Optimus Template

Rusk County Commissioners this morning adopted a leash law for portions of the county.

The meeting was packed with people calling for the county to take a tougher stance against pit bull dogs....

Before the meeting, 60 to 70 people gathered on the steps of the Rusk County Courthouse calling for the banning of pit bull dogs.

They hope what would be called “Justin’s Law” would outlaw ownership of pit bull dogs across the nation.

Source: Leash Law Approved for Portions of Rusk County By BETTY WATERS, Tyler Paper

Tags: BSL

A Des Moines City Council member has come out in favor of a pit bull ban while local leaders weigh tougher regulations on breeds of dogs deemed vicious in the city code.

Councilwoman Christine Hensley said the volume of complaints and concerns she's fielded about pit bulls over the years has moved her to back a ban.

"They're not an appropriate breed to have in the city because there are all kinds of issues that could potentially develop," she said.

A string of recent attacks involving pit bulls has prompted city leaders to scrutinize whether current regulations go far enough....

Source: Des Moines councilwoman backs citywide ban on pit bulls By JASON PULLIAM, desmoinesregister.com

Tags: BSL

A House lawmaker's anger over the Senate's failure to pass an animal-cruelty bill is threatening to hold up all law-and-order bills in the lower chamber.

Rep. Thomas Caltagirone (D., Berks), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said he would not move Senate bills that cross his transom until the Senate acts on bills referred by his committee.

"I haven't run any Senate bills and won't, not until they come to their senses and start moving our bills," Caltagirone said.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R., Delaware) denied that there was any effort to stall House Judiciary bills....

Caltagirone said that for now, Senate bills referred to his committee will sit until his dog bill is unleashed from committee. "There's no reason why this shouldn't pass quickly," he said. "I want to see it on the calendar, ready for a vote."

Source: Anger over dog-cruelty bill could freeze legislature By Amy Worden, Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau

Tags: Animal Cruelty | Cropping/Docking

Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is among 26 state chief law enforcement officials who asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reverse a lower federal court decision that ruled dog-fighting videos and other depictions of animal cruelty were protected speech....

Source: Supreme Court asked to reverse video ruling BY CHARLIE FRAGO, Arkansas Democrat Gazette