Xenia woman upset over new pit bull ordinance

Xenia's new ordinance regarding pit bulls has only been effect for one week, and it is now already a hot issue.

News Center 7's John Bedell talked with a woman who is taking drastic steps because she is fed up with the new law.

Gabrielle Franklin owns a pit bull, and she said she has had enough with the fines that come with owning her dog in Xenia. In fact, she said, financially, she has no other choice but to leave town.

"Basically I'm moving because I'm sick of it," Franklin said. "I don't have the money to pay for fines. I don't have the money to pay for insurance and I'm not giving my dog up."

Franklin told News Center 7 that she does not believe her pit bull qualifies as a vicious dog.

"He's never bit anyone. He's never hurt nothing, ever," Franklin said.

However, a new law in the city of Xenia requires her to register her dog as a vicious breed and to take a $100,000 liability coverage on her insurance. She has only found one company that will even write the coverage for her and she said she can't afford the $46-a-month premium payment on the policy. And, she said the new law is causing her some other financial problems, too.

"He got loose and went for a jog around the block and animal control brought him home. This is the situation I'm in," Franklin said.

A situation where Franklin said she now owes Xenia $550 because her pit bull is not allowed in public unleashed and unmuzzled under the new law.

Franklin said some of her friends who also own pit bulls said the ordinance, payments and fines go too far.

Meredith Fleet of Dayton said, "Just carrying them (insurance policies) on every single dog out there is outrageous. It just doesn't make much sense, it's not fair."

Pit bull owners in Xenia have until Jan. 20 to pick up the required insurance on their dogs. Failure to register and insure the dog is now a misdemeanor in Xenia.