Metro Myths, and True FACTS about the 9^th DRAFT

• METRO Statement: There have been 2 public hearings (about the dog ordinance).
• FACT: At both public hearings, there was OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION to a breed specific ordinance.

• METRO Statement: One in every four animals received by MAS is Pit Bull or mix thereof, that equals 3,500.
• FACT: There is NO SCIENTIFIC TEST, and NO OBJECTIVE, ACCURATE way to determine breed in an unregistered dog or breed heritage in a mixed breed dog. MAS identifications are MERE GUESSES! What the above statement really means is that 3,500 SHORT-COATED, BLOCKY-LOOKING DOGS have been received by MAS.

• METRO Statement: There were 677 bites or aggressive animal calls.
• FACT: According to (faulty) studies, there are 4.7 million dog bites in the United States every year. The vast majority (92.4%) of those bites HARM NO ONE. Louisville can expect to have 28,200 bites per year, 92.4% of which will HARM NO ONE.

• METRO Statement: In 2006, MAS expects to take in 14,000 animals.
• FACT: If breed specific legislation passes, with exorbitant licensing fees, MAS will be taking in far more than 14,000 animals as people who cannot afford the fees or the cost of spay/neuter surgery will be forced to surrender their pets. Breed specific laws and mandatory spay/neuter laws have the effect of INCREASING the number of homeless animals, and INCREASING euthanasia rates!

• METRO Statement: The new Animal Control Ordinance will promote public safety.
• FACT: The new Animal Control Ordinance, if passed, will set Louisville up for a rabies epidemic. People who cannot afford to license their pets will stop getting rabies vaccinations for their dogs when they realize that they will be reported to MAS for doing so. A rabies outbreak in wildlife has been moving towards Kentucky and is currently at the Ohio/Virginia border. If this ordinance passes, by the time the rabies outbreak reaches Louisville/Jefferson County, we will be well below the 50% rate of rabies vaccination compliance we have today, and ripe for a rabies outbreak in the pet population, putting the human population AT RISK FOR A FATAL RABIES OUTBREAK.

• METRO Statement: The new Animal Control Ordinance will enhance MAS funding through pet owners.
• FACT: Responsible pet owners in Louisville will be TAXED to support a service that is SUPPOSED TO BENEFIT EVERYONE!

• METRO Statement: The new Animal Control Ordinance will increase the current 15% rate of licensing compliance.
• FACT: By raising fees, the new Animal Control Ordinance will discourage compliance, which will fall to EVEN LOWER LEVELS, as has been proven historically.

• METRO Statement: The new law will eliminate backyard breeders and result in better quality dogs.
• FACT: The new law will run hobby breeders out of business by raising costs to a level which is unaffordable by all but the most wealthy of citizens. Instead, only those who ignore the law will be able to continue breeding, and these are the very BACK-YARD BREEDERS who IGNORE quality and breed bad-tempered dogs that end up at MAS.

• METRO Statement: The new law will give MAS increased control of nuisance situations.
• FACT: The new nuisance provisions will enable neighbors to harass neighbors, as MAS can be called for virtually ANY reason. It will make pet ownership next to IMPOSSIBLE.

• METRO Statement: The new law will allow MAS to improve on site service.
• FACT: The new law allows MAS to IMPOUND YOUR DOG for virtually ANY reason!

• METRO Statement: The new law will make irresponsible owners become responsible.
• FACT: Passing a law does nothing toward making irresponsible people change their ways. Education and enforcement are what helps make a community safe. Since MAS has failed to enforce the current law, we have NO REASON to believe that MAS will enforce this one.

• METRO Statement: There will be no effect on dog or cat shows in Louisville.
• FACT: HUNDREDS of letters announcing dog fanciers intention to BOYCOTT Louisville in the event that a breed specific law is passed have been POURING in to the Metro Council. In areas where BSL is passed, dog show attendance DECREASES by up to 50%. Such a decrease here would mean the END OF THE DOG SHOW.

• METRO Statement: There will be no impact on veterinarians.
• FACT: Veterinarians are required to REPORT their clients to MAS, and to ENFORCE the law. This will result in clients either going out of county for veterinary care, or failing to get veterinary care altogether.

• METRO Statement: We are not banning any breeds.
• FACT: Even though it is not called a ban, the HARSH REQUIREMENTS for ownership of “pit bull dogs” are so expensive that NO ONE but the MOST WEALTHY will be able to afford them!

• METRO Statement: Hunting dogs of themselves are not “dangerous.”
• FACT: Dangerous dogs are defined as “any dog which is kept for the purpose of harming other animals.”  This can include HUNTING, HERDING AND LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS!!!

• METRO Statement: The Kentucky Humane Society supports this Ordinance.
• FACT: The Kentucky Humane Society went on the record as being opposed to BSL in the Courier-Journal. Further, organizations which oppose this ordinance include: Kentucky Beekeepers Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, Community Farm Alliance, Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, The American Kennel Club, Responsible Dog Owners of Louisville, Greater Louisville Training Club, League of Kentucky Sportsmen, Kentucky Houndsmen Association, Quail Unlimited, Louisville Kennel Club, All-Pointing Breed Club, The Collie Club of Kentucky, United Kennel Club, and many others.

• METRO Statement: We need this ordinance.
• FACT: We do not need this HARSH, CONSCRIPTIVE, BREED SPECIFIC, law which will result in LAWSUITS if it is passed.

The Coalition of Dog-Owning Groups in Louisville would like to see passage of a COMMUNITY FRIENDLY dangerous dog law that holds owners accountable for the behavior of their pets, no matter what the breed.