Politics & Government
Is a Pit Bull Ban on Sonoma's Horizon?
Concept spurred by the mauling of a pregnant Pacifica woman
Could a Pit Bull ban be on Sonoma's horizon?
Sonoma Mayor Pro Tem Joanne Sanders spoke out at Monday night's council meeting after hearing about the .
Sanders told atendees that she was determined the prevent a similar attack within Sonoma city-limits, and directed staff to research regulations for viscious animals.
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"I would be remiss if I didn't try to use my position as a city councilwoman to make that change happen here," she said.
In an interview with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Sanders said she supports banning pit bulls within city limits.
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“I think pit bulls are a great start,” she told the paper.
Legeslation has made the rounds this summer following a series of high-profile attacks.
After an attack on a 9-year-old boy in Vancouver, Wash. looked at a total ban of the breed, while a similar bill in Michigan stalled in January
It was a different scene in 2005, when Denver reinstated its pit bull ban. One of the strongest anti-pit bull bills, the Denver law barrs any dog of the pit bull family (American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers), and any dog that looks a pit bull.
Owners shipped their pits bulls out of town, or put them 'in hiding,' to avoid a round-up which euthanized hundreds of family pets.
After a series of pit-bull attacks in Northern California, a 2005 state law gave California communities the right to mandate breed-specific spaying and neutering, according to the Press Democrat.
Sonoma County also requires owners of "vicious" dogs to hold $500,000 of liability insurance for their pet.
Others think the breed is getting a bad rap from a few tragic incidents.
Check out this recent , which gives high marks to well trained, compassionate pit bulls.
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