The Ohio House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a public hearing on House Bill 79 for Wednesday, April 14. This bill, sponsored by Representative Barbara Sears of Lucas County, removes the term “pit bull” from Ohio’s statutory definition of dangerous dogs.
Ohio is currently the only state to have enacted statewide breed-specific legislation. The current law states that if a dog “belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull”, then it is automatically considered vicious and dangerous. Owners of these dogs must submit reports to the board of health and county dog warden whenever there is a transfer of ownership. Breed-specific language in state law has also enabled local Ohio municipalities to enact strict ordinances regarding ownership of “pit bulls” and has led to the ban and euthanasia of numerous dogs in communities throughout the state.
The American Kennel Club strongly supports House Bill 79 and recognizes that dangerous dogs should be defined by their deeds, not their breed. The AKC urges communities to establish a fair process by which specific dogs may be 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.
The AKC strongly opposes any legislation that determines a dog to be “dangerous” based on its breed or type, and applauds the Ohio representatives who seek to remove this discriminatory language from state law. The AKC encourages Ohioans to contact the members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and ask them to support this measure.
Read AKC talking points on breed-specific legislation.
Read AKC article “Why Breed-Specific Legislation Doesn’t Work”
How You Can Help:
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Attend the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee hearing on Wednesday, April 14, and express your support for House Bill 79. The hearing information is as follows:
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Time: 9:30 a.m.* (The Chairman’s office requests that attendees who wish to speak arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the hearing.)
Location: Ohio Statehouse
Room 018
77 S. High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Cash is required for parking
* If you would like to speak at the hearing, you must complete a Witness Slip and provide written copies of your remarks. Please submit the witness slip and remarks to Michelle Dempsey in Chairman Domenick’s office (Michelle.Dempsey@ohr.state.oh.us) by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13, or bring the completed Witness Slip and 30 copies of your remarks to the hearing.
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Contact the committee members and ask them to support House Bill 79.
Rep. John Domenick (Chair)
77 S. High Street, 12th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-3735
Fax: (614) 719-6995
E-mail: district95@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Allan Sayre (Vice Chair)
77 S. High Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8035
Fax: (614) 719-6996
E-mail: district96@ohr.state.oh.usRep. James Zehringer (Ranking Minority Member)
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-6344
Fax: (614) 719-3977
E-mail: district77@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Richard Adams
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8114
Fax: (614) 719-3979
E-mail: district79@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Troy Balderson
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-6014
Fax: (614) 719-6994
E-mail: district94@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Linda Bolon
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-8022
Fax: (614) 719-6971
E-mail: district01@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Terry Boose
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-9628
Fax: (614) 719-3958
E-mail: district58@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Timothy Derickson
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-5094
Fax: (614) 719-6953
E-mail: district53@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Dan Dodd
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2500
Fax: (614) 719-6991
E-mail: district91@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Jennifer Garrison
77 S. High Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-8728
Fax: (614) 719-6993
E-mail: district93@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Dave Hall
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2994
Fax: (614) 719-6997
E-mail: district97@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Cliff Hite
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-3819
Fax: (614) 719-6997
E-mail: district76@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Dennis Murray
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-6011
Fax: (614) 719-6980
E-mail: district80@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Deborah Newcomb
77 S. High Street, 13th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1405
Fax: (614) 719-6999
E-mail: district99@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Mark Okey
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1464
Fax: (614) 719-3961
E-mail: district61@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Raymond Pryor
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-7928
Fax: (614) 719-6985
E-mail: district85@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Margaret Ruhl
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1431
Fax: (614) 719-6990
E-mail: district90@ohr.state.oh.usRep. Jeff Wagner
77 S. High Street, 10th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1374
Fax: (614) 719-6981
E-mail: district81@ohr.state.oh.usRep. W. Carlton Weddington
77 S. High Street, 11th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-5343
Fax: (614) 719-3581
E-mail: district27@ohr.state.oh.us
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
The Ohio House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a public hearing on…