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01-23-2006, 2:34 PM admin Joined on 01-13-2006 Posts 399 Virginia - Dangerous Dog Law Clears Senate Committee http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-sou--xgr-dangerousdog0123jan23,0,6505590.story?coll=dp-news-local-final Houck's bill would make certain dog attacks that result in serious injury a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine. It would impose harsher penalties for dog owners whose pets have previously been declared dangerous. Several members of Sullivan's family attended the hearing and presented the committee with a petition bearing 3,500 signatures in support of the bill. "The tragedy that occurred last March should not have happened and cannot be tolerated," said Sullivan's son-in-law, Larry Just. "When law-abiding citizens are confined as prisoners in their own homes because of the irresponsibility of others, it is indeed time to make some changes." Dozens of others attended the hearing in support of the legislation, including Spotsylvania Commonwealth's Attorney William Neely, who prosecuted Sullivan's case, and an emergency room nurse who showed the committee graphic photos of dog bite injuries. But Bob Kane, president of the Virginia Hunting Dog Owners' Association, argued that the bill was unnecessary and could unfairly punish dog owners for lesser offenses, such as if their pets attack other animals.    Report

01-27-2006, 2:53 PM admin Joined on 01-13-2006 Posts 399 update Virginia - Dangerous Dog Law Clears Senate Committee Vicious dog bill approved http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/012006/01272006/163455 Virginia Senate votes unanimously to pass Spotsylvania legislator's tougher dog measure. RICHMOND--The state Senate yesterday approved legislation that would significantly increase punishments for owners of dogs that attack people. The Senate passed Sen. Edd Houck's bill on a unanimous block vote, with no debate. If enacted into law, the bill would: Create criminal penalties--of up to 10 years in prison in some cases--for owners of dogs that attack people. Expand the authority of who can petition for a dog to be declared dangerous. Create a dangerous dog registry. Require a $300,000 insurance policy for dogs that have been declared dangerous. Require owners of dangerous dogs to notify local authorities if they move. Require doctors and nurses to report dog bites. Make it illegal for owners of dogs declared dangerous to transfer that dog anywhere within the state. Houck said the bill attempts to focus punishment on the owners, not the dogs. After the vote, Houck said he was "real pleased" with the bill's smooth passage in the Senate. He hadn't known whether to expect opposition or not, so he took materials about the bill just in case. But the legislation is likely to run into more trouble when it comes to the House of Delegates. Del. Bobby Orrock, R-Caroline, has proposed legislation that is similar to Houck's, except it does not create felony offenses. Orrock doesn't think there's a need to charge dog owners with felonies. He said common law already provides precedent for owners of dogs that kill a person to be charged with involuntary manslaughter, which is the charge brought against the owner of the dogs in the Sullivan case. Deanna Large was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month. "It is your property. If your property is the proximate cause of someone's death, then you are responsible," Orrock said. Orrock's bill was the only dog bill recommended yesterday by a subcommittee of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee. The full committee will take up the bill next week, along with another Orrock bill that would require veterinarians to issue dog licenses when they give rabies shots to dogs. Apart from the felony issue, Orrock said his bill and Houck's are almost identical. And he's ready to stand firm on that issue. He said several members of a task force that Houck put together to create his own legislation have told Orrock that they prefer the language in his bill. But Orrock doesn't expect that issue to scuttle the legislation. "While we may not be singing the exact same words, we're humming the same tune," he said. "That's not going to derail it."    Report

02-02-2006, 2:10 PM admin Joined on 01-13-2006 Posts 399 Re: update Virginia - Dangerous Dog Law Clears Senate Committee Dangerous-dog bill too lenient to victim's kin TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Feb 2, 2006 A bill aimed at controlling dangerous dogs proved gnarly for its sponsor yesterday. A House committee endorsed, 20-2, a bill by Del. Robert D. Orrock Sr., R-Caroline, that would require Virginia localities to regulate dangerous and vicious dogs. But the victory came without the support of the family of Dorothy Sullivan, the 82-year-old Spotsylvania County woman whose death after a mauling by pit bulls helped inspire the legislation. Larry Just, Sullivan's son-in-law, spoke against Orrock's bill because it doesn't carry the harsher criminal penalties of a similar bill, sponsored by Sen. R. Edward Houck, D-Spotsylvania, which has already passed the full Senate. Houck's bill would make violation of a dangerous-dog law a felony, while Orrock's bill would make a violation a misdemeanor. Just said the misdemeanor provision in Orrock's bill is "a slap in the face" to victims of dangerous dogs. Just's mother-in-law was killed by three loose-running pit bulls. The dogs' owner, Deanna H. Large, 37, was found guilty in December of involuntary manslaughter by a Spotsylvania County jury and will be sentenced this month. Orrock said the purpose of his bill would be to prevent incidents such as Sullivan's mauling before they happen. He said he, too, doesn't believe a misdemeanor penalty is enough for violating the proposed law. But he said it would have been politically impossible to have gotten a felony penalty approved by the House committee. Other than the penalty, Orrock's bill provides the same kind of regulation as Houck's. The House Courts of Justice Committee will need to decide whether it will accept the felony provisions in Houck's bill, Orrock said. Orrock's bill includes provisions that would: give any law-enforcement officer the power to petition to have a dog declared dangerous by a court; create a Virginia Dangerous Dog registry; provide for criminal penalties should violation of the law result in a person's serious injury or disfigurement; impose penalties from the first dog-bite incident, rather than after the second, as is the case under Virginia common law; prohibit the sale or transfer of dangerous dogs or their importation into Virginia; and require owners of dangerous dogs to carry $300,000 in insurance or surety bond.    Report

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