Ban PitBulls

Story Summary

• Stephanie Ayers, owner of two dogs that attacked a child and woman, was found guilty of failing to confine and register her dogs.
• The victim, Avery Russell, and her mother are advocating for stricter dog laws in Ohio, with a bill currently pending in the state Senate.
• The case highlighted weaknesses in Ohio's current dog laws, which impose minimal penalties on owners.

No Paywall

Changes could be introduced in Jersey to control dogs which are "considered to be dangerous", according to the States.

The island's constables have made draft amendments to the Dogs (Jersey) Law 1961 which, if approved, will mean owners of certain breeds, such as the XL Bully, must register them with the States Vet.

Strict rules about owning XL Bully dogs were introduced across the UK and, since 1 February 2024, it has been a criminal offence to own one without an exemption certificate.

The constables' proposed amendments would include a requirement to neuter the "dangerous dog" and keep it muzzled in a public place.

'Public safety'
Officials said owners would not be allowed to breed, sell or give such dogs away.

The proposed scheme would also provide that the owner and any person in control of a dog in a public place must be aged 18 or over, they added.

This differs from England and Wales, where a person aged 16 and over may be an owner.

The States Veterinary Officer (SVO) said it was aware of a number of dogs that could fall within the definition of a dangerous dog, officials said, but there were currently no powers to control ownership or to impose conditions to enhance public safety.

"The Jersey registration scheme will require the SVO to maintain a register of dangerous dogs and it will be an offence to own a dangerous dog unless it is registered with the SVO," it said.

The draft law has not been approved yet, but it is aimed at modernising the rules and giving police powers to deal with dangerous dogs.

Chief Vet at the States Susana Ramos previously said improvements were needed to the law so that restrictions could be imposed on imports of dangerous dogs when coming from outside Jersey.

Ms Ramos said the current law was "old and not fit for purpose anymore".

She added: "The idea of the new law is to allow us to act.

"The law will give us a little substance to do better than we currently do."

A 55-year-old man was mauled to death by his neighbour’s Pitbull dog while returning home from work in Chennai’s Jafferkhanpet area on Tuesday.

The victim, Karunakaran, had just finished work along with his friend when his neighbour Pungodi’s pet dog suddenly attacked him. Before he could defend himself, the Pitbull bit him on his right inner thigh and private parts, causing severe bleeding.

Pungodi also suffered injuries when she tried to restrain her dog. She is currently undergoing treatment for the bite wounds.

Residents rushed Karunakaran to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way. His body was later shifted to the Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The Pitbull has since been caught and placed under observation. Police said that an investigation is under way and charges will be filed against Pungodi following the inquiry.

In another case in Chennai, a seven-year-old girl was mauled by her house owner’s dog, also reported to be a Pitbull, leaving her with serious facial injuries on August 3.

The child’s family lived on the first floor of the premises owned by 45-year-old Jothi, who kept the dog. The girl’s father, Raja, said the attack was unprovoked. “The dog was quiet but suddenly grabbed my daughter’s face. I had to jump in and open its jaws to save my child. But her face is full of injuries. Doctors are saying that it might take two years to heal. Doctors say that she will require plastic surgery and might take two years to heal. Police have taken my complaint,” said Raja.

The dog was subsequently caught and sent to a Corporation animal shelter, while Jothi was booked under sections 125 and 291 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.

A woman wants a change in the law after her cat was killed by a loose dog.

Jess Rozee's cat Kitty was killed where she lives in Swindon - she said CCTV footage shows her pet being chased, chewed, shaken then left still just alive by two men with the dog.

Ms Rozee has started a petition that so far has 7,000 signatures on it, asking to make it an offence for a person's dog to kill another pet, by prosecuting owners.

A dog has been mauled to death while on a mid-afternoon walk along Bristol's harbourside.

Eleven-year-old Max, who was blind and weighed just eight kilograms (1st 3lbs), died after being attacked by a grey Pitbull-type dog at about 16:00 BST on Friday in Hanover Place, next to Bristol Marina.

The attack, which took place at around 9:00 p.m. on June 27, was captured on surveillance video. It shows the two dogs attack and severely wound the cat, leaving him to die under a parked car.

People who were with the dogs’ owner cheered and applauded the attack, according to the video and eyewitness accounts, activists said.

Source