......hmmm..I wonder if they got too many emails about this upside down legislation?

My pitbull would rub my cats tummy with his paw...yeah real ferocious.

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Thanks for the alert, I have written to both the Governor and Representive Yates and signed the petition. We really must educate the public to understand that it's the human abusers that must be punished, and the punishment must be severe enough to make a difference. The dogs are the innocent victims.
fmc

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If everyone repeats the OHIO stats/data -- listed on the website below -- over and over again to the OHIO officials, there shouldn't even be any debate about banning pit bulls.
In a single year, parental abuse/neglect was 7 times more than ALL fatal dog attacks in 43 years in Ohio!!

So shall we ban all parents??

http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/OhioStats.asp

If we all use these stats, plus all the great points about the need for mandatory s/n, a model dangerous dog law and anti-tethering/penning law, etc., it would be outright sinister if the officials ignored the right things to do.

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Aleeza, I must tell you that you wrote an outstanding letter! The best I've read. I only hope that mine will be half as good as yours. The animals have a wonderful advocate in their corner.

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I too have sent emails out to both those parties and I strongly urged them to read "The Pit Bull Placebo" book by Karen Delise. It is one of the BEST books I've ever read about the origins of dog bites! I hope everyone in Ohio is out raged by this bill and protest the attempt to pass it.

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Allison - thanks for sharing the response from your representative. I sure hope he's right and that this bill goes away quickly. We still need to keep writing and spreading the word but it was nice to read what he wrote.

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Holland just lifted its Pit Bull Ban after 15 years in existence, citing a lack of decrease in dog biting incidents as the primary reason for it. Instead, the country is focusing on education on dog ownership resposibilities. This is a perfect example of how BSL will NOT work. Legislators in Ohio shoule take a good look at this, and not make the same mistake and victimize some perfectly good "Pits".

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THANK YOU Best Friends and members for any help we can get here in Ohio. I've been reduced to tears numerous times over this as I labor to write my letters, emails and calls to the members of my State Government (all of them). As I read over the proposed legislation I find myself genuinely frightened by the compostion of this bill. It's not only Orwellian as one member noted, you only have to look back to the 1940's and Nazi Germany to find a similar mind set. I was struck by Nola Lee Kelsey's comments in her web article about BSL in South Dakota about the dangerous precedent this opens up for potential abuse once police can enter our homes.

Members... if you have time please contact the Ohio Representatives assigned to the committee to review this bill. Please write, email, call ALL of them. We have to stop this... it's just too important when the actions of a few could result in the death of many who deserve nothing more than our best efforts.

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"...and justice for all." What happened to the country our forefathers settled and wrote up constitutional laws giving us rights and freedoms? The older I get, the more of my constitutional rights I see stripped away. This Pit Bull Ban legislation is yet another unconstitutional means to let government control what I choose to do in my own home. How demoralizing is it to think that an officer of the law can come into a law abiding citizen's home and seize and destroy and innocent creature based on breed? Isn't this just another form of discrimination? While our young men and women are fighting overseas to enforce freedom, our particular state is finding ways to take ours away. I have 2 dogs of my own; mixed breeds from shelters. For all I know they might have Pit Bull in them, if an officer would come to our house to seize them based on "looks", both would lick them to death, while wagging their tails thinking they are going on another car ride to the dog park. My daughter has 2 Pit Bulls and I would take those 2 dogs in a heartbeat should something happen that she could no longer care for them. They are total sweethearts. Both think they are lap dogs, totally get along with all other dogs, animals, children and adults alike. Is it so hard to fathom that people actually like this breed because they are highly intelligent, perfect size house dog, little grooming and just plain adorable to look at? They always look like they have a smile on their faces. Thinking someone could take mine or my daughter's dogs away because of their breed just brings tears to my eyes and disgusts me to think that individual lawmakers have the right to say what type of dog I can or cannot have.

Gerri McCann
Cincinnati, OH

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Here is what the Governor of Ohio wrote me back:

Time: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:02:50 -0400
From: Governor Reply <Governor.Reply@governor.ohio.gov> [Add to Address Book] [Whitelist sender] [Block sender] [Block domain]
To: Gerri McCann <gmccann@runbox.com>
Subject:

[View original HTML in new window]

Dear Gerri:



Thank you for writing with regard to the ownership of particular breeds of canines. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns and opinions with me.



At this time, there is legislation pending before Ohio’s 127th General Assembly having to do with this issue, namely House Bill 568. Please be assured I will be mindful of the views you expressed. I also encourage you to communicate your views with your legislators as bills before the General Assembly are reviewed by your State Senator and Representative.



If you would like to contact your State Senator and Representative, you may call the Ohio Senate Clerk at (614) 466-4900 and the Ohio House of Representatives Clerk at (614) 466-3357.



Once again, I appreciate your writing to me. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can assist you in the future.





Sincerely,







Ted Strickland

Governor



77 South High Street, 30th Floor

Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108

(614) 644-4357 Constituent Hotline

(614) 466-9354 fax

Contact the Governor, click here.

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I contacted the officials:

I am writing this letter in regards to the recent legislative decisions, at the attempt to pass a bill banning all Pit Bull breeds in the state of Ohio. As an owner of three dogs in your neighboring state of Indiana, I am disgusted at the fact that this type of legislation would even be considered.

Look at the statistics of the number of dog breed attacks per year and the number of child abuse cases by parents in the state of Ohio. If you look correctly I would then recommend that you ban child birth and parenting in the state of Ohio as well. Aggressive dog breeds are the result of irresponsible and uneducated owners, not bad dogs. Obviously legislatures in Ohio are just as uneducated due to the fact that they don't understand that, or the fact that atleast 15 dog breeds are consistently mistaken as "pitbulls" which inevidibly gives Pitbulls a reputation they do not deserve. I would recommend an attempt at educating dog owners and legislators in the state of Ohio, not banning an innocent dog breed. A breed that is considered to be a family member in millions of households across the world. The idea of this bill makes me sick to my stomach!

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Just a couple of thoughts . . . I am sorry if these have already been mentioned, I tried to look through the posts to make sure I wasn't repeating anything someone else already said, but there are a lot of posts. For those of us who are Ohio residents, it would be a great idea to email your district representative in addition to Gov. Strickland and Rep. Yates. Signing the petition is great, but I have been told by congressional aides in the past that the most effective means of communicating a message is a personal email (one that is clearly written entirely or at least partially by you), basically they said that the more effort the constituent is required to put into it, the more consideration it is given - online petitions give them a sense of how people feel about an issue, but emails show them how much people really care about it. Letters used to be great, but because of the increased screening processes for mail post-9/11, post -anthrax scares of 2001, there can be a significant delay between the time that the letter is sent and when they receive it (this may not be as true for state congresses, as it is for the US Congress), so email is generally best.
I wrote to my rep (Peterson) and Rep Yates on 5/28 when I learned about the legislation (I didn't think to write to the Gov., but I will now), while I have yet to receive any response from Yates (surprise, surprise), this is what Rep. Peterson wrote to me:

5.30.8

Allison, thank you for your email. I do not support this legislation and I do not believe it has enough support in the House to progress through the legislative process.

Thank you for your active citizenship in regard to this issue.

Jon Peterson
State Representative
Delaware County

So, with continued pressure it will hopefully stay that way!
A.

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I wrote Mr. Yates and Governor Strickland, attempting to be as restrained as possible. I never once, for example, used the word fascist. Obviously, Mr. Yates believes this bill will be a crowd-pleaser and an easy sell; I hope he is proven wrong. Here, for what it’s worth, is the text of my letter:

I am writing to express my disgust with your proposed breed spefific anti-dog law. Though I am not a constituent, I do visit Cincinnatti yearly for the OTR convention. If this ill-considered law is passed I will have to consider boycotting Ohio businesses; there are other, similar conventions elsewhere. I also will have to bypass Ohio altogether, it seems, if I want to bring one of my loving and gentle pit bulls along.

The fact that your focus is misdirected can easily be proven by a little research. Among other facts: in Britain the English pit bull is known as the Nanny Dog as it is so tolerant and so good with children. And by targeting any breed “commonly known as a pit bull dog” you are targeting about a dozen breeds. http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html Are you really ready to make the case that any dog that might be taken for a pit bull is a threat to the people of Ohio?

Furthermore, other breeds are responsible for more bites than pit bulls. Among breeds listed as worse offenders (lists vary) are Jack Russel Terriers, Labrador mixes, German Shepherds, Mixed Breeds, Chows and Boxers. Are you going to ban all those breeds as well?

The fact is, irresponsible and, often. cruel owners are responsible for most dog bites. That's where legislation should be focused.

Yours truly,
John Mayer
i

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I just wrote to the Governor, hopefully my words helped.
Concerned in Michigan

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I hope everyone will take the time and support this bill. I will not go down quietly about this and refuse to give up my dogs. Cincinnati City Council is also working on an ordinance regarding pit bulls/vicious dogs. The Cincinnati Police shot 3 pit bulls on Thursday in two different neighborhoods. They said that they tried to use their tasers but did not work.

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Aleeza I, too, must commend you on an outstanding letter! It is loaded with facts and figures and suggestions on how better to handle this situation.

Bravo Aleeza! The animals are very lucky to have such a well spoken advocate. Thank you for the obvious care you have for the animals.

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If I lived in Ohio and this bill was to pass, my dog (a pit mix) would be taken from my house and killed. He would be bouncing and smiling and wagging his tail as they dragged him away, because that’s the kind of dog he is.

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Aleeza, good job.

For other folks writing, however, per the post I made regarding the National Canine Research Council's dog biting stats in Ohio, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET this one very important stat:

"In a single year, parental abuse/neglect was 7 times more than ALL fatal dog attacks in 43 years in Ohio!!"

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