Virginia Unveils Dangerous Dog Registry (Like Sex Offender Registrys)

[RamboLiberal]

....

The Web site was mandated by the state's general assembly in 2006 and was prompted by a pair of high-profile fatal maulings -- one of a toddler, the second of an 82-year-old woman.

The registry, described by the state as "similar in concept to the Sex Offender Registry," requires local officials to provide various information about a pet if the animal is ruled dangerous.

Beyond registering the dog, pet owners must take additional strides to protect neighbors from possible attacks, including posting signs, confining animals in proper enclosures and outfitting their pets with special tags and markings.

That's not all. Owners of dogs marked dangerous must maintain a minimum of $100,000 in liability insurance for the animals and must provide renewed insurance information to the state every year as long as the dog is alive. The animal must wear a muzzle if not on the owner's property.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3404809&page=1

So what do you think? Better than specific breed bans? Another step down the path to lost freedoms and state monitoring? Will it be kept up to date? Can a dog be too easily classified dangerous? Will it make any difference in dog attacks?

[AnExtremist]

1. I think it'd be better to force bad dog owners to register that way

There are some seriously bad dogs with gentle owners, but from a lot of what I've seen with dog owners, most of these people couldn't give two damns if their dog killed a toddler or an elderly woman, so long as they don't have to take care of the dogs like a real owner should. Rather than say a 'bad dog' is the culprit, why not stop these people from breeding new ones? :shrug:

[SoCalDem]

2. Good luck GETTING insurance

Many years ago , when we had 3 labs & a poodle-mix, we were turned down for homeowners insurance..Those labs would have drowned someone with dog-slobber from doggie kisses before they would have bitten anyone, but because they were LARGE "hunting dogs" (all they hunted were frisbees & tennis balls), they refused to cover us at all..

Lucky for us, we had not cancelled our existing policy..

[TahitiNut]

6. "Gee... he sure is BLACK!"

That's what some folks would say about my Black Labrador, Bo (may he R.I.P.) -- without a mean hair on his entire body. Like most Labs, Bo (short for Bojangles) was the inspiration for a bumper sticker I invented: "My Dog Can Lick Your Dog."

[Virginia Dare]

3. Stupid waste of resources..

but what do you expect from a legislature full of do-nothing asshats.

[youngdem]

4. What the hell?

If someone has had to go to court and deem a dog dangerous, perhaps it should already have been destroyed.

Sorry to sound callous, but how would you feel if your daughter or son was mauled by a dog on such a list?

And what exactly does the list offer the public in the way of protection?
Are they asking people to go online and familiarize themselves and their small children with registered dogs in their area, so they know not to become a victim of an unprovoked attack? :crazy:

Oh, and these special tags are gonna be really helpful. "Yes nurse, the dog shaking my three year old to death had a distinct, orange tag on his neck...Does that help you in saving my child's life now?"

And about this bullshit "must take additional strides to protect neighbors from possible attacks, including posting signs, confining animals in proper enclosures and outfitting their pets with special tags and markings." YOU ARE ALREADY SUPPOSED TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS IF YOU OWN A DANGEROUS BREED. What gives? Ugh.

These dogs should be destroyed, or brought to remote, unpopulated 'farms' to live out their days.

And to be clear, I feel the same way about sex offenders. If they have to be registered, perhaps it isn't safe for the rest of us to walk the street with them free. For sex offenders, I favor the leper colony approach. If you want to get out, you have to move to a handful of selected new communities where ONLY sex offenders live.

[SoCalDem]

8. My friend's daughters were attacked by 2 rottweilers at the school bus stop

The 5 yr old had to have 275 stitches, and her 8 yr old sister still has nerve damage in one hand from her attempts to pull the dogs from her little sister.. the daughter who was 12, actually had to have muscle grafting to her calf from the injuries she got trying to save the other two..

Luckily a neighbor heard the screaming and got a mop and proceeded to whack the dogs and they ran off..

the owner had the dogs euthanized without asking, but those girls (all grown up now are still scared to death of dogs..all dogs)..

Luckily they did have medical insurance, but those girls were traumatized for life..

[guitar man]

5. definetly better

I have owned various "bully breed" (aka "pitbull") dogs for over 30 years and the only time I have ever been attacked to the point of serious injury and fearing for my life was by a German Shepard.

Breed specific bans make about as much sense as only watching little brown people for possible terrorist attacks. A dangerous animal is a dangerous animal no matter what the species, size or breed.

[Holly_Hobby]

7. Can't the owners just change the name of the dog to avoid the law?

In my county, all you need to do is go to the local pet store and ask for a form for a license. You fill out the name of the new dog and tell them that the old dog died or was sold, given away, etc.

Viola! New name, new dog.