Update March 27, 2008: Mayor Don Kiser has  said he still wants restrictions on pit bulls but he is willing to accept these dogs can continue to live in the town. 

Animal Law Coalition will keep you updated on the final ordinance. In the meantime, keep writing or calling city officials below and urge them to consider alternative to any BSL.

Update March 26, 2008: At a meeting last night Mayor Don Kiser and the city commissioners agreed to consider alternatives to BSL.  But BSL is still on the table. There will be a meeting tomrrow, Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. to consider alternatives to BSL.  The public is invited.

Please plan to attend tomorrow's meeting and continue to call or write city officials in protest of breed specific restrictions. Contact information and talking points are below:

Paris, Kentucky in Bourbon County is considering numerous restrictions on pit bulls.

Call  Mayor Don Kiser's office at 859-987-2110 or fax him at 859-987-4640 or email him at dwkiser@adelphia.net .

Also, email city attorney Henry Watson at henry.watson@adelphia.net

City Manager Robert E. Casher, Jr. at rec01@adelphia.net

Police Chief Tim Gray at ppd500@adelphia.net

Phone the Commissioners at (859) 987-2110 or Fax (859) 987-4640 or email each:  

Mike Thornton mike.thornton@roadrunner.com

Wallis Brooks herman.hutsell@roadrunner.com

Mike Fryman mike.fryman@roadrunner.com

Stan Galbraith stan.galbraith@roadrunner.com

Let these officials know that dogs don't bite because of their breed and communities are not safer unless responsible leaders address the real reasons dogs bite:

• 1. Pass an effective potentially dangerous dog ordinance:

     Assign dogs a level of potential danger, with restrictions and penalties for each level.

     Require spay/neuter, education and training to encourage owners to take responsibility before a serious injury or death occurs.

     Dogs and owners can earn lower levels and dogs can even be declared no longer potentially dangerous. 

2. Encourage spay/neuter and support funding for free or low cost spay/neuter.

90% of fatal dog attacks are by dogs that have not been spayed/neutered: There is not a single  case of a fatal dog attack by a spayed/neutered pit bull type dog (National Canine Research Council);     

81% of dogs involved in bite incidents were not spayed/neutered (Texas 2002 Severe Animal Attack and Bite Surveillance Summary)

   3. Mandate spay/neuter for:

Dogs adopted from shelters or rescues or sold by pet stores or online

Dogs impounded more than once after being found at-large or off-leash

Dogs declared potentially dangerous or dangerous

Dogs owned by felons

   4. Ban tethering or chaining dogs (also a popular technique by dog fighters to make the dogs more aggressive; the CDC has found tethered or chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite)

Lawrence County, Kansas, adopted an anti-tethering ordinance. From 2005 to 2006, the number of calls concerning cruelty and dog fighting dropped from 800 to 260. Officials attribute the decline in large part to the anti-tethering law.  

The USDA and even the AVMA has said tethering dogs is inhumane.

    5. Pass and enforce strong at large or leash laws or enforce such laws and encourage micro chipping

82% of dog bites occur as a result of dogs that are running loose (JAVMA, September 15, 2000)

After passing a leash law, the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, reported a 35% drop in dog bites.

    6. Address through strong laws and education the problem of animal cruelty

Well over half (61%) of fatal dog attacks are by dogs who were not humanely controlled, or who had in some way been abused or neglected (Delise, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics))

   7. Offer free or low cost training and education about the importance of socializing dogs early and making them part of the family.

81% of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks were isolated and not part of the family (Delise, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics))

   8. Pass and enforce strong dog fighting laws that make all aspects of dog fighting illegal and include bonding and forfeiture provisions; organize a dog fighting task force

   9. Require dog breeders to register or obtain licenses, limit breeding by age and numbers, ban breeding for aggression and fighting, ban the sale of dogs in pet stores and along roadsides, street corners or sidewalks; require inspections of breeders' facilities and track sales of dogs by breeders.

  10. Stop the cultural glorification of violence especially involving pit bull type dogs.