Council Bluffs mayor wants city to repeal pit bull ban

Mayor Jill Shudak said it's a holdover from when dogfighting was popular over 20 years ago.

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Cheetah is a pit bull that’s been at Midlands Humane Society since October. She ended up there after her family surrendered her. She couldn’t live at home anymore because of Council Bluffs pit bull ban.Mayor Jill Shudak wants to repeal that ban.”It makes no sense why we are singling out one type of breed and not allowing it when we allow other animals,” Shudak said.She said the dangerous animal ordinance already protects people.”We have different levels as far as if they’re aggressive, if they’ve had bad behavior,” Shudak said, “It’s not just for pit bulls.”Nikki Cruickshank with Midlands Humane Society said most of the time, these dogs aren’t dangerous.”It doesn’t matter what the breed is, we look at the behavior, not the look of the dog,” Cruickshank said.Any pit bulls found within the city who aren’t rehomed come to Midlands Humane Society, but they can’t be adopted out to anyone within city limits. They spend months there, waiting for a new family.At Midlands, the dogs might be scared or stressed, but they just miss their families.”People move into the city, and they may not know whether or not they have a breed ban, or they just didn’t check into it,” Cruickshank said. “They find out that they have to get rid of one of their family members. It’s just heartbreaking.” The mayor said the ban is preventing some families from living in the Council Bluffs community.”I’ve had three different individuals reach out to me and say, ‘I need to leave your community because you won’t allow my dog,'” Shudak said.City officials are concerned that because of the ban, owners aren’t taking care of their dogs, and that’s because they are scared of getting in trouble.”What the ban has done is cause those animals to not be licensed, potentially not being seen by veterinarians,” Shudak said.Shudak said ending breed bans is something the state is considering, so why not get ahead of that?”The House just passed a piece of legislation that didn’t make it all the way through the Senate, but it’s on the radar at the state level,” Shudak said.She plans to bring in experts to explain the statistics on pit bull safety, and she’ll present her proposal to Council Bluffs City Council within the next 90 days.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —

Mayor Jill Shudak wants to repeal that ban.

“It makes no sense why we are singling out one type of breed and not allowing it when we allow other animals,” Shudak said.

She said the dangerous animal ordinance already protects people.

“We have different levels as far as if they’re aggressive, if they’ve had bad behavior,” Shudak said, “It’s not just for pit bulls.”

Nikki Cruickshank with Midlands Humane Society said most of the time, these dogs aren’t dangerous.

“It doesn’t matter what the breed is, we look at the behavior, not the look of the dog,” Cruickshank said.

Any pit bulls found within the city who aren’t rehomed come to Midlands Humane Society, but they can’t be adopted out to anyone within city limits. They spend months there, waiting for a new family.

At Midlands, the dogs might be scared or stressed, but they just miss their families.

“People move into the city, and they may not know whether or not they have a breed ban, or they just didn’t check into it,” Cruickshank said. “They find out that they have to get rid of one of their family members. It’s just heartbreaking.”

The mayor said the ban is preventing some families from living in the Council Bluffs community.

“I’ve had three different individuals reach out to me and say, ‘I need to leave your community because you won’t allow my dog,'” Shudak said.

City officials are concerned that because of the ban, owners aren’t taking care of their dogs, and that’s because they are scared of getting in trouble.

“What the ban has done is cause those animals to not be licensed, potentially not being seen by veterinarians,” Shudak said.

Shudak said ending breed bans is something the state is considering, so why not get ahead of that?

“The House just passed a piece of legislation that didn’t make it all the way through the Senate, but it’s on the radar at the state level,” Shudak said.

She plans to bring in experts to explain the statistics on pit bull safety, and she’ll present her proposal to Council Bluffs City Council within the next 90 days.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.