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Councilmember Jim Graham
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A BILL
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________________
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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__________________________________
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Councilmember Jim Graham introduced the following bill, which was referred to the
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Committee on ________________________.
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To amend the “Animal Control Act of 1979” to prohibit the importation, possession,
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displaying, selling, trading, bartering, exchanging, adoption, or giving of pit bulls in
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the District of Columbia; to require present owners of pit bulls to comply with certain
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standards and requirements and to take certain protective measures when the pit bull
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is on public space; to provide penalties for injury or death caused by pit bulls.
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That
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this act may be cited as the “Pit Bull Public Protection Act of 2005”.
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Sec. 2. The Animal Control Act of 1979, effective October, 1979 (D.C. Law 3-30;
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D.C. Code § 6-1001 et seq.) is amended as follows:
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(a) Section 2 (D.C. Code § 6-1001) is amended by adding the following paragraph
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(5A) to read as follows:
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"(5A) The term “pit bull” means any of the following: Staffordshire Bull
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Terrier; American Staffordshire Terrier; American Pit Bull Terrier; American Bulldog; any
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dog which has been registered at any time as a Pit Bull Terrier; any dog which has the
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appearance of being predominantly of the breed of dogs known as Staffordshire Bull Terrier,
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American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, or American Bulldog. A dog shall
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be deemed to have the “appearance of being predominantly of the breed of dogs” named
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herein if the dog exhibits the physical characteristics which substantially conform to the
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standards established by the American Kennel Club or the United Kennel Club for any of
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these breeds.”
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(b) Section 9 (h)(1)(D.C. Code § 6 -1008) is amended by striking "domestic dogs
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(excluding hybrids with wolves, coyotes, or jackals)" and inserting the phrase "domestic dogs
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(excluding pit bulls, and hybrids w