By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Pit bulls are once again canes non grati in Cincinnati.

Four years after lifting a ban on the dog breed, City Council voted 8-1 Wednesday to reinstate it.

"For too long in this city we were too tolerant of disorder," Councilman Pat DeWine said. "When it comes down to it, I think we need to err on the side of people being safe in their neighborhoods."

In the first six months of this year, 40 percent of all dog bites reported in Cincinnati were from pit bulls, he said. In addition, the Hamilton County SPCA is on pace to pick up twice as many stray pit bulls this year as it did in 1998.

In 1999, council replaced its ban with a requirement that pit bulls be registered, insured, tattooed and embedded with a microchip. Owners who follow those steps by Nov. 1 - when the ban takes effect - may keep their dogs.

Anyone else caught with a pit bull - defined as the Staffordshire bull terrier and American Staffordshire terrier breeds - within the city limits will be subject to a fine and must get rid of the dog.

Only 11 pit bulls are registered at present.

"The registration requirement has not worked," DeWine said.

But Crow Grando urged council not to pass the ban.

Registration "can't work if it's not enforced, and that's a large part of the problem," said Grando, who spent almost $800 on insurance and the other requirements for her dog, Shunka.

She found Shunka on her doorstep, curled up and injured. He's a gentle pet, Grando said.

"Basically what they're saying is any other dog of any other breed has to actually attack a person or another animal," she said. "This dog they want to say is vicious by nature."

Councilman Jim Tarbell cast the only vote against the ban, citing experts who say pit bulls are not inherently more dangerous than other dogs. Council repealed the ban four years ago because it didn't work, he said.

"It's counterproductive because it's not putting the emphasis where it needs to be, then and now: on the owners," Tarbell said.

Some residents, however, are glad pit bulls will soon be outlawed.

"Time has proven that the breed is more dangerous than other breeds," said Joy Rolland of South Cumminsville.

In conjunction with the ban, council voted 9-0 to raise the fees for owners whose pets are picked up and held by the SPCA. Owners' cost to reclaim their animals will rise from $1.50 a day to $20 a day - the rate the SPCA charges the city.

The extra money will be used to hire an SPCA officer to enforce the city's vicious dog law.

In other council action Wednesday, members voted 9-0 to repeal proposed fees for owners of security alarm systems.

"That's punishing everyone who has taken an interest in protecting themselves," Councilwoman Minette Cooper said.

Homeowners were to be charged $50 and business owners $100 to offset the cost of a planned registry of alarm systems. The city is still compiling the registry, sought by emergency officials to help them respond more quickly.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com

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