Around Kansas City, some municipalities had pit bull bans on the books for decades. But Independence[, Missouri] only passed its law after a handful of highly-publicized pit bull attacks in 2006. In Kansas City, Missouri, a pit bull killed a 71-year-old woman after it jumped a neighbor’s fence, and an Independence man was nearly mauled to death by three pit bulls the same year. Over the last five years, many local governments have removed breed-specific bans from their city and county charters. Wyandotte County instituted a pit bull ban in 1990 that threatened violators with jail sentences of up to 90 days or a fine of up to $1,000. Leaders repealed it in 2019. Overland Park, Liberty, and Excelsior Springs have also repealed their bans in recent years. A bill introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives this session would prevent cities from regulating dogs by breed.
Source: KCUR News
