A proposal is kicking off for statewide breed specific legislation in Colorado. Here’s an account of one man’s bite:

Larry Oliver knew something wasn’t right with Roz, his daughter’s pit bull.

For four years Roz acted like a sweet dog, but suddenly Roz was acting bizarre. She growled for no reason, with a sneer that showed her sharp incisors. She didn’t scamper around like the happy-go-lucky dog she had been. A few days after he noticed the change, on a Sunday afternoon two years ago, Roz attacked Oliver.

Oliver was outside in the yard when the dog ran out, knocked him to the ground and bit him on the left leg. The puncture wounds drew blood. That’s when, Oliver says, Roz went nuts.

She tore into his right leg next, ripping through his blue jeans. Then she bit his right arm. Then the dog latched onto his left forearm and chewed so deep, with such viciousness, that Roz ripped tendons and muscles and even snapped bones.

Given what I know of dogs, I’d say it is unlikely the dog just snapped one day (though it is possible, I suppose). Something triggered it. He was perceived as a threat or maybe the dog was subjected to abuse (not necessarily from family members).

More:

For two years, Oliver waged a private campaign against pit bulls. He’d tell friends or friends of friends to steer clear of them. If someone had one, he cautioned them with his tale.

But after the death of Jennifer Brooke, the Elbert County woman who was mauled to death by three pit bulls in November, Oliver decided that he had to go public.

Oliver, 57, of Clifton announced last week that he is poised to launch a signature petition to get a statewide anti-pit bull initiative on the November ballot.

He needs 67,829 signatures of registered Colorado voters for Secretary of State Donetta Davidson to approve it.

I hope the residents of Colorado will not sign this. Obviously, I oppose BSL.

Posted in uncategorized on January 12th, 2004 by SayUncle | RSS 2.0 |