Leawood’s pit bull ban is still on the books, but the way it’s enforced changed this week.
The Leawood City Council on Monday unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s dangerous animal ordinance banning pit bulls.
This is the latest step in the city’s efforts over the past year to determine what should be done with the ban.
The amendment clarifies what counts as a pit bull
- The altered ordinance now spells out the characteristics of a pit bull — such as the dog’s ears, eye shape and the length and shape of the dog’s head.
- The word “vicious” has also been removed from the city’s code and replaced with “potentially dangerous,” although dogs deemed “potentially dangerous” still include: Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeds of dog, specifically American Staffordshire Terrier; American Pit Bull Terrier breed of dog; or dogs that look like these breeds.
- However, dogs deemed “potentially dangerous” still have to be confined and microchipped, and the owner must post a sign on their property identifying the dog.
Leawood’s municipal court now makes the final decision on labeling a dog ‘potentially dangerous’
- The administrative process for determining whether a dog is “potentially dangerous” also now requires the city to file a petition in Leawood Municipal Court, which now makes the final decision.
- This change replaces the previous requirement that the city’s animal control officers issue a citation, although animal control officers will still make an initial assessment of the dog.
- “This way, I think it provides a little bit more notice and due process to a dog owner,” said City Attorney Marci Knight. “They have the opportunity to come forward and show evidence as to why it shouldn’t be declared dangerous before an animal control officer or anyone just says that it is dangerous.”
Leawood is the last Johnson County city with a pit bull ban
- After receiving resident pushback on the ordinance last fall, the city conducted a survey to see if most residents still wanted it in place.
- The survey found that nearly 60% of respondents — of which there were 1,002 — wanted to keep the ban.
- “Retaining this ordinance, I think, is very important for us and I really see it as a public health and safety issue,” said Councilmember Mary Larson. “There can be no question that we now have an objective enforcement criteria, as directed from the Johnson County Court.”
Go deeper: Survey finds most Leawood residents want to keep city’s pit bull ban
