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Village of Cambridge, Wisconsin to Remove Breed Discriminatory Language (BDL) from Dog Ordinance

8/27/2014

Sherlock, the Cambridge dog that started it all.

The Village of Cambridge, Wisconsin is a small, pleasant town on the border of Dane and Jefferson County. The Village has a population of 1457 people.

Recently, local residents and their adopted "pit bull" terrier, Sherlock, became the center of controversy between the resident's condo association, other condo residents, and the village board. You can read the background of the story by clicking this link.

At the August 26 council meeting the issue was discussed and a motion was made to remove the breed discriminatory language from the existing ordinance and send the ordinance back to be drafted with breed neutral language. The motion passed unanimously.

Hats off to the elected officials in Cambridge. They listened carefully to all of the testimony presented to them and made a decision based on fact, not misinformation. ALL dog lovers can once again enjoy living in and visiting Cambridge.

You can see the WKOW - Madison news story video from last night's meeting by clicking this link.

Village of Muscoda, Wisconsin Repeals Breed Discriminatory Legislation (BDL)

8/25/2014

The Village of Muscoda, Wisconsin, is best known as the "Morel Mushroom Capital of Wisconsin." The Village has a population of 1,300 and is nestled on the borders of Iowa, Grant, and Richland counties.

Recently, a local resident and "pit bull" terrier owner approached the council with concerns about their outdated Breed Discriminatory Ordinance. Other local advocates voiced their support.

At the July 8 council meeting the issue was discussed and a motion was made to repeal the ordinance and recreate a breed neutral dangerous dog ordinance. The motion passed unanimously.

Hats off to the elected officials in Muscoda. ALL dog lovers can once again enjoy living in and visiting the Morel Mushroom Capital of Wisconsin!

Here is a screen shot from the meeting minutes:

Here is the proposed new breed neutral ordinance:

Breed Discrimination in the City of Milwaukee

8/25/2014

Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals opposes Breed Discriminatory Legislation. In America, responsible pet owners should be allowed to own whatever dog they choose without the hardships of additional requirement or restriction not faced by other owners. 84% of Americans agree that government has no business telling responsible citizens what breed of dog they may own.

Did you know that the City of Milwaukee has Breed Discriminatory Legislation against dogs that are one half or more American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier and Rottweilers?

Here is what the City of Milwaukee ordinance includes:

Leash and Training Requirement: "Any person who walks a Pitbull or Rottweiler must be at least 16 years old and be able to control the animal. A person older than 16 who is of slight stature may not be able to conrol a large Rottweiler and may not walk the dog. In addition, the owner of the dog must attend a dog behavior class."

Fence or Kennel Requirements: The owner of a Pitbull or Rottweiler dog must have one of the following installed in their yard.

Option #1: Install a fence that is sufficient to contain the dog. Sufficient height is determined on a case by case basis by a DNS inspector. Climbable objects may not be placed next to the fence if they may allow the dog to jump out of the yard.

The fence must be made of non-climbable material (such as stockade type fencing). The fence must be set at least 3 feet from any alley, sidewalk or other public right of way.

The dog may not be allowed to dig under the fence. Steps must be taken to prevent this from happening. Failure to comply with this ordinance can result in multiple citations being issued where penalties can exceed $2000.

Note that a fence higher than 4 feet may not be installed in a front or side yard and 6 feet is the height maximum for a back yard fence. (Note that many dogs can climb standard chain link fences. If you install a chain link fence and your dog learns to climb it you will be required to replace it).

A permit is required to install a fence.

Option #2: Install a kennel sufficient to contain the dog. The kennel must have a concrete floor. The fencing for the kennel must be non-climbable and may need to be higher than six feet if a doghouse is placed in the kennel, as the dog could climb onto the house and escape the kennel. This can be prevented by installing a securely attached roof on the kennel.

Chain link fencing with an attached roof is acceptable for a kennel. Rottweilers and pitbulls must be placed ina an approved kennel if left outside unless the yard is enclosed with a fence as described previously in option #1.

A permit is required to install a kennel.

We believe there is a BETTER way: Officials will make our communities safer by implementing strong breed-neutral policies that target reckless owners, (not responsible owners), since they are the real cause of the most dangerous dogs.

Milwaukee Animal Alliance Encourages Residents to "Adopt Local"

8/5/2014

Milwaukee Animal Alliance, a grassroots organization dedicated to animal welfare, has created a fun, positive approach to encourage people to "Adopt Local" by supporting those shelters and rescues that source at least 75% of their animals from Wisconsin.

"The "local" movement encourages people to shop and dine at local businesses," said Kelly Herbold, MAA spokesperson. "Through this campaign, we also want to encourage Wisconsin residents to adopt local.

Milwaukee Animal Alliance supports Wisconsin shelters and rescues that address the needs of local animals," said Herbold. "Wisconsin has wonderful pets right here that need homes, and we believe the shelters and rescues we highlight are making the best use of time, money and resources to help these amazing, local animals."

The following local personalities pose with Wisconsin rescue pets in a series of ads designed to encourage the public to "Adopt Local". Check out Milwaukee Animal Alliance on Facebook
and their website!

Village of Cambridge, Wisconsin to Remove Breed Discriminatory Language (BDL) from Dog Ordinance

Village of Muscoda, Wisconsin Repeals Breed Discriminatory Legislation (BDL)

Breed Discrimination in the City of Milwaukee

Milwaukee Animal Alliance Encourages Residents to "Adopt Local"

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