No BSL New Mexico

Crunch Time!

2009-03-16T23:00:00.000-06:00

The New Mexico Legislature is in session for only a few more days.

At this point, the only animal related bill that is still troubling to me is HB159.

Thankfully, an amendment was added to the bill that has made it a lot more palatable, but there are still aspects of the bill's language that could create "animal abusers" of many responsible animal owners.

Many level headed, tireless folks have a put a huge dent into some otherwise nasty bills: HB667, which was going to require that all Pit bulls and Rottweilers be registered under the NM Dangerous Dog Act has been "killed"; SB127, has been molded into a fairly reasonable bill but has yet to pass into law.

Please visit the CNMAO blog for contact info and talking points on the many animal related bills. The legislsative session is not over, and there is still much work to be done... so find out what is still what, and speak-up now.

From The Roundhouse

2009-03-15T23:00:00.002-06:00

I am proud to report that I spent much of Sunday, the 15th of March, in Santa Fe. Specifically, I was in the Roundhouse with a group of likeminded souls, many of which have spent quite a few days lobbying (quite succesfully) at the Roundhouse.

Our mission:

affect the language in HB159.

As it is now, HB159, may lead to many unintended consequences for those involved with dog training and competitive dog sports (agility, obedience, schutzhund, etc.), not too mention the folks that use dogs to work livestock and/or hunt.

As it is now, the language used in this bill will create the potential for dog owner's to face animal cruelty charges in the event of their dogs are injured/killed as a result of training, competition, or work.

All said and done, the bill was not heard in committe - again. Not a bad thing. Moreover, it has become clear to several of the legislators on this committe that many citizens have serious concerns with the language in this bill.

There is power in showing-up to the Roundhouse, or any other law making venue, to voice an opinion. Indeed, Legislators take notice of this commitment, and find it refreshing and informative.

HB667 & HB159

2009-03-13T23:00:00.003-06:00

I got word this morning that HB667, the bill that sought to require liability insurance for "Dangerous Dogs", was killed.

This bill originally required all Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and their mixes be registered under the DDA, but the BSL language did not make the first cut of voting.

Also, HB 159 is a troubling bill. It seeks to expand the definition of Animal Cruelty in an irresponsible manner. If this bill passes, many involved with dog sports or working dogs may bear the brunt of the bill's unintended consequences.

Be advised: there is likely to be a vote on HB159 this Saturday (March 14.)

That is, the language in the bill could be manipulated to bring about animal cruelty charges for those whose dogs get injured in dog sport competition/training or in a hunt.

Clearly, enabling Government agencies to prosecute animal abusers is a good thing and an effort that I support, but the language in this bill must be worded in a way that will not bring about unintended consequences for otherwise responsbile and caring animal owners.

Please visit the following links for legislator's contact info, talking points and form letters:

Summary: HB 159

Open Letters/Contact Info: HB 159

Contact your legislator and the legislators that will be voting on the bill.

Just Goes to Show

2009-03-09T23:00:00.002-06:00

We have got to make sure to provide legislators with input in advance:

The hearing for HB159 was re-scheduled in a last minute effort to accommodate the legislature's busy schedule. Clearly, these things happen and I am not willing to suggest any backroom dealings led to the schedule change.

Many folks were caught off guard by this schedule change.

All told, HB159 was passed by the Senate Conservation Committee, and is now headed to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Again, please visit the CNMAO Blog for the in's and out's of why this bill should not pass as it is today.

And if you don't think this is an HSUS supported bill, well, think again.

More importantly, contact your legislators and the Senate Judiciary Committee to express your opinion on the matter.

Senate Judiciary Committee Meets Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2:30 PM,

Rm. 311 Phone 505 986 4485

Chairman Cisco McSorely (D dist 16) 505 986 4485

cisco.mcsorley@nmlegis.gov

V. Chair Richard C. Martinez (D dist 5) 505 986 4389

mailto:mmrichard.martinez@nmlegis.gov

Tim Eichenberg (D dist 15) 505 986 4859

tim.eichenberg@nmlegis.gov

Clinton D. Harden (R dist 7) 505 986 4369

charden@theosogroup.com

Linda M. Lopez (D dist 11) 505 986 4737

linda.lopez@nmlegis.gov

Sander Rue (R dist 23) 505 986 4375

sanderrue@comcast.net

John C. Ryan (R dist 10) 505 986 4373

johnchrisryan@yahoo.com

Bernadette M. Sanchez (D dist 26) 505 986 4267

senb26@yahoo.com

Michael S. Sanchez (D dist 29) 505 986 4727

senatormssanchez@aol.com

Peter Wirth (D dist 25) 505 986 4276

peter.wirth@nmlegis.gov

Ranking member, William H. Payne (R dist 20) 505 986 4703

hwilliam.payne@nmlegis.gov

From the Roundhouse

2009-03-06T23:00:00.001-07:00

So while the BSL aspects of HB 667 have been removed, there are other issues with the bill. And actually, there are several other bills in the house or senate that I find concerning.

New Mexicans seeking level headed and thoughtful information on the bills (pertaining to animal ownership) introduced in this year's legislative session will be well-served by spending time at the CNMAO Blog.

The CNMAO folks are doing a great job of evaluating the issues, while providing useful analysis and position statements. Please be sure to check out the "Open Letters" section of the blog, it's an outstanding resource: contact info, talking points, and form letters.

HB 667 Amended: No BSL

2009-03-01T23:00:00.001-07:00

The BSL language has indeed been removed from HB 667.

A big thank you to all the folks that contacted their legislators on this matter...just goes to show, they do indeed listen.

That said, I do suggest reading the new and improved HB 667.

As of now, the HB 667 is in the House Judiciary Committee, so there is time to voice concerns over any other issues with the bill.

Update: HB 667

2009-02-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

The AKC's website has this statement on HB 667:

Representative John Heaton's office has confirmed that HB 667 will be amended to remove the breed-specific provisions. The AKC Government Relations department thanks all those who called, wrote letters, and emailed their representatives about this important issue. We will provide additional information once the amended text is available.

As of last night (2/17), the newly amended bill wasn't available on the Legislature's website, but I have a strong feelign that someon at the AKC wouldn't have made the above statement without having contacting Rep. Heaton's office.

Hat tip to LK in Santa Fe for the heads up.

NM BSL ALERT

2009-02-14T23:00:00.002-07:00

(Update 2/15):

It's being said that the Pit bull and Rottweiler language that first appeared in HB667 is going to be taken out. However, these amendments have not yet been made public...and while the info that I've received has come from reliable sources, I am going to define the mood on this end as: Cautiously Optimistic.

I have a feeling we're going to have to wait till Tues or Wed of this coming week before we can get a look at the new language: I'll be sure to keep checking at the NM State Legislature's "Bill Finder."

Keep in mind folks, simply removing the BSL language, while making these requirements for ALL DOG OWNERS, is not a good thing either - so we really need to continue to check in on this bill...but at least for the moment, hold fast, it seems the BSL aspect of this one is going away.

Contact info for legislators and links to HB 667 are available in the 2/10 update - all linked text is underlined.

NM BSL ALERT

2009-02-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Update (2/11):

HB 667 will bring about the following for all Pit bull and Rottweiler owners:

required to obtain $250,000 liability insurance policy;

home inspections by Animal Control agencies (unannounced and without a court issued warrant);

and mandatory spay or neuter for all dogs of these breeds.

Additionally, this legislation has SERIOUS implications for SHELTER & RESCUE dogs:

If the proposed legislation passes, VERY FEW people will consider adopting a Pit bull, Rottweiler or any dog with that
appears a mix of either, which will ultimately bring about even more perfectly adoptable dogs being euthanized.

More so, many rescue organizations will avoid representing Pit bulls and Rottweilers due to these requirements.

Please contact your legislators and let them know (politely) that you oppose this legislation.

Contact info is available in the 2/10 update - all linked text is underlined.

NM BSL ALERT

2009-02-09T23:00:00.013-07:00

Update (2/10):

House Bill 667 was introduced on 2/9, and has one sponsor - Rep. Heaton - and it's current location is the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee:

Meets:

Tuesdays & Thursdays - 1:30 p.m. - Room 315

Committee Members:

Representative

Gail Chasey - (D)

Chair

Representative

Antonio "Moe" Maestas - (D)

Vice Chair

Representative
Thomas A. Anderson - (R) Member

Representative
Zachary J. Cook - (R) Member

Representative
Karen E. Giannini - (D) Member

Representative
Bill B. O'Neill - (D) Member

Representative

Al Park - (D) Member

Here we go, folks!

Rep. John Heaton from Carlsbad has introduced House Bill 667, which will require all pit bulls and rottweilers in the state to be registered as dangerous dogs under the Dangerous Dog Act, regardless of whether the dog has any history of violence.

Please look at the bill and contact your legislators and the sponsor to let them know that you oppose the bill.

The bill is available in PDF form via this link.

You can find your legislators through the legislative website at www.nmlegis.gov .

Please continue to check my blogs for updates, and feel free to email me with questions or suggestions.

Blast from the Past

2008-12-17T23:00:00.002-07:00

Malcom Gladwell, author of many titles, many of which are found in The New Yorker, gave the pit bull world (and hopefully many others) this little gem a few years back: Troublemakers: what pit bulls can teach us about profiling.

Colorful Colorado

2008-11-18T23:00:00.006-07:00

The KC DOG BLOG put out an interesting read on a Denver-area suburb and it's pit bull ban.

The ban was challenged, and the court proceedings began Nov. 17th, 2008. So while there seems to be a reasonable argument that the ban is not increasing public safety (IE. dog bites may have risen across the board since the ban's inception) the town of Aurora is intent on keeping their BSL intact.

The KCDB post has several links to news articles from the Denver area, one of which has an interview from the Dir. of Denver's Animal Care and Control, and a link to a 2 year report on dog bites from the Aurora township. All in all, this post in worth the time.

Edit to add:

(11/19/2008) The Denver Post reports that the Judge ruled in favor of the Aurora pit bull ban.

You Know, She's Got a Point.

2008-10-28T23:00:00.001-06:00

While looking around the intra-web for interesting people, good ideas, and otherwise thoughtful blogs or websites, I often come up with stuff that I feel should be shared.

I found one of those posts at the Dog Politics blog. It's an older post that dates back to 2007, but I feel that it is still relevant.

In the main, the post deals with the HSUS, a group that has been pretty rough on Pit bulls for decades, and Mandatory Spay and Neuter (MSN) for Pit bulls.

Now, at first glance, MSN for pit bulls may seem like a good idea as the shelter numbers suggest that there are just waaaay tooo maaaaany Pit bulls looking for homes - many of which are ultimately euthanized for lack of adoption. Now, supporting MSN is a touchy topic to begin with but any group pushing MSN for certain breeds of dogs is, well, one more form of Breed Specific Legislation.

I invite you to read this post from DogPolitics.com, which takes a look into Breed Specific MSN and the HSUS' agenda.

If You've Got The Money, Honey, I've Got The Crime.

2008-10-21T23:00:00.012-06:00

My buddy, Drayton Micheals, at Dog Star Daily put together a great post on a rarely discussed topic: the financial aspect of BSL. I am not familair with any materials from BSL promoters that account for this aspect of their "plan." In my estimation, this is one more aspect of a shortsighted approach to public safety - the hallmark of Breed Specific Legislation.

The following is an excerpt from Mr. Micheals' fourth installment of his "Dangerous Dog Diatribe", which is a look into the amount of money that is going into these laws:

Most of the focus on BSL is placed on dog behavior and how to effectively reduce dog incidents that are injurious or fatal. There is another aspect that does not get spoken about by proponents of BSL, the cost to implement such legislation and the lack of effectiveness of the approach.

Since its inception around 1989 BSL has not reduced dog - human fatalities or serious injury statistics; they have held steady. How can a breed ban even begin to be enforced? How can you really be sure there are no “Pit Bulls” in your city? You cannot, and this is the fundamental problem with BSL, it is unenforceable and the cost does not justify the results.

Drayton's post, complete with citations, will hopefully provoke many to re-examine their support of BSL. And for those that are already in the fight to keep BSL out of their communities, this post will provide many productive talking points. It is a lengthy post, indeed, yet the amount of information is justified by the many misconceptions that are inherent to discussions about BSL.

DANGEROUS DOG DIATRIBE PART IV: THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF BSL.

Why Reinvent The Wheel?

2008-10-13T23:00:00.001-06:00

There are many blogs that expose Breed Specific Legislation for what it is: a knee-jerk approach to public safety. In the spirit of efficiency, I have provided a link to the KC Dog Blog section tagged, "Failed BSL". The write-up's found at this link are a look into cities that have enacted Breed Specific Legislation.

Something To Think About.

2008-10-08T23:00:00.003-06:00

From the Pit Bull Rescue Central website, I have linked a game called "Find the Pit bull". The significance of this game, while seemingly childish, is very powerful. Many folks are willing to attribute horrible acts to pit bulls, yet struggle to correctly identify a pit bull - the pit bull game is a perfect example of this.

Take into consideration that not everybody is able to correctly identify "pit bulls" - a term that is often times used to include several separate breeds - and apply that idea to those that are providing information on dog bites: law enforcement, animal control, journalists, and John Q. Public. The point? It is very likely that a good number of incidents attributed to pit bulls did not involve a pit bull at all. This is a very plausible scenario.

Media Influence.

2008-10-07T23:00:00.007-06:00

Many that seek to set the record straight on Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) claim there is a strong media bias influencing public perception of certain breeds, which in turn influences legislators.

The following is an excerpt from a National Canine Research Council (NCRC) evaluation of news reports and pit bulls:

Everything is a Pit bull,

whether it is or not: Again.

On June 4, 2008, at least 29 news articles were run on a story about a Los Angeles boy "mauled by a Pit bull." Some of the headlines were:

"LA toddler hospitalized after being mauled by Pit bulls" - Fresno Bee

"2-year-old stable after pit bull bites his face" - LA Times

The Mercury News even reported that two Pit bulls attacked the child. Another article described the dog as the "family Pit bull." The Los Angeles Times reported the boy in "critical condition after he was bitten by a pit bull."

Perhaps the media should not bear the brunt for this serious error, as the source of the breed mis-identification was found to have originated from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD should not attempt to identify breeds of dogs or comment on canine behavior. The average police officer is no more skilled in breed identification than is the average reporter. Perhaps in the realization of this, the LAPD later referred all inquiries on the dog involved in this incident to the city's animal services department.

The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services released a statement declaring the dog involved in the attack on the boy was "in fact a shepherd mix."

Note: Acknowledgement is given to the Los Angeles Times for printing a "For the Record" remark on the erroneous breed identification of the dog in this incident. On June 7th the LA Times printed the following: "An article in Thursday's California section about a boy attacked by his family's dog quoted authorities as saying the dog was a pit bull. The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services said Friday that the animal that bit the toddler was a shepherd mix."

However, this small retraction cannot possibly undo the damage that was done by the media. All the headlines run by the LA Times which initially identified this dog to be a Pit bull have not been pulled and can still be found in the LA Times archives.

Additionally, more than one attorney website and dog bite "advocacy" website has picked up this "Pit bull attack" story and posted it on their website as additional "evidence" of the nature of Pit bulls.

Please read the rest of the NCRC's report, The Media: A Reliable Source of Information on Dog Attacks?, which exposes many similar examples of errors in the reporting of dog attacks by the news media.

Another Example of Sensational Reporting.

2008-10-06T23:00:00.002-06:00

Here is a snippet from a media source sensationalizing a "pit bull attack." The report goes on to describe a hectic and troubling scenario in which a young girl was in danger.

SEATTLE -- A 9-year-old girl was on the playground at Lafayette Elementary School when a pit bull attacked her. She was bruised and sore, but not seriously hurt thanks to two men who bravely stepped in to save her.

Here is a snippet from a different media source of the same event, which includes information from the police report:

SEATTLE -- A 9-year-old girl was playing on the school's playground the morning of June 17 when the brown-and-white pit bull puppy "was playing with her shoelace and accidentally bit her left ankle," according to the report.[...]The pit bull puppy, which was not aggressive and [was] sitting on the playground when police arrived.

Folks, I hope you all are giving a fair amount of consideration to the power of suggestion, and the media's influence over public opinion. Now, factor in the understanding that pit bulls have been sensationalized by the news media for decades; and as a result are feared, and legislated against, in a manner that is not only rediculous but unwarranted. Good dogs die. Good owners lose their dogs. Public safety is not increased. Tax payers get the bill.

Animal Rights Vs. Animal Welfare

2008-07-12T23:00:00.000-06:00

Many folks involved with animal concerns (IE. how our society deals with animals) seek to make a positive impact - a good thing, right?

In this pursuit, most will become aware of the many organizations that work toward this end.

However, some folks that get involved may not stop to think about the unintended consequences that may come from their donations and support.

This blog entry from Lindsay Biddle at the APBTNetwork Blog gives a look at the distinct differences between Animal Rights and Animal Welfare.
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Problems Inherent to BSL

2008-06-12T23:00:00.003-06:00

Breed Specific Legislation does not take the appropriate approach toward increasing public safety with concerns to dogs.

The assumptions that allow BSL to be enacted are flawed, and do not address why dog bites occur – the most important aspect in working toward public safety.

How Does BSL Come About?

2008-06-12T23:00:00.001-06:00

Often times, BSL will come about after a well-publicized “dog attack.”

In general, the dogs involved are said to be at least one of a handful of breeds: pit bulls, rottweilers, German shepherds, or chows.

This in turn causes a concern among some in the community, and legislators are pressured to pass new legislation in the name of public safety.

Common Assumptions Associated With BSL

2008-05-12T23:00:00.000-06:00

- “Certain dog breeds are inherently different than others, and are therefore more dangerous.”

- “Pit bull (or Rottweiler, German shepherd, etc) attacks are always in the news paper.”

- “When was the last time anyone ever heard of a (insert perceived good dog breed) attacking a kid?”

- “Studies show these breeds are the ones that account for an overwhelming number of dog bites”

The list of assumptions associated with BSL is long and engrained in our society, yet easily bested when approached with reasonable information and a level-headed evaluation.

Useful Pit Bull Links

2008-04-12T23:00:00.000-06:00

Working Pit bull.Com: Diane Jessup's website has nearly anything and everything pit bull - great info for those new to the breed.

Dog Watch: Solid strategies for fighting BSL.

For Pit's Sake: Great BSL information.

For Pit's Sake: Home to several Search and Rescue pit bulls.

Out of the Pits: Organization that provides many community services using pit bulls.

Understand A Bull: general pit bull, BSL, and rescue information.

Pit bull Rescue Central (PBRC): Forms and insights on how to battle BSL.

NAPBTA-BSL-packet: BSL info-packet from the NAPBTA.

National Canine Research Council: media analysis and breed specific research.

The Pit bull Place: Informative and welcoming online community.