OSCEOLA, Ark. – If you have a pit bull and you live in Osceola, you have a month to get rid of your dog or move out of the city.
A social media post by the Osceola Animal Shelter said Thursday morning they’ve received “numerous complaints” regarding pit bulls and pit bull-breeds of dogs within the City of Osceola. For this reason, the social media post indicated, an 11-year-old ordinance will be “aggressively enforced” starting on July 1, 2017.
Ordinance 2006-831,”An Ordinance Prohibiting Pit Bull Breeds of Dogs Within The City of Osceola,” was passed on June 19, 2006.
The city’s website states pit bulls are banned from within city limits. It states the owner can face up to a $1,000 fine and seizure of the animal. Contradicting that, the ordinance posted on the city’s Facebook page says the fine is $500 “for each violation.”
Owners of dogs fitting the broad description are being given one month to “re-home their dogs out of the Osceola city limits,” the post says. After that, anyone who has a pit bull will face fines.
Most of those who reacted to the post did so with an angry emoticon, as of this publication at 4 p.m. Thursday. Many even voiced their displeasure in comments. There were several comments in support of the ban being enforced, as well.
NEA Report called the City of Osceola’s phone number on their website at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon. There was no answer. A reporter submitted a request by the form on the site for interview with the mayor. We will post an update regarding this request as soon as one is available.
The Facts
A study by the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. showed pit bull terriers rank just below labrador retrievers and above golden retrievers, boxers, Dobermanns, and collies for low aggression, panic and avoidance. The study’s guidelines can be found on the ATTS website, here.
In a graphic created by the Huffington Post to including the study’s results, the assertion is made that the owner is the problem – not the breed.
The breed-specific ban seems to suggest leadership in the City of Osceola believes differently.
The full stats from ATTS can be found here.
Unaltered original featured photo obtained from American Bully Daily.
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How about blaming the owners not the dogs. The second stupidest law in Arkansas
Osceola lawmakers – You have no clue about these dogs and how loving they are. I hope your ban will get you a one-way ticket to HELL.
Pitbulls are called “land sharks” for a reason, you morons.
You are forcing these people to possibly make their dogs aggressive by rehoming them. The pit bull breed imprints on the family or person who raised it. So if you are forcing the rehome the dogs, then you yourself are causing a bigger problem. Unless that’s what you want ? Just to euthanize these wonderful life long members of our family’s. There has to be a better way. #PitsLivesMatter
I have owned many different breeds of dogs,, it is not the size or breed of the dog that makes it vicious. The bigger the dog as a rule the more docile it will be unless trained to be an attack dog. The way an owner treats that dog is another factor in the behavior of that dog. If you want to know what dogs I think are more vicious that a pit,,,,, minpins are the worse,,,,, then you have the tiny chihuahua, the full blood brown, big eyed ones, very small frame but they don’t like any one but their caretaker and sometimes they will even bite them. If they had the size of larger dogs they would be a dog to deal with. Rehoming any beloved pet is not in the interest of the pet if the owner is a responsible owner. My opinion.