[RDOWS]

City may settle dog ordinance issue next month
BY CECIL ANGEL • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • February 21, 2008

Plymouth residents will have to wait at least until March 17 before they have any idea whether the City Commission will amend the city's dog ordinance.

Meanwhile, the line has been drawn.

One group of residents wants the city to ban pit bulls or develop a dangerous dog ordinance to ensure better control of the breed. The other side doesn't want the city to cave in to what they see as bias against largely harmless animals.

The center of the controversy is Gage, a 2-year-old, 72-pound red nose pit bull. He isn't the only pit bull in the city of 9,000 people nor has he been accused of harming or threatening anyone.

"It's crazy," said Kyle Kosmyna, 23, who is Gage's owner. "It makes me feel I'm not welcome in the house I'm living in."

Kosmyna grew up in Plymouth and moved into the house on Jener Place on Feb. 12 because he said he thought the neighborhood was a good place to raise his children. He lives there with his girlfriend, Angel Edie, 25, their 4-month-old daughter and Edie's sons, who are 6 and 8..

Edie said she trusts the dog around her children. "He would have been gone a long time ago if I felt there was any danger," she said.

But next door, Nicole Wassel was worried about the safety of her two young children.
"There's nothing in place to keep our children safe," Wassel said.

She wonders why the landlord would rent a house to the owner of a pit bull and not secure the backyard with a proper fence.

Within the past six months, three people have been killed in dog attacks in southeast Michigan, including an infant. A rottweiler and American bulldogs were involved.

"How can you say all pit bulls are bad?" Kosmyna asked. "That's like saying all people are bad."

Two doors down from Kosmyna, James and Kim McHenry said there must be regulations to keep people safe.

"People have to take priority over animals," Kim McHenry said.

At a Feb. 4 commission, a petition signed by 78 people including the McHenrys was presented. It asked that pit bulls be banned or properly secured.

Kosmyna said there is a petition circulating against banning pit bulls.

Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock said the City Commission doesn't anticipate getting anything from the city attorney prior to its March 17 meeting. He stressed a point made by
Mayor Phil Pursell that any ordinance the city adopts must withstand a legal challenge.

Contact CECIL ANGEL at 313-223-4531 or angel@freepress.com.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...0415/1004/NEWS


2007 City Commission Goals/Priorities
City Commissioners
Phil Pursell
Mayor
ppursell@ci. plymouth. mi.us
Term Expires: 2009 Ron Loiselle
Mayor Pro-tem
rloiselle@ci. plymouth. mi.us
Term Expires: 2009 Stella Greene
Commissioner
sgreene@ci.plymouth .mi.us
Term Expires: 2009
Chris Lynn
Commissioner
clynn@ci.plymouth. mi.us
Term Expires: 2011 Gerry Sabatini
Commissioner
gsabatini@ci. plymouth. mi.us
Term Expires: 2009 David Workman
Commissioner
dworkman@ci. plymouth. mi.us
Term Expires: 2011
Mike Wright
Commissioner
mwright@ci.plymouth .mi.us
Term Expires: 2011

[HelloJen]

Ok, I need help!! I want to counter claim this BSL stuff in Plymouth. I know the group who wants them banned had a 100 person petition to have it brought up with the city. What I need to know is do I have to be a Plymouth resident to fight this? I'm kinda freaking out about this b/c I live 20 minutes east of Plymouth. This is way to close to home. Actually, I am heading to Plymouth after work with one of my dogs Atticus, to go to the specialty dog treat store.
Any recommendations would be awesome...

[buddysmom]

Originally Posted by HelloJen Ok, I need help!! I want to counter claim this BSL stuff in Plymouth. I know the group who wants them banned had a 100 person petition to have it brought up with the city. What I need to know is do I have to be a Plymouth resident to fight this? I'm kinda freaking out about this b/c I live 20 minutes east of Plymouth. This is way to close to home. Actually, I am heading to Plymouth after work with one of my dogs Atticus, to go to the specialty dog treat store. Any recommendations would be awesome...

Are you in the same county? If so maybe contact the County Commisioners' offie and see if there is a way for a citizen to initiate an anti-breed discrimination law on the county level?

[HelloJen]

Yes, I am in the same county. Thanks for the idea...working on it..