Indianapolis BSL Proposal Tabled
Update May 20: The proposed BSL that would target dogs with pit bull characteristics in Indianapolis and Marion County has been tabled. For now.
For more on this, read Animal Law Coalition's earlier report below.
Efforts to bring breed specific legislation to Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana persist even though it has been rejected in the past.
The current plan offered by county councilor Mike Speedy would require pit bull breeds to be spayed/neutered, and owners of these dogs would be required to register and pay a fee to keep their pit bull dogs and have them photographed by animal control. No one could have more than 2 pi bull dogs over 8 weeks of age.
Owners would also be required to post "at risk dog" signs outside of their residences perhaps even with their phone numbers and maintain $1 million in liability insurance if they are cited for a dog-related violation other than a bite, for example, violating the leash law.
Breed specific laws simply don't work to make communities safer.
Instead, they result in the deaths of innocent pets. Under this plan, for example, many owners will not be able to find or afford the liability insurance and will simply surrender the dog to be euthanized. Others will see greater risk of liability from having to post signs indicating they have an "at risk dog" and simply surrender the dog, again to be euthanized. The dog will likely have done nothing to earn that designation other than have pit bull characteristics.
Dogs don't bite because of their breed. Also, it is impossible even for animal control to determine a dog's breed by his appearance. Nor can a dog's behavior be predicted based on his appearance. Go here for more information.
Indianapolis' current law
Indianapolis and Marion County already have an ordinance that designates dogs as dangerous if they (1) would "constitute a danger to human life or property if it were not kept in the manner required by [law]; (2) have "caused serious injury to a person without having been provoked by that person"; or (3) at a "place other than its owner's or keeper's property" have "chased or approached a person in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack; or attacked another domestic animal"; or (4) are "capable of inflicting physical harm or death to humans" because of "training or behavior".
The ordinances already require dogs designated as dangerous to be registered, spayed/neutered and micro-chipped. Under current law owners can only own two dangerous dogs and must secure theme as required by animal control and also post warning signs. Tethering or chaining is restricted for all dogs and there is a leash law and requirements for proper care and treatment. Ordinances make owners responsible for violations of these requirements and also for bites or attacks.
It would make sense to make better use of existing laws and add requirements for dog training or owner responsibility classes, increase dog parks in the community, offer free or low cost spay/neuter, and improve training for animal control in dog safety and enforcement of laws that will protect the community such as leash laws, anti-tethering restrictions, abuse and neglect laws, and anti-dog fighting laws.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Find names and contact information for City Councilors here. You can also find your own councilor here if you live in Marion County and Indianapolis.
Urge them to vote NO to breed specific legislation.
The Rules and Public Policy Committee members that will first take up this proposal are:
