Marine Corps bans pit bulls, Rottweilers at Camp Pendleton, other bases

The Marine Corps is moving to ban dogs with aggressive temperaments from Camp Pendleton and other bases under a policy developed after a 3-year-old boy at Camp Lejeune, N.C., was fatally bitten by a pit bull.

The banned breeds are pit bulls, Rottweilers and wolf hybrids.

Families moving into base housing are no longer allowed to bring those breeds. Families already in housing can keep their dogs until Sept. 30, 2012, but only if they receive a "good-dog" waiver.

In Camp Pendleton housing units, there are 190 pit bulls and 30 Rottweilers, according to officials. The base has more than 7,300 housing units for families.

No dogs are allowed in barracks or enlisted or bachelor officer quarters. All dogs -- and cats -- in family housing must be registered. No family is allowed more than two pets.

Camp Pendleton has yet to determine how dogs will be evaluated to see if they qualify for a waiver.

At three Marine bases in South Carolina, 83 of 85 dogs from the targeted breeds qualified for waivers after passing a test by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: A Rottweiler owned by civilians. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Tessie Jordan]

Haven't our service men and women and their familes sacrificed enough. Now they are being forced to give up four legged members of the family because of the ignorance of others.