On a lighter note....oh the irony.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The author of a new state law that allows felony charges against owners of dangerous dogs was hospitalized over the weekend after his own dog attacked him. <SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a == null) document.write("<scr" + "ipt type=text/javascript src=""http://us.js1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/lib/bc/bc_1.7.0.js></scr" + "ipt>");</SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a){yzq_a('p', 'P=pzB5I86.I3pLdJRJQ0e9qRH72MzBmkNWW1AABdWU&T=154c6lpf9%2fX%3d1129732944%2fE%3d89014318%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d1.1%2fW%3d8%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d3974382300%2fH%3dY2FjaGVoaW50PSJuZXdzIiBjb250ZW50PSJpdCI-%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d6823BECE');yzq_a('a', '&U=139a34nft%2fN%3dRewdLM6.Isk-%2fC%3d364166.6949991.8282597.1442997%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d3064221');}</SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT> </NOSCRIPT>

Bob Schwartz, who also is Gov. Bill Richardson's crime adviser, was hospitalized at University of New Mexico Hospital on Sunday night with bites on both his arms, said Pahl Shipley, a spokesman for the governor.

A hospital spokeswoman declined to release Schwartz's condition, but Shipley said Schwartz is "going to be fine."

Schwartz has three dogs registered with the city: a boxer and two English bulldogs, said Denise Wilcox, who oversees Albuquerque's animal care centers.

Schwartz was instrumental in getting a law passed during this year's regular legislative session that would allow felony charges to be filed against owners of dogs deemed dangerous or potentially dangerous and that seriously injure or kill another animal or person.

The law was designed to make dog owners accountable, said Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort, who worked with Schwartz to pass the bill.

"But I guess when it happens in your own family, that's another story," she said. "That's tragic."

Wilcox said Sunday her office had not received a bite report from University hospital, which is required when a dog bite leads to medical attention.

:sad3: Felony charges are a bit extreme


but you have mailmen that cant deliver to certian addresses and stuff, I mean some of them have been put out of work becuase of these attack dogs. They ran something on it in the local news not too long ago.

RF we agree on somethin'.Too harsh in most cases.

I have 4 dogs and have had dogs my whole life.There are definitely things you need to do to remain responsible in regards to public safety.Here in Boston about a week ago a guy was being hassled by a police officer for not having his pitbull muzzled and he let it go on the officer.Thats a felony.If a dog escapes his pen or yard and injures someone that has to be looked at differently IMO.

Disagree.
(Been walking dogs for 20 years.)

Dogs like pitbulls, rottweilers, boxers, ridgebacks, dobermans, alsatians etc should all be licensed, insured chipped and registered.

There's too many idiots who use them as an ego extension or a fashion accessory and let them run wild, causing damage and chaos to other dogs and people.

The best time to avoid these dogs is when its pissing with rain, because most dangerous dog owners are posing twats.
Even when its raining there's plenty of Retreivers and labradors and smaller dogs about, but there's an absence of the dangerous type.

If you're a responsible person and you really want one of these things then any restrictions shouldn't be an issue.

Are you disagreeing with me? Im on your side.

Heres the jist of the law:

What a good dangerous dog law would do:

• Identify potentially dangerous dogs before they cause serious injury.

• Consider dogs that chronically run at-large to be potentially dangerous.

• Restrict dangerous dogs to a secure enclosure on the owner’s property.

• Require potentially dangerous dogs to be leashed, muzzled and under the control of a responsible person whenever out of a secure enclosure.

• Require dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs to be spayed or neutered.

• Require owners to immediately report escape of a dangerous dog to the local animal control agency.

I have no quarrel with any thing in here.My point was, blanket type of sentencting will not do.There can be extenuating circumstances.Im just saying a case by case approach must be taken.

Any dog that would bite an advisor to Bill Richardson deserves a medal.