NC County to ban several dog breeds

[rox63]

I was horrified to see this. I'm trying to bring it to the attention of other animal lovers. I'm not even a dog person (I'm more of a cat person), but this just makes me sick.

http://www.examiner.com/american-pit-bull-in-national/north-carolina-ban-to-kill-numerous-breeds

As of Monday, December 5, 2011 all “Dobermans, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Pitbulls, Mastiffs (all bully breeds), Akitas and Huskies” will fall under a new breed ban.

According to the Cumberland County mandate, “These dogs will be held for the mandatory 72 hrs and then will be killed, they will not be given a chance to be adopted.”

“If the dog is an owner turn-in, he will be killed the second he walks into the back.”

This ban will only result in mass extermination of innocent animals.

A petition has been created to try and stop the breed ban.

http://www.change.org/petitions/dr-jeannette-m-council-drop-the-72-hour-kill-proposal

[rox63]

1. Ok, just got clarification from AKC on this. There is no ban in place at this time

A friend checked with a breeder she knows, and she checked with the AKC. Sorry for the confusion. I don't have connections to the dog-breeding world. I was just worried sick when I saw the original post on the web. I would delete this post if I could, but I can't. :(

Here's the AKC's response:

Thank you for contacting us. I spoke with the Cumberland County Animal Control today, as well as County staff, and have been informed that there is no breed ban going into effect on December 5. The local Animal Control Board (which is an advisory board) met on October 3 and made a recommendation to limit the adoption of Rottweilers, Am Staffs, "Pit Bulls", Chows, Presa Canarios, and "any mix of these breeds", but it is my understanding that no policy has been officially brought before the County Commission for approval. County staff informed me today that the issue will not be on the County Commission agenda at their December 5 meeting.

We have also learned that the Animal Control Board will also meet on December 5. It is unknown what will be on their agenda. If they decide to bring forward this recommendation again, it must then be sent to the County Commission Policy Committee and then the full Board of Commissioners for approval before it can become law.

I would recommend letting the County Commission know that you are concerned with breed specific legislation and ask them politely to oppose any proposal they may encounter that would discriminate against specific breeds of dogs.

If you have any other questions, or I can provide further information or assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me directly. Please repost this to any lists where this issue is being discussed.

Regards
Jennifer Clark
Manager, Canine Legislation
American Kennel Club"

[HillWilliam]

2. Email just arrived from Change.Org

Dear xxxxx,

Awesome. The Cumberland County Animal Control Board in North Carolina had been pushing a proposal that would have meant the killing of countless dogs within 72 hours of their entering a pound, sometimes sooner.

But within just hours after Christine Salek's Change.org petition hit 60,000 signatures, Cumberland County took the proposal off the table, and instead came up with a humane agreement that lets the dogs be adopted.

"I was so surprised at the response to the petition!" Christine now says. "When I created it, it was just as a knee-jerk response to seeing the initial report on the proposal... Even though I'm out here in Iowa, I felt it was a problem that everyone needed to hear about."