Air Force puts more bite in pet regulations

Air Force puts more bite in pet regulations

Brace the kids: The tarantula might have to go the next time you PCS. Maybe the chow, too.

They're now banned in base housing, and the commander at your next stop could order you to get rid of your hairy spider and even hairier canine.

The list of blacklisted critters is long under the Air Force's new pet policy: arachnids; reptiles; rodents, except hamsters and guinea pigs; ferrets; hedgehogs; pot-bellied pigs; monkeys; skunks, raccoons; squirrels; farm animals; and five kinds of dogs — pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, Rottweilers, chows and wolf hybrids — as well as any dog that displays "aggressive or dominant behavior." Military dogs are allowed in base housing with the permission of the base commander.

If you have a pet not on the list, check with your base commander to see if it can stay. If you already own an animal on the list and your base commander hasn't issued an order to get rid of it, you're safe. The order, however, prohibits you from adopting any more of the creatures, and you risk getting kicked out of your home if you do.

The policy also lets base commanders decide the number of pets to allow in a house.

No incident prompted the update to Air Force Instruction 32-6001, according to the service.

The policy is simply meant "to improve the health, welfare, safety and security of persons living in and visiting military, government-managed and privatized family housing and provides a more uniform policy to assist families in decisions relative to pets," said Col. Frank Freeman, chief of Air Force Housing Division, in a Sept. 1 statement to Air Force Times.

Many cities nationwide have similar restrictions and every state prohibits exotic pets, Freeman said.

"Every state has exotic pet laws," he said, "although they differ on types and restrictions of ownership, so there can be differences in opinion on what constitutes an exotic animal. The Air Force policy has provided examples of exotic animals that may not be kept as pets."

Many municipalities have banned specific dog breeds, especially the pit bull, because of the animals' sometimes aggressive behavior.

The AFI states any dog can be banned from base housing if it bites, scratches, runs along the fence line or jumps the fence to chase after someone. Even snarling and growling too much can get a dog kicked out. The ban on ferrets is also because of their aggressive behavior, according to the Air Force.

Lt. Daniel Muggelberg thinks the policy is unfair. He and his wife have a 3-year-old Rottweiler and they have no qualms about it being around their baby boy.

"I dislike the new policy because to generalize a certain breed is unfair," Muggelberg said in an Air Force news story earlier this year. "There are numerous breeds that could simply be `bad dogs' if not trained properly."

But the Air Force does not agree, labeling the breeds as either aggressive or potentially aggressive.

The Muggleberg family, who live at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, won't have to give up their 3-year-old Rottweiler, though, unless it starts acting out, Freeman said.

"The policy provides that residents with pets prohibited by the policy could continue to board the pet until they terminate housing, unless the pet demonstrated a propensity for dominant or aggressive behavior," he said.

A top dog expert considers any ban on a dog breed tantamount to discrimination and said many states prohibit banning breeds.

"There are no bad dogs, there are bad dog owners," said Bob Yarnall Jr., president of the American Canine Association.

Yarnall, who has testified before state legislatures about dog breed bans, said the cocker spaniel is the breed that bites the most. Dalmatians are the next-worst offenders.

Yarnall acknowledged a Doberman will do more damage when it attacks than a cocker spaniel, but so will a Great Dane or English mastiff, and those breeds aren't banned by the Air Force.

Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., banned pit bulls, pinschers and Rottweilers after an airman's dog attacked another's dependent, according to an Air Force news release at the time.

"Banning these dog breeds is not meant as a punishment to their owners," said then-Col. Scott Vander Hamm, who was 28th Bomber Wing commander at the time. "Unfortunately, in the interest of safety, it is the best means of protecting those in our community who live in military housing from attacks of this nature."
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/20...ations-091811/

But the coyotes are allowed to wander at will. What's a greater risk to the welfare of the community? My well-trained and utterly goofy doberman who wouldn't hurt a fly? (Literally...she tries and can never catch one! )....or the wild coyotes that wander freely on Davis-Monthan AFB? (and many others, I'm sure, but that's the one where I have personally encountered them)

Unfortunately, the military is not immune (in fact, we're more vulnerable to) to the increasingly ridiculous controls the government is trying to force on us every day.

It is simple you don't like their rules for their free housing move off post/base. The coyotes has always been there and the AF has little control over that fact since I doubt Willy E will follow their rules and regs. I don't agree with the rules but it is their right.

It isn't that simple. Often times you must request permission to move off-post/base and if housing is available on-post/base, your request will be denied because paying out BAH for civilian housing is an extra expense that the military would rather avoid and have you stay in sanctioned housing. It also allows them to keep a closer eye on personnel. We went through this crap at Fort Hood, and my buddy is going through it at Whiteman AFB as a single father.

Ferrets? Aggressive? Have they ever MET a ferret? 1 out of maybe 50 ferrets is aggressive. They are playful, loving, amazing animals. I have 3, have rescued and rehomed dozens, and I've only had one that just nipped a little too hard when playing -- far from aggression. I hate ignorance.

Nope I have never met a mean ferret and if I hadn't become allergic to mine I would still have them.

Originally Posted by fishnfool73

It is simple you don't like their rules for their free housing move off post/base. The coyotes has always been there and the AF has little control over that fact since I doubt Willy E will follow their rules and regs. I don't agree with the rules but it is their right.

Yes, I'm aware the coyotes have always been there, and that they have no care for military regs. My point was that the world is full of risks to our well being. The actual risk of danger from the wild coyotes that wander D-M AFB is really small (unless you're a cat )....but the risk of injury from my doberman or Jen's ferrets is miniscule compared to that of the coyotes. Heck, even the cats are perfectly safe from my dobie.

They're ridiculous regulations. Do they have the right to make them? I guess they do. And I'll happily continue to live off base/post until such time (a very likely scenario in 3-4 years) as they force us to live on base due to the nature of my husband's job. As Jen pointed out...not everyone gets a choice. And maybe, if enough people speak out against the utter nonsense of such regs...instead of just sitting back with a shrug and a "too bad so sad" attitude...they will be changed before I have to give my dog and my snakes away.

Some people just don't get it. Maybe never will. They live in the pot while the temp is being turned up slowly. Cooked frogs I call them.

If people don't speak out about EVERY small loss of their liberties, they will lose them. We are losing them every day and don't even realize it!!!

For example: I cannot move into MULTIPLE cities in my area because I own a ball python. Seriously? Am I that big a threat to your homes and ways of life that I cant move where I want to move to? One of my liberties lost!

We cant let our legislators continue to make laws directed at the 'village idiot'. For every incident, there are thousands and thousands that have no incidents. Its also making laws that are far out of perspective. Really my ball python is important enough to take your time away from better things like the economy and real issues in the world? EVEN IF I DIDN'T OWN A BALL PYTHON, I'D BE PISSED MY LAW MAKERS WERE WASTING TIME ON THIS CRAP!

I cant wait until a big city makes a law saying you cant own ANY dog or cat in the city. Then some people might get motivated to do something. However, you'll have pulled your head out too late. Because now they have all kind of precedent to stand on because you let them pass it.

Ughh!! Cooked frogs!

you are completley correct