Is this for real? X posted from another site......

clareabella

DUBLIN COUNCIL BAN 11 BREEDS OF DOG FROM THEIR PROPERTIES

Eleven breeds of dog, including Rottweilers, Bull Terriers and German Shepherds have been banned from all Dublin City Council properties, including houses, flats and estates, with immediate effect.

The council has said it will give tenants an opportunity to rehouse the animals but if alternative suitable accommodation cannot be found for them they will be destroyed.

The council has taken the step to remove all "dangerous breeds" due to the increasing numbers of complaints from tenants and because of the legal implications associated with an attack taking place on one of its properties. The ban initially applies to council housing and all public areas within council estates.

However, the council plans to amend its bylaws to include public parks in the ban. This would mean that anyone owning a dangerous dog could not walk it in a public park, even if they lived in private housing.

The council has also written to the Minister for the Environment asking him to ban all breeds of fighting dogs nationally. The 11 breeds are not banned for general ownership in Ireland but must be muzzled, kept on a special leash and be under the control of a person over 16 years old.

The breeds are: English Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, German Shepherd (Alsatian), Doberman, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Japanese Akita, Bull Mastiff, Japanese Tosa and Bandog. Cross-breeds of these dogs or crosses of these dogs with any other breed are also banned.

Executive manager of the council's housing department Michael O'Neill said tenants would be asked to remove any banned dogs but if they failed to comply the council would take them away. "Our information on these dogs is that that they can be very aggressive and while they might be family pets, that has to come secondary and would be no defence to us if a child or other vulnerable person was attacked on our property."

Labour councillor Kevin Humphreys said he understood council tenants may feel discriminated against, but he hoped that this was just the first step to banning these breeds nationally.

© 2007 The Irish Times
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_Jules_

I can sort of understand "why" this Byelaw has been bought in...but it is very unfair on the responsible people who own any of these breeds...They should at least have the opportunity to prove they are responsible and that their dog isn't aggressive. Rolling Eyes

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Jules and the Ark

clareabella

just how many of these dogs are going to be dumped though? I think it is wrong to class them as dangerous dogs aswell, i understand about the irresponsible owners but for everyone and every dog to be punished is cruel in my eyes.

what's happened to this country Rolling Eyes

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_Jules_

Oh I agree....In the short term it will be terrible for the dogs that will be dumped, or even just rehomed Sad

......But I suppose (just to play Devils advocate here Wink

) in the long term that means that less of these types of dog will be owned by irresponsible "oicks" who only want the dog to look "tough"...Or worse, to actually use them for fighting.....With little regard to the needs of these dogs. Although obviously this bylaw will never irradicate this completely.

Maybe one day, you will have to pass some sort of test before being allowed to own one of these breeds, just to prove you actually understand what you are taking on, how to handle and care for the dog properly.

The biggest problem all us dog owners have now, is that irresponsible dog owners have made the whole country so "anti" dog.

I feel it everytime I take my Guide Dog puppy into towns, shops, etc, for training....Mothers saying to kids "Don't touch the dog, it might bite" Shocked

.....Kids screaming and running away because they have seen "A DOG!!!".

And of course we don't have to look far to find councils banning Off-lead exercise in parks, etc...or even banning dogs in parks altogether. Rolling Eyes

Just wanted to add.....Before anyone thinks I am "for" this Byelaw... I am not....I think it is extremely badly thought out and I have E-mailed the Councillors involved to tell them so. Wink

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Jules and the Ark

Hcollie85

Dont really agree with that. They can be the nicest dogs if brought up right and if you both trust the dog i would think.

Heather
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sapphire

Please everyone, do email the idiot labour councillors. It could be the UK soon and your breeds being targetted Crying or Very sad

This is an email from www.IrishDogs.ie

it's time we started doing things here folks. Make no mistake ... it's the thin end of the wedge. Perhaps tomorrow my Yorkies will bite someone and then they will be on the 'controlled' list as well?

Perhaps tomorrow the loony Councillors will decide that certain portion of society are more 'prone' to violence than others ... and they will be euthanized?

This is the man we need to talk to NOW from Dublin Council - and don't forget he will want your vote soon. I don't think so?!

Councillor Kevin Humphreys
cllr_kevin.humphreys@dublincity.ie
+353 087 298 91 03 (M)
+353 01 667 80 97+353 01 668 68 54 (H)

Then, of course, there's John Gormley - Minister of the Environment who's got the ultimate responsibility.

Address: Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Custom House, Dublin 1.
Tel: +353 01 888 2403 Fax: +353 01 878 8640 Email: minister@environ.ie

He had the distinction of being the first elected representative in Ireland to have an email address johngormley@eircom.net

Here is a sample letter I have sent to a number of news agencies and, of course, the above two individuals. Even if you are not in Ireland these nutters need to be TOLD that they cannot take away our Civil Rights ... we can own whatever dogs we like ... as long as WE ARE RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS!

Please e-mail them with different Subject: lines it'll keep them bemused for hours (and might not do their e-mail systems any good, either).

Dear Mr Humphreys

I have just read the article in Saturdays Irish Times on Dublin City councils decision to ban certain breeds of dogs from council properties. This decision causes me great concern for a number of reasons. How did the Council reach the decision about dangerous breeds? What criteria were applied and who advised them on this decision? Did the Council consult with any of the animal welfare organisations that are now going to have deal with a huge increase in abandoned and unwanted dogs as a result of this decision? Were they consulted as to the wisdom or otherwise of such a decision. How many other options were explored before this decision was reached?

Be VERY assured that I have sent out your decision to all my friends – urging them to contact you PERSONALLY to voice their total

and displeasure at your unilateral and illegal decision banning family pet dogs.

The Council, before reaching their decision, should have sought the advice of people who deal with animal welfare on a daily basis. Such organisations are by and large lobbying for responsible legislation that states that it should be dealt with by “deed not breed”. Any dog can have the capacity to be aggressive depending on how it has been treated by human beings. Such legislation would also allow for degrees of offences and remedies required by the owners as opposed to wholesale destruction of dogs by virtue of the fact that they have a specific breed name.

Such draconian actions and legislation that supports such actions has proven in other areas to be a resounding failure. This decision will result in a number of things:

Distraught families and children who have to hand over beloved family pets either for re-homing or destruction with no responsible assessment of the individual dog and its owners.
Irresponsible owners, particularly those who use their dogs for fighting and who breed dogs for the same purpose will most certainly not hand their dogs over and will instead put them into hiding and carry on with their cruel practices even further from the public eye.
Amnesties will be offered by councils to those owners to hand their dogs over and this will fail also.
Many dogs will now be abandoned or thrown on to the streets for animal welfare organisations to pick up and take responsibility for. These organisations are generally under resourced anyway and this will result in the needless cull of many dogs.
The whole area of fighting dogs is a very lucrative one and it will now be driven further underground and people will make even more money out of this cruelty to animals.

In short the Council has been very irresponsible and rash in taking this decision with very little thought for the consequences. The focus should be on the behaviour of the owners and not the dogs and this issue can be addressed with responsible ownership not destruction.

Regards
Peter Banks
Web: www.IrishDogs.ie

if everyone writes using the letter above ...remember to change the subject line of your email as it could go to spam otherwise !!!!
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coliel

this is unbelievable!!!!!
i cant believe that the council are saying they will put to sleep a perfectly good dog because of its breed!
how could you explain to your children that "benjy" your family pet has to go away just because of hie breed!
i know lots of people are wary of these breeds and i have on many ocation had to help some one because they were scared of a loose dog at our local park.
what needs to hapen is all children should be taught in school what to do when confronted by a dog , also for all dog owners to have to be veted and given a license to be alowed a dog as i believe all dogs have it in them to be aggressive if not trained properly not just these "so called dangerous dogs"
i will definatly be emailing and i suggest we keep a care full eye on england before this takes over here!
love coliel

honeydlc

That's insane! Also they seem to have picked a rather random selection of breeds, why Bull terriers, staffies and GSD's? The vast majority of the dogs I know of these breeds are lovely dogs (and I know lots through work) Rhodesian Ridgebacks I can understand, I've never met a nice one Confused

What a shame for all those lovely family pets that will have to be PTS through no fault of their own.
The world is going crazy Crying or Very sad

XX
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Georgia, Honey Bear, Rosie, Obi, Timber, Mia, Oscar and Mango XXXX

coliel

hi
oh no have you realy never met a good rodieshan ridgback?
i quiye like the breed although iv never actualy owned one but iv met a lady with 2 where i often walk my pup merlin and they seemed realy nice dogs they did look quite tough but they looked great
i even told my dad to get one!
but he is obsesed with airdales so he wouldnt think of getting anouther breed- good job by the sound of things what have you seen in the dog
love coliel

sapphire

my friend has 3 ridgebacks and they are adorable and love playing with my two dogs in the park and they live with 3 children.

Please guys get emailing these councillors. Anyone who is an animal lover needs to stand up and protest to any form of breed prejudice...

This is from an Irish contact....

'I just got a call from a 92 year old woman living in a coucil estate. She is arthritis ridden and her hands are stuck in the fist position. Cant move them at all.

She is the owner of a German Shepard named Helper. Helper is fully trained to look after her. Helper does things like carry the paper home from the shop, brings her post to in the mornings which is also her wake up call, the dog even turns the kettle on for her, and these are just a few of the things she mentioned.

Her husband died in December last year and they never had any Kids, so Helper is the only family member she has left. Helper is 8 years of age.

She was crying on the phone to me, telling me that if this dog is taken from her she will literally die.'
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shadylady

i cant believe that, thats just evil poor dogs, cuz like humans, animals i believe all have different personalities i bet you most off them dogs r so sweet..... and i find most of the smaller breeds arent very nice... but just becuase there small they are dont seem to be much of a threat but they can cause just as much damage as a big breed often even more damage...... Wink

it just doesnt make any sense to me...
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coliel

oh my god
this is terrable!
surely in situations like this their will be some type of clause?
tell the old lady to contact the cineman trust it is based in cornwall but it might be able to help her as they spelise in keeping old people with their dogs!
love coliel
ps thanks for the ridge back coment !
i supose like all animals it is all about the way you bring them up!

honeydlc

Sorry, my comment about Ridgebacks was a bit biased, I have to admit it is based on one family of Ridgebacks, they are just the most unpredictable dogs, one of them out of the blue lept up and ripped open one of our vets faces, and Honey has been attacked by one as well. But of course I appreciate that it's the deed not the breed, didn't think before I typed, sorry!
Hopefully this council will realise how ridiculous the idea is and put a stop to it before anyone loses their beloved pet.
XX
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Georgia, Honey Bear, Rosie, Obi, Timber, Mia, Oscar and Mango XXXX

coliel

hi sapphier
i was wondering if you have been able to get in touch with the old lady who is worried about her "helper" im sure cineman trust could help and i think we could try and get some kind of justis!
get her to go to the papers in bothe ireland and england and also what about her local mp - i dont know why as i dont even know the woman but im actualy thinking of her quite alot i cant believe they would steal her only companion and it wont just be her but others too.
are you freinds with her?
also if their is any thing we can do let us know!
tell her i am praying for her and her dog and so is my prair chain,
love coliel
ps if any one is reading this and wondering what the hell this is about then go to - dog foram - then - is this for real x posted from another site

coliel

sorry im such a nutter i fogot to be able to read this link you already have to be on here
love coliel