FW: Knoxville, Tennessee

In response to a fatal dog attack in Knox County, Tennessee, Senator Tim Burchett has advised of his intention to pursue a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance specific to pit bulls in Knox County. Please take a moment to write to Senator Burchett to voice your polite and respectful opposition to breed specific legislation in any form.

Contacting Senator Burchett's office

Legislative Assistant
Alice Bingham
(615) 741-1100 ext. 44822

Senator Tim Burchett
(615) 741-1766
sen.tim.burchett@legislature.state.tn.us

Nashville Address
310A War Memorial Building
Nashville, TN 37243-0207

Phone (615) 741-1766
Staff Contact: Alice Bigham

All legislators may be reached by telephone at 1-800-449-8366.
You must then enter the last 5 digits of their office phone number.



Tips for calling Senator Burchett's office

* Plan your call. Keep to the point and discuss only one issue.
* Organize your thoughts ahead of time and make notes to help you stay on track.
*
Prepare a one-page fact sheet concerning the issues you want to discuss.
* Whether you call or write, ALWAYS BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL.



TALKING POINTS

*Any law enacted in Knox County should be both reasonable and enforceable.

*Any law enacted should protect the health and welfare of dogs without restricting the rights of owners and breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.

*In many communities in Tennessee - including the most rural areas - the cost to spay or neuter a dog is well over $100. Communities at local and state levels should encourage and offer affordable opportunities, programs and incentives to dog owners to spay or neuter their dogs, not laws mandating surgical procedures that their constituents STILL cannot afford.

*The state leash law is not enforced in many rural areas in Tennessee. As a result, dogs typically run loose. Educating the citizens with respect to responsible dog ownership practices will have more far-reaching positive effects than passing of adverse pet legislation.

*A strong leash law that is actively enforced is an effective means of birth control for dogs and an excellent tool for community safety.

*Breed specific ordinances are difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. Enacting a spay/neuter ordinance specific to pit bulls would require additional funding and personnel, both of which are either greatly lacking or completely absent across the State of Tennessee.

*A mandatory spay and neuter law against "pit bulls" cannot be adequately enforced as "pit bull" is not a breed of dog. Animal control officers would be charged with making subjective determinations as to a dog's breed thus opening Knox County to liability in the event of false identification.

*The citizens are burdened with higher taxes in an effort to pay for a law that is, in essence, unenforceable as animal control officers would be expected to go house to house to personally examine each and every dog that falls under the description of "pit bull."

*Because animal control officers are tied up with "pit bull inspections," they are unavailable to enforce the law against the true irresponsible owners and dogs that are a true danger in their community thus leaving the citizens vulnerable.

*Breed specific legislation is ineffective as it does not focus on the root of the problem - irresponsible dog owners. As a result, owners will simply choose another breed to continue their cycle of irresponsibility.


Sample letter to Senator Tim Burchett


The Honorable Tim Burchett
310A War Memorial Building
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0207
RE: Mandatory spay/neuter bill for pit bulls
Dear Senator Burchett:

I am writing in response to your stated intention to pursue mandatory spay and neuter for "pit bulls" in Knox County, Tennessee.

To be useful, legislation must be effective, enforceable, economical, and reasonably fair. A mandatory spay/neuter law specific to pit bulls would not meet any of the above requirements and, accordingly, I am opposed to the pursuit of any such legislation for Knox County.

Prior to moving forward with a mandatory spay/neuter law for pit bulls, I would ask that you consider the following points:

(1) In many communities in Tennessee - including the most rural areas - the cost to spay or neuter a dog is well over $100. Quite frankly, many residents who would choose to alter their dogs, simply cannot afford to do so. Communities at local and state levels should encourage and offer affordable opportunities, programs and incentives to dog owners to spay or neuter their dogs, not laws mandating surgical procedures that their constituents STILL cannot afford.

(2) Moreover, it is in those rural areas of Tennessee that the state leash law is not enforced which results in a greater number of dogs running loose. Therefore, educating the citizens with respect to responsible dog ownership practices will have more far-reaching positive effects than passing of adverse pet legislation. A strong leash law that is actively enforced is an effective means of birth control for dogs and a safety mechanism for citizens.

(3) Any breed specific ordinance - including the one you are considering - is difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. Enacting a spay/neuter ordinance specific to pit bulls would require additional funding and personnel, both of which are either greatly lacking or completely absent across the State of Tennessee. Adding to the difficulty of enforcement is the fact that "pit bull" is not a breed of dog. Animal control officers would be charged with making subjective determinations as to a dog's breed thus opening Knox County to liability in the event of false identification; and

(4) A mandatory spay/neuter ordinance specific to pit bulls would burden the citizens of Knox County with higher taxes in an effort to pay for a law that is, in essence, unenforceable. Arguably, the only way this law could be enforced is if animal control officers went house to house to personally examine each and every dog that falls under the description of "pit bull." More importantly, while animal control officers are tied up with "pit bull inspections, " they are unavailable to enforce the law against the true irresponsible owners and dogs that are a true danger in their community thus leaving the citizens of Knox County vulnerable.

Any law enacted in Knox County should be both reasonable and enforceable and should protect the health and welfare of dogs without restricting the rights of owners and breeders who take their responsibilities seriously. In this respect, your proposal fails.

I respectfully request that you work with those individuals and organizations who have invested their time, energy and research over the last few months in the formulation of an enforceable, non-breed specific ordinance that benefits the safety and welfare of all the citizens of Knox County.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]