One pit bull saved, others at risk
January 27th, 2009 by admin
After an 11-month wait, “Dedra”, a 2-year-old pit bull (in the photo getting a bath), is now available for adoption at the Lake City Animal Shelter.
In February 2008, Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies found seven pit bulls, and the body of a dead dog, at a home in Fort White. At least one of the dogs had severe injuries from fighting. The homeowner, Hutchinson Alexander Farnsworth, was arrested and charged with animal fighting. According to a story in Sunday’s Lake City Reporter, the court case was recently concluded (Farnsworth pled guilty to reduced charges and received five years of probation and a $3,500 fine). Sadly, of the dogs rescued in the raid, only Dedra and one other dog were determined not to pose a threat to humans or other animals.
At sentencing, Circuit Court Judge Paul S. Bryan correctly placed blame on the cruel owner, who encouraged the dogs to be aggressive, “The defendant should feel responsible for these dogs having to die. Ancestry/blood lines is not the main reason these dogs must be euthanized.”
We hope Dedra will quickly find a home where she can receive the love and care she deserves. But for Dedra and other pit bulls in Florida, the future is not clear. A bill has been introduced in Tallahassee that would reverse Florida’s prohibition on breed-specific regulations. If the bill passes, local governments would be allowed to ban the possession of Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds and any number of other dog breeds.
You Can Help
Please e-mail the sponsors of the legislation, State Senator Tony Hill and State Representative Perry Thurston, and politely encourage them to drop their bills.Contact:
Senator Anthony C. “Tony” Hill, Sr. - E-mail: hill.tony.web@flsenate.gov; phone: (866) 867-0289
Representative Perry E. Thurston, Jr. - E-mail: click here; phone: (954) 762-3746
Remind them that local governments in Florida are already free to adopt regulations for “dangerous dogs”. Banning a specific breed does not effectively address the problem of dangerous dogs and penalizes responsible dog guardians. There are more appropriate methods of curbing dangerous dog behavior.