The Forest City Council will take up a first reading of a pet ordinance that will effectively ban pit bulls breeds within city limits. The ordinance states that it is “unlawful to keep, harbor, own or in anyway possess with the corporate limits of the City a Pit Bull Dog...” The city will reserve the right to test any dogs believed to be of a pit bull breed through DNA testing. The city will pay for the test unless it is proven to be of a Pit Bull breed. Then the owner will be forced to pay for the test.The article also references licensing fees, which can be reduced if the owner provides evidences that the dog or cat is spayed, neutered, or microchipped.
A quick google search reveals a long series of news articles going back years where city residents are trying to get Forest City's pit bull ban repealed. In other words, this article is a bit misleading. Forest City, IA, has banned pit bulls for well over a decade.
So what is the Forest City city council voting on tonight? Last month, the Forest City Safety Committee met to review the city's licensing fees and to update the city's already existing pit bull ban. They came up with the following recommendations. And the city council will start the process of approving those recommendations tonight.
First, the Safety Committee added an item to Section 55.20 that will allow the city to perform DNA testing for suspected pit bull dogs. If DNA tests demonstrate that the dog isn't one of the banned "pit bull dog" breeds (bull terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, or mixes of any/all of these breeds with other breeds), then the city will pay for the DNA testing. If DNA tests demonstrate that the dog actually is one of the banned "pit bull dog" breeds, then the dog owner will pay for the testing.
Second, the Safety Committee updated the city license fees for dogs and cats. If approved you can pay a lifetime fee of $60 or an annual fee of $20. But if you spay or neuter your pet, the annual fee will be reduced to $10. It appears that the lifetime fee will be reduced by $25 if the pet is spayed or neutered and an additional $25 will be reduced from the lifetime fee if they pet is microchipped.
Also, pet owners will have to provide proof of rabies vaccination at the time of registration. I'm actually shocked that this isn't already a thing.