San Francisco Rejects Dog Muzzle Law

S A N   F R A N C I S C O, Feb. 9 -- A proposal to muzzle aggressive dog breedsin public, which was raised after a woman was fatally mauled two weeks ago, was overwhelminglyrejected by the city's Commission of Animal Control and Welfare.

The commission chairman and dozens of frustrated dog ownersattending Thursday's meeting called the proposal an overreaction tolast month's attack.

"I don't want to demonize dogs. I don't want to speciallydemonize big dogs," said chairman Richard Schulke. "That's a veryslippery slope to get into. One day it's your pit bull, the nextday it's your Akita. I just don't think folks would stand forthat."

Commissioner Frederick Hobson proposed a muzzle ordinancein response to the death of college lacrosse coach Diane Whipple,who was killed outside her apartment Jan. 26 by a mastiff-CanaryIsland dog owned by a neighbor. Prosecutors are consideringcharges against the dog's owners.

"No matter how you feel about this, there's a problem. There'sa big, big problem," Hobson said. The vote on his proposal was5-1.

Jean Donaldson of the Society for the Prevention and Cruelty toAnimals said the SPCA opposes breed-specific legislation.

"That element of society who want to breed and rear aggressivedogs will very quickly corrupt another breed. And we will have tokeep banning breeds. So I don't think that is a solution,"Donaldson said.