Stemming the tide: why Ypsilanti Township's proposed pit bull spaying/neutering ordinance is a good idea
Bubby awaiting adoption at the Humane Society of Huron Valley
Photo by Brittany Keene
HSHV loves pit bulls!
First, let me say that HSHV loves our pit bulls. We are dedicated to eliminating their suffering and finding them happy homes. In fact, it is quite easy to assert that HSHV, its staff and volunteers have done more for pit bulls than any other group in the region in terms of life saving work through adoptions, cruelty investigations, a free food program and spaying/neutering.
Overpopulation
The sole purpose of the proposed ordinance is to address the extreme overpopulation of pit bulls and pit bull mixes in Washtenaw County, and the Ypsilanti area more specifically.
There are many factors at play here: dog fighting, breed popularity, backyard breeding, neglectful and irresponsible ownership, poverty and lack of education, to name a few.
Pit bulls are the number one dog breed entering our shelter. The number one dog breed picked up running stray. The number one dog breed involved in cruelty investigations. And the number one dog breed euthanized at our shelter.
In just the last month HSHV took in 62 pit bull-type dogs. Sixty-two in one month! Of the dozens of different breeds of dogs we took in over last month, 20 percent were pit bulls. In 2009, we were successful at adopting out almost 100 pit bulls, yet tragically, they still make up half of the dogs euthanized at our shelter. During 2009 alone there were almost 500 pit bulls at the Humane Society of Huron Valley, and 60 percent of those dogs were put down. Only 14 percent of all other dog breeds were euthanized for serious disease or aggression.
Focusing on solutions
We believe one of the most effective ways of reducing pit bull euthanasia is through spaying/neutering. Though it will certainly not solve all aspects of abuse and neglect, it does address some of the suffering created or aggravated by the breed’s sheer abundance. When there are so many dogs flooding a community, they can be obtained anywhere, at any time, by any person who may on a whim want one. Then they are often sold, traded, dumped, left at our shelter, chained in a yard, abandoned on the street — often treated no better than yesterday’s trash.
HSHV’s important work
Unfortunately, the burden of the community’s pit bull overpopulation falls mainly on the shoulders of HSHV. A few small rescue groups exist and help a handful of dogs and those groups are greatly appreciated, but they have complete control over who and how many animals they decide to help. None has to manage the volume and the medical and behavioral problems that HSHV does, which brings heavy tangible and intangible costs.
HSHV handles the animal cruelty investigations for Washtenaw County. HSHV takes in all of the stray dogs for the county. HSHV takes in the dogs that owners no longer want. HSHV takes in all the dogs abandoned on the street. HSHV quarantines all the bite cases for the county. HSHV is the only area clinic that offers free and low-cost spaying/neutering and veterinary hardship services. HSHV has the only free food assistance program for economically struggling pet owners.
More than half of the stray pit bulls brought in to HSHV show signs of neglect. They are emaciated, untrained and under-socialized. We do everything in our power to provide needed medical treatment and behavioral rehabilitation in order to make them adoptable—a very costly and time-intensive task that unfortunately does not always have a happy ending.
Right now our shelter has 14 pit bulls up for adoption—filling half of our dog adoption kennels. These dogs sit at the shelter waiting for adoption for nearly three times as long as the average dog. While HSHV has a very successful pit bull adoption program, the vast stereotypes and myths about the breed, fed daily by sensationalized media reports, make caring for and adopting out pit bulls an expensive uphill battle.
We are committed to our successful yet challenging adoption program because we believe that pit bulls are great family dogs and deserve a chance at having a loving home. Unfortunately, this well-loved breed is the same one we are forced to euthanize on a daily basis. Repeatedly witnessing the euthanasia of animals we know were ruined by irresponsible owners takes a devastating toll. It is a constant strain and stressor on our organization, our staff and our volunteers. Imagine being the person holding the dog that is happily licking your face as it is being put down.
We can’t do it alone
We simply cannot solve these problems alone. We only have so many kennels, so many hands and so much money. We were delighted to receive a grant from PetSmart Charities that allows us to perform free pit bull spaying/neutering. But we continually meet resistance to pit bull spaying/neutering and the resistance is not born solely out of financial limitations. It is a culturally ingrained attitude around what the dog represents or what the dog is being used for (i.e., breeding, fighting, guarding, or show of machismo).
We believe a spay/neuter ordinance will be a tool for animal control and for our own cruelty investigators. San Francisco has a similar ordinance and according to the Director of Animal Care and Control there, it is very helpful in the battle against pit bull abuse, neglect and overpopulation. In fact, their save rate is better than HSHV’s — 85 percent versus 80 percent. So something must be working.
San Francisco did report a “slight uptick” in the number of pit bulls coming in after the ordinance was enacted from people who would rather see their animal euthanized than sterilized. Sadly and realistically, these dogs were already not loved and not cared for, and whatever fate they faced at the shelter was surely better than a life of misery and pain.
The win/win/win of spaying/neutering
We do not believe there is any “punishment” involved in a spay/neuter requirement. Spaying/neutering is nothing but good for companion animals, good for owners and good for the community. Spaying/neutering is known to:
The bottom line is that spaying/neutering saves lives and costs, and creates a safer and healthier community for everyone.
Surprisingly some of the biggest opponents to the ordinance are animal advocates who fear that a spay/neuter ordinance either further stigmatizes the breed or is merely a stepping stone to an outright breed ban.
Hearing from and listening to a diverse group of voices is important and makes for better decision-making. We believe, however, it is over-simplistic to say any time the term “pit bull” is used in policy that it only hurts the breed.
“Breed-specific” is sometimes okay
The animal welfare world is filled with breed-specific rescue groups, breed-specific adoption programs, breed-specific spay/neuter services and breed-specific funding streams. These are all positive actions, as is a spay/neuter ordinance. Saying that a policy is bad ONLY because it names “pit bulls” does not hold water if you support these other efforts. In fact, it is exactly because we have a breed specific grant to spay/neuter pit bulls that we believe now is the perfect time to enforce a sterilization ordinance - one that will not create undue financial stress on any owner. Unfortunately this grant does not cover any other dog breed.
The stance against the breed-specific proposal seems to grow out of well-intentioned, yet black and white, thinking that does not take the complexities, seriousness or scale of the issue into consideration. We do not suffer an overpopulation of all dog breeds. We suffer an overpopulation of pit bulls. And while pit bull overpopulation affects many areas across the country, our community’s needs are unique and cannot be solved by a nationally-dictated, one-size-fits-all approach.
We are also perplexed by extreme animal groups that also oppose euthanasia and mandatory spay/neuter. This is simple math. There are many ways to help homeless animals, but if you want to end needless euthanasia, you have to reduce the number coming through the door. Guaranteeing adoption of healthy and treatable animals, the number one goal at HSHV, means that supply must match demand. Unfortunately, though often wonderful family companions, most adopters don’t want a pit bull and many simply don’t have the time, energy or space for any large, high energy dog. But just shutting the door to vulnerable animals only creates more suffering.
Responsible ownership
A spay/neuter requirement simply requires owners to be responsible. It is a positive and pro-active approach to a problem. It is birth control versus the death penalty. It says NOTHING negative about the breed other than there is an extreme overpopulation created by irresponsible owners which results in great suffering among animals and the people charged with rescuing them.
The argument that breed specific policy doesn’t work because pit bulls are no different than the German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans that were once very popular in struggling socio-economic areas is also untrue. While the popularity of certain breeds wax and wane, never have shelters been drowning with one type of breed like we are with pit bulls.
Further, some have suggested that better enforcement of our current laws should be able to fix the problem. But investigation and prosecution is extremely expensive and can only be applied in the small number of very clear and severe cases with ample evidence of abuse and neglect, and when the damage is already done. Prevention is always cheaper, easier, and more effective.
Targeting spay/neuter where the problem lies is not a bad thing. It has nothing in common with a ban on the breed. It says nothing critical about the actual dogs—rather, it addresses the troubling trends in ownership, abuse and sheltering. Our goal is only to continue to help this breed, to curb abuse and neglect, and to end needless euthanasia.
A risk worth taking
Frankly, we have no crystal ball that tells us this ordinance will work for certain and we are not so arrogant as to believe that we are absolutely right. We are, however, 100 percent certain that only big acts will solve this big problem and we applaud the Ypsilanti Township for its leadership.
Every public policy enacted is initially a gamble. We will monitor it closely to ensure that is more of a help than a hindrance, and feel confident that we can continue to work with community leaders on positive solutions.
We look forward to the day when such an ordinance won’t be needed and every dog and cat has a loving home, a warm bed and full belly.
Tanya Hilgendorf has been the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Huron Valley for more than five years and is a nationally recognized speaker on issues related to animal sheltering and welfare. Tanya has been in nonprofit management for almost 20 years, specializing in transformational leadership, and has a master's degree in Social Work Administration and Public Policy.
HSHV is open daily from noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions. The Humane Society of Huron Valley has a full service, low cost, veterinary clinic that is open to the public. To schedule an appointment for your pet, please call 734-662-4365. For more information on all of the adoptable pets, visit www.hshv.org or call 734-662-5585.
Comments
Lori
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 5:47 p.m.
Before you fall for the one-sided information provided by HSHV, PLEASE take the time to read an extremely well-written opposition piece here: http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2010/10/there-is-not-need-to-reinvent-the-wheel-in-animal-welfare.html (I am unable to copy the entire text into a comment) I believe that HSHV is well-intentioned, but entirely misguided. They don't have to try to GUESS if MSN for "pit bulls" will work. It has been shown to NOT work in many other cities across the United States. The article at the link above provides MANY examples of both MSN failures AND ALTERNATIVES that work. In just one summer, the group that I work with has gotten 800 "pit bulls" altered via a VOLUNTARY community outreach program. If we had more money & support, it could have been even MORE surgeries this year! VOLUNTARY programs, when properly funded and made EASILY accessible DO work!! There is no need for MSN for ANY dog, no matter what they look like.
Lori
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 11:13 a.m.
Ypsilanti only needs to look to other cities that have enacted MSN and/or MSN or pit bulls only. In either case, MSN is a failure. Specifically, with regards to MSN for "pit bulls", other cities have seen a dramatic increase in the number of "pit bulls" killed and/or have seen NO DECREASE in euthanasia rates. For example, San Francisco is often held up as a shining example of success. After all they HAVE seen a decrease in the percentage of dogs killed that are pit bulls -- down from 43% of all dogs killed before MSN to only 29% off all dogs killed (post "pit bull" MSN). That seems terrific, right? The problem is that they are NOT killing FEWER dogs. They are killing the EXACT SAME NUMBER of dogs. In the year pre-MSN for pit bulls, they killed 1,051 dogs in the year post-MSN for pit bulls, they killed 1,048 dogs. If the idea is for Ypsilanti to have to kill fewer dogs, why are they considering a law that has been shown (at best) to not change the number of dogs killed and in worst cases, to INCREASE the number killed? Many of the places that are IMPORTING shelter dogs in New England have achieved this need to import with VOLUNTARY programs. Successful, ulra-low kill cities (ultra-low kill for ALL breeds and all healthy & treatable pets) have achieved their success with NO MANDATORY S/N laws. Why isn't Ypsilanti looking to these cities for animal care & control guidance rather than the cities that continue to kill at the same (or higher!) rates?
Stephanie
Tue, Oct 12, 2010 : 11:45 a.m.
Breed Specific Legislation is NEVER okay. Targeting a single "kind" of dog is like targeting a single "race" of people and trying to place restrictions on them. It is inappropriate and wrong. Not to mention, how is this REALLY going to reduce the number of unwanted "pit bulls" in the community? I'm willing to bet that a large majority of the dogs ending up in the shelter come from back yard breeders, who often breed for shady reasons and participate in cruel training methods and dog fighting. There is a reason why they're criminals- if you participate in dog fighting, you don't follow the laws in the first place. Why, suddenly, is this law going to be different? And how exactly is it going to be enforced? Are police going to knock on every bodies door, demanding proof that your "pit bull" is fixed? Where is the money going to come from, the residence in Ypsilanti, who don't even own a dog? The police department is already having monetary issues as it is- police are fighting for their jobs and there is NO extra money in the budget to suddenly try and enforce another law. Who is determining what is and is not a pit bull? What about mix breeds? There are over 25 different breeds of dogs commonly mistaken for pit bulls - if I dispute the allegations that my dog is a "pit bull", then what? Is my dog still taken away and fixed against my wishes, dispute my pleas that he is not a pit bull? What about medical issues? What if my dog is allergic to anesthesia? Should I be fined and punished for a medical condition my dog has no control over? Why isn't there anything mentioned in the measure about this? Once you begin to target a specific breed of dog, you're allowing a whole can of worms to open up. You're now allowing for possible future bans to come into play - what is going to stop the township from saying, "well, obviously we have a population issue, we might as well just ban them so no body can have them, to reduce this problem"? What is going to stop other measures from being purposed, not only banning, but limiting ownership? This measure TARGETS responsible owners and does NOTHING to address the REAL issue: the humans! You can't try to pretend that forcing people to fix their dog is going to suddenly make people give a damn about their animal: news flash, it wont. We need laws targeting irresponsible owners and people, not targeting a dog that can't control what the human is doing to them or with them. All or most major organizations are AGAINST Breed Specific Legislation, including the Center for Disease Control, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association and The American Kennel Club - JUST to name a few. This measure falls directly under Breed Specific Legislation. You want to stop the over population issue? Then target the HUMANS doing the bad deeds and help educate the community on how wonderful these dogs can really be when they're popular trained, socialized and loved. People don't adopt pit bulls because of the stigma and misconceptions associated with the breed. Start by fighting against those instead of continually to hurt and mangle the breeds image more. I am VERY disappointed that the Humane Society of Huron Valley would ever, EVER think that BSL is okay. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Stephanie
Tue, Oct 12, 2010 : 10:25 a.m.
It's inherently hypocritical to say that you love pit bulls and then to promote breed specific legislation. If everyone in Washtenaw County were responsible dog owners except for pit bull owners in Ypsilanti Township, then you could pass an ordinance that was county-wide and applied to all breeds without punishing responsible dog owners - it would be win/win/win, right? But instead, dogs are being targeted based on appearance and zip code. Breed specific legislation is not "sometimes okay." There's a reason that every single national humane organization opposes these types of policies (and it's not the reason implied above) - Breed specific legislation is ineffective and expensive to enforce. If they cant enforce illegal breeding or license compliance, then how will they enforce mandatory spay/neuter? What about the expense of housing these dogs at the shelter who are picked up and awaiting surgery? That's not in the grant and can add up quickly. Making spay/neuter mandatory doesn't address the problems of people who aren't aware of the free surgery, don't have a way to get their dogs to the clinic, or are otherwise lacking information. It doesn't even get close to the problem of changing cultural attitudes or cracking down on people who are already illegally breeding their dogs in Ypsi Twp. This law won't make people flock to the clinic to get their dogs fixed -- it will only drive illegal breeders further underground and create tension in the community between responsible pit bull owners/advocates and the humane society. Most other communities who have tried these sorts of ordinances have seen much more than a "slight uptick" in intakes/euthanasia -- like a 44% increase in Little Rock and a 76% increase in Kansas City. Even if you believe, like this post says, that those dogs are better off dead than in their former homes (a viewpoint which, as someone who has worked both in the shelter and in the community, I find seriously lacking in compassion for the people and dogs), it doesn't achieve the goal of reducing the number of pit bulls coming in the door. The only way to do that is to work with the community. The most successful programs in the country are voluntary spay/neuter programs that combine aggressive outreach with transportation assistance and legislation that actually targets problem dog owners. This proposal is poorly thought out (how could they not even include medical exemptions?). There are so many ways to help pit bulls and reduce their population in the shelter that haven't been tried in our community. Once you create a legal distinction for a group of dogs, it lays the groundwork for future bans, as well as for landlords, insurance agents and others to start treating these dogs different -- HSHV doesn't have the power to stop those things from happening once a breed-specific policy is on the books. But they do have the power to pull their support from this ordinance, do more research into breed specific legislation and why it fails over and over again, and to reach out to the community to try alternative solutions.
eyeonthenews
Mon, Oct 11, 2010 : 9:29 a.m.
Well said Go Blue and Yvonne. @Yvonne, I don't work at the Humane Society but I do know they require all animals adopted to be spayed/neutered. I agree it would be a good idea that any animal picked up and then returned to the owner should be required to be sterilized before they are returned. @Nicole, pets are like children. They are all innocent at birth and only become what they are taught. And these poor Pit puppies that resist thier training are bruitalized by thier owners. I've seen it and it sickens and angers me.
Yvonne
Sun, Oct 10, 2010 : 7:40 p.m.
Breed specific legislation is a BAD idea! Spay/neuter EVERY animal that gets picked up and go after all those backyard breeders very aggressively. Obviously, the back yard breeders are not going to change their macho views about bullies, so make it very uncomfortable for them to operate. No one should be able to adopt an intact animal anyway! LEGISLATE to interrupt the supply chain!!!
nicole
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 9:23 p.m.
Aren't we forgetting all the poor Human victims of these dogs? The little children they've killed and maimed and adult victims too? I don't feel sorry for these dogs. Yes spay and neuter them. And stop adopting them back out into the community for goodness sakes. People should have to pass some sort of test to own these things. I'm so sick of dog owners and their dogs putting all of us at risk when all we want to do is ride a bike or take a walk in our neighborhood.
Go Blue
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 7:39 p.m.
Maybe it is not the answer but it sure sounds like more of a step in the right direction than anything being done right now. I've seen these poor animals - chained up, taunted and teased to make them aggressive. Thrown in a tiny pen, outside in frigid weather, whining and whining, being shouted at and otherwise ignored. Kicked. Necks jerked by the vicious prong collars they wear. This is the harsh reality these animals suffer. Love, warmth, food, medical care -- not in their lives. They can do nothing about it, they cannot pick up and go, they can't move on - they are trapped - prisoners at the mercy of their owner, to suffer whatever fate that owner doles out on them. Its long past time to get over those nasty egos that dictate a big dog, that has been made nasty, is what it takes to be big and important. Go get a car and screech the tires but leave the defenseless animals alone.
Speechless
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 5:47 p.m.
"... Unfortunately, though often wonderful family companions, most adopters dont want a pit bull and many simply dont have the time, energy or space for any large, high energy dog...." I have to believe that this one sentence, buried deep within the long essay up above, encapsulates the bottom line on this issue for HSHV. So, here is what drives an otherwise odd attempt to create breed-specific legislation: There are a whole lot of pit bulls out there, and not that many people want to adopt one when a certain percentage of them become strays — hence, far too much "supply" for too little "demand" among dog adopters. If the ordinance that HVHS wants is passed and somehow enforced, it would provide some short-term relief to the dog adoption problem with pit bulls. But, should enforcement actually be effective (plenty of doubt here), demand for fearsome dogs will still remain and could simply shift to different breeds. Then HSHV will later experience this same problem, but with another breed. And then there is the strange, arbitrary issue of how to decide which mixed-breed dogs qualify as "pit bulls" for the purpose of breed-specific laws. A spay/neuter ordinance that covers all dog breeds makes a lot more sense. But politically, it is convenient to focus on pit bulls due to the strong negative stereotypes for the breed. By contrast, a proposal to apply some restrictions specifically to retriever breeds, for example, would probably not succeed.
earthchick
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 4:43 p.m.
This is a well-written and compelling piece. I already thought the ordinance made good sense, but this really helps clarify the issues. Personally, I wish all owners of companion dogs (and cats, for that matter) would spay or neuter. In the case of pit bulls, there seem to be good reasons for actually legislating it.
eyeonthenews
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 2:47 p.m.
I agree this is a powerful article. I found my eyes filling with tears at one point. There's too many animals being abused and euthanized. I fully support the ordinace and hope to see it passed.
Huron74
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 10:43 a.m.
Being someone firmly committed to individual rights and a multiple dog owner as well I have to say the HVHS op-ed makes pretty good sense. Bottom line: Spay/neuter your animals and keep them under control folks or you're gonna loose 'em. People are getting hurt and the dogs are suffering.
dading dont delete me bro
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 10:02 a.m.
in concept, this is a great idea. in realistic terms, give me a break. who is going to enforce this ordinance? an over worked force already? one that's already seen CUTS? do you really think owners are going to bring their dogs in? a lot of these pit bulls are bred for fighting. fighting is illegal. you think owners that participate in this illegal activity will comply w/a nuisance of an ordinance? (by nuisance, i mean, take time out of their day to do something they don't want to do) i guess it is another tool in the toolbelt for neighbors and hvhs to confiscate dogs that are problems. if that is the intent, it will work, otherwise = fail.
suem
Sat, Oct 9, 2010 : 9:04 a.m.
Wow what a powerful article. A copy if this should be sent to every household in the area. So few people are aware of the fact that pitbulls can be neutered for free.