Officials in Bristol, Connecticut are considering an ordinance targeting specific breeds of dogs. Police are reportedly dealing with “growing numbers of pit bull problems,” and the matter is currently before the city council Ordinance Committee.
Please send your POLITE, RESPECTFUL and INFORMATIVE letters in opposition to breed specific legislation to the Bristol city officials. Include with your letters viable alternatives and suggestions to help the city craft a breed-neutral ordinance.
MAYOR: ARTHUR J.WARD
Bristol City Hall
111 North Main Street
Bristol, CT 06010
Tel (860) 584-6100
City Council Members
CLIFFORD BLOCK – DIST.1 (D)
KENNETH COCKAYNE – DIST. 2 (R)
KEVIN FULLER – DIST. 1(D)
TERRY PARKER – DIST. 3 (D)
KEVIN C. MCCAULEY – DIST. 2 (D)
DAVID MILLS – DIST. 3 (R)
Mayor & Council block e-mail:
artward@ci.bristol.ct.us, kevinmcCauley@ci.bristol.ct.us, cliffordblock@ci.bristol.ct.us, kencockayne@ci.bristol.ct.us,
kevinfuller@ci.bristol.ct.us, davemills@ci.bristol.ct.us, mayorsoffice@ci.bristol.ct.us
City eyes ban on ‘dangerous dogs’
Saturday, October 29, 2011
By Steve Collins
Staff Writer
BRISTOL – The city is eyeing the possibility of banning “dangerous breeds” of dogs.
Though the city’s Ordinance Committee has only just begun talking about possible approaches to deal with potentially dangerous dogs, officials said there is a real problem that needs to be addressed.
The city’s dog warden reported 39 dog bites in Bristol in 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available, and police have had to deal with growing numbers of pit bull problems in some neighborhoods.
http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2011/10/29/news/doc4ea99bf260316248165627.txt
Bless the Bullys 
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Every one has said it….it’s the owner’s responsibility to control thier dog’s behavior. The problrem is at the other end of the leash. Also Punish the deed NOT the breed. I have a pit bull named Sebby and he is the most lovable little fellow you could ever meet. When he goes to dog parks, it’s the OTHER dogs that bother him and I must say they are OTHER breeds. It’s how you bring them up. It is not necessary to ban the breed. Band the owners!!!
This is horrible. I have a pit bull and she is the best dog ever. It is all in how you train the dog. These dogs are in the wrong homes and the people who own them should be punished not the dog.
Punish the people whom breed Pit Bulls … not the dogs! People are the cause of over population … these people refuse to spay/neuter these dogs. Need stiffer punishment on the breeders of these dogs … don’t blame the innocence animals for human stupidy! Shame on you Mr. Ward.
Wow, this is totally not good news. Punish the deed, not the breed. How about stiffer laws on dog owners?
You are blaming the wrong end of the leash.
This entire situation is pure garbage and targets the effect, not the root cause.
This is beyond an insult to the owners who have raised fine lovable pets. And since most of them work, making a 4pm meeting is difficult. The meeting time alone is basically trying to stop anyone with a job from showing up. Well, guess what, you’ve got another thing coming. I encourage everyone with a normal 9-5 to dip out a few hours early to attend.
CRIME in general is up in town. Is it a coincidence? No. Mayor Ward signed into action more Section 8 housing, and guess what comes with it? The exact crap we are trying to clean up– drugs, gangs, the entire west end, and now– said owners’ dogs, raised improperly. While there are a few Cinderella stories to come out of these events, and some are rescued by a ‘prince’ from one of the shelters, giving the dogs a chance to love again, most are eventually put down. And that is just too bad.
Letting the actions of a few change the lives of many is something Hitler did. You know, the ‘superior’ race. Apparently, pittbulls are not Aryan Nation and they must be dealt with.
Soon, that few getting put down will become all getting put down. Is our local government really pushing for a canine genocide? And you, fellow Bristol resident, are going to let them get away with it? And for those who won’t give up their lovable pets– will they now be labeled criminals? Do Jail time? Pay fines to the city to fund the anti-pittbull campaign?
If you want Bristol to flourish, you need to attract business, not organized crime, to the city. Sorry, Mr. Ward, but you’re doing it wrong, and have been for some time…. Don’t be surprised when the rest of the city agrees with me on Tuesday the 8th.
My dad has been a pit bull owner for 20+ years and they are truly great dogs! About 5 years ago he had to put his pit to sleep after owning her for 12 years due to a brain tumor. He went right out and rescued another pit who was used as a bait dog in dog fighting. She is scared from head to tail with bite marks and both her front legs were broke and never set. With all she had been through she is an amazing dog! This Ordinance isn’t fair to the dogs or the good/responsible owners. I have a 97lb Rottie who is the love of our life. He is the most gentle, loving dog who also has been labled a “dangerous breed”. We take him to a the local dog parks 3-4 times a week and he just loves everyone and every dog he comes in contact with. When I adopted Dante we took him to John Gagnons pet resort to have him evaluated by his aggresive dog trainer Tom. Tom called me later in the afternoon after spending the day with my dog to inform me that he couldn’t charge me for an evaluation because there is no aggresion in this dog.
That’s what a responsible dog owner does. When a dog is licensed people who own these types of breeds should have to have the dog evaluated and a certificate by a reputable trainer should be turned into the town/city stating the dog had been evaluated and is deemed not aggresive. I believe this should happen for the firts two licensings. Dogs tend not to show their true colors for at leat 3 months after being adopted. So with that being said the dogs should be evaluated again prior to renewing the license.
Don’t take out what has happened to people on the dogs. The owners should be held responsible. There is no such thing as a bad breed! Please find another way other than banning these breeds. You will be taking a family member away from someone who loves them very much!
I don’t understand why some dogs are considered “bad” My daughter has a Pittie, he is protective but he is a very loving guy. I have a Rottie who is a big mush. All dogs can be aggressive if they aren’t socialized & trained properly. I have a friend that has a dachshund who is meaner than my daughters Pittie and my Rottie put together……
This is NOT the answer! If you live in Bristol, CT please consider showing your support to end BSL!!
it’s never the breed, it’s an irresponsible owner, I know…I’ve carried mail for over 25 years and own 2 pit mixes
This is absolutely ridiculous.
Simpy because they’re are ‘too many’ we should demolish them all. While you’re at it, just ban STUPID PEOPLE. Execute the owners of any dog that hurts someone. “Bad” dogs are only the result of stupid people.
The country needs to start IQ testing before anyone is allowed to give birth or own a dog. The first would solve 99% of our budget problems since we wouldn’t have to pay for food, insurance, and housing to all the idiot teenagers who think they’re responsible enough to care for another life.
No one is going to tell me what kind of dog I can or cannot own.
All dog’s are loveable creatures, it is the horrible dog owners that are the problem. I have a pit bull and she is the most loving, lovable dog there is. She is also a very biggest baby. Yet she will be deemed “dangerous” because some lawyer/politician says so. Does Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport ban certain breeds? Is Bristol worse than those cities?
I’m thinking the problem may not be so much with the Pit Bull Dog as with it’s owners. Please people , get a clue!!
There is no such thing as a dangerous breed of dog…we are not talking about Lions and Tigers here folks. There are bad, abusive, irresponsible owners of dogs who want to be “thug”, “gangster” following the Chicago thuggery that is so wide spread in this nation these days. The dogs are NOT the problem the police and government is NOT going their job. They need to deal with the criminal element not the dogs. Stop trying not offend minorities and inner city thugs deal with the criminals not the dogs!!! BSL=breedism=racism. BSL is the first steps to communism at a local level…first Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Mastiffs,, Dobies, German Shepherds, Akitas….tomorrow dashunds. It is all about control without government doing the job it collects taxes to do.