Mayor R. Rex Parris of Lancaster, CA

A year ago we told you that Lancaster, California passed a law that singled out specific breeds for mandatory spaying and neutering.  It also addressed the issue of vicious dogs through a process for judging if a dog is a threat to public safety (that had been trained to be overly-aggressive or for fighting) and, if so, then the dog may be destroyed and/or the owner fined for safety violations.  The law singled out pit bulls, Rotties and mixes of those breeds if the dog had predominately physical traits of either of those two breeds.  Its goal was to reduce the amount of dog-gang related crime, as the dogs were viewed as instruments of harassment and coercion.  It also allowed the police a means of legitimately interacting with suspected gang members that would open up further investigation into possible criminal activities.  At the time, we were highly dubious that the law would have a positive effect on gang related crime and with the only real outcome leading to further “criminalization” of more breeds.

In the year since the law was passed into effect 1,138 pit bulls and Rottweilers were impounded last year by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. Of those, 362 were voluntarily surrendered by their owners in response to Lancaster’s ordinance. (LA Times 1/21)

Mayor Parris declared that the legislature has been a major step in improving the safety of the community.  Parris released the following statement:

“One of the most immediate and meaningful results we have seen from our aggressive action is a plummeting gang crime rate in Lancaster. In 2009 alone, violent gang crime, which includes homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, was reduced an astounding 45% and overall gang crime was reduced 41%. The longer term impact of our aggressive action is a lower level of hyper vigilance in the City, particularly among our young people. Hyper vigilance is a heightened and constant state of anxiety caused by fearful stimuli. Scientists tell us that young people join gangs in part because they feel unsafe and gangs represent security to them. We will never eliminate gangs until our youth can go to school and walk our streets without being afraid. Ridding our community of pit bulls is a giant step in lowering the level of hyper vigilance.

“These individuals delighted in the danger these animals posed to our residents, often walking them without leashes and allowing them to run rampant through our neighborhoods and parks. Today, more than 1,100 of these animals have been removed from our city, along with the fear they create. Lancaster is now a great deal safer because of it.”

It is hard to argue against Parris’ numbers.  There certainly seems to be a correlation between the law and the reduction in gang related crime.  I have to admit that I really thought that this law was just bad news for not just the “bad rep” breeds but for all dogs.  Is it really the breed specific legislation at work or some other factor?  What do you think?

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