Pit Bull Owners Sue Louisiana Town Over Ban

A New Llano, La., couple filed suit against the town in federal court, claiming the town’s ban on pit bulls and pit-bull-like breeds violates dog owners’ equal protection, property and due process rights.

The American Press reports Christine and Victor Nelson moved to New Llano in August, after Victor, an Army staff sergeant, was assigned to Fort Polk.

The Nelsons said they were unaware of the town’s ban which includes breeds of dogs known as Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier.

The Nelsons own a mixed-breed dog named Mazzy, which was banned by the town after a DNA test, ordered by Mayor Freddie Boswell, showed Mazzy to be 50 percent American Staffordshire terrier.

The paper says Boswell could not be reach for comment.