A proposal to repeal Carthage’s ban on certain breeds of dogs has been rejected by the City Council’s public safety committee.
The committee this week voted 3-1 against recommending repealing the breed-specific ban to the Carthage City Council. Committee Chairman James Harrison and council members Alan Snow and Darren Collier voted “no” while councilmember Kirby Newport was the only “yes” vote.
The issue of breed-specific bans in Carthage resurfaced in January, when resident Christian O’Neill asked the city to consider repealing the ban, which prohibits anyone living in Carthage from owning pit bulls or Rottweilers.
O’Neill presented information from the American Veterinary Medical Association saying breed-specific bans were not the answer to the problem of vicious animals.
“Pit bulls are the most frequent targets of breed-specific legislation despite being a general type rather than a breed,” the AMVA says on its website. “Other breeds also are sometimes banned, including Rottweilers, Dobermans and boxers. However, it is extremely difficult to determine a dog’s breed or breed mix simply by looking at it.”
A variety of expert groups — including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Humane Society of the United States and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior — do not support breed-specific legislation.
Most support legislation or programs that deal with dangerous dogs and owners rather than specific breeds. Carthage has separate ordinances on the books that deal with dangerous animals and dogs that bite.
Newport suggested sending the repeal to the full council and letting the council decide whether to send it to voters. In the end, the committee decided against that option and left the ban in place.
