Update: Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Monday, by a 4-3 vote, the Minot City Council voted to repeal the city’s decades-old ban of multiple breeds. The American Kennel Club appreciates Councilmember Carrie Evans’ work in promoting the change to a breed-neutral animal control policy in Minot.
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On Monday, September 19, the City Council of Minot, North Dakota, will consider a repeal of the breed-specific ownership ban section of its animal ordinances. The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports the repeal of the breed-specific provision, and encourages Minot residents to contact the City Council to support the repeal.
Section 7-34, which has been law since 1987, effectively bans the ownership of any pit bull dog in the city, with limited exceptions for service or assistance/support dogs. Its definition of “pit bull dog” includes Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and dogs that are a mix of those breeds or has the appearance of those breeds.
AKC supports reasonable, enforceable, non-discriminatory laws to govern the ownership of dogs. We believe that dog owners should be responsible for their dogs; and support laws that: establish a fair process by which specific dogs are identified as “dangerous” based on stated, measurable actions; impose appropriate penalties on irresponsible owners; and establish a well-defined method for dealing with dogs proven to be “dangerous”. AKC strongly opposes any legislation that determines a dog to be “dangerous” based on specific breeds or phenotypic classes of dogs. Click here for more information.
AKC supports Minot’s effort to ensure their animal control ordinances are breed-neutral through the repeal of Section 7-34. Minot residents are strongly encouraged to contact the City Council to support repeal of ordinance 7-34 (Regulation of Pit Bull Dogs). To contact all city council members via a single communication, please use the city’s Public Comment Portal.
Individual council members may be reached as follows:
Mayor Tom Ross
Phone: 701-721-7763
tom.ross@minotnd.org
Council President Paul Pinter
Phone: 701-500-3500
paul.pitner@minotnd.org
Council Vice President Stephan Podrygula
Phone: 701-839-7473
stephan.podrygula@minotnd.org
Councilmember Carrie Evans
Phone: 701-660-5520
carrie.evans@minotnd.org
Councilmember Mark Jantzer
Phone: 701-833-3404
mark.jantzer@minotnd.org
Councilmember Lisa Olsen
Phone: 701-720-1853
lisa.olson@minotnd.org
AKC Government Relations will provide updates on Minot’s efforts to become breed-neutral, and on legislative issues impacting dog owners in North Dakota. For more information, email doglaw@akc.org.