Garland unveils revised pit bull fencing requirements 1:35 PM Mon, May 24, 2010 | Permalink Ray Leszcynski/Reporter    Bio |  E-mail  |  News tips

 

Garland Animal Services has rolled out new fencing requirements for pit bulldogs and pit bull crossbreeds. One goal is to contain a breed responsible for the most dog bites in the city. But another ramification will remove the breed-specific ban for adopting out pit bulls and crossbreeds from its animal shelter in favor of matching the right dog with the right (properly fenced) home.

A full 27 percent of dogs caught running at large in the city are pit bulls. The new ordinance will require owners to maintain the animals within a 6-foot fence.

Pit bull owners are exempt from the new requirements if their dogs are properly registered prior to Aug. 1, and if they maintain compliance with all applicable ordinances such as the display of city tags and not allowing the dogs to run at large.

Pit bull dogs not registered prior to August 1, 2010 must be maintained within an enclosure that meets the requirements. Owners who obtain pit bull dogs after Aug. 1 must consider the cost of fence construction as a cost of owning a pit bull dog.

The fence requirements include:

 

• The fence must be six feet tall, measured from the ground
• The fence must be constructed of wooden planks at least ½ inch thick or 11 gage chain link fencing
• There may be no gaps or openings larger than 2 inches
• Fencing must be firmly attached to brace posts buried no less than 18 inches deep
• All gates must have a locking mechanism that keeps the gates securely closed

Jason Chessher, the health department's environmental health administrator, said the city is still working through the revised adoption procedures, including the mechanism for fence checks and enhanced behavioral evaluations. He said the Animal Services Department hopes to be adopting out pit bulls by mid-June.

 *THERE NEEDS TO BE A PEOPLE BAN TO ELIMINATE IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE STEREOTYPICAL PIT BULL OWNER IS INNER CITY MALE YOUTH WITH LITTLE EDUCATION. THEIR PIT BULLS ARE NOT TRAINED, PROPERLY VETTED OR NEUTERED WHICH IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER FOR ANY BREED. I USED TO LIVE IN GARLAND, BUT I AM GUESSING THINGS HAVE 'CHANGED' SINCE THE 30 YEARS I HAVE LIVED THERE.

There is no pitbull problem, there is a people problem.