Yakima lifting 30-year-old ban on pit bulls

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) – The city of Yakima in southern Washington state is lifting its more than 30-year-old ban on pit bull terriers.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports Yakima residents will be able to legally bring pit bulls into the city starting in late September after the city council voted Tuesday to lift the ban.

Efforts to repeal the ban have gone before the council several times, and a petition had garnered thousands of signatures before the repeal vote.

The Yakima Humane Society earlier this month had threatened to end its animal control partnership with the city if the ban remained in place.

The council’s decision was preceded by changes to the city’s dangerous dog ordinance. Advocates claimed the changes to the ordinance made the pit bull ban unnecessary.

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Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic, http://www.yakimaherald.com