READ FIRST!!!

Educating not Discriminating
Dog Legislation Education (DLE) is for anyone on either side of the Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) fence. I wanted to provide a place where you can ask questions that otherwise might spark debate. This is not meant to be a place to argue the issues, but to help people understand why dogs bite, who's really responsible, and what types of legislation have proven successful in protecting the public and punishing human offenders. Anyone commenting on the blog will be removed from the group for being insensitive. My main focus will be for citizens of Springfield, Mo as the Animal Issues Task Force (AITF) has proposed new legislation, policies, programs to City Council. Because these proposals could help improve the safety of citizens anywhere, the blog is open to anyone.
The Root of Fear is Ignorance.
The one thing I have learned over the years, is that most people who have a problem with a specific breed of dog either had one bad experience or heard bad stuff on the news. Humans are allowed to be afraid...I'm afraid of spiders, hopefully no one faults me for that! What I hope to accomplish with this blog is to help Pit Bull and other Power Breed owners to understand that some people don't know any better than to be afraid. As dog owners we have to take our time and show the public that no one breed stands alone with behavioral issues. I hope to not only educate people who don't know the blessings our dogs bring, but also help educate people who may not know what is appropriate behavior for them and their dog. Though I don't believe Breed Specific Legislation is effective in educating the public, I do believe Potentially Dangerous Dog, Dangerous Dog, and Irresponsible Owner Legislation can not only educate, but improve public safety as well.
Please enjoy the blog, sign up for email updates, keep your filters on when commenting, and hopefully learn something new today.
To ask questions anonymously email at 417pitgirl@gmail.com

Friday, June 1, 2018

Springfield Missouri Against Breed Specific Legislation

(I am no graphic artist. Just having some fun!)

 So, let's get up to speed!

I have not blogged since August 2017. There has been so much that has happened! Precious K9s new office is up and running at full speed and the campaign for the vote against a Pit Bull Ban is in full swing! The following is a quick play by play of the last 8 months:

  •  On October 2, 2017 the Springfield City Council voted to ban "Pit Bull Type Dogs" after January 1, 2018 after much opposition from it's constituents.
  • Current residents with Pit Bull "Type Dogs" were allowed to make and appointment with Animal Control so they could look at their dog to see if it had the following features described below:  
    • "AmStaffs are stocky, muscular bull-type terriers standing 17 to 19 inches at the shoulder. The head is broad, the jaws well defined, the cheekbones pronounced, and the dark, round eyes are set wide apart". - AKC.org
  • The American Kennel Club has stated on multiple occasions that this is not a way to identify a Staffordshire Terrier, but only a general description of the breed. The Greene County Health Department and the Springfield, Mo City Council decided this was the way Animal Control was going to identify these"Pit Bull Type Dogs".  So, what about those "Pit Bull Type Dogs" that come in larger that the American Kennel Club description? No worries...they decided to use what the UKC and the ADBA describes as a breed standard for their "Pit Bull Mixes". (Insert eye roll here)
    • As a side note: you cannot fully identify any breed without a DNA test, and even in some of those cases you still can't tell what breed a dog is... BUT some of the City Council Members, with absolutely no professional K9 experience, think they can identify a dog's breed by looking at it.
  • Citizens only had until December 31, 2017 to spay/neuter, microchip, vet and comply with other ordinance restrictions.
  • No "Pit Bull Type Dogs" would be allowed in Springfield City Limits after that date. This included potential new residents that already had their dogs. They were expected to either get rid of their dog or not move to Springfield.
  • The only reason unregistered dogs would be allowed in Springfield City Limits after the first of the year would be for them to see the veterinarian or groomer. They would no longer be allowed in town for training, daycare, boarding, or even a simple car ride.  
  • This vote instigated a citizen-initiated petition, signed by more than 7800 Springfield voters, that would forced council to either repeal the pit bull ban or send it to a public vote.  
  • The vote to repeal the ban failed in a 5-4 vote.

(Council members Hosmer, Ollis, Fulnecky, and Schilling voted against the new ordinance to ban Pit Bulls)

  • On December 11, 2017 the council voted to send the decision to the voters putting the   January 1, 2018 Pit Bull Ban on hold until the August 7, 2018 vote.  


How to join us in the campaign to Vote "NO" for a Pit Bull Ban in Springfield, MO

 Our city cannot afford the amount of Animal Control officers we need as it is. This ban would increase their already heavy work load.

Adding a tougher ordinance isn't going to fix our problem with lack of education.

These Facebook pages will help you keep up to date on our campaign to raise awareness and get voters to the polls on August 7th to vote "NO" on a Pit Bull Ban...

Dog Legislation Education In Missouri

To donate to the campaign contact Carrie at 417pitgirl@gmail.com!


Monday, August 21, 2017

Springfield Mo 2017

My name is Carrie Galvan.  I am a Certified Behavior Consultant in Springfield, Mo.  I moved here when I was two, went to public school, and bought a house in the neighborhood I grew up in at the age of 20.  I am a single mother of three children ranging from 9 to 16 years.  About 6 years ago I was a stay-at -home mom watching my children growing to be more independent, learning to be productive citizens, and costing quite a bit more money. I decided that instead of getting a full-time job with set hours, keeping me from enjoying school activities with them, that I was going to take a leap of faith and start a small business from the years of skills I had acquired.  I have an amazing support system that I could not have been successful without.  They were key in helping me get to where I am today, doing my "dream job" and enjoying time with my children.

I started training dogs in my childhood, started working with rescues in my twenties, and became a professional in my 30's.  I have been interested in animal behavior since I can remember.  It is something I have always been passionate about, am not sure I could ever learn all I want about it.

 My current concern is for the city I grew up in.  I have seen my childhood neighborhood go from a few houses with a giant field and small forest, to a large neighborhood with one of the largest churches in town. I have seen our highways go from one lane each way (which makes me laugh now) to three lanes both ways and having huge fly-over passes.  Dogs were even free to roam for the day while we were gone and always greeted us at the door when we got home.  Obviously, these things have changed because we need to change with the times.  To help aide in the growth of the city we have slowly imposed more laws, ordinances, and rules on the citizens of Springfield...yet we are on the top ten list of most dangerous cities in the United States???  This just makes me wonder if our government is really focused on the right issues.  I am not a politician, so I may not understand all of the ins-and-outs of how government works, but I was able to get an up close view when I was asked to be on this "great new committee" that was going to help the welfare of our animals in Springfield.

This was the birth of the Animal Issues Task Force. I was on this task force from day one until the day the Mayor determined it was no longer needed. Three years we all met. We discussed with, learned from, listened to, visited, and researched about some of the Greats in our great nation!  I was so eager to meet each month and find out what everyone had learned, and share what knowledge I had.  There were so many respectable people in that room; Veterinarians, Biologists, Professors, Animal Behavior Professionals, lawyers, retired City Council Members, Rescue heads, concerned citizens, and many more throughout the years.  One of the many items we discussed was education for our citizens, which in my opinion, was stonewalled by certain officials every time it came up. Not wanting to be discouraged, we just kept on trucking on other issues, such as how to help with the amount of dogs our Animal Control was having to house with EXTREMELY, limited resources.  Our Animal Control did not and still does not have the manpower or funds it needs to keep our city as safe as possible from dangerous animals of all kinds.

There were so many good ideas and we were able to come up with many solutions such as discussing partnering with SAFEHOUSE and other animal advocacy groups, and writing a huge piece of legislation to help with the nuisance animals, dangerous and/or vicious dogs, and reckless owners. When it was decided that our dangerous dog ordinance was extremely outdated, I shared with the task force, documents from the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT).  These documents were a recommended plan put together by the world's top Animal Behaviorists, Veterinary Behaviorists, Veterinarians, and K9 Trainers. The hope was to help cities to keep their citizens safer from dogs that are not considered safe for the general public, to help educate people that may not know any better, and to punish repeat offenders to the extent of not being able to own an animal for a period of time.  It was amazing!

We even had Jim Crosby (legal consultant, K9 behavior consultant and trainer, and retired officer that specializes in investigations of dog bites and dog bite fatalities) come and do a weekend seminar for dog professionals and law enforcement.  I learned so much from him and it just increased my intrigue about animal behavior.  I was shocked to see that the city had sent ONE person to the seminar. Really? Only one person?  Other cities sent officers, and there were council members there, but none from Springfield?  Isn't this why we had Jim here?

All of that wealth of information, and now the City is thinking of banning Pit Bulls?  It has been proven time and time again that the best approach to dog bites in a city is best dealt by clear legislation and education...not by banning a breed. Denver enacted their ban 20 years ago and STILL spends $1,000,000 on enforcing it. Calgary enacted clear legislation, licensure, and education 20 years ago and only had 2 bites in 2016?  I think the current City Council missed a lot of this information that was collected about Breed Specific Legislation.  I am positive they have not been given all of the information.  I certainly hope they will use resources, from every avenue, that have been presented to them before making a decision that will effect so many of their citizens.

"I realize there are many more important issues before our city, but why weren't we using the resources the Animal Issues Task Force was presenting to the City?  Call me naive, because lord knows I can be, but didn't they form the Animal Issues Task Force to help? We were knowledgeable volunteers, just like on any other task force...weren't we? Clear legislation and education...that's what we need".-Carrie Galvan CBCC-KA


"Legislation cannot be proactive. It can only be reactive. You can't charge a man for having a mask. He has to rob the bank first".-Jim Crosby

"B.F Skinner, the world-famous psychologist, proved through his experiments that and animal rewarded for good behavior will learn much more rapidly and retain what it learns far more effectively than an animal punished for bad behavior.  Later studies have shown that the same applies to humans".- Dale Carnage

Carrie Galvan CBCC-KA
Precious K9s

Monday, January 16, 2017

A letter to City Council


This is the last email I sent the Springfield MO City Council. Had I chose to speak on the 9th, this is what I would have said...


City Council Members,

After being at the City Council meeting on the 9th I feel that you guys have heard a lot of important statistics, public opinion, and other helpful information. I would like to present some information from a perspective I am not sure you have had. I have had the privilege to speak to some of you individually, and some of you have some social acquaintances in common with me as well, so I know you have all been asking questions and trying to make the most informed decision possible.

As I emailed you last week, I have had 20 years experience in the animal world, specializing in dogs. One of the most important things I have done over the years is go into people's homes and help them with training and behavioral issues. You would be shocked to find out how many managed potentially dangerous dogs there are in our city. I have no doubt the breeds would shock you equally. I also personally estimate the actual amount of “possible” Pit Mixes in our city, compared to the 3-600 registered, is upwards of  ten times higher.

Starting about 2 years after the BSL was put into place here in Springfield, I began to get phone calls from citizens about their unsocialized Pit Bull mixes. I had my professional and personal opinion about BSL at that point, but when I got a huge influx of these calls I realized how many responsible people, who had their dogs registered with the city were still scared to take their dogs out in public for fear of being stopped by police or turned into Animal Control by people who thought they may be breaking the ordinances.

One of the things I found to be prominent was not just the amount of anxiety in the humans, but the huge amount of anxiety in the dogs. There was this huge lack of social cues (ways that a dog speaks). After doing many lessons that mirrored each other I really started to get frustrated with the BSL. Most of these people weren't giving their dogs the amount of physical and mental stimulation that dogs need to be safe members of society. They were scared to walk them, or the anxiety was so bad in the dog you couldn't walk them because the muzzle was a traumatic thing for them. Not to mention that we impede dogs facial cues by covering them with a muzzle. Most people had no clue there was even a desensitization process that helps a dog get used to the muzzle. That being said, not every dog can be acclimated to the muzzle due to anxieties having to do with restraint. These dogs would go through as much training and behavior modification as the owner could afford, but the damage had been done. You can’t fix a dog that was a puppy when the ordinance was passed. These puppies missed important developmental periods that you most likely cannot get back. They didn’t learn to relax in new places, or see many breeds of dogs, and children, and even men with beards. These things can be extremely scary if they just appear into an unsocialized adult’s life. That being said... what do dogs do when they are scared and haven’t been taught to handle normal life situations? They try to get away...or they try to protect themselves. Fight or Flight is a universal animal instinct. Yes, some dogs are just wired wrong, but a huge majority of these behavioral issues could have been avoided if we could have socialized them properly when they were young.

The other angle I have that no one in this area has is that I own a non-breed discriminatory daycare and boarding facility. There are many places that won’t take Pit Bull mixes due to big box store regulations and lack of kennel tech training. That is not so at my place. We allow all dogs to play with appropriate playmates. Some dogs have soft play styles, some love to run, some love to get down and do some WWE wrestling, some would prefer to hang out and be dainty, some think all other dogs are a waste of oxygen, and others want to play in varying sizes of playgroups. What breeds go in each of these groups? Any...Even the Pits, German Shepherds, Rotweillers, Great Danes, and Mastiffs can play in each of the groups.

I am informing you, as a professional who owns a business that handles hundreds of dogs a week, the breed doesn’t matter, yet the temperament does. Are there breed tendencies? Yes. Can every dog of every breed be lumped into the category of having the tendencies of their breed? Absolutely not.

I would urge you to also ask questions about the dog bite seminar we had here in Springfield years ago. Jim Crosby, the world’s leading Dog Bite Death Investigator, has some very informative insight that focuses on the bite styles and damage capability of each dog. Some important takeaways from his seminar were:
  • Any dog can bite
  • The bigger the head the stronger, and higher potential for damage
  • The gameness of the dog can determine the amount of damage
  • The placement of the bite on a body can determine the amount of damage
  • There is ALWAYS a human component involved in why the situation happened
  • Unfortunately accidents happen
  • It is the way a dog is raised and taken care of that can determine temperament
  • Genetically some dogs are wired wrong, just like people (this is not breed specific)

I am sure that if you would like to have a conversation with Jim, he would love to answer any questions you may have. Just let me know if you would like his contact information.

I would also urge you to investigate the time, money, and manpower expended on unnecessary calls about “Pit Bull’s” by Animal Control and other city departments. I think you will find that city dollars could be saved by using the Dangerous, Vicious, Reckless Owner legislation that was passed and is working. I am not aware of one city that has reinstated the BSL after trying the DVR legislation and repealing the BSL. It is cost effective and saves time taken for the “little unnecessary things”.

Our reactionary response years ago may seem to have or have not worked, depending on the way you view the statistics. We all know statistics are not full proof when all of the variables are not controlled, but we have to look at what is full proof. We shocked and awed the city years ago when we implemented the BSL. This caused a HUGE increase in public awareness and education. This is a positive thing and we can continue to build on it by using legislation that has already proven itself more productive!

The last subject I would like to touch on is the liability to the City. I know one of the burning questions for the City officials is...What happens if we repeal and a Pit Bull bites someone? Will that look bad on us and make us liable? Ultimately the liability is a question for the city’s law department. I do believe you will find that only a small group of people, uneducated on the ins and outs of dog etiquette etc, that would like to lay blame on you. If someone gets bit by any breed, and they inevitably will, you stand strong behind the new legislation that was passed by you guys, and you will find that it will show you have a more effective plan in place. You most certainly cannot please everyone, but you can stand united and strong knowing that the legislation is focusing on the people and dogs that are the problem. This legislation can further educate, and if need be, punish these people appropriately. This will also give you the ammunition to use irresponsible people as an example. Even Kevin Gibson said, at the meeting on the 9th, that the BSL did nothing for the people that are the problem. It only gave the city a log of people that loved their dog and respected authority. The rest were acquired on a call-by-call basis, and had to be enforced.

Dogs bite. That is how they are wired...They’re teeth are like our hands… How would you protect yourself if you were raised in a 1000 square foot box with no socialization and something scared you? Would you hide? Would you swing your arms? Would you push the scary thing away? Just food for thought…

I really urge you to take advantage of my unique perspective and call me. I am a educated wealth of information, that can help guide you to a more educated decision.
                    Sincerely,
                   
                   Carrie Galvan CPDT
                    Precious K9s
                    Springfield, Mo

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Make a call. Send an Email.

                                        
                                 MAKE A CALL. SEND AND EMAIL.




I'm going to keep this short and sweet. If you haven't met the extremists on the other side of BSL... meaning the people who think Pit Bulls are not a dog, but a wild animal... They are hitting hard right now. Most of them don't even live in our area and they are sending gruesome stories, opinions, and manipulated facts about incidents where Pit Bulls may be or are suspected to be involved.

Email your city and state officials. Tell them all of the amazing stories about Pitties that you know! Tell them and send pictures of bites from other breeds. Show them that all breeds can be amazing, and that all breeds can cause damage when bred, raised, and/or treated wrong.

Pit Bulls are just a breed of dog...

"Dogs should be judged by their actions...not their looks."

Here is a list of Springfield Missouri City Officials:

Bob Stevens (Mayor)       rstephens@springfieldmo.gov
Phyllis Ferguson              pferguson@springfieldmo.gov
Justin Burnett                   jgburnett@springfieldmo.gov
Mike Schilling                 mschiling@springfieldmo.gov
Craig Fishel                     cfishel@springfieldmo.gov
Jan Fisk                            jfisk@springfieldmo.gov
Craig Hosmer                  chosmer@springfieldmo.gov
Kristi Fulnecky                kfulnecky@springfieldmo.gov
Ken McClure                   kmcclure@springfieldmo.gov

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The time is now for Missouri!!!!!!!

I have a couple of things to talk about today...
   
   First and foremost, is House Bill 1811 that passed the Missouri House last week by a vote of 117-7! This bill could potentially not allow cities to ban specific breeds of dogs, causing municipalities to focus on a dog's behavior instead of their looks. It has been proven over and over again that Breed Specific Legislation is expensive and time consuming to enforce. The United States is trending toward legislation that helps Animal Control officers base their decisions on the dog and the owners behavior instead of the breed/look of the dog. There are currently 20 of our 50 states that have enacted laws that prohibit cities from passing breed-specific laws, according to Bless The Bullys. This new bill, if it is passed in the Senate, it will let law enforcement focus on the offenders instead of the responsible owners and dogs with no behavioral issues.
The Missouri Senate has until May 13th to act on this bill!
Please write your local senator and tell them how you feel about Breed Specific Legislation... as a citizen of their district (with voting rights)!


   Secondly, what I wanted to talk about is an experience I had this weekend in Independence, Mo. 


   I was driving a hurt puppy up to the local shelter. This particular transport was important because we needed to get him to a rescue that could afford to help him feel better, and maybe help him walk right again someday. I almost always travel with my 10 year American Pit Bull Terrier. ***She has her Canine Good Citizen, is a demo dog for many of my classes, has shown in agility in the past, and has no bite record*** Keep in mind that Independence is about 3 hours from where I live here in Springfield. I was about 2 hours into the drive when I asked my co-pilot to check the internet and see if the city of Independence had any breed restrictions. I always travel with all of the essential "Breed Restriction" paraphernalia being as I usually have her with me.  For those of you don't know what items you might need, I carry a muzzle, gentle leader, crate, shot records, rabies tag, and my tag showing she is registered with my local Animal Control. Living in a city that has "Breed Restrictions" on Pit Bulls it should have been old hat to go to another city that had ordinances.

 When he read to me a quote off of Google my heart dropped to my toes and I almost had to pull over. 

"The municipal code of Independence, Missouri makes it unlawful to own, possess, transport, or sell any pit bull...". 

Have you ever had that instant feeling of helplessness for an animal that is being punished or is hurt and did nothing wrong? 

...So my panicked thought process is as follows...
(Keep in mind that I am in a truck with a wrap that says I'm a dog trainer, with a pitbull face on it, and a license plate that says PitGrl...)

 "They could take my baby away from me! Then I thought...#$%# I'm going to end up in jail if someone tries to take my baby! Then my mind went to...If they took her, she is old and has SEVERE anxiety! She could have a heart attack! Next thought was...I'm calling transport! I am not crossing that city's line!"

   So, here I was, doing a good deed...meeting up with people doing a good deed...and because of one ordinance that costs taxpayers extra money, takes time away from offenders, and has been proven to be ineffective... I was having a panic attack and the puppy may not have been able to make it to the transport. 

   End of the story...
The puppy made it to transport, (I'm not going to elaborate on how), I was exhausted for a day after my panic attack, and I learned what other people must feel like when City Officials try to take their family members. That was one of the most disgusting feelings in my life. I can't imagine living that feeling any longer than I did. This experience has made me so much more determined to get all Breed Specific Legislation repealed. This is a crazy piece of legislation that is usually made in a panic by people who have no clue about dogs...sometimes they're even "cat people".


Please help us fight against Breed Specific Legislation!- Carrie Galvan
    




Tuesday, December 15, 2015

What's going on in Springfield, Missouri now?

This blog entry is going to highlight some of the things the Animal Issues Task Force accomplished over the last 3 years. After years of studying, interviewing, visiting other city shelters, attending seminars, and meetings to come up with new ways to keep our citizens and animals safer, because of the Mayor's opinion, the City Council voted a few weeks ago to dissolve the task force...I was the only Task Force member sitting in the room when they decided. I was shocked because we had simply asked to have our name changed to continue to be able to be a sounding board for advice as we move forward with the new City Shelter and the other recommendations. The Mayor made a speech that eluded to the fact that we should give other citizens a chance to voice their opinion since the "same 12 members have been on the AITF since the beginning". Not True! We have had people resign and voted new people in at least 3 times over the last 3 years. There are only 4 members that were originally on the Task Force. I know there are tons of great citizens out there, but do you really know who was on your Animal Issues Task Force over the last few years? The President of CARE, the President of the Humane Society, the President of SAAFEHouse, a former City Council member, two different City contracted Veterinarians, Biologists, a Professional Dog Trainer specializing in behavior, Cat behavior professionals, Attorneys, citizens, and many more! We called in AC officers, professionals in shelter protocol and animal behavior from around the United States, and contractors. We volunteered our time and now the Mayor dissolved the whole thing and wants to start over!? The new Task Force is now going to have to relearn what we already know, and continue where we left off. Does this make sense to you? Seems like a waste of tax-payer money to me. I know that when I find a good professional in any field, that can help me with my business, I stick with them, I don't spend my non existent abundance of time trying to find another person to start over with! I just hope that the dissolution of the Task Force doesn't only come down to this...

Clay Goddard, Kevin Gibson, Randy Barnts, Mayor Stephens, and many others wanting to work towards their agenda...Whether this means retirement, their opinion of social status, MONEY, the fact that the BSL might get repealed, or any other agenda that doesn't reflect what the citizens want but what they want!

Thank you to everyone who helped the City of Springfield come this far. I appreciate all of the progress we have made. It's funny, in a not-so-funny way how politics can get in the way of progress! I feel, as a citizen, that I was taken for granted and disrespected... and I'm sure other former AITF members feel the same.


Animal Issues Task Force and other professional's Accomplishments:


In October the new ordinances for Dangerous/Vicious/Reckless legislation was passed by City Council. Here is a short video explaining this ordinance. Springfield's Updated Nuisance and Restricted Dog Ordinance

The AITF also passed an ordinance restricting the tethering of a dog. There are exceptions such as time limits, so don't panic those of you who are "responsible owners". You can check out the Greene County Health Department page for updates and the final draft of the ordinance.

Parking Lot Animal Sales No More! Here is the ordinance we proposed that got passed!
http://health.springfieldmo.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1251

The City Council has voted to revisit the Breed Specific Legislation in the next 12 months. I will tell you that as long as we have this Mayor, I am not confident in the City Council will able to come to their own conclusion and vote accordingly. The Mayor doesn't believe Pit Bulls are a normal dog...He has made it clear he believes they are "Rabid Dogs"...of course that is from the words he used to describe the people who love their Pit Bulls..."Rabid Dog Lovers". All I ask is that each City Council member listens to ALL sides before they vote the Breed Specific Legislation here in our city. It is not effective, costs more money than it makes, and charges money to those citizens who are responsible....and the few citizens who get "caught". I know there is at least one Council Member that is afraid of "bigger dogs". This is just one example of why I hope the Council is willing to get informed and notices that the new Dangerous/Vicious/Reckless is way more effective than the Pit Bull ordinance we currently have in place. The City panicked 8 years ago...now we are more informed and have so much more data. Look at the numbers...why are they different? Ask questions...don't listen to people tell "stories" to put their twist on statistics...take note of the FACTS! And citizens...stand up to politicians that don't have OUR interests at heart!


**************

The following was Mayor Stephen's new resolution about the NEW Task Force!

Charge: The Animal Issues Task Force will exist for one year following its formal establishment and be charged with the following:

� Serve as a "sounding board" for City Council's Plans & Policies Committee as it researches and addresses the issue of breed-specific language within the City's ordinances.

� After six months of it being enacted, analyze the effectiveness of the Nuisance and Vicious Dog ordinance passed by City Council on September 28, 2015 and provide a written evaluation to City Council's Plans & Policies Committee shortly thereafter.

� Be on stand-by for any other animal-related issues City Council votes to refer to the Task Force for evaluation during its year of existence.

� This iteration of the Animal Issues Task Force will not be asked to address any topic the first Animal Issues Task Force has already addressed via its report to City Council.



Process: The Office of Public Information will solicit members from the general public for the new Animal Issues Task Force. There will be twelve members of the new Task Force. Up to three members of the original Animal Issues Task Force are eligible to be re-appointed to the new Task Force, but the intention is to appoint a majority of new members to the Task Force. Membership of the Task Force will be selected by City Council's Public Involvement Committee once a sufficiently sized and diverse pool of applications has been received by the City Clerk.

Isn't this what the dissolved Task Force was already doing?



Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Task Force Recommendations were presented to City Council



Do you have roaming dogs in your neighborhood? Do you have a neighbor that wont keep track of his dogs? How many times have you been chased by dogs while trying to enjoy an evening stroll with your four legged family member? 

The Animal Issues Task Force and Greene County Health Department FINALLY got to present their final draft of their Nuisance Dog, Dangerous/Vicious Dog, Reckless Owner (NDVR)policy to City Council at the meeting September 14th! It took two and a half years, but they are going to vote on the bill at the next meeting!

Why do we need this bill passed? Because it puts the focus on the animal owner! It's time Springfield steps up with the changing times and has legislation that is based off scientifically and physically proven legislation. Human and dog physiology have come a long way in the last ten years. Lets use that knowledge to create a safer city! We have all heard the saying, "It's how the dog is raised". Well, I do believe that to be mostly true, but if we don't put the blame for the bad management and training somewhere besides on the dog, this problem isn't going to get any better. 

Does this get rid of the Breed Specific Legislation in Springfield? Unfortunately, no. However, I am confident that this legislation will show the citizens of Springfield and City Council that it can keep citizens safe all on it's own. The NDVR will prove itself worthy in just months. I haven't heard of one city enacting legislation similar and going back to BSL. It is waaaay more time and cost effective to focus energy on offenders and not our law abiding citizens.

Here is the extremely short version of the NDVR

Here is a good article on debunking the myth of the Pit Bull jaw being anatomically different than other K-9's