LANSING, MI – State Representative Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) has introduced a bill that would protect kids, pedestrians, letter carriers, utility workers and animal control officers from dangerous dogs.

McCann's bill focuses on specific dog behaviors, rather than breeds, by providing a framework for determining which dogs are dangerous and requiring their owners to take steps to protect people from them.

The proposed legislation would exclude hunting and livestock guard dogs acting as expected, dogs that attack trespassers, dogs that attack people who are in the act of committing crimes or attacking their owners or family members, dogs that attack people tormenting them or attacking other animals that have attacked them first, and details other specific circumstances that would excuse aggressive behavior.

McCann, who is a dog owner himself according to a news release about the proposed bill, authored the bill after a local letter carrier approached him to talk about the danger some dogs pose, and it could also prevent more tragic deaths from dog attacks, as happened in Lapeer County in July.

"The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior," McCann said. "If a dog has established a pattern of aggressive behavior, its owner must step up and keep it from hurting anyone else.

Under McCann's bill, a hearing would be held once a valid complaint has been filed against a dog. If the dog is found to be dangerous or potentially dangerous, the court can order an animal to be registered as such. Once a dog is registered as dangerous, local letter carriers and utility companies would be notified of its address, and owners who don't comply with court orders regarding their dangerous dog would be guilty of a felony.

"Had this bill been law, the recent and tragic death of a jogger in Lapeer County could have been prevented because previous complaints had been made against the dogs that attacked him," McCann said. "Dogs with a violent history must be kept from attacking again, and their owners must be held responsible for their behavior, just as I would expect to be held responsible if our family dog, Arnold, ever threatened someone.

Click on the link to read the proposed