The City Council of Clay Alabama voted June 3rd to ban dogs they deem to be pit bulls after an incident involving 4 dogs officials claim were pit bull dogs. The Sheriff was approached while on his porch by the loose dogs. He felt threatened and shot at them, grazing one of the dogs. This incident happened on Tuesday the 27th of May.

Officials passed a ban on pit bulls seven days later.

Sheriff Hale is now saying he believes the dogs that approached him were not pit bulls but Rottweilers.

The ordinance was modeled after Center Points ordinance. The ban does have a grandfather clause. Those people who currently have a dog that would fall under the ordinance have 60 days to register their dog in order to be able to keep it. Owners of grandfathered dogs must post a sign, keep the dogs inside and carry $50,000 of liability insurance.

Violators of the new law face a fine of $500 and up to 30 days in jail.

It is not known at this time whether any public input was accepted. It is unlikely that this is the case because the prompting incident happened last week. This appears to be a very clear case of serious owner failure resulting in some political favors being called in to mete out a personal vendetta with no care or consideration for any members of the community. Seven days is not enough time to properly research the cost and impact of this kind of law. Officials will no doubt find out very soon that there is a cost involved, and a heavy one at that.

Quick laws are, without fail, bad laws.