Pit bull owners blast new law

The county still isn’t enforcing the city law.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Objections from dog owners to the city’s tougher pit bull terrier law won’t alter the legislation, city council’s safety committee chairman said.

It doesn’t matter at this point because the Mahoning County dog warden still isn’t enforcing the law that took effect Saturday.

At its Wednesday meeting, city council heard complaints from three dog owners about the new law.

“There are people who are the problem and not the dogs,” said Maura R. Evans of Rigby Street, owner of what she believes is a mixed pit bull. “There is a better way of dealing with this.”

Council’s safety committee will meet sometime next week to hear from other people about the new pit bull law, said Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st and the committee’s chairman.

The committee may consider a recommendation from those who spoke at the council meeting to establish a committee to take a closer look at the legislation.

“But we’re not changing the language of the law,” Gillam said. The meeting is “just to let people know what it means.”

Teri Kechler of Fifth Avenue, who owns two pit bull mixes, said she doesn’t expect the law to be overturned, but modifications are needed.

“I don’t know what the answers are, but we need to find a solution,” she said.

She, Evans and Thomas Jones of North Lima, who used to live in Youngstown, told council the new law punishes responsible pit-bull terrier owners.

Pit bull bill

Much of the pit bull legislation approved by city council Sept. 5 is similar to state laws, such as keeping the dogs securely confined, requiring owners to carry liability insurance of at least $100,000, and registering each dog with the county dog warden.

The Youngstown ordinance has two major departures from state law: a ban on future ownership of pit bulls, and requiring the dogs to be on a leash no longer than 4 feet. The state allows pit bulls on leashes no longer than 6 feet.

The ordinance makes Youngstown one of a small number of cities in the country with an outright ban on new pit bulls. It has attracted opposition from people throughout the country who say the city is unfairly targeting one type of dog.

City officials say pit bulls have terrorized citizens and the ban is needed.

Enforcement of the ban, city officials say, falls to the county dog warden.

County commissioners agree and say the dog warden will enforce the city law, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Mayor’s comments

Mayor Jay Williams said he’s received a voice mail from county Administrator George Tablack that he wants additional discussion before enforcement.

“I was under the impression everything was settled,” Williams said after the meeting. “I don’t anticipate any problems. Maybe it’s a matter of just clarifying a few points.”

Williams wants city administration officials to sit down as soon as possible with the commissioners and Tablack to answer concerns and get the law enforced as soon as possible.

Tablack couldn’t be reached late Wednesday to comment. But Commissioner John McNally IV, Youngstown’s former law director, agrees with Williams that an immediate meeting on the enforcement issue is needed.

As for next week’s safety committee meeting, Williams wants “to hear from the hundreds and hundreds of people who’ve been terrorized by pit bulls.”

Councilman Mark Memmer, D-7th, a driving force behind the pit-bull legislation, said there is a misconception that council voted without giving it much thought. Council members have talked of the ban for about a year before taking action, he said.

skolnick@vindy.com