Ortonville- Boots, a 4-year-old black and white pit bull mix, appears to be an affectionate dog. He accepts petting and gently nuzzles a new visitor to a Brandon Hills Manor apartment off Oakwood Road in the village, where he lives with owners Michael Williams and Jennifer White and their two young children.
White says they’ve never had a problem with their dog, a breed that she acknowledges often has a less than stellar reputation. But then she admits that Boots is the same dog that bit another family’s dog in Narrin Park in the village on June 27. The ticket that Williams subsequently received for having the dog off his leash is just one of three tickets that he has been issued for dog-at-large within the last month, White said.
‘He’s so big, he likes to run,? she said. ‘If we don’t let him out to play, he’ll jump out the window to run… He’s a good dog. So many people stereotype pit bulls, but he’s never been a problem.?
White and her neighbor, Jeff Morearty, who owns two pit bull mixes, allow their dogs to run in a field that separates the apartment building’s parking lot from several private homes on Brandon Hills Drive. They don’t see any problems with this and say there hasn’t been. Some village residents disagree.
At the village council meeting July 27, several residents spoke out regarding pit bulls running loose in the village and menacing them, their children, and their pets.
‘I can’t spend time outside,? said one man, who added that he has been chased and has spent a lot of time at the mall with his children this summer rather than risk the dogs coming around his home when he is outdoors at home with his children. ‘I’ve tried to call the police and animal control doesn’t get there for hours. They tell me to shoot the dogs. I don’t think that’s right.?
Another man who wished to remain anonymous called the dogs ‘oppressive and out of control,? and a woman said she was inside her home last winter when a loose pit bull was at the sliding glass door on her deck, barking loud enough to wake her children.
‘We need to address this immediately,? said Councilmember Kay Green, who, along with Councilmembers Aileen Champion and Melanie Nivelt, has formed a committee to look at other area ordinances in regards to dogs, animal laws and regulations. They hope to have some proposals to bring to the rest of the council at their next meeting, 7 p.m., Aug. 10 at the township offices, 395 Mill St.
In Waterford Township, a ban on owning pit bulls has been in effect since the 80s, said Supervisor Carl Solden. The ban on the breed was enacted due to numerous problems with injuries to residents and police officers by pit bulls. One police officer was confronted by a pit bull that came through a sliding glass door. The ban has been challenged in court, but has been upheld. About a year ago, a group approached the township board asking them to repeal the ban.
‘That would be the last thing I would repeal,? said Solden, who cites the incident in East Detroit several months ago in which a family’s pit bull attacked their infant while the baby was in bed with the parents. The father shot the dog to get it off the baby, which died as a result of the pit bull attack. ‘There are too many incidents that cause me to believe, leave well enough alone… For some reason, that dog killed that baby. How do you dispute that? It’s probably happened with other breeds, but fortunately, we haven’t had those other breeds. These other breeds aren’t bred for what pit bulls were bred for… Our ordinance is right on track, and as long as I’m here and the current board is here, I think this ordinance will stay. Some say it keeps people from Waterford, but we want to keep the people we have here safe and we are pleased and happy with the ordinance.?
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Pete Burkett of the Brandon substation hopes the village doesn’t follow in Waterford’s footsteps.
‘I think it is ridiculous to ban a breed of dog because of the reputation they have,? he said. ‘You shouldn’t ban a breed because of specific irresponsible owners. It reminds me of communism. I do not blame the breed, it’s the pet owner.?
Part of being irresponsible, he said, is to have the pit bulls cooped up in a small apartment all day.
Dogs are allowed at the Brandon Hills Manor apartments, but leasing agent Pat McCauley said they are considering changing that policy for new leases. Dogs off the leash is currently cause for eviction and McCauley said anyone calling on such a situation should also send them something in writing to show the tenants.
White acknowledges that it is unfair to their dog to have him live in an apartment. The family is moving to a larger place on Village Court, but she said where they are going is not fenced. Morearty said he is also looking at houses, but doesn’t know where yet.
He allows his pit bull mixes, Chica, 2, and Bruiser, 1, to run in the field nearby, and said he also has a dog run. When they are out of the yard, they are on a leash, he said.
‘They’ve never been in a fight,? said Morearty, who adds that he has never been ticketed for dog-at-large. ‘If another dog goes at them, they don’t know what to do, because all they’ve ever done is play. They’ve never been mean to people… It’s more a problem with the owners than the breed. I’m taking care of the ones I have.?
Dr. Lincoln Baylis, veterinarian and owner of Baylis Animal Hospital said pit bulls get a bad rap.
‘For the most part, they are generally nice dogs,? he noted. ‘But they do have a propensity for aggression toward other dogs, not generally toward people. In a pack, two or three of them, it could be a whole different story. There might be more of a propensity toward people then, more signs of pack behavior? taking down a kid or another dog. I don’t know that I would ever trust them 100 percent. For me, I could trust other breeds more, but people that see a pit bull and don’t know the breed might show a little fear and the pit bull responds or picks up on that fear.?
The owner of a pit bull, Baylis says, needs to be someone dedicated to training and a dominant person, not a pushover. He agrees with Burkett that an apartment is not the right place for a pit bull, which needs activity, exercise and room to move. They could get enough exercise on a leash, but they would require long morning and evening walks.
If an animal is showing aggressive behavior, Burkett said residents need to call 9-1-1 and animal control or deputies will respond. If an animal is at large and attacking and a resident has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, they are within their rights to shoot the animal; however, he said, ‘I would never give anyone carte blanche to shoot an animal growling at you. If dogs are contained, in a fenced area, tied up and displaying aggressive behavior, now law is being broken. But as soon as that dog is at large, running around, threatening or attacking people or other animals, we can take action immediately.?