Massachusetts Gov Deval Patrick repeals BSL

Massachusetts: New state law will nullify cities’ BSL



With New Bedford Animal Control Officer Manny Maciel by his side today, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a new, broad-based animal control bill into law, that, among its many provisions, prevents the regulation of dogs based solely on breed.

Stating clearly that “No city or town shall regulate dogs in a manner that is specific to breed,” the legislation ends debate in New Bedford and elsewhere on whether pits bulls should be banned.
The law further states that “no dog shall be deemed dangerous … based upon the breed of such dog.”
Reports out of Lowell and Worcester, MA, indicate that the breed-specific ordinances in both cities—and by extension, any other MA city with BSL—will be nullified by the new MA state law when it goes into effect on October 31. The new state law prohibits municipalities from regulating dogs based on breed.



Many attorneys in MA seem to agree that MA “home rule” does not allow city ordinances to conflict with state law. Even if cities do not officially repeal their BSL, the laws will be preempted and nullified by the new state law when it goes into effect.

Jonathan S. Rankin, a Framingham-based lawyer and chairman of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Animal Law Practice Group, said the new law says communities can make additional ordinances as long as the language is not breed-specific.
                                           
Many thanks to the MSPCA for keeping us up to date. Visit their page to learn more about the many changes that this bill brings to Massachusetts:

              http://www.mspca.org/about-us/press-room/2012/mspca-angell-joins-governor.html

                                 



                                        

          



Boston Pitbull is a Hero

          Lilly a 3 1/2 year old Rescued Pitbull saves womans life



                                                                                   
 Christine Spain, the mother of Boston police officer David Lanteigne, fell unconscious on train tracks in Shirley, MA. The engineer of a westward-bound freight train witnessed Lilly, a pit bull, frantically trying to pull the woman off the tracks as the train quickly approached.

Emergency responders arrived to the scene to find Lilly calmly standing guard over Christine. Lilly’s human companion was not injured, but the 8-year-old dog was not as fortunate. A Shirley animal control officer immediately drove Lilly to an emergency animal hospital where officer Lanteigne recovered her and rushed to Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.
Lilly suffered severe trauma, fracturing her pelvis in multiple locations, facing internal injuries and having her front right leg later removed due to a serious injury from the train’s wheel.

Lilly the pit bull was rescued by Lanteigne 3 years ago as a companion for his mother who suffers from alcoholism. “We saved her life, and she saved my mom’s life.”
Pitbulls are  stereotyped as viscous Lilly stands as a testament to the loyalty, bravery and unconditional love of these amazing dogs. “Lilly’s story has moved us all beyond measure. I hope her actions will underscore the truth about Pit Bulls—that they are amazing animals and are as devoted to their family as any other dog and can I add just one more thing if Lilly had been wearing a Muzzle because of Breed Specific Laws a woman would of lost her life and this would be a much different story.    You can visit lillys facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Lillytheheropitbull also check out her video below.



 

             Another Pitbull willing to give his life for his owner




Taking a bullet

Roberta Trawick was sitting on her couch in her Oklahoma City home when an armed intruder busted through her front door and told her to get on the ground. Her 2-year-old pit bull, D-Boy, then came charging into the room after the intruder, who fired multiple times, hitting D-Boy three times — including two shots to the head — but the dog continued to run after him. The intruder, apparently spooked, fled.
“That dog saved my life and my family,’ said Trawick. “Without D-Boy, that guy could have shot me and my family.” The Trawicks had rescued the pit bull from an abusive home just three months before the break-in.
 
Its seems strange that a Pitbull can save lives in the same state you
live in but it gets hardley any air time but if one bites someone 2000
miles away it is breaking news all over the country
You can find hundreds of stories about Pitbulls who have saved lives become therapy dogs work with search and rescue and also
law inforcement at Life With Dogs .
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