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PrintSeeking pit bull solution
Editor, Index-Tribune:
This is a wake up call to the citizens of Sonoma. Joanne Sanders has served our town for almost eight years. She has dedicated much of her time to bringing local issues to our attention. As many off you have read over the past two weeks, there's a growing concern regarding pit bulls. There have been numerous attacks in the Bay Area. The most recent happened in Pacifica (one hour away). A young pregnant woman was mauled to death by her own pit bull, in her very own home. For some reason, if it doesn't happen in Sonoma, people seem to think it can't happen here. Do we need to wait until one of our own citizens is attacked?
As a mother of two school-aged children I am convinced this needs to be a conversation. These dogs are predator and can turn at any given moment. I do understand those of you who own one - you love your pet. Those of us who are your neighbors or walk by you, are in constant fear. This is a serious issue involving a sometimes deadline animal. We owe it to ourselves and our children not to turn a blind eye. Shame on us if we don't react now. Let's not wait until it happens in our own backyard. We will discuss box chain stores for month and regulate chickens in our neighbors yards, yet we're OK with these dogs living next door.
Please attend the City Council meeting next Wednesday and let's come together as a community and find a solution that makes all of us happy and safe.
Jenny Thibodeau
Sonoma
Please note: Your full name will be published with your comment.
Oh yes, let's "react" and make us all feel safer. Reacting is always a recipe for success. Well Ms Thibodeau, to make you and your children really safe you'd need to ban alcohol, cigarettes, cars, palm trees, bathtubs, cows wandering in pastures, and teenagers. You see, all of those are far, far more likely to kill a person than is a pit bull. Parents are far more likely to kill children than are dogs. I wonder--did you bother to view the information attached at the bottom of Ms Germaine's article, or were you sure you knew everything there was to know about pit bulls? Do you feel you can reliably identify that breed of dog? If so, you're farther ahead than most shelter workers, who were wrong well over 50% of the time.
Your fear and ignorance should not impact my right to be a responsible owner of whatever dogs I choose. If I fail in that responsibility or my dog displays worrisome behavior, then that changes things. But, in the meantime, I seem to recall we live in the United States, and civil rights remain in effect. If you are so terrified of pit bulls then I suggest you educate yourself, since there are far greater threats to you and yours. There is a reason nothing has happened in Sonoma--because it is a very rare occurrence for a dog of ANY KIND to kill a human being. If you think you will be safer by having my dogs taken away, you are seriously mistaken.
So yes, let's all discuss the "growing concern" to which you refer. Funny--don't recall seeing this serious problem addressed prior to the sensationalistic coverage of the tragedy in Pacifica a few weeks ago. Must be a very pressing issue indeed. Let's "not wait" until we have actual evidence of a problem--let's "react" instead. Very reasonable.