Detroit Considers Tough Restrictions for Pit Bulls

The Detroit City Council is hanging tough regarding ownership of Pit Bulls. A new ban and restrictions on this particular breed that would include mandatory sterilization of those dogs already living in Detroit and a ban on any new members of the breed are all part of a recent proposal being considered by the Council.

In addition to mandatory sterilization, the proposal would require a permit for Pit Bulls visiting the city and force any puppies older than 8 weeks to be removed from the city or killed. Current Pit Bull owners also would be required to purchase a license and $100,000 of liability insurance.

Insurance companies vary on coverage of certain breeds of dogs. Some have restrictions that must be met regarding how a dog is housed and handled before liability coverage can be sold. Certain companies have a list of what it considers to be the most dangerous breeds.

Bloomington, Illinois-based State Farm Insurance Company said it doesn’t have a list of dangerous dogs. However it does ask two specific questions on its homeowner insurance application: Has the dog ever bitten anyone and has the pet has been trained as guard dog or for attack purposes?

Pit Bull owners say the fault is not with the dog or breed, but with owners who train the pet and that each pet should be looked individually.

Nevertheless, Denver, Miami, and Cincinnati have similar ordinances to the one being proposed in Detroit. Detroit’s proposal is based on the Denver ordinance, considered one of the toughest in the nation, according to a Detroit Free Press story.