Keystone city council hears concerns over breed ban, decision on ordinance still to come

KEYSTONE, Iowa - (Iowa's News Now) — Several dog owners in Keystone aren't giving up their pets or the fight against the city's breed ban.

As many as ten dog owners in the Benton County town were told in late July they were violating the city's ordinance, which prohibits owning pit bulls or dogs that look like pit bulls. At least two owners tell Iowa's News Now they were told if they didn't get rid of the dogs within 7-10 days, the Benton County Sheriff's Office would search their homes and remove the dogs.

The sheriff's office told Iowa's News Now on July 28 no one had been ordered to remove their dogs.

Thursday several of the dog owners used the city council's public comment period to tell the council the ban does more harm than good. Filling the small council chambers and the hallway of city hall, those dog owners and their supporters voiced concern over the ordinance and what it means for Keystone residents.

“I do not support the dog ordinance," says Chris Miller, who says she was told by the sheriff's office she needed to get rid of her dog. "It’s not the breed, it’s poor ownership. These dogs that are being singled out, mine included, didn’t hurt anybody or cause any trouble.”

The sheriff's office told Iowa's News Now last week the city asked deputies to remind certain dog owners of the long-standing ordinance after a toddler was bitten by a loose pit bull. The owner of the dog couldn't be determined. Keystone doesn't have a police department, so the sheriff's office enforces city rules.

Gabby Gormley told council her dog is a boxer lab mix, with vet paperwork to prove it. Still, she's now considering moving.

“Because the town we decided to call home has an ordinance on the books that says our family [dog] isn’t welcome," Gormley says.

The city's ordinance prohibits people from keeping pit bulls or dogs that look like them; it also prohibits Rottweilers. The county has a similar ordinance, but it only implies in unincorporated areas.

“As far as we can tell, the only thing they really accomplish is tearing families apart," says Preston Moore, Iowa State director for the Humane Society. "It’s very rare you can find a statistic saying this type of ban prevented a dog bite.”

According to the ARL of Iowa, breed-specific legislation promotes a false sense of safety in a community without actually being effective.

Moore is helping Keystone families navigate their push for legislative change in Keystone and Benton County, helping advocate for the end of breed-specific bans. He says for the next month, he'll visit every Benton County community. He offered to help the city draft new legislation.

“We’re asking them to immediately suspend enforcement of any breed or appearance ordinances and we’re asking that they immediately begin work to implement a new ordinance, one that is breed neutral and takes individual animals behavior into account," Moore says.

“I have optimism we can band together as a community, remove the bans and refocus our efforts to more efficiently and thoughtfully keep our community safe," says MaKinzie Brecht, whose dog Nightmare was also included in the sheriff's notifications.

Brecht told Iowa's News Now last week she was going to permanently foster her dog out of the area; now she says Nightmare is still at home, for now.

What also hasn't gone anywhere is the uncertainty. City council didn't take any action on the ordinance Thursday as it wasn't on the agenda. They said they'd take the concerns under advisement and would have to put any actual discussion or decision in an upcoming agenda.

“These dogs are my family, my best friend, my emotional support dog and my companion," Miller says through tears.

The city of Vinton is expected to discuss the ban in a meeting next week.