bulls In the Kansas City metropolitan area, only Independence, Kearney, and Leawood still prohibit pit bull ownership. More than 3,000 signatures are needed to trigger a citywide vote on lifting the restriction, according to dog-loving Independence residents.
Every day, Cindy Marshall would take Nitro on a stroll in her Lee’s Summit neighbourhood. Nitro loved to gather feathers when out and about, according to Marshall, who lives close to the town’s border with Independence.
Marshall and Nitro would, however, do a U-turn and return back to their house as they neared the Independence city boundaries.
He would discover a feather, pick it up, and then turn around and head back home, Marshall recalls. “We would stroll around one of the lakes in our community and we have a lot of turkeys here, and of course turkeys shed their feathers.
Pit bull ownership, transportation, and “exercising control over” are illegal inside Independence’s boundaries. Penalties might include imprisonment or penalties of up to $500. Together with Leawood, Kansas, and Kearney, Missouri, it is one of the few municipalities in the Kansas City metropolitan area that still forbids the breeds.
Citizens of Independence have just begun a petition to lift the prohibition. Marshall will work with a group of about 30 activists to gather 3,500 signatures in order to demand a citywide vote in Independence’s next election.
The American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog exhibiting the bulk of the physical characteristics of any one or more of the aforementioned breeds are all considered pit bulls by Independence.
According to Marshall, the wording is too general.
Marshall stated, “I think it should be deleted because it’s arbitrary and subjective.
Breed-specific restrictions discriminate against good dog owners and do not solve the problem of irresponsible ownership, claims the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Moreover, the group claims that mixed-breed dogs might make it challenging to enforce prohibitions.
On Tuesday at election voting places, Independence resident Glenda Bailey began gathering signatures for the ballot initiative.
Breed-specific law focuses on a particular breed. In this instance, any dog that shares the bulk of its physical characteristics with pit bull-type canines is violent, but no dog breed is, according to Bailey. All breeds of dogs may be violent, but no one type is exclusively so.
Despite their former association with dogfighting, most pit bulls are actually fairly loving. Pit bulls would routinely visit Marshall’s house since Marshall frequently volunteered at Independence Animal Services.
She claimed they enjoyed cuddling and being near others. Yet, personalities can differ even across pit bulls. Nitro, Marshall’s dog who passed away from cancer just before Christmas the previous year, wasn’t your normal pit bull.
Marshall remarked, “He was pretty reticent, kind of kept to himself.” He didn’t want to cuddle, but he always wanted to be up on the bed with me.
According to Christina Heinen, director of Independence Animal Services, around 20% of the canines they take in are pit bull breeds. Moreover, pit bulls are often adopted even if Independence citizens are unable to possess one.
According to Heinen’s calculations, the average duration of stay for pit bulls at her shelter is quite similar to that of any medium- or large-breed dog. The average stay for pit bull breeds in 2022 was 26.95 days. It was, I think, 25.5 days for all medium and big breed dogs.
The biggest animal shelter in Missouri, KC Pet Project, is wholly in favour of lifting Independence’s prohibition on pit bulls.
According to spokesman Tori Fugate, “Around 22% of the dogs that come into our shelter are pit bull type canines that may be designated as pit bulls in Independence.” So, the dogs under our care at this shelter would benefit much from this.
Certain local governments in the Kansas City area have had pit bull prohibitions in place for many years. Nevertheless, Independence didn’t adopt its legislation until after a number of widely reported pit bull incidents in 2006.
In Kansas City, Missouri, a pit bull that had jumped a neighbor’s fence killed a 71-year-old lady, and the same year, three pit bulls in Independence nearly killed a man.
Breed-specific restrictions have been lifted from several local governments’ city and county charters during the past five years.
In 1990, Wyandotte County enacted a pit bull ban, threatening offenders with up to 90 days in prison or a fine of up to $1,000. In 2019, decision-makers abolished it.
In recent years, the bans in Excelsior Springs, Overland Park, and Liberty have all been lifted. This session, a bill was presented in the Missouri House of Representatives that would forbid local governments from enforcing breed-specific dog laws.
Bailey estimated that they would require somewhat less than 3,200 signatures on the petition, or 5% of registered voters, to be included on the Independence ballot. As a safety net in case there are any problems with the municipal audit, the group is aiming for 3,500.
We have 30 days to gather the required materials, after which the petition will be sent to the city, which will count and confirm that each signatory is a registered resident.
Bailey argues that pit bulls should once more be accepted in Independence.
They are so numerous that the shelters are full, she claims. And it began because this legislation was applied widely for such a long time, pretty much everywhere.
This post was last modified on April 10, 2023 6:27 am
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