BSL Comes to Oshkosh - One Step at a Time

Yesterday I was off to Petco for my bi-weekly shopping trip. The Petco trainer spotted me and said there was a dog I should stop and say hi to...of course a pit bull. Well, you know, when I approach a pit bull I never ask if they are friendly or not...pit bull lovers know 1) pit bulls are friendly and 2) pit bulls are easy to read (that wiggle butt sort of gives them away).

So I met this gorgeous red pit bull who happened to be a major dock diving competitor and I asked the owners about how the new pit bull ordinances in Oshkosh were impacting them. How strange it is that if you get two pit owners together the conversation does seem to tend to drift in that direction.

Recently Oshkosh passed a law requiring special licensing for pit bull and mastiff type dogs (yeah, I know, pretty weird). But it seems they don't plan on stopping there...it's just step one in a plan to implement a whole range of restrictions aimed solely at these types of dogs. And oddly enough it all seems to stem from the Oshkosh Police Department's desire to have dogs banned from taverns...(yep, getting weirder). I have to wonder what tavern in Oshkosh has what pit bull mastiff type dog which has spawned such a far-reaching law?

Anyways, today I sent off a letter to all members of the city council involved in the committee debating issues like mandatory muzzling of pit bulls, etc., and thought I would share it with my fellow pit bull loving friends. Partly because I had mistakenly thought we had too many pit bulls here for BSL to hit so close to home and partly because you too will be looking down the barrels of the BSL gun one day.

There ought to be some sort of legal recourse for the sleepless nights I have; dreaming of police cars surrounding my home and demanding I turn over Charm and Domino, some sort of legal relief for emotional trauma. And maybe some compensation for all the extra hours of going above and beyond to make sure my dogs don't act like other dogs...you know, running and playing and barking and just regular dog stuff, in case someone might mistake happy bully grin for fearsome attack. But, unfortunately, legal recourse seems to be limited to letter writing...so here's mine:

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing as a very concerned citizen regarding the proposed restrictions on pit bull type dogs. I am a resident of Berlin but I have a very personal stake in Oshkosh's actions concerning pit bulls. I own two pit bull dogs which I rescued.

My dogs go to school in Oshkosh. That's right. Last summer, between the two of them, they completed 30 weeks of training in Oshkosh. We are looking forward to another year of attending Oshkosh Dog Schools. They completed all of their obedience in Oshkosh. One of my dogs is continuing on in second level agility and one of my dogs will be starting beginning agility. I put the time and energy into my dogs so that they are well socialized with other people and dogs of all types.

I often wonder how many people take the time to really work with their dogs, but because I care about my pit bulls and require them to be outstanding citizens, I take the time. Is it really fair to single out a type of dog rather than looking at dog owner responsibility?

I also shop in Oshkosh for my dogs. Every two weeks I make the trip to Petco to buy food, toys, etc., because of Petco's friendly welcome to pit bull dogs. My dogs took their very first obedience classes there and are welcome visitors. Petco employees often joke that I keep them in business!

My pit bull, Domino, participated in the Shelter Trek raising money for the Oshkosh Humane Society. Domino played with everything from tiny little dogs to big dogs and was a great breed ambassador.

I feel that singling out people like me who obviously go above and beyond when it comes to our dogs is so beyond unfair. I myself spend time each day promoting responsible dog ownership and urge ALL owners of powerful breeds to be hyper-responsible with their dogs.

Until I owned pit bulls, I would never have believed how truly loving and gentle they can be. I only heard about the media side. But I took the time and effort to understand that these are highly intelligent dogs which require an active lifestyle and too often they are misunderstood. Now that I have shared my life with them, I can't imagine it without them.

Please reconsider targeting types of dogs and consider a comprehensive Dangerous Dog Ordinance which addresses irresponsible ownership of any type of dog. Statistically, golden retrievers and black labs are the most likely to bite. If the intention is to protect the public, singling out pit bulls is shifting the focus away from the problem and is leaving the public unprotected from the type of dog owners who should be held accountable for their actions.

Sincerely,
Responsible owner of Charm and Domino, pit bulls