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REGULATING DANGEROUS DOGS

REGULATING DANGEROUS DOGS. TO BAN OR NOT TO BAN?. John D. Joye, Esq. Senior Assistant City Attorney City of Charlotte – City Attorney’s Office International Municipal Lawyers Association 2008 Annual Conference. Headlines. Pit Bulls maul, kill boy in father’s back yard Charlotte Observer

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REGULATING DANGEROUS DOGS

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  1. REGULATINGDANGEROUS DOGS TO BAN OR NOT TO BAN? John D. Joye, Esq. Senior Assistant City Attorney City of Charlotte – City Attorney’s Office International Municipal Lawyers Association 2008 Annual Conference

  2. Headlines • Pit Bulls maul, kill boy in father’s back yardCharlotte Observer • Father’s Pit Bulls maul Charlotte Boy to death Los Angeles Times • NC Boy killed by Father’s Pit Bulls AP • 4 Pitbulls kill Boy, 8 Sunday Mirror, London, England • Boy, 8, killed by dad’s dogs Sunday Mercury, Birmingham, England

  3. Can cities regulate dogs? YES Dogs = Property No Fundamental Right • Sentell v. New Orleans 1897 • Nicchia v. New York 1920 • Altman v. High Point 2003 • New York City Friends of Ferrets v. City of New York 1995

  4. How will you regulate? To Ban? Breed Specific Legislation “BSL” Not to Ban? Dog Specific Legislation “Non – BSL”

  5. Breed Specific Ban Does your state allow it? • Ohio does it. • 11 states forbid it. • California • Colorado • Florida • Maine • Minnesota • New Jersey • New York • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Texas • Virginia

  6. HSUS Statement on Dangerous Dogs and Breed-Specific Legislation The Humane Society of the United States offers the following position regarding breed-specific policies. The HSUS opposes legislation aimed at eradicating or strictly regulating dogs based solely on their breed for a number of reasons. Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is a common first approach that many communities take. Thankfully, once research is conducted most community leaders correctly realize that BSL won't solve the problems they face with dangerous dogs. There are over 4.5 million dog bites each year. This is an estimate as there is no central reporting agency for dog bites, thus breed and other information is not captured. Out of the millions of bites, about 10-20 are fatal each year. While certainly tragic, it represents a very small number statistically and should not be considered as a basis for sweeping legislative action…. Full statement available at www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html

  7. BSL: Issues & Pitfalls Equal Protection • Over-breadth • Under-inclusive Takings • Fair & just compensation Due Process • Substantive • Procedural • Vagueness No Fundamental Right Rational Relation Test

  8. EQUAL PROTECTION “[I]f the classification has some reasonable basis, it does not offend the Constitution simply because the classification is not made with mathematical nicety or because the practice results in some inequality.” Dandridge v. Williams, (1970) “The legislature may select one phase of one field and apply a remedy there, neglecting others.” Williamson v. Lee Optical of Oklahoma, Inc., (1955)

  9. TAKINGS “Even were it assumed that dogs are property in the fullest sense of the word, they would still be subject to the police power of the state, and might be destroyed or otherwise dealt with…” Sentell v. New Orleans & C. R. Co., (1897) • Limited Geographic Area

  10. DUE PROCESS VAGUENESS • Name • Physical Characteristics • Hybrids PROCEDURAL • Notice & Hearing • Meaningful – prior to destruction • Neutral fact-finder

  11. Hard Questions / Hard Issues • Which breeds to ban • How do you define • Ban vs. restrain • Partial Ban + restrain • Appeals / process • Moving target • Promote the breed • Enforcement resources • Humane Concerns

  12. Fatalities v. Bites ANNUAL DOG BITES • 4.7 Million • 800,000 victims seek medical attention • Half are children • 386,000 require ER treatment • Kids 5-9 highest rate of injury D.B.R . FATALITY • Apprx. 18 per year • 2007 had apprx. 33 • Dog-Bite-Related Fatalities -- United States, 1995-1996 • Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998 • www.cdc.gov

  13. Dog Specific “Totality of Circumstances” Dangerous  means any animal whose behavior, temperament, size, or any combination thereof, when considered under the totality of the circumstances, including the nature of the surrounding area, constitutes a reasonable risk of injuring a human or animal or damaging personal or real property. Charlotte City Code §3-3 www.municode .com

  14. Controls to Consider Mechanisms • Reporting • Seizure • Process • Aggression training • Multiple dogs Toolbox • Restraints • Insurance • Fertility • Destruction

  15. Animal Care & ControlResources • Staffing • Budget • Dogs per year • Volunteers • Adoption • Rendering

  16. Resources

  17. Q & A

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