ELKHART -- While an animal control ordinance the City Council will consider in the coming weeks significantly reshapes 20 years of laws, there's one part of the proposal that likely will be the focus of attention.

The legislation would ban pit bulls and crossbreeds of pit bulls, except for residents who now own the dogs and register them within 180 days of the ordinance becoming law.

The proposed ordinance, introduced on first reading at Monday night's council meeting and assigned to the public health and safety committee, also revises the restrictions and licensing of potentially vicious and dangerous dogs and alters other animal control policies.

But Deputy City Attorney Johnny Ulmer, the ordinance's primary author, said the proposed pit bull ban will probably end up at the center of any council or public debate.

"A lot of communities have looked at these issues," Ulmer said Monday. "Every community is different. Some have outlawed pit bulls. Some have put stringent requirements on animal owners."

Ulmer said the ordinance incorporates ideas and suggestions for animal control reform proposed by the council, the mayor's office and the Elkhart Police Department's animal control officer.

Elkhart would be far from the first community to ban a specific breed of dog, Ulmer said. Several others have done so, and such laws have been affirmed by various courts.

The city's current animal control ordinance was passed in 1988 and amended most recently in 2002. The council began considering animal control reform in May, after an increase in police calls and resident complaints regarding potentially dangerous dogs.

Two committee hearings were held on the issue, as the council considered whether to pursue breed-specific restrictions or simply ratchet up education and enforcement efforts. The push for reform stepped up quickly after July 16, though -- the day a 4-year-old girl was viciously attacked by a pit bull.

Though some animal experts and owners warned the council against considering a breed-specific ban, some on the council believe recent evidence warrants such restrictions.

Council President Rod Roberson said that while some pit bulls are well-behaved and owned responsibly, the damage the dogs can cause is significant. While some breeds pose a threat to humans, pit bulls are far more dangerous.

"The issue isn't as much a character assassination of the breed," he said. "The issue is the severity of the bites associated with this breed."

Mayor Dick Moore said he often worries about the permanent physical and emotional damage certain dogs can pose. He said the issue is an important one that the city needs to address soon.

"I think it's government's obligation to look into these concerns," Moore said. "I think it's a proper time for the city council to look into this."

Roberson, D-at-large, said too many owners of pit bulls in Elkhart have used the dogs to terrorize or control neighborhoods.

"Shame on us for allowing this to last this long," he said. "It's time for us to realize that there are communities that live at the will and behest of these dogs."