| Updated: 5/05/2008 8:38 am |
Published: 5/04/2008 7:47 pm |
The battle between pit bull owners and those wanting tougher restrictions on the dog breed continues. Several communities including Beebe, Lonoke, Jacksonville and North Little Rock all have city ordinances enforcing restrictions on pit bulls. But the city of Little Rock is trying something different. It requires pit bull owners to register their dogs, or face losing the animals or paying fines.
Owners have only registered a handful of the estimated thousands of pit bulls in the city and they have until May 21st to avoid any penalties.
Tarlease Pennister got her female pit bull Trinity and her male Chico just a few months ago. She says in a dangerous neighborhood like hers, they help protect her. But Tarlese says coughing up $150 to register each dog plus the $100 it takes to spay and neuter each pet and the $25 for the tracking microchips the city requires is a tough task.
"I don't have the money, but to keep my dogs I will do it," Pennington told us.
So far only 52 of the estimated 2,000 or 3,000 pit bulls in the city are registered. But Tracy Roark with Little Rock Animal Services says the department is getting the word out sending notices with city water bills so pit bull owners know what's required of them. And the Central Arkansas Rescue effort for animals is providing financial relief, reduced cost sterilizations.
There's a long way to go but Roark says the pace of registration is picking up. Roark estimates there have been 25 or 30 pit bull bites in the city already this year.
While the true dog lovers don't feel their pets are a threat, they'll do whatever it takes to keep them. The Little Rock Animal Village is offering Saturday hours for the next couple of weeks so you can get your pit bull registered if you don't have time throughout the week.
