Two recent pit bull attacks in our area have put controversy over the breed and other "dangerous dogs" in the spotlight.
Some people come down against pit bulls, saying the dogs should be banned. Others say any dog can attack, and there's no good reason to focus on specific breeds.
Still, there is such a thing as breed specific legislation. This is where a city can ban or restrict dangerous dog breeds - of course, that's primarily applying to pit bulls.
In Florida, only Miami-Dade County has a ban on Pit bulls, according to dogsbite.org. Don't expect to see any legislation like that in NE Florida, though, as no one else is allowed to do it.
Florida prohibits local governments from enacting these breed specific laws. Miami-Dade's ordinance was grandfathered in.
We also took a closer look at Florida's laws to see how dog owners could be held liable if their animal attacks someone. Statutes show that owners are held liable for damages regardless of where the animal is, even if the owner's not around. If the victim was negligent, however, they could share in that liability and criminal charges could follow as well. The owner could face a misdemeanor charge.
If a dog determined to be dangerous kills someone, that owner could be charged with a felony.
Exceptions do apply, for example, if the victim was committing a crime, like a burglar.
Having homeowner's insurance might not be enough to keep you out of trouble if your dog attacks someone. You'll want to read the fine print on your policy, there can be specific exclusions for dog attacks.