INDIANA

DuBois County - Jasper - County Commissioners are considering a proposal that calls for all dogs and cats to be licensed annually. If an animal is spayed and neutered, the price could range from $1 to $5 a year. If an animal is not spayed or neutered, the fee could range from $150 to $200 per animal. The figures are examples, not recommendations. A key is that any license fee for intact animals be higher than a veterinarian's charge for spay/neuter surgeries. The proposal included dog and cat census forms to be mailed with property tax forms. License fees would be used to pay for an animal control officer and associated costs.

Ft Wayne - City Council unanimously supported stricter rules for owners of pets that bite, for tethering animals and for owners of animals that repeatedly break the law. Under the law, pets who bite while on the loose or who are tethered must be spayed or neutered. The law also created a "potentially dangerous" label for dogs, that allows for other restrictions for the animals based on the severity of the bite, but all animals labeled potentially dangerous must be spayed or neutered. For harsher bites, the owner could be forced to attend educational classes, muzzle the animal while off a leash and confine the dog in a kennel while alone. The bill also restricts how dogs can be tethered. It prohibits dogs from being tethered overnight, tethering a dog younger than 6 months old or for tethered dogs to be within 3 feet of the property line or right of way, including sidewalks. Approved 12/04/07 and must formally approve the law during its regular meeting next week.

IOWA

Camanche - City Council decided to table approving the first consideration of an ordinance regulating the existence of pit bulls within city limits until a full council could be present for the discuss. The city never noticed a problem with pit bulls within the city, the question is whether the city wants to be proactive or reactive to a dog attack. The issue will be placed on the next council agenda for further discussion.

UPDATE: City Council decided to stop trying to potentially enact an ordinance regulating the existence of pit bulls within city limits. Dead 12/03/07

South Sioux City - city council voted to approve breed specific regulations for dogs. The new legislation targets pit bulls and other breeds considered aggressive and risky to the public, though the council will have to approve the measure two more times. The proposed law says owners must register and micro-chip dangerous dogs, pay an annual fee of $65, take out a liability insurance policy of at least $250,000, secure the dog in a pen meeting specific requirements, post warning signs on their property and leash and muzzle the animal in public. First reading11/26/07

KANSAS

McPherson - City Commission will discuss pit bull regulations

KETUCKY

Frankfort - Pam Rogers of the Kentucky Humane Society commented that come the first of the year they will in fact be pushing for forfeiture bonds on any animals taken. It is also written in a way that you are guilty no matter what.

Louisville - A bipartisan group of Louisville Metro Council members unanimously approved modifications to the city's dangerous-dog ordinance yesterday, including one that would drop unaltered dogs from the definition of those that could be considered dangerous. The subcommittee also modified how Metro Animal Services would deal with unlicensed animals. The law says a dog is "at risk" of being dangerous if it menaces, chases, displays threatening or aggressive behavior to people; causes physical injury to domestic pets or livestock; is found unrestrained; or is unaltered. The subcommittee's revision strikes unaltered from that definition. Another major change comes in the way Animal Services officers would deal with unlicensed pets. Under current law, officers can issue citations or impound unlicensed animals. The subcommittee discussed that subject for about 45 minutes yesterday before deciding that officers should first warn owners of unlicensed pets, allowing 15 days to get the animal licensed. If they don't comply, the owners can then be cited and will have to pay a $30 fine plus the cost of a license, which is $9 for an altered animal and $35 for an unaltered animal. Animal Services would be allowed to impound the animal if the owner fails to license it 30 days after receiving the citation.

MAINE

Maine has quietly passed extremely restrictive laws, in the last 2 years, and continues with more bills up for review in Jan. There are so few dog breeders in the state, that Maine was literally blindsided, and was not aware of these bills. The few breeders in Maine are now trying to prevent more legislation, and the mood of the legislators is not favorable to dog breeders, so the existing laws are now on the books.

1) 5 or more intact dogs/cats require a state license and inspection.

2) contract requirements for our animals, above and beyond our own contracts

3) rabies licenses now going to the state, so they can track down people with 5 or more intact animals.

4) advertising law - if people sell more than one dog/cat in a calendar year, they must have a state license # or a vendor's #, obtained from the Department of Agriculture.

5) sales tax

6) inspection of records

7) inspection of homes, if dogs kept in the house

There is a bill that just passed at the emergency session, to create a breeder's certificate. The intent of this bill is not currently known.

MARYLAND

Baltimore - County Council members rejected last night a measure that would have placed the region's toughest restrictions on pit bull owners, siding with dog owners who argued that singling out the breed would be unfair and likely ineffective. By a 6-1 vote, the council killed a proposal that would have required pit bull owners to keep their dogs in concrete-based kennels and post warning signs on their lawns. The author of the proposal, Councilman Vincent J. Gardina, was the only member to vote in favor of it. Defeated 11/15/07

MINNESOTA

Apple Valley - city council approved stricter rules for aggressive dogs which could mean forcing some of them out of neighborhoods. As of December 1st, 2007, any dog labeled dangerous will no longer be able to live in a residential area but instead must live in an industrial area. Dangerous dogs are not determined by breed but are dogs that when unprovoked, cause serious bodily harm to humans.

MISSOURI

Independence (Jackson County) - city council has decided to amend their current animal ordinance to one of breed specific restrictions of 'pit bulls' by: 1. Spaying/neutering. 2. Microchipping. 3. Muzzling whenever outside of home or kennel and on a 3 foot leash. 4. Obtaining $100,000 insurance. 5. Registering each year with at least 2 photos on file. 6. Outside enclosure specifically defined. 7. Signage visible from nearby road. 'Pit bulls' are defined as "Any dog that exhibits those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club for American Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or substantially conform to the standards established by the United States Kennel Club for American Pit Bull Terriers, including any mixed breed of dog which contains as an element of its breeding as the breed of Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or American Pit Bull Terrier."

Independence - (Jackson County) UPDATE - dog owners are advised to maintain close supervision of their pets following city council's first reading on a vicious dog ordinance. Ordinance, which will go into effect following a second reading during the Dec. 3 meeting, owners will be fined $500 if a dog bite is reported. The animal must also be registered with the city as a vicious animal. Council elected to remove specific dog breeds from the ordinance in hopes of avoiding court challenges. Ordinance lists four criteria in defining a vicious dog, including: Any dog that has caused death or serious injury to a person engaged in lawful activity. Any dog that has attacked or bitten, without provocation, a person engaged in lawful activity. Any dog that has killed or injured another animal after the owner has been given written or verbal notice to keep the animal confined or muzzled. Any dog that has been declared to be vicious by a physician attending to a person who has been bitten or attacked by said dog. Passed 11/05/07

Joplin - City Council discussing proposed ordinance changes aimed at cutting down on animal nuisances in the city, recommending restriction on people from keeping litters of puppies and kittens for up to six months of age - health department recommends that be lowered to 10 weeks of age. Another change would prohibit feeding feral animals.