Pit Bull Owners Told To Get Insurance

Pit bull owners are going to need something besides a leash when they take their dogs for a walk here - a hefty insurance policy.

Rio Mayor Cesar Maia issued a decree Tuesday requiring the owners of pit bulls and other "potentially dangerous dogs" to carry insurance policies of at least $43,000 to compensate the victims of any attack.

"The measure ... is part of a series of actions aim at alerting the owners and defending the population from these dogs," the decree said.

The other dogs covered by the decree are: Rottweillers, Dobermans, bull terriers and filas, a Brazilian species resembling the Great Dane.

Dog owners who do not comply with the law will be subject to fines ranging from $86 to $860.

Pit bull attacks are fairly common in Rio de Janeiro, where the dogs are a favorite companion of various street gangs, known generally as Pit Boys. A special police unit was inaugurated last year to monitor their activities.