I was just ticketed for walking Charlie Ashmont in Boston without a muzzle, violating Boston's asinine Pit Bull ordinance. On the $100 citation, I am referred to as "suspect." I was standing at the corner of Dorchester Ave and Ashmont, waiting for the light to change, Charlie sitting quietly at my side. Cop said he would be taking the dog, but there was no one at Animal Control right now to come get him. Can you imagine if they took him? My poor dog with his three chronic conditions requiring 12 pills a day, who spent 5 days last month hospitalized at Angell? So, we will be driving to Milton or Quincy twice a day now to walk. And if you asked me right this minute, I’d say we might also start looking for a house outside of the city limits. How messed up would that be? I'm not exactly shy about volunteering lots of time to make Dorchester, where I was born, a better place to live. Not sure why I bother some days. He's always on leash outside and always within my control, and I’m not making him wear a muzzle.
For the record, I do not dispute that I was in violation of the current Boston Pit Bull Ordinance, and I will be paying the fine. I am merely expressing an opinion about the unfairness, vagueness and ineffectiveness of the 6-year-old ordinance.
