WILLISTON, N.D. (KFGO) – There’s a special election in Williston Tuesday, Sept. 26. Voters will decide the future of the city’s pit bull ban.
Jyl Albertson, who has been an elementary school teacher, says the ordinance, on the books for many years, is outdated and flawed, and the breed is no different than other dog breeds. She was the lead petitioner gathering the signatures to get the measure on the ballot.
Albertson became involved in 2020 when police charged her with a Class B misdemeanor for having her pit bull in a truck within city limits while in a parade. She was fined $350 and put on probation. She ended up sending her dog, Gunner, to live with her son in Georgia. The dog has since died.
“The specifics on what breeds a person can and cannot have is ridiculous, what people don’t know is that if a dog is rescued and authorities suspect the pet has pit bull characteristics and is DNA tested, if the dog has even so much as .01% of one of the banned breeds, it’s illegal,” Albertson said.
In a previous interview with KFGO News, Williston Mayor Howard Klug said there are a lot of emotions on both sides of the issue. The mayor said while people love their dogs, there are residents, including city commissioners, who want to keep the pit bull ban in place.
It’s believed Minot was the only other North Dakota city that had a pit bull ban but the ordinance was repealed a year ago.
