Controversial Pit Bull Ban Lifted in Iowa Town

After a 4-2 vote by the Anamosa City Council on Monday, March 26, an ordinance to ban all Pit Bull and Pit Bull-like breeds was lifted in the Iowa city. 
 
According to local news affliliate KWWL, residents of Anamosa had to prove their dog was not a Pit Bull breed of any kind in order to own it legally for decades prior to the reversal. 
 
The ban recently came under scrunity when new resident Chris Collins attempted to foster a Pit Bull and was turned away by a local shelter. With that, Collins reportedly “challenged the council to take a look at its current ordinance.” 
 
Collins, who worked hard with members of the community, council members and veterinarians to help lift the ban, said, “[The ban] doesn’t eliminate Pit Bulls. It causes people to go into hiding and the dogs aren’t socialized and they’re not taken to vets and if you have that, that’s a problem for any dog.” 
 
The Anamosa City Council agreed with Collins’ viewpoint and decided to immediately reverse the law. The city in Iowa joins other regions, including Montreal, in lifting their controversial breed bans. 
 
However, there is still work to be done when it comes to protecting the rights of Pit Bulls and their owners, as DogsBite.org data estimates 1,089 cities in the U.S. alone have Pit Bull-related bans. 
 
The Humane Society of the United States  released the following statement about breed-specific bans: “There is no evidence that breed-specific laws reduce dog bites or attacks on people, and they divert resources from more effective animal control and public safety initiatives … the [Humane Society] opposes such public policies as inhumane and ineffective.” 
 
Image via Shutterstock 
 
Read more: Pit Bull Puppy Recovering After Enduring Horrific Abuse