Dog Breed Specific Legislation, and saying "Good-Bye" to our dog

Yesterday afternoon we were leaving on some errands, and our dog found a spot behind a bush where she could jump our fence, presumably because she wanted to come along for the ride. Some neighbors were outside, and they came into our yard to ‘help’ us get her back, but this was a BAD move on their part. My kids were outside, and Cozy is very protective of them, so she was nipping at the neighbor’s heels and really barking. It doesn’t matter that she is only 7 months old- she has a deep growly bass bark that is very intimidating. So the lady across the street called animal control, and when the officer arrived, we found out that owning a dog that has any pit bull or bull terrier blood in them in the state of Ohio requires the owner to 1) have a locked, covered enclosure such as a kennel 2) carry $100,000 liabliity insurance. Cozy is a beagle/bull terrier mix.

We can’t afford that expense (insurance would be about $400/year, plus an addendum to our homeowners, plus additional fencing and building a kennel…), or the neighbors to be constantly concerned about our dog (we have the kind of neighbors that report people for having too many dandelions on their lawn). We let animal control take her and hopefully find a pit bull rescue organization who will keep her. The reality is that she will probably be put down some time next week- but we have a few days to try to find a place for her because of the weekend.

My husband is upset, and the kids and I have cried just about all night. Cozy was really still a puppy, and she was doing her job as a guard dog. But the law is the law. So I guess this is a general information thread for anyone considering adopting a dog in a state with breed specific legislation, and a prayer request for us, because we are heartbroken. I have contacted a few agencies, like Ohio Valley Dog Owners Inc, and am trying to find a reputable pit bull rescue to take her. Some pit bull rescues are just fronts for people who want to fight dogs, and we don’t want to her go to a place like that. Maybe we will be able to find a solution, but I am not particularly hopeful right now.