Ohio lawmakers could vote on a major change in the way state law looks at pit bulls and their owners as early as next week. It's called House Bill 14, and Local 12's Rich Jaffe found it could make a big difference to thousands of animals and owners.
People who know and love this breed will tell you the problems with pit bulls are not problems with pit bulls ... they're problems with pit bull owners. Eric Ogletree owns the K9 company in Loveland. He specializes in training pit bulls like Rommel. Ogletree says the breed is not inherently vicious and the biggest mistake pit bull owners make is not socializing the dog. "Not getting the dog out and be able to see different people, kids, tall people, fat, skinny, that's the big issue, other dogs, they don't necessarily have to play with other dogs it's good to have them around other dogs."
In the city of Cincinnati right now you can't legally own a pit bull. Currently in the state of Ohio, any pit bull is considered vicious by law. But
Ohio House Bill 14 would make the term vicious or dangerous dog non-breed specific. The S-P-C-A's Harold Dates says the bill makes a lot of sense. Because it treats all dogs the same and it doesn't point out a specific breed as being vicious or dangerous it points out the owners responsibilities with respect to controlling the dog.
Many people consider Cincinnati's law unenforceable. If the state law passes, the city's ban would not have to change, but it could. "Items that you have normally, a knife, baseball bat, automobile, fire arm, there are specific penalties when you do wrong with those. Those penalties are applicable in my opinion to a dog when a dog does severe damage."
Because it's illegal to own a pit bull in Cincinnati, at any given time, there are about 20 pit bulls, potentially on death row at SPCA Cincinnati. Some are involved in court cases, some have been picked up as strays. Ironically, at SPCA Cincinnati's Conrey Road facility, there are pit bulls up for adoption.
Next week the trainers at K9 company are offering a class called
Pit Bull Charm School.
