DogLaws

Karen was the Chairperson for the International Association of Canine Professionals Canine Legislation Committee for three years. She helped to create the IACP BSL Position Statement and other IACP position statements (you’ll find them on the Articles page), and fights breed-specific legislation (BSL) and other inappropriate legislation. Karen will periodically post various articles, links, and other information regarding local canine-related legislation here.

Karen has a blog called “Good Dog Owners vs. Bad Dog Laws”. Go to www.gooddogowners.blogspot.com to learn more about these canine-related legislation issues, as well as many other aspects of responsible dog ownership.

Muskegon City Residents: As a response to the acts of irresponsible dog owners in Muskegon, the City Commission changed the animal ordinance in May of 2007, limiting all dogs to 6 feet or less of leash length. Karen proposed an amendment in June which would enable service dogs, police dogs, dogs in training, and dogs which are competing or performing in public to work on longer leads or off-leash. The Commission accepted this change, and the new change was effective on July 26, 2007. As responsible dog owners, it is our responsibility to ensure that our dogs are picked up after, and that the new exceptions to the leash law are respected. Dogs not in training for off-leash reliability and higher levels of obedience, competing, performing, or certified as service or police dogs should not be off-leash in public places. Please respect the rights, safety, and concerns of other citizens when you bring your dog into public places. Read the current city ordinance here.

Muskegon area residents: Did you know that the city of Muskegon has breed-specific legislation? The City ordinance states:

“Sec. 6-1.Dangerous animal means any and all of the following:

(3) Any pit bull dog. The term "pit bull dog" means any dog of one of the breeds known as Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or American Pit Bull Terrier, or any dog with the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly of any one of such breeds, or combination thereof, or in combination with other breeds.”

This means that if you own a “pit bull” in the city of Muskegon, you basically must keep your dog in a kennel or on a 4-foot leash and muzzled. Kennels have special regulations also. You must carry at least $50,000 liability insurance. You cannot have more than one of this type of dog on your property. These are just a few things to be aware of. Please read the complete ordinance for more information.

North Muskegon City Council adopted a new animal ordinance in 2007. When we heard that they were considering a pit bull ban, Karen attended the Public Safety Committee’s meeting and brought some information with her. The council members in attendance were very welcoming and eager to consider the interests of all dog owners in their community, as well as their neighbors’ concerns. As a result, the Committee and the Council decided to keep the ordinance non breed-specific, and to focus instead on better definitions of “dangerous” and “vicious” in order to keep the community safe. Read the current city ordinance here.

"You should not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harm it would cause if improperly administered."

~Lyndon Johnson, 36th President of the U.S.

We believe strongly in responsible dog ownership and its privileges. We also believe that as part of our responsibility as dog owners, we must train our dogs to behave properly in public settings, both on- and off-leash. We support communities that choose to award responsible dog owners who have attained reliable off-leash obedience training by granting them certain privileges, including off-leash permits or licensing. This is far better than over-legislating responsible dog owners in order to punish those people who behave irresponsibly.

The City of Whitehall has recently updated its animal ordinance! Provisions to note include: dogs are considered adults at the age of six months, and are not permitted to be “at large”. This means that all training must be done on-leash in order to be legal within the city. The first offense carries a $50 fine. Dogs that bark, howl or growl frequently, disturbing neighbors, can cost their owners $100 on the first offense, and owners who do not pick up their dog’s fecal matter can be fined $50 for the first offense. Fines generally double with each occurrence. There is no BSL. We recommend that dog owners print, read, and keep a copy of their local ordinances. To read and print a copy of the Whitehall animal ordinance, click here.