SAN JOSE, CA (KGO) -- County supervisors in the East Bay and South Bay will consider legislation that would force pit bull owners in their communities to have their pets spayed or neutered. Both proposals were triggered by the mauling death of a 2-year old Concord boy.
The current legal effort has been prompted by the fatal mauling of that two-year old Concord boy last month.Tuesday morning, the board of supervisors of both Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties will be considering a pit bull-related ordinance.
It could be shaped similar to a 2006 San Francisco law that followed the death of a 12-year-old child. The new law being proposed in both Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties would require all pit bull-type dogs in the unincorporated areas to be spayed or neutered.
The hope is that the mandatory requirement would reduce over-breeding of pit bull and pit-mix dogs, plus reduce possible aggressive behavior.
Opponents say targeting specific breeds is an ineffective solution and that dog training and owner education are what's needed.
Steven Hayashi is the step-grandfather of the two-year-old Concord boy who was killed by three of Hayashi's pit bulls in July.
In a jailhouse interview last month, Hayashi said he had seen aggressive behavior in his dogs -- although he never thought they'd attack the family. Now he's changed his opinion of pit bulls and faces felony child abuse charges.
Proponents of the mandatory spay-neuter law believe it will reduce the number of unwanted, unclaimed or neglected pit bulls.
Since the proposals are still at the beginning stages, it's unclear what violators would face perhaps a fix-it ticket to get the spaying or neutering done, or a even a fine.
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