http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo-story/localnews/current/cg/12-08-05-767494.html
"After voting unanimously not to implement breed-specific laws last week, the McHenry county task force on dangerous and vicious dogs decided Monday to increase the fine for failing to register a dog from $25 to between $200 and $1,000. Task force members also recommended increasing fines for dogs running at large around schools and parks, requiring owners to pay $100 more to register intact dogs, requiring dangerous and vicious dogs be identified, either by a vest or a sign in a yard, and mandating microchips be installed in every dog in the county for identification purposes."
Does this make any sense? Increasing fines, mandating 'vicious' dogs (and I know exactly how hard it is to get a dog deemed vicious) only be ID'd through signs or vests (do the vests come with anti-aggression electric shocks?) and ALL dogs be microchipped? How does any of this solve the problem of vicious dogs and rotten owners? The problem here isn't all dogs in the community, it's from a certain type of owner and from a range of breeds that are powerful enough to pose a serious risk of harm. Rejecting BSL was one thing; instituting ridiculous measures to constrain every Beagle and Yorkie mix in town while doing no more than slapping the wrist of people who own and create dangerous dogs is just nuts. And while discouraging loose dogs in parks is a great idea, the fact that this group focused on fines so much - fine everyone for everything, and treat all dogs as potential killers -makes me think the members weren't seriously trying to deal with the problem but milking a cash cow under the auspices of solving a vicious dog problem.
"After voting unanimously not to implement breed-specific laws last week, the McHenry county task force on dangerous and vicious dogs decided Monday to increase the fine for failing to register a dog from $25 to between $200 and $1,000. Task force members also recommended increasing fines for dogs running at large around schools and parks, requiring owners to pay $100 more to register intact dogs, requiring dangerous and vicious dogs be identified, either by a vest or a sign in a yard, and mandating microchips be installed in every dog in the county for identification purposes."
Does this make any sense? Increasing fines, mandating 'vicious' dogs (and I know exactly how hard it is to get a dog deemed vicious) only be ID'd through signs or vests (do the vests come with anti-aggression electric shocks?) and ALL dogs be microchipped? How does any of this solve the problem of vicious dogs and rotten owners? The problem here isn't all dogs in the community, it's from a certain type of owner and from a range of breeds that are powerful enough to pose a serious risk of harm. Rejecting BSL was one thing; instituting ridiculous measures to constrain every Beagle and Yorkie mix in town while doing no more than slapping the wrist of people who own and create dangerous dogs is just nuts. And while discouraging loose dogs in parks is a great idea, the fact that this group focused on fines so much - fine everyone for everything, and treat all dogs as potential killers -makes me think the members weren't seriously trying to deal with the problem but milking a cash cow under the auspices of solving a vicious dog problem.