Project Pit Urges Residents To Get Dogs, Dissidents Fined $500

LAS CRUCES – A recent uptick in burgleries, property thefts, and home invasions have left area residents jamming the 911 circuits with calls for assistance and local law enforcement overburdened with following up on dead-end cases.

He never thought it would happen to him, but when area man Len Tukwila came home one day last spring he was surprised by 3 men armed with golf clubs standing in his shower. Tukwila’s 8-year-old calico cat napped peacefully on a window sill as he was repeatedly clubbed by the intruders who stole a number of items from the home – including a factory-wrapped Sleepless in Seattle DVD, an iPod, and a large pot roast defrosting on the kitchen counter.

Tukwila says he felt insulted when he spoke to police about the incident and they told him if he had a dog instead of a cat this probably wouldn’t have happened.

Project Pit, promoted by local law enforcement, encourages all residents to have attack dogs on their properties

In response to the overwhelming number of home invasions and burgleries, local police have formed a new community program called Project Pit. Working hand-in-hand with the City’s animal shelter, as well as scouring the rural areas of the county for properties hoarding dogs or running dog fighting operations, police are offering discounted adoption rates on the most intimidating and potentially violent dogs they can find.

Sergeant Perro Malo says the community’s response has been positive and that since the project began three months ago there are now at least 250 more snarling pit bulls chained to trees on residents’ properties.

“We simply don’t have the manpower to deal with all these crimes,” said Malo. “Sometimes going back to basics is the best solution and we’ve turned to man’s best friend for help.”

Police have been going door-to-door talking to residents and handing out informational pamphlets about Project Pit. The pit bull breed is being given top bill in the program due to their unusually vicious nature and history of attacks on humans.

“We want people to be safe. Guard dogs can be trained to kill intruders on sight and will bark for hours at any sign of movement or slight noise. We like to refer to them as “alarm systems with a heart”.

To help with funding for Project Pit, city officials recently passed a new ordinance allowing local police to fine any resident without a dog on their property. Fines start at $500 and increase in cases of reported burgleries in homes without dogs.

Officials suggest keeping a second dog inside the home and “dressing it like a gangster” to ward off burglers

“It’s a liability problem,” said Sergeant Malo. “We aren’t here to babysit every single person in town. We just don’t have the resources to go to the rescue of every victim of crime. The homes with a bunch of barking dogs in the backyard are the homes that the crooks pass up.”

Critics of the program state that not every resident has the means to care for a dog. Senior citizens, cat lovers (aka dog haters), homes with young children, and apartment dwellers are a few examples of people who may choose not to comply with the program.

“We aren’t forcing anyone to get a pit bull,” said Malo. “As free Americans, you have a choice. But those who choose not to comply are going to get fined. It’s that simple.”

To learn more about the project and get signed up for your new pit bull, stop by the police headquarters, call 555-PITS, or visit the website at www.LCNMpits.com.