LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – State Senator Sean McCann of Kalamazoo Thursday reintroduced previously proposed legislation that he says will address dangerous dog owners and protect individuals who encounter dangerous dogs.
McCann has worked on the issue since 2014 when he was a State Representative.
He says Senate Bills 683 and 684 target dog behaviors, rather than specific breeds, and provide a framework for determining which dogs are dangerous. The bills specify the required steps for owners to take to protect people if their dog is determined to be potentially dangerous or dangerous by district court magistrate, district court or municipal court.
McCann says attacks by aggressive dogs still occur frequently, with some victims suffering serious damage and bodily harm.
In 2010 and again in 2012, Laura Blanchard, a Kalamazoo letter carrier, was violently mauled on her route. She ended up leaving her job after suffering serious injuries and has since advocated for better dog controls so that other letter carriers could remain safe and feel protected while on the job.
In 2014, a jogger in Lapeer County, Craig Sytsma, was mauled and killed by a dog.
The legislation excludes hunting and livestock guard dogs acting as expected, dogs that attack trespassers, dogs that attack people who are in the act of committing a crime, dogs that attack their owners or family members, dogs that attack people tormenting them or attack other animals who attacked the dog first, along with other instances that would excuse aggressive behavior.
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