No Pits in Madisonville, TX - What's Next?

[aladatrot]

OK Guys, this has the potential to really hit us hard if other municipalities take this and run with it.

Madisonville, TX -  City council has passed an ordinance effectively banning pit bulls within the city limits. This is not limited to purebreds, but also affects part-breds. Please check out this write up:

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/15652522.html

This is something that I am very passionate about. I am not a person to go waging war in politics, but this could affect me directly. I feel like this is another example of our rights being chiseled away a little at a time. Legislation like this seems to be contagious, and tends to spread once enacted. How do you feel about it? Do you think that other cities will follow Madisonville's lead? Do you feel like we should take a course of action or leave it alone?

M

[pig snatcher]

That sucks.    
This sort of thing agrivates me also.  Your good dog owners always get punished for the reject down the road that doesnt need to own a dog to start with.
Wouldnt be surprised if your ABs and blockheaded currs get classified as pitts also.

It is getting worse all the time to. They are trying to pass a no chain law here.  It is fine if a dog sits in a 3X3 crate all day but god forbid he be put on a 20' chain.  They are also trying to pass spay and neuter laws all over the country where you have to pay a steep fee to keep an animal intact.  This would be great for the millers pumping out sickly pups every time a bitch comes in heat, but terrible for your folks w/ working/hunting dogs that may only raise a litter every so many years but produce high quality animals.  OK, stepping off of the soap box now.

[aladatrot]

Good observations, PigSnatcher. By all means, hop back on that soap box! This is how we get things done. If we don't like w hat's going on in Madisonville, and don't want it to spread to other areas (like the places WE ALL live), we need to get some dialog going and round up interested people. I'm not saying we need to have a pit bull alliance march the streets of Madisonville, but we need to explore the options that are open to us in fending this off. Here is a copy of an email sent to me by the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance. Sounds like they are ready for a fight if we can provide them with a plaintiff.

Copied from email:

Mandi,
(Glad you cleared that up!)
I have no doubt we can win a lawsuit in Madisonville.  I have the flu right
now and need to call and talk to the mayor and city attorney before our next
board meeting.  Don't think I can do it today.
Did you get the article where the mayor challenged anyone to file a lawsuit?
Was very arrogant.  I thought maybe they just didn't know but evidently they
do know.
There's no way this can hold up in violation of state law.
American Dog Owners Association won a similar case somewhere, forget where
right now.
Your board of directors needs to realize what passes in Madisonville - and
isn't challenged - will pass all over the state.  You need to begin
educating them on the "animal rights" agenda if they don't already know.
Texas is under attack for the animal rights fanatics big time with state
laws - also by cities who want to expand their powers to be able to pick up
any animal they please.
We had a major battle at the last TX legislative session and I dread next
January when they convene once more.
Our RPOA board of directors voted to form a 501 (c) (4) to be able to do
more lobbying.  Right now we're a C3.  We must become better organized in
Texas.

If you can -- find us a plaintiff in Madisonville as we're already talking
to attorneys although no decision has been made yet.  They say that's the
first step.  But be sure they are squeaky clean so we don't get in trouble.
Just a John Q Pet Owner would be best if we can find him.  Anyone who breeds
might be sorry with the publicity that will follow.

Would you like to be added to our TX-RPOA E-News List if you aren't already
on it?  Announcement only and no more than one message per day.
Do keep in touch.
Mary Beth

[pig snatcher]

Mandi,  do you know of any good organizations that cover states other than Texas?  Our local dog hunters association is a joke to say the least.  

[aladatrot]

Believe it or not, AKC (American Kennel Club) has a pretty good legal department whose sole responsibility is to find and combat canine legislation. They are quick to get involved, and 9 times out of 10 know about pending legislation before I do. It's good to keep in touch with them as well as UKC. Both have websites, and both registries are easy to deal with on the phone should you have any questions. I bet they have contacts within your state for lobbyists. They are how I hooked up with the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, who is working on fighting the legislation in Madisonville. It would be nice to have a database of interested parties Nationwide just in case a petition was needed or something.

I'll post up any news I get from RPOA.
M

[mley1]

If something isn't done about stopping these animals rights groups pretty soon every municipality will be enacting similar laws. And, then before you know it they'll be coming after your catahoula's and your bmc's and your dogo's, and your........well you get the picture. These radical idiots will not stop with the pit bull's. They will find ways and reasons to continue with other breeds. Folks, once this law gets a foot hold or goes unchallenged addittional laws will start popping up everywhere.

[Txmason]

Mandi,  do you know of any good organizations that cover states other than Texas?  Our local dog hunters association is a joke to say the least.  

I'm the first to agree that something need to be done.
Are you talking about the Texas Dog Hunters Assoc???

Are you a member and will you stand with me to stand up to these changes in laws, do you support the Dog Hunters Assoc?

We have a legal fund and we aren't afraid to use it but we need backing in the town that the law was changed in.  We support our member and the Board of Directors make the call on what fights we enter and we're also backed by US Sportmen Alliance.

It's one thing to get on here and say so in so isn't doing anything but it shows the ones that conplain the loudist isn't supporting and want stand with any one for the fight.
Until we put personal feelings aside and work together as a Dog Hunting Group we'll keep loosing the fight to Preserve Dog Hunting.

Hope to see each of you at the Expo this week end and we'll be having a Board of Directors meeting and you can get something brought up.  Mike Bowlen here on this site is a Board Member.  Give him your questions and let him bring to the meeting.

[aladatrot]

Yes, TDHA would work for Texas, but do we have any standing in any other states?

I am continuing my dialog with the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, and Mary Beth wants to attack this Madisonville issue head on. I am trying to get a feel for where we would begin, and have also got to get TDHA's thoughts and feelings on this as well as a go ahead from the BOD. Apart from a dog hunting issue, this is a Constitutional rights issue, and I want to nip it off in the bud with a small municipality before bigger cities (with bigger legal teams) jump on the band wagon.

I'm sizing up Madisonville and ready to head to the ear. (As long as the membership will support such an effort)
M

[mley1]

I think Cactuflage lives in Madisonville. Him and Herman have a good group of hog dogs. They may be directly affected by this. It may help to give him a ring.

[Circle C]

Marty,

 Cactuflage actually lives in North Zulch which is just down the road from Madisonville.

I spoke with a good friend of mine today that lives in Madisonville city limits. He dog hunts, he called me two weeks ago looking for a catch dog. Pit or AB. He has now decided that he does not want a pit based on the current situation in his town. According to him, he can own one because he carries enough liability insurance, but it is just not worth the trouble.

He is going to try to get in contact with some pit owners in the town that are willing to stand up against city council.

[matt_aggie04]

I don't know what idiot allowed this to pass but if I lived in Madisonville I would be trying to figure out who the hell is letting this kind of thing through the cracks.  Granted the city limits of Madisonville are small and the houses are mostly on small .5 acre or less lots but gees, breed banning is a little over the top.  And who is gonna be the guy that says my AB does or does not look like a pit, heck I have a cur dog with a little AB in him and he looks just like a bulldog.  I worry about how they will id these dogs.....

Matt

[pig snatcher]

Mr. Mason, I was NOT reffering to the TDHA.  I am about an 18 hour ride from Texas over here on the east coast.   However I do wish ours was more like it.  I would be proud to be part of an organization like the TDHA however we currently do not have such an organization here.

[mley1]

Marty,

 Cactuflage actually lives in North Zulch which is just down the road from Madisonville.

I spoke with a good friend of mine today that lives in Madisonville city limits. He dog hunts, he called me two weeks ago looking for a catch dog. Pit or AB. He has now decided that he does not want a pit based on the current situation in his town. According to him, he can own one because he carries enough liability insurance, but it is just not worth the trouble.

He is going to try to get in contact with some pit owners in the town that are willing to stand up against city council.

Oooops, sorry. My mistake Chris. I thought he lived there. See there, I need to get up there and hunt with him again so I'll no better!

[Cull Buck]

Whether it be at a federal, state, or city level, goverment passing laws that impose on a restriction on me gives me a major case of red a--.   The way I see it, pits are just a start.  Soon it will be bulldogs, rotts, chows(wouldn't mind this one so much ), dogos, ect. if they don't face major pushback.

[Txmason]

Most of your are right on track, they start out as steps and take over.
Hard for me to understand why other dog hunters want stand together to protect our hunting rights and then they fuss because a small few didn't win the fight.

Pig Snacher,
We have a member that works to help other states ste up a dog hunting group, also we're a member of US Sportmen Alliance, and would help you get help from them.
We're here for you if you ask.

Just e-mail me or better post on www.tdha.org and we'll be glad to help you out.

Right now there is a PAWs law trying to be passed all over, states and federal, to stop breeding with out a lic. and if dog doesn't have a permit they will all be fixed.  Breeders will have to buy a lic. each year and turn in records. 

We need to stop talking, join together and prepare for what's coming.

[jlingle]

Mr. Mason, that PAWS law sounds exactly what we just faced here in Oklahoma.  It was HB3192 here, and it looks like it was killed in committee.  This is a good example of why we, as citizens and sportsmen, need to be vigilant in watching what our elected officials are up to.  The idiotic law that they tried to pass here, was introduced by a veterinarian of all things. 

This type of crap REALLY sticks in my craw.

[aussiedogger]

yeah all the greens are tryin to ban dangerous breeds in australia

[LatinoKnls]

I'd like to know who says you have to live in TX to join the TDHA? If you are pasonate about dog hunting then it should not matter what state an organization is in if it supports your beliefs then you should join.

[aladatrot]

Hey guys, we may have a plaintiff in Madisonville. That means that we are one step closer to getting this crazy ordinance junked. I have been in contact with the BOD of the Endangered Breeds Association (pit, bulldog, any breed in danger of banning promoters) and they have made me aware that they are also a presence at the Village Mills Bayings. They are out there keeping in touch with hog hunters because they know that hog hunters are a driving force in keeping dog legislation down. Here are some websites to visit so you'll be familiar with the folks I'm currently working with:

http://www.endangeredbreedsassociation.org/
http://www.responsiblepetowners.org/
http://www.texasdoglawyer.com/

Both the EBA and RPOA have insisted that this ordinance can't hold water because the State specifically prohibits breed specific legislation. Also, the EBA has asked me to attend the AKC World Series of Dog Shows at Reliant Arena in Houston this July. They want me to represent TDHA and educate folks about BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) as well as the PETA agenda.
M