City reverses policy, will allow adoption of pit bulls (Tulsa, OK)

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City reverses policy, will allow adoption of pit bulls By DAVID SCHULTE 5/24/2008Last Modified: 5/24/2008 2:09 AM Acting on legal advice, the city has changed its policy and now allows theadoption of pit bull terriers from the Tulsa Animal Shelter. "We are complying with state law," said shelter manager Jean Letcher. "Wecannot regulate based upon breed, and not allowing (pit bull) adoption isregulation." As is the case with other breeds, pit bulls that are available for adoptionfrom the shelter must be suitable for adoption. "It will depend on the temperament and behavior of the animal," Letchersaid. Shelter staff members will determine whether a pit bull would make a goodpet based on its interaction with people, other dogs and food. The shelter policy was revised earlier this week so pit bulls that showsigns of good behavior or temperament can be adopted, said Letcher. Any dog that acts aggressively will not be available for adoption, she said.Previously, the shelter had an across-the-board prohibition on the adoptionof pit bulls and pit bull mixes to prevent their use in illegal dogfighting. Under its old policy, the shelter allowed owners of stray pit bulls threebusiness days to claim their pets once they entered the facility. Afterthree days, if the shelter was out of space, the dogs were euthanized. That policy became an issue in April when Sam Thompson, an automobile dentrepairman, tried to adopt two stray pits bulls that had wandered into a shopon Sheridan Road near 41st Street before they were taken to the shelter. He wasn't allowed to adopt them, and the dogs were euthanized. In November, the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals ruled that a similar animalshelter policy in Oklahoma City conflicted with a state law that bansmunicipalities from "breed specific" regulation of potentially dangerousdogs. This month, the city of Tulsa's Legal Department reviewed the shelter'spet-adoption policy and decided that a revision was needed to comply withthe court ruling. Letcher indicated that some pit bulls at the shelter Friday would make goodpets. "There are pit bulls that are available for adoption," she said. Thompson said Friday that the knowledge that the shelter has revised itspolicy "makes me feel a lot better, and I am sure a lot of other people feela lot better." Since his failed effort to adopt the dogs was reported in the Tulsa World,Thompson has received many calls from people and animal-rescue groupsexpressing their appreciation for his fondness for pit bulls, he said. Not everyone, though, is pleased with the policy change. Ruth Steinberger, director of Project Outreach for the Oklahoma AnimalAlliance, said Friday she thinks the city is making a mistake in allowingpit bulls to be adopted, although she understands it probably had no choicebecause of the law. "Many of the pits bulls make suitable pets, but most people wanting a pitbull have malicious intentions," she said. Letcher said additional revisions could be made to the shelter'sanimal-adoption policy. One proposal under consideration is checking the backgrounds of potentialadopters of any breed of animal from the shelter. Steinberger would support some form of background check or screening processto prevent people with animal-cruelty records from adopting pets. She believes that other measures to ensure that people meet pet-adoptionrequirements may be needed, as well. "If you have had a pet before, you should say who your veterinarian was,"she said. Thompson also said that other policy changes are needed. The shelter should increase the number of days a dog can stay at the shelterbefore it is euthanized, he said. "If someone is on vacation or out of the country (when their dog is taken tothe shelter), they will lose their dog," he said. http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080524_11_A1_spancl80131