[Purple]

Pit Bulls No Longer Allowed in Lonoke


Lonoke - Owning a pit bull inside the Lonoke City limits is now against the law.

Valarie Washington, a pit bull owner, thought a petition she got 170 residents to sign, would put the issue on the ballot for voters to decide and allow her to legally keep her dog in the interim. But her petition isn't valid.

(Valarie Washington, pit bull owner)"According to the clerk I do need to get a referendum started and that's more that I have to start over at what we've already done."

Washington and other pit bull owners want a grandfather clause added to the ordinance so current owners can keep their pets.

(Richard Venable, pit bull owner)"I take care of them. They're just like one of my kids. They don't give nobody a problem."

(Washington)"They're not vicious. They're like any other pet you have and to me it's all about the owner."

While Washington works to get a referendum on the ballot, she now has to find another home for her pit bull.

The Lonoke Mayor tells Channel Seven beginning Wednesday animal control will pick up pit bulls as it sees them. And that has some residents looking to move to Lonoke County where only dogs deemed vicious are banned-not a specific breed.

(Chief Dean White, Lonoke County)"The ones who do have vicious dogs it adds to the problem we already have with vicious dogs and that's what they're doing is pushing them out into the county to create problems for us. They’re solving one in the city, just moving them outside the line."

According to the ordinance, animal owners have the right to appeal, if their dog is deemed vicious or a member of a banned breed of dogs.

And if their dog is taken, they can get it back if they agree to remove it from the city limits within seven days.


http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0507/421447.html

[Michele]

that is just disgusting......

[Turner]

These people have it coming

[Sean W.]

It's coming everywhere I fear. I just hope when it finally happens here it'll be when i'm dead and gone. I can't imagine having to move or get rid of dogs i've had for years and years.