Lakewood Mayor Comments On Breed-Specific Legislation, Citizen Continues To Fight For Her Dog

LAKEWOOD, OH — In recent weeks, the city has been caught up in the drama of Charlie, a pit bull owned by Jennifer Scott, a Lakewood resident. Charlie was ordered to leave the city because of breed-specific legislation that forbids pit bulls from residing in Lakewood.

On Sept. 19, a judge ordered the ordinance upheld and told Scott that Charlie must leave the city. Scott suggested to cleveland.com she intends to file an appeal. She previously told Patch that she will fight the city on the issue until the very end, saying she would even move out of Lakewood if the issue came to that.

"I don’t want it to come down to a lawsuit. I just want the ordinance changed quickly. That’s best case scenario. I don’t want to put my house on the market and move. If it really came down to that, that’s what I would do," Scott told Patch in late August.

After remaining fairly quiet on the polarizing issue, Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers issued a statement on the city's breed-specific legislation. (Subscribe to the Patch Lakewood newsletter for local news and updates.)

"Also at issue is whether the existing breed-specific law protects our citizens and is equitable to specific

dog owners and specific dogs. Many in our community are on the side of safety; many are on the side of
equity," Summers said in his statement.

Summers goes on to note that 100 other Ohio cities have breed-specific legislation. He also says the United Kingdom, as a whole, has breed-specific legislation.

"Lakewood faces a court challenge on both issues pertinent to our breed-specific legislation — home rule and equity. We respect the legal process ahead and welcome the opportunity to address and defend home rule. We look forward to gaining further insight into the issues of animal equity and its priority in our city," he says.

Summers does say he has started discussions with the Animal Safety and Welfare Advisory Board on the city's breed-specific legislation.

The issue with Charlie started after he briefly escaped from Scott's home.

Scott says she received initial approval from the city's animal warden for Charlie to reside in the city. She says she was told a DNA test was recommended, but was not mandated. Then, after she had brought Charlie home, the dog escaped her house.

After a desperate search, she discovered her dog had been turned over to the Lakewood Animal Shelter. The shelter then alerted the city to Charlie's presence in Lakewood and Scott was informed she would need to get a DNA test for her dog. If Charlie was 50 percent, or more, pit bull he would need to leave the city.

"I think this is ridiculous. This is very flawed. They’re allowing people to adopt dogs based on pictures from the APL, but then telling people to get a DNA test and turn themselves in," she told Patch.

Scott then kicked-off a campaign to get rid of the breed-specific legislation. Signs began popping up in yards throughout the city, all reading, "I'm With Charlie." Despite recent court rulings against her, Scott says she will continue her fight for her dog.

Photos from Jennifer Scott