The pit bull ordinance in Wentzville, Missouri is set to be reviewed next week, and a resident whose dogs have been described as “pit bulls” by the city is seeking a change to the ordinance. Please politely encourage the Wentzville officials to consider the upcoming review as an opportunity to enact an effective breed-neutral ordinance that focuses on behavior rather than breed, as well as reckless dog owners.
The mayor and aldermen can be contacted via a form on the city’s website or, in the alternative, you can send correspondence via the city clerk with a polite request to forward on to each member of the board and the mayor.
Just a reminder, the National Canine Research Council website has a lot of extremely useful information regarding the ineffectiveness of breed specific legislation, and I have found this information very useful when addressing cities that already have BSL in place.
Wentzville City Hall
310 West Pearce Boulevard
Wentzville, MO 63385
636-327-5101
636-639-2017 fax
City Clerk
Vitula Skillman
Vitula.Skillman@wentzvillemo.org
City Administrator
Dennis Walsh
Dennis.Walsh@wentzvillemo.org
Contact Form for Mayor and Aldermen
http://www.wentzvillemo.org/mayor-and-alderman.aspx
Wentzville dog owner challenges pit bull ordinance
10:21 PM, Nov 10, 2011
By Kathleen Berger
Wentzville, MO (KSDK)
A pit bull law is up for review in Wentzville next week. This come on the heels of an upset dog owner who says her dogs are unfairly targeted. They’ve never been aggressive to anyone.
Wentzville Police have no reports of that either.
Now, the Amanda Kearney says she’ll move before she muzzles her dogs.
Kearney is refusing to spend money to have her dogs’ blood drawn for DNA testing, just to comply with a pit bull law that she says should be changed. She’s taking her fight to city hall.
Harley and Belle are one-year-old. Kearney says they’re pups from the same litter, and they’re pals who love running and playing in the fenced backyard.
The City of Wentzville wants them muzzled and on a hand-held leash, if they’re not in a kennel or pen. It’s the law for pit bulls.
Police say Amanda Kearney has four more days to comply after a complaint that’s under investigation.
The complaint claims that Harley and Belle are part pit bull. But police won’t discuss evidence.
“We asked them to please come into compliance while all this is being reviewed,” said Interim Police Chief Kevin Pyatt.
Kearney says her dogs are not aggressive, and has letters from neighbors saying so.
“My dogs are my children. They love to run around, we go outside. We kick a soccer ball, they chase it. We play fetch, we play frisbee,” said Kearney.
Their veterinarian at the Humane Society has even documented the breed as a Great Dane Mix.
Kearney says if they have pit bull in them she doesn’t believe it’s much. Not after buying the puppies from an owner who says the mother is a full breed.
“Full Great Dane, yes,” said Kearney.
So Kearney’s been calling aldermen for the city of Wentzville, rattling enough cages to the point that the pit bull ordinance is being called for review next Wednesday night. Some say it could be too strict. One alderman says they will review the rules over mixed breeds and the muzzling.
Interim Police Chief Kevin Pyatt will be there. He said, “I do believe there are some things in the ordinance that do need to be looked at.”
But Pyatt says he has to enforce the law unless it’s changed. Interim Chief Pyatt says public safety is his top priority.
He says he takes this law seriously after the city experienced three pit bull attacks just this year.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/285236/3/Wentzville-dog-owner-challenges-pit-bull-ordinance
Bless the Bullys 