Some White Lake residents want ordinance against Rottweilers, pit bulls

FOX 2 (WJBK) - A White Lake Township board meeting heard powerful testimony from community members calling for an ordinance requiring Rottweilers and pit bulls to be better restrained.

One woman - hoping no other family goes through the pain she’s going through.

"My 91-year-old mother, the kindest person that I never knew - was fatally mauled by my sister’s Rottweilers at their home in Bloomfield Township in September of 21," she said. "This is the reality of a violent dog attack. I am still in trauma therapy since this unspeakable tragedy happened in my family.

"But I am now a stronger dangerous dog attack victim's advocate because of what happened to my mother."

Another woman was traumatized after she says her golden retriever was attacked by two other dogs.

"I am scared around dogs now, especially loose dogs," she said. "I use to walk four to five times a week. It’s devastating because I don’t feel comfortable resuming my walks again and don’t know how or when I will feel safe with so many dangerous dogs constantly escaping."

But not everyone feels an ordinance would work. Terry Hodskins is the founder and president of the Michigan Pitbull Education Project and has two pits of her own.

"There’s just a lot of wrong behind it, a lot of discrimination," she said. "I run a pitbull rescue in White Lake which means we would be discriminated against, and I know that’s not going to happen so I just don’t see it happening in White Lake at this point."

She says too often, pit bulls get a bad rap.

"Let’s say it was a German Shepherd that did this or an Irish Springer Spaniel or something, you got to look at the situation or what happened, not the type of breed," said Hodskins. "It’s the personality of that dog and responsibilities of the owner of what led up to that, and who is irresponsible. That’s what you need to look at.

"My own dogs have been attacked by other dogs. They have been attacked by labs and shepherds, you don’t see me trying to get labs and shepherds banned you know what I mean? "

Hodskins' group is working on a bill in Lansing that would supersede any law that would put bans on dog breeds.