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Lakewood Patch Readers: End the Pit Bill Ban

We asked readers earlier this week what they thought. They sure responded.

Lakewood Patch readers say it’s time to end the ban on breed-specific legislation.

By a wide margin.

In Ohio, pit bulls are no longer “vicious” animals, according to a new state law that went into effect on Tuesday.

But that did little to change Lakewood’s ordinance, which considers them both dangerous and vicious. 

We asked Lakewood Patch readers on the matter.

The vote was lopsided, with 89 percent (528 votes) in favor of ending the ban, and 10 percent (63 votes) in favor of keeping it going.

(It's also important to note the that rolled in)

The statehouse voted in the Ohio Revised Code, declassifying pit bulls as “vicious animals” at the state level.

However, it does not apply to local municipalities.

Under the new law, a dog can be labeled vicious only if it kills or causes serious harm to a person while unprovoked.

Kevin Butler, the 's law director, told Lakewood Patch earlier this year that Lakewood’s 2008 ordinance deeming all pit bulls and canary dogs as “dangerous animals” would stand.

Allison Smalley May 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Thanks for the follow up Colin... let's hope the right people see this!
Sweetie Pie May 25, 2012 at 04:11 pm
I'm wondering why Patch is pushing their fictive poll like this. It amounts to telling Lakewood to allow non-resident frauds to tell the town residents how to live their lives. The poll is not only not scientific, it's a total farce. Please note that pit bull fans always call on each other (world-wide) to influence this kind of phony poll:
http://blog.dogsbite.org/2007/12/online-pit-bull-forum-blamed-for.html Even to the point of advising each other to delete cookies so they can vote again and again. Shame on you Patch! I'm glad Lakewood officials are ignoring this nonsensical exercise, and Patch's decision to act as a narrow-interest lobby instead of as a news source. I could've changed the results to my own view single-handed to if I felt like deleting the cookie 466 times...and if I felt okay telling Lakewood residents what to do with their lives. Again, shame on you Patch!
Colin McEwen (Editor) May 25, 2012 at 04:40 pm
Sweetie Pie, we're welcome to criticism. One request, per our terms of use (lakewood-oh.patch.com), please use your name.
Not (at all) really feeling like getting into a debate with you, If the vote had gone the other way, I would have reported that, too. We do note that it's a completely unscientific poll. No secret 'bout that. Seems like a lot of work to delete cookies... I wouldn't do it. Thanks for sharing.
Steve May 25, 2012 at 05:36 pm
@sweetie pie, Your not. I see you bloged on the 'lutherville-timonium' patch site, whick tells me YOU are the outsider, telling lakewood people how to run our government. Shame, Shame on you. Also, dogsbite.org is the worst site for REAL information, way to many lies and fallacies. There real information out there, why don't you find it. Lakewood is a great place to live, you should come, just leave your prejudices behind. And stop lying.
Bob Smith May 25, 2012 at 06:13 pm
Once again, Steve blows us all away with his pigeon English. He either dropped out of high school or graduated from Cleveland State.
Colin McEwen (Editor) May 25, 2012 at 07:36 pm
Come on, Bob. No personal attacks please.
Vicki May 28, 2012 at 08:31 pm
I find it ironic that Kevin Butler says the current law banning pit bulls will stay in place when it appears that non-pit bull dog attacks go pretty much unnoticed. A friend of mine, now a former resident of Lakewood, had her senior dog, a border collie attacked by a neighbors American bulldog and a mixed breed. The border collie had to be stitched up -- extensively, yet the owners of the attacking dogs apparently went unpunished. It's not so much the dogs as the irresponsible ownership of these dogs, or any other dogs. THAT's what needs to be addressed but isn't, in Lakewood.
Sweetie Pie June 4, 2012 at 03:17 pm
Colin, I'd like to know what kind of dog you (or your relatives and friends) have at home. After all, Maryland Frederick County commissioner Blaine Young who announced that he'd be against the Maryland ruling because otherwise his pit-owning daughter (and friends) might have to buy insurance.
Real journalism means you reveal whatever personal conflicts of interest you have, background that influences your writing, and so on. Yellow journalism is something else again -- but you might not know what that is? Saying 'not scientific' is quite another thing than saying 'so open to manipulation as to be in fact worthless'. Vicki: You must know that the so-called American bulldog is a pit-bull derivative, but bred up to be twice the size of the classic Ku Klux Klan pit-bull type dog of the 1930s. Citing an AmBull attack as a non-pit attack doesn't fly. As for real names -- everyone who speaks any truth about the pit-type dogs ends up terrorized by the pit fans. This can be on-line, but they also go to great lengths to find out where people live and work, so as to terrorize them in the non-virtual world. If you object to me not subjecting myself to this, then don't post this comment. If you're a real journalist, you'll investigate why and how the pit-lobby is imitating other criminal organizations. Up to you, it seems there's no editor-in-chief with real credentials watching you.
Sweetie Pie June 4, 2012 at 03:30 pm
@ Steve: I see you bloged on the 'lutherville-timonium' patch site, whick tells me YOU are the outsider...
I'm not blogging anywhere, have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a Maryland resident (I won't go any farther than that in telling the pit fans where to search for me), so I have every right to be taking part in this discussion. Ya know, all the Maryland ruling does is impose insurance requirements on pit owners. If they have adequate insurance, their landlord won't feel like s/he is the one who will have to pay through the nose for the tenant's choice of killer dog. I have a goofy-benevolent non-pit ordinary household dog. I carry $500,000 insurance just in case a leash breaks or something, and this goofy-benevolent dog runs into traffic, causing an accident when someone tries not to run him over. What is the problem? Why is it that the pit fans are coming into big-time 'oh, poor-me!' rebellion at the very idea that they must (now) do what any responsible dog owner does? I thought they were all for responsible ownership?...
Steve June 4, 2012 at 04:58 pm
@Sweetie Pie - The only non-resident fraud on here is you. I live here, you don't, period. Go preach to your choir in Maryland, they need all the help they can get. And if you call that a blog, you are mistaken. Someone asked for positive stories and I guided them to a website that provides just that, a positive side of your "killer pitbulls". You need to get a real life and find other reading than dogsbite. You are not from Lakewood, but you infer that you are, therefore you should butt out, and quit giving false impressions that you are from Lakewood. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdogsbyte.org%2F2012%2F04%2F29%2Fpit-bull-heroes%2F&h=EAQEnlcjM

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Regina Milsaps June 7, 2013 at 05:19 pm
Thanks for getting back to us, Tim. I guess I am picky but Storer Ave. is not "just outside ofRead More Lakewood."
Christina Cocchiarale Ward June 10, 2013 at 08:50 pm
Just outside of Lakewood isn't Storer, not even close, I agree, Regina. Nice looking house though!
Donna Witmer June 14, 2013 at 04:02 pm
Are you interested in a rent-to-own option?
taryn.osborn June 14, 2013 at 01:42 pm
I won't make it there before 2pm, but if you don't sell your drum set...I am interested!
State Rep. Nickie J. Antonio
Sarah Henderson June 12, 2013 at 07:16 pm
I am so glad to hear about this project for those in our community who struggle with mental illness.Read More Thanks for sharing this information, Nikki.
Colin McEwen (Editor) June 8, 2013 at 03:53 pm
Here's the follow up.Read More http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/groups/breaking-news/p/three-injured-after-car-crashes-through-the-exchange
Paul Grimm June 6, 2013 at 09:31 am
They are turning it into a Discount Drug Mart - should open this summer.
jim June 6, 2013 at 10:45 am
i think you are mistaking or being goofy...but sullivans is "was" at the corner ofRead More chesterland and madison, not on detroit.
William Bridgeman June 8, 2013 at 04:06 pm
They are supposed to be reopening in early July as Brew 211, as sports bar with a lot of large flatRead More TVs and basic bar food. The big wood booths are leaving. Sullivan's as we knew it is gone.
Maggie Rader June 6, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Again, while I am very grateful for the outcome for my Mom, I also have a lot of compassion for theRead More other residents. The move for my Mom is only temporary, since the South Westerly will come under the same guidelines within a couple of years. This can only be changed by an act of Congress. I have already written letters to the politicians involved, particularly Marcy Kaptur -- Ohio Congressional District 9. Hopefully, all concerned will do the same.
Duane Hoyt June 7, 2013 at 08:25 am
Marcy doesn't care about Lakewood. Dennis Kucinich wouldn't allow this to happen, but thanks toRead More Republican (Kasich) redistricting, Dennis had to run against Marcy, and he lost. Remember this when Kasich runs against local Lakewood man Ed Fitzgerald runs for Governor.
Ron Dodson June 8, 2013 at 07:10 pm
Members of Congress tack on amendments to bills all the time that only benefit a handful of theirRead More constituents. If there was ever a time for a pork barrel move, this would be it. You're right Duane, this would have never gotten this far if Dennis was still next door to the Westerly.
Lidia Trempe June 15, 2013 at 10:06 am
After two weeks of being lost in Cleveland, Mordecai has come home!! He had traveled 3 miles fromRead More where he was lost. A huge thank you to Eve, who lured him out of a huckleberry bush with hot dogs! He looks great and hasn't lost too much weight, and is being showered with bacon and steak. We hope to be able to pay this forward as much as we've been helped, thank you everyone for your time, thoughts and hard work!! https://www.facebook.com/lostinlakewood
Megan Rozsa (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 10:55 am
I'm so happy he's home now! Thanks to everyone who helped keep an eye on him by sharing this post!Read More :) Patch in action!
Mary Beth Moore June 17, 2013 at 10:36 pm
Thank goodness he is back home with Lidia and fam, where he belongs - yay!!! And the outpouring ofRead More community support for this sweet puppy was amazing. Thankful for this awesome community too!
Sandy June 4, 2013 at 09:21 pm
thank you for your support. I have notified 3 tv stations, 3 senators, the mayor. I am just hopingRead More that my postings will reach someone with power and know-how.
April Stoltz June 4, 2013 at 10:49 pm
So I think an important part of any action is to get those residents who are being evicted and areRead More willing and able to picket in front of the Westerly, out there, with signs, supporters and the media. Are any of the residents willing to do that, or their families/friends? The oldest could sit in chairs with signs. Signs could say things like "The Westerly is throwing grandma to the curb" or "Evicted by Big Money". I'm just shooting from the hip here but you get the idea. I would come out as a supporter. I have few contacts in that building, but the two that I do have are activists. Could you organize something like this with your contacts? Look out Westerly, you will be on the news and it won't be pretty.
Valerie Salstrom June 5, 2013 at 12:41 am
They can't ask these seniors to move at this point in their lives. This just does not sit well withRead More me at all. How can the bank and IRS be okay with this? Something definitely needs to be done to allow these people (who have done NOTHING wrong by the way) to stay right where they are.
John Huetter June 2, 2013 at 06:58 am
Receipients of the 2013 Lakewood Kiwanis Foundation's scholarships are Amira Nasrallah, SamuelRead More Aprile, Jackie Miller, Julie Herman, Aaron Donahoe and Gayle Craighead. All are Lakewood High School Seniors.
Colin McEwen (Editor) May 31, 2013 at 10:51 pm
I will look into it. Thanks for sharing, Tim.
Tim Tavcar June 1, 2013 at 02:41 pm
Thanks Colin - Just curious and a bit worried that we are losing some long time Lakewood businessesRead More - though Normile seems to be moving just down the street into a heretofore vacant storefront - so that, at least, bodes well!
ian king June 3, 2013 at 09:03 am
Colin and Tim - walk around both Madison and Detroit. LOTS of empty storefronts on both streets. WhyRead More aren't our city officials thinking outside the retro/Rust Belt box and offering options for this losing population city? Check out what Tucson, AZ, did with many of its empty storefronts - they offered them to artists and were turned into Pop-Up Galleries! Madison Ave would be great for this idea - and then link these galleries to the Ma and Pa galleries/shops on Madison already existing. It could be done 4 times a year - Pop-Ups up for 4 weeks and turned into an Art Event! The city could sponsor a weekend where a shuttle bus would go up and down Madison to see the galleries, eat and shop. In other words, something DIFFERENT for Lakewood, and at least, some use of empty storefronts and an opportunity for artist to show their art.