To: Mayor Lyndell Brenton and Liberty Missouri City council members
Goal: End unfair breed discrimination laws that prevent well behaved, loving dogs from finding good home and ultimately end up in shelters or euthanized. Also, prevents current pit bull or pit bull type from moving to our great city due to the current ban.
Authorities in Liberty Missouri unfairly discriminate against certain dog breeds based solely on their appearance rather than their behavior. While regulations addressing dangerous dogs and irresponsible pet owners may be necessary to protect the city's residents, targeting specific breeds like pit bulls is ineffective and inhumane.
Breed-specific legislation (BSL), which unfairly discriminates against well-behaved dogs based on the way they look rather than their behavior, has been widely discredited by numerous reputable studies which found that a dog’s breed does not make it dangerous– negative situations like abuse and poor upbringing do. It has been proven that BSL does nothing to reduce the number of dog bites or prevent dog attacks. The Best Friends Animal Society, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association and the American Bar Association all oppose BSL, instead supporting “comprehensive, breed-neutral dangerous-dog laws.” Further, President Obama released an official White House position statement in August 2013 standing against BSL, citing research that discredits it and declaring it to be ineffective and a waste of resources.
As a animal welfare advocate and resident of Liberty for 42 years I Urge city officials to repeal all breed-specific ordinances and enact generic laws instead.
Dear Mr. Lyndell Brenton
While regulations addressing dangerous dogs and irresponsible pet owners are necessary to protect Liberty's citizens, I strongly oppose the city's current breed-specific legislation (BSL) that unfairly discriminates against dogs based solely on their appearance rather than their behavior.
BSL has been widely discredited by numerous studies, which have all found that breed is not what makes a dog dangerous—irresponsible pet owners, poor upbringing and abusive situations can make dogs of any breed dangerous. In fact, the Obama administration, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association and the American Bar Association all oppose BSL and support breed-neutral dangerous-dog laws instead.
I strongly urge you to repeal the current breed-specific city ordinances, which are ineffective and a waste of taxpayers’ money, and instead enact generic dangerous-dog laws instead.
Sincerely, Jessica McKinney
Liberty resident since 1973
