The director of the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation, Dahlia Canes, with Lucky.
Photo via nbcmiami.com
Here’s a story in which the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and a county’s breed-specific legislation (BSL) are in direct conflict. Felix Conde’s trained service dog, Lucky, just happens to be a Pit Bull, a breed that is banned by an ordinance in Miami-Dade County.
According to a complaint filed Tuesday, Lucky, a 3-year-old service dog, is trained to recognize when his owner, Felix Conde, is short of breath.
“[Lucky is] trained to retrieve a rescue inhaler containing the prescription medicine Proventil,” the complaint said.
Incredibly, the county ordinance outlawing certain breeds makes no exception for service dogs. So Conde and his wife were forced to move Lucky to a neighboring county.
Let’s hope that this case serves to highlight the problems of BSL and causes legislators to rethink the strategy.
The ADA should supercede all local laws and this case should open local jurisdictions as to their potential for suit for violation ADA guidelines