Fatal Livingston Maulings Spawn Modest Rules
No Stray "Bully" Breed AdoptionsUPDATE 05/20/08: The adoption of pit bull type dogs has effectively been banned in Livingston County. Pit bull owners and other pit bull advocates lined up outside of city chambers -- some with unleashed pit bulls -- to show how docile the animals are. The dog owners, however, could not sway county officials who approved the adoption ban.
Commissioner Dave Domas, who represents the area where two residents,
Cheryl Harper and
Edward Gierlach, were violently attacked and killed last year by a pack of four bulldogs, said the safety and welfare of residents guided the commission's decision. Earlier this year, two pit bulls strayed onto a neighboring farm and viciously attacked a
horse in its stall.
Anne Burns, director of Animal Control, added that she could not adopt out aggressive dogs or bully breeds based on the number of incidents in the last year (two vicious human deaths and the death of a horse). "I know this is not a popular decision," she said, "but I've looked into all the other options." She's right about that, there are few options for this breed.
05/14/08: Officials Want to Decrease Roaming DogsALERT: Pit Spamming | Livingston, MI - After three tragedies, including 2 lost human lives and one horse life, Livingston County wants to enforce a county-wide "no adopt out" policy for pit bull type dogs. Last year, both Edward Gierlach and Cheryl Harper, were mauled to death by a pack of American bulldogs. Shortly after, an Arabian horse was attacked and killed as well.
Under the proposal, stray bully breeds and aggressive animals would be held for the state-mandated holding period of four days for collarless dogs and seven days for dogs with evidence of ownership. If the dog is not picked up by those respective times, then it would be euthanized. Animal Control Director Anne Burns supports the resolution.
Commissioner Donald Parker said that the proposed law is not a total solution in terms of what the county face with these specific breeds. "The resolution does not pretend to be that," he said. "Having said that, when we allow the general public to adopt animals in a program that we all like and take pride in, we have to take some
pre-emptive measures."
Related articles:07/27/08:
Coverage of the Double Dog Attack Fatalities in LivingstonLabels: no adopt policy
| 
