Pit bulls may be freed of ‘vicious’ label

UPDATE 2/21/12!!
Kasich signs dangerous dog bill into law, ends 'vicious' pit bull label


The Columbus Dispatch
February 1, 2012

Pit bulls no longer would be classified as “vicious” animals under a bill that soon should be headed to the governor’s desk, and the Ohio Senate is expected to vote today on a separate measure designed to crack down on abusive puppy mills.

Ohio is the only state that classifies a specific breed of animal as vicious, but a bill that passed the Senate 27-5 yesterday should change that.

Sen. Mark Wagoner, R-Toledo, said Ohio law discriminates against a specific breed. “In doing so, it discourages responsible dog owners from complying with licensing requirements. Canine profiling is expensive, ineffective and infringes on property rights.”

Classifying pit bulls as “vicious” has led to, among other things, the need for liability insurance.

Instead of Ohio’s 25-year-old law labeling pit bulls vicious, the bill, which still needs final House approval of Senate changes, wouldn’t classify dogs that way in advance. Should behavior problems arise, dogs could be classified in one of three categories: “nuisance,” “dangerous” or “ vicious.”

The latter classification would be for a dog that, without provocation, seriously injures or kills a person. Those animals often would be seized and euthanized.

Owners of a dog placed in one of the three classification would face penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

Read the full story on Dispatch.com.

Additional Resources:

Watch the Ohio Senate vote on Sub. H.B. 14 on The Ohio Channel website (at the 46-minute mark):
http://www.OhioChannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=134307

Read Sub. H.B. 14:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=129_HB_14