PIT BULLS BANNED FROM FAMOUS BEACHES
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Pit bulls were banned from Rio de
Janeiro's famous beaches and other public places in the Brazilian
city on Wednesday under new regulations that could eventually make
the sometimes aggressive breed extinct in the area. Many residents
own the fearless, sturdy dogs for protection in a city where murder
rates are among the highest in the world. The ban, issued by the
state of Rio de Janeiro after more than six years of debate,
follows numerous cases of maulings by pit bulls, especially of
children. Last year, a pit bull badly injured a 4-year-old girl in
the city, while a year earlier another pit bull mauled a 72-year-old
woman to death. Gov. Rosinha Matheus announced a ban on breeding,
importing and selling pit bulls and made the registration and
sterilization of existing dogs compulsory within the next four
months. In addition, pit bulls, rottweilers, DOBERMANS and fila
brasileiro dogs -- purebred as well as mongrel -- can only appear in
the streets between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m, and away from public
parks and squares. They can only be walked by a person older than
18 and always on a leash, with a muzzle when in the street. Owners
who do not comply can face charges while their dogs will be taken
away by police. According to the Brazilian Pit Bull Club, there are
some 30,000 pit bulls in the state.