Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Pine Bluff's new dog law
City government in Pine Bluff has now dealt with the thorny issue of pit bulls. I am by no means an expert on canine psychology, but I would like to weigh in.
The new ordinance requires the dogs be kept in cages and only allowed on a leash with the care of somebody at least 21 years of age. Owners are required to have one hundred thousand dollars of liability insurance. Local police report a lot of problems and you have to figure they know the skinny. Dope dealers seem to love having these animals around and you may logically presume that the point is intimidation.
Pine Bluff already has a vicious dog law and I have a problem figuring out why that is not enough, but I could be wrong. I do know this much, based on numerous visits to the local dog park, pit bulls can behave. To be sure, they need to be fixed, but that would hold for any large dog, and there are plenty of breeds that are muscular and can turn dangerous at any moment. I think the biggest predictor of pit bull behavior is how the owner behaves. If the animal spends all his time with some druggie, you can easily predict the outcome.
We own a beagle mix, probably one of the most personable and gentle dogs you could find and we would never leave our pet unsupervised with strangers and especially children. Common sense, please…I’m Pat Lynch with News and Comment on the Arkansas Priority Radio Network.
(Broadcast Tuesday May 9, 2006)
The new ordinance requires the dogs be kept in cages and only allowed on a leash with the care of somebody at least 21 years of age. Owners are required to have one hundred thousand dollars of liability insurance. Local police report a lot of problems and you have to figure they know the skinny. Dope dealers seem to love having these animals around and you may logically presume that the point is intimidation.
Pine Bluff already has a vicious dog law and I have a problem figuring out why that is not enough, but I could be wrong. I do know this much, based on numerous visits to the local dog park, pit bulls can behave. To be sure, they need to be fixed, but that would hold for any large dog, and there are plenty of breeds that are muscular and can turn dangerous at any moment. I think the biggest predictor of pit bull behavior is how the owner behaves. If the animal spends all his time with some druggie, you can easily predict the outcome.
We own a beagle mix, probably one of the most personable and gentle dogs you could find and we would never leave our pet unsupervised with strangers and especially children. Common sense, please…I’m Pat Lynch with News and Comment on the Arkansas Priority Radio Network.
(Broadcast Tuesday May 9, 2006)
