Felons would be banned from owning 'vicious' dogs under a new Republican-led bill in Wisconsin

[milestogo]

MADISON – Republican legislators are reviving a bill that would ban felons from owning vicious dogs. State Sen. André Jacque, R-De Pere, said vicious dogs are just as dangerous as guns, in some cases. "You're talking about putting a weapon in the hands of someone who is not supposed to have access to it," Jacque said.

The bill doesn't target a certain breed of dog but instead calls for police to weigh the dog's behavior and determine whether it's vicious. "Unfortunately, there is a significant problem of animals being used for such unlawful activity as dogfighting, guard dogs for narcotics trafficking and other illegal activity, and as tools for intimidation, and there have been a substantial number of cases where officers have been attacked and injured by animals trained to be vicious when attempting to make arrests and investigate crimes by violent offenders," according to the bill.

The legislation only applies to felons convicted of the specific serious felonies of homicide, felony battery, sexual assault, and felonies involving controlled substances. Felons found in possession of a vicious dog could face up to $10,000 in fines and six years in prison. The bill was previously introduced in 2015 and 2021, gaining unanimous support in committee but failing once it got to the full Legislature.

Jacque said he doesn't think it has been a "high priority" for leadership but has not been a contentious bill and should have strong bipartisan agreement. Michigan, Illinois and Iowa prohibit possession of vicious dogs by serious felony offenders.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/31/wisconsin-bill-would-ban-felons-from-owning-vicious-dogs/69854882007/

[Bev54]

1. Wow something reasonable from republicans, get out the smelling salts.

[LakeArenal]

2. No one should own vicious animals.

Raising a vicious animal is inhumane to the animal.

[dembotoz]

11. relative had a dachund that would qualify as such an animal

i get nervous when the police are given interpretive ways to define felony violations.....

[LakeArenal]

12. Especially a relative should not have a vicious dog.

If dogs bite and attack people it’s the owners fault not the dog. Police have no choice but to remove them

[RandySF]

3. I know exactly what image they're trying to conjure here.

[milestogo]

5. Unfortunately some people do use their dogs as weapons to try to intimidate and bully others.

And because of the "emotional support dog" exception, landlords have to allow any kind of dog to live on their property. This is a good bill, IMO. It restricts the rights of felons.

[Lovie777]

4. Do they allow guns.....

[milestogo]

6. Federal Law prohibits convicted felons from owning firearms.

Wisconsin law, in conjunction with federal law, prohibits certain individuals from purchasing, possessing, or owning firearms. Those individuals include: Any person convicted of a felony in Wisconsin. Felony convictions from other states count, so long as that conviction would be a felony in Wisconsin.

https://milwaukee-criminal-lawyer.com/who-can-own-guns-in-wisconsin/#:~:text=Wisconsin%20law%2C%20in%20conjunction%20with,be%20a%20felony%20in%20Wisconsin.

[rso]

7. Wisconsin

I think this is the first good legislation to come out of the GQP in years.

[doc03]

8. Police weigh the dog's behavior and determine whether it's vicious? So if the

person has any dog it gives police the right to declare it vicious and fine you $10000
and 6 years in prison. Just another power to give a bad cop to harass someone. If I
were a convicted felon I sure wouldn't have a dog, any dog..

[milestogo]

9. I'm more worried about the general public being attacked

by a weaponized dog than about convicted felons losing the right to own vicious dogs.

[doc03]

10. I suspect there are a lot of vicious dogs owned by people that

never were convicted of any crime. Shouldn't that apply to anyone that has a vicious dog?

[dembotoz]

13. Putting State Sen. Andr Jacque, R-De Pere, in a cage with Cujo would be a pay per view

i would cough up some bucks for....
Proceeds to go to a worthy cause of coarse......