Breeds banned from Malls

[dobs4ever]

I received this from a legislative associate in California and posted it to several Doberman related lists including the DPCA-Online list. I am aware that unfortunately most Board Members decline to participate on the club’s official business list which is regrettable. It is matters like this that need the attention of the Board and the members informed of your actions, if any, to the situation.

Here is the link to the owners company website:
www.carusoaf filiated. com/development/

Please let the membership know via the DPCA Business List, if and when contact is made with the company and the results of that contact.

Thank you,
Dana Johnson

Subject: [AKC-legislative- liaisons] Re: Your breed is hereby banned from the malls!

To: aca-c-secretary@ akitaclub. org

Subj: Your breed is hereby banned from the malls!

The Following letter was sent to the AKC. Your breed was included on the list of banned breeds and that is why I’m sending you a copy of my letter. Please pass on this information in any way that you feel would help to end the insanity of breed specific bans. Before Leonbergers, I owned and rescued Akitas for 27 years and they do not deserve to be banned. If we all work together, perhaps we can bring an end to these irrational breed bans.

Dear AKC…

Sunday evening, January 15, 2012, while walking our two Leonbergers at the Promenade Mall in Westlake Village, California, we were stopped by two security guards. They asked what breed of dog we had and we responded, “Leonbergers”. They stopped their little golf cart and brought over papers to show us the breeds that were now officially banned from all malls owned by Caruso Affiliated, effective, January 1, 2012. The list included

a.. Pit Bulls
b.. Bull Terriers
c.. Staffordshire Terriers
d.. Rottweilers
e.. Dalmatians
f.. Akitas
g.. Alaskan Malamutes
h.. Dobermans
i.. Wolf Hybrids
j.. Cane Corso
k.. Great Dane
l.. Chow Chow
m.. German Shepherd
n.. And all mixed breeds thereof

The security guards carried a paper with color photos of each breed, along with the declaration from the headquarters of Caruso Affiliated, a company owned by Rick Caruso.

What struck me was the inability of these “security personnel” to determine with any accuracy which breeds they were looking at. The Akita was illustrated with 4 individual photos to show type and color combinations, substantiating my belief that these guards are not qualified to distinguish one breed from another.

He showed me the list to ask if my “Leonbergers” were on it! When questioned, he admitted that it appeared the company was trying to ban all large breeds from their shopping malls.

The other mall owned by Caruso is “The Lakes,” in Thousand Oaks; which is also co-owned by the City of Thousand Oaks. I suppose that means the City of Thousand Oaks is also banning these breeds from its streets.

Rick Caruso owns 35 malls throughout the United States and continues to build new ones. In my opinion this is not a simple one incident episode; he appears to have taken it upon himself and his companies to promote breed specific bans. If we sit quietly and allow this to happen here, we are opening the door to the sort of breed specific condemnation that occurred in Germany a few years ago, when even Leonbergers had to be muzzled to be walked. Your organization has the ability to fight this and I hope you decide to take some sort of action.

Sincerely
Thousand Oaks, CA

[von Cosack]

Who takes their dogs to a mall? Why would you take a dog to a mall? The fact that a ban is against a Dobermann may be unfair but I don't understand what a Dobermann would be doing shopping? The only dog that belongs there would be a service dog, some things just get out of hand. I've lived in my area for 21 years and I've been to the mall 5 times, once by accident thinking a store I needed to go to was at the mall. I HATE the mall! Von.

[dobs4ever]

Von - that was my first thought too but I think they often have meet the breed events there etc. I was not even aware people could take them but regardless they can't take these breeds. So I guess it is saying you can take small dogs.

[von Cosack]

Nope I ain't goin in there! I'd rather go to a doctor then go to the mall! If Pudg wants to go I'll drop him off and pick him up at the sheriff dept. when they call. Not for me, no way!!!! Von

[damasyn]

lmao

[su]

Tell Pudg he can shop on the internet and avoid all those annoying people who think a day at the mall is an entertaining day, I'd rather go to the dentist but don't take my dogs there either. It is a stupid ban but I'm with Von, my dogs have never asked to go to the mall and I will say no if they ever do.

[von Cosack]

These people need to consider that their dogs would appreciate a run in the park or woods or a feild as opposed to going to a mall. People just don't think what the dog would want they just think of themselves. Poor Mall Dogz. Von

[aruiz0322]

Unless the dogs get to go to the mall then to the park LOL

Amy

[von Cosack]

I've decided to Ban the Mall, period! Von

[aruiz0322]

I only go to the mall if I really need too!!!!!

Amy

[HEXE- TINA]

Jan 25, 2012 19:37:13 GMT -5 aruiz0322 said:

I only go to the mall if I really need too!!!!!

Amy

i have too, everyday

[turbok9]

Jan 25, 2012 11:17:51 GMT -5 von Cosack said:

These people need to consider that their dogs would appreciate a run in the park or woods or a feild as opposed to going to a mall. People just don't think what the dog would want they just think of themselves. Poor Mall Dogz. Von

They have a large open air mall here (Waterford). I take my buddy all the time, sit with him and have a coffee outside, watch the goofballs and douches in their beemers come and go, yell at people who park in the handicap spots, throw nickels at starving college students. You know, all the normal stuff. We have a nice time. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Haha I know, you mean indoor mall, and dragging your dog with you while you shop. I agree.

[damasyn]

Goodness, I agree with most of you. I HATE the mall. Hate most shopping actually. I think I have been to our local mall maybe 1 time in 2 yrs.

Unless its a service animal, I see no reason a dog should ever be in the mall or business. Grant it, it is good for training younger dogs with distractions and such, but the risks to me far outweight the benefits. For example: You dont know what other animal has been in there and what kind of pest or infectious diseases they may or may not be carrying or injury to my dog or god forbid a stupid individual that does something that MAY on the off chance cause my dog to nip or act aggressive.

I am sure alot of the people that take their dogs in there are basically just looking for attention. That just makes me squirm anyway. I mean I literally had one person ( after I was ignoring their pet ) literally hold it up and say "See?? See my baby?? " UGH. So I said "yup, its a good thing I took my allergy pills today or I would be needing to go to the hospital." LOL Yes I know I lied, but it was a good lesson for them.

[cathynu]

Ok, so this has been one of the wettest winters I can remember in Alabama in the 15 yrs I've lived in the US - it seems like it has rained about 3 if not more days in a week .... which means my guys have become raving lunatics in the house. Rex especially you can hardly get to go out to use the potty - Lil is better, but also doesn't like being wet ... So I've used Lowes most wet days to go exercise them. I will take one up for an hour and walk around, and talk to everyone there, and then come home and get the other one .... All the Lowes workers know me and my dogs, and for the most, are animal lovers themselves, so they come over to chat to the guys and pet them, and its great socialization for the guys, and we also get our exercise ... So THANK GOD for Lowes .... and if there was a mall in my neighbourhood that allowed dogs, mine would be going there on wet days .... but wet days only - then again, I'm also not that much of a mall queen myself ..