RSSWapato breed ban, though flexible, lacks effectiveness
Yakima Herald-Republic
E-mail
Print
Comments
More 'Opinion'
- Wine tourism doesn't stop at the winery
- Duck muck: Oregon football officials sending mixed messages
- Keep eye on business while March Madness prevails
- Overdose immunity bill could cost lives
- Special session? Hasn't Legislature done enough damage?
- State employee raises are on taxpayers' dime
- Court can send clear message on public access to public records
While Wapato officials are to be commended for innovative efforts to deal with a serious problem, the city's new ban on certain breeds of dogs is more bark than bite unless it's backed by more than passive enforcement.
And in a city that can't afford an animal control officer, enforcement is a tall order. Wapato Police Chief Richard Sanchez said the ban, which goes into effect Aug. 1, will be enforced on a case-by-case basis, but obviously his officers have higher priorities for community safety than being assigned to dog patrols.
There's no denying Wapato and the Valley have serious issues with problem animals. In the past five months alone, Wapato police have shot six dogs that they deemed dangerous.
It's unlikely, though, that a ban by itself will do much to curb that kind of problem. The new law bans ownership of pit bulls, Rottweilers and mastiffs within the city limits, prompting predictable opposition from those who say breed-specific bans are unfairly discriminatory and won't really deal with other bad dogs -- and irresponsible owners of any breed of dog.
Wapato officials have taken note of that school of thought and offer a way out of the ban. The ordinance provides that dogs with proven good behavior will be exempted. Owners may keep their dog if it's screened for social skills by a trainer certified by the American Kennel Club.
That's a defensible option and we commend the council members for trying for some flexibility.
But what we appear to have here is a new law that will keep good owners honest, but really do little to address the problem of illegal dogs within the city limits. There's every reason to believe that owners who don't socialize their animals in the first place will just hide their dogs or openly defy the ban -- especially with enforcement being passive in nature.
The city of Yakima has banned pit bulls for 12 years and animal control
officers still have trouble enforcing it.
"Some people blatantly walk down the street, deny it's a pit bull or act surprised," Ben Zigan, animal control officer for Yakima, recently told our reporter.
In other words, even with enforcement, a ban is not a panacea.
A law without teeth doesn't have much, if anything, to recommend it.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.
After living in NE Yakima for over 20 years, I have seen Pit Bulls attack children and other dogs. I have never seen another breed do this. Although Yakima's ban is never going to be 100% effective, it does give police and code inspectors the laws needed to rid us of this pest. If you want to have a pit bull, then you are free to pack up and move into the country. If you have one within the city, then you should be sanctioned to the fullest extent of the law. And don't give me guff because you didn't know about the ban!
Report Violation
Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the
Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but
refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g.,
you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The
Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason.
Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or
stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to
suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a
comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the
"report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.
Registered User?
