Leola bans certain dog breeds

I find it ridiculous for a town to ban specific breeds when what should be addressed is the problem of dogs running at large. I live in a town where the "dog problem" is Labrador Retrievers. Most people here own Labs or Lab crosses. The issue is not with the breed itself, but with the owners who don't contain them. The dogs roam free, chase cars and people, and make it almost impossible for the rest of the community to enjoy outdoor activities with their own dogs. I have raised, trained and shown Australian Shepherds since 1986. I had a very promising young male dog who's show career was ended by a Lab running at large who attacked my dog while I was working with him on lead, on my own property. By the time I got the Lab away from my dog, the Lab had torn off the bottom of both of my dogs ears and inflicted wounds to his face and feet. Do I want Labrador Retrievers banned? NO! What I want banned is the practice of dog owners of any breed allowing their dogs to run at large. That, to me, is the better way to go about solving the problems with dogs at large in any community.

As Legislative Director for the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, it was with great disappointment that I read where your town has resorted to what amounts to racial profiling against certain breeds of dogs. Apparently there is concern for public safety. This is a valid concern, but please consider that no breed or mix of breeds is more prone to attack than any other. A much more effective way to insure public safety is to:
1. Enact and enforce leash laws
2. Enact and enforce basic dangerous dog laws
3. Offer low cost spay neuter programs
4. Offer low cost basic obedience and responsible pet ownership classes.
Dogs of any breed can become a public nuisance if left to wander. Terriers and herding breeds have high "prey drive" and will chase/attempt to herd other animals and small children. Roaming retrieving breeds will often return home with "stolen" property ranging from garden gloves to newspapers.
Has your town had actual incidents involving pit bulls, Dobermans, or Rottweilers or has the community's perception of these types of dogs been influenced by portrayal of them in movies and TV shows? You have made an unfair assumption that just because a dog is black and tan, has a short tail and pointy ears, that it is an attack dog of some sort. Please visit this website to see the true nature of the Doberman Breed. http://dpca.org/faithful/ .
Doberman Pinschers have a long history of serving our country bravely in military and police work. Dobermans are guide dogs for the blind and service dogs for the disabled. Dobermans are excellent therapy dogs for hospitals and nursing homes.(personal experience here - my husband was in a nursing home for five years before he passed and every time I visited I had a Doberman with me. The residents looked forward to her visits, and always inquired about her success in the show ring - eagerly looking forward to the day she would have the word Champion in front of her name.)
Doberman Pinschers are excellent tracking and search and rescue dogs. One Doberman was working "the pile" after 9/11.
I fail to understand why you would malign this noble breed based on hearsay or the few incidents where, as a result of an owner's mismanagement and poor training practices, a Doberman has been a "bad/dangerous citizen". The same applies to pit bulls and Rottweilers as well.
Any dog can bite; any dog can kill. A Pomeranian once killed a 10 day old baby when the parents left the dog and child alone in the same room. A Dachshund also killed a baby some time ago. An Animal Control Director in one town (sorry, I don't have the location handy) said he was almost embarrassed to have to declare a Chihuahua in their community a "Dangerous Dog", but that in fact this particular little dog was a threat to people and other dogs.
Furthermore, although AKC papers can validate if a dog is a Doberman, a Rottweiler, or any other AKC recognized breed. However, there are no registration papers for pit bulls, or mixes of these breeds. That would be a slippery slope if you were attempting to force someone to remove a dog based on nothing more that mixed breed looks. A Black and Tan Coonhound, crossed with a Boxer could resemble a Rottweiler; A Boxer crossed with a Labrador Retriever could look like a pit bull; a Gordon Setter crossed with a German Shorthaired Pointer could look like a Doberman.
Please reconsider this unfair ordinance for your community and instead put in place sensible, fair, comprehensive laws that not only protect your citizens from harm but also take into consideration your residents' right to own the property of their choice.
Respectfully,
Dana M. Johnson
Legislative Director, DPCA