INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Currently, those who live in two Kansas City area cities — Leawood and Independence — can't own a pit bull.
Both cities currently have a pit bull ban, but there's a renewed fight in Independence to reverse it.
No action was taken at an Independence City Council meeting Monday night, but officials did hear from both opponents and supporters of the ban.
"If they require so much training education and caveats, chances are they aren't a good family pet or community pet," A supporter of the ban said at the meeting.
Another advocated for the ban said, "Do we allow people to keep this breed knowing it attacks, injuries and maybe death will result. Is this really worth that risk?"
This has been a problem to animal-lovers in Independence for a long time.
"I think it's so unfair that it keeps families from having dogs for appropriate pets and just demonizes pets for no reason," said Susan Knittle, who's against the ban.
She was joined by a section of red at the meeting who are also advocating for a repeal.
"I really feel like it's superfluous — we have a dangerous dog ordinance that protects the citizens, this ban does nothing to keep pit bulls out of Independence," Knittle said.
Repeal advocates want the Independence City Council to follow the footsteps of surrounding cities to remove it, but they don't want it to cost more than $100,000 — the price tag of putting it on the ballot in August.
Still, the Independence City Council can also decide this among themselves.
"What I'm hearing from voters, is they're in favor of repealing the ban," Independence Mayor Rory Rowland said. "I stood out on Election Day and asked people that question — 'Are you in favor of keeping the ban or repealing it,' and majority of people that day at that polling place were in favor of repealing it."
The council's deadline is before May 30 if they want to put this on the ballot. That means they need to make a decision at their next meeting on May 22.
They will also have a study session on their dangerous dog ordinance at that time. If it doesn't go to the polls, the council has until June 15 to vote on the ban.
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