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Breed specific legislation (BSL) is being passed in many different
states, counties, towns and countries, and is a detriment to the
survival of the Pit Bull. All owners should concern themselves with the matter of BSL.
Did you know:
If you travel with your Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix through a city that bans the breed, your dog might be confiscated and killed?
If there is a Pit Bull in your household, you may find your homeowner's insurance cancelled, or you may have difficulty finding homeowner's insurance?
Ownership of treadmills, books on the history of the breed, and canine nutritional supplements have often been used as "evidence" in criminal dog-fighting cases?
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If you talk with the animals they will talk with you and you
will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears, one destroys."
--Chief Dan George |
One objective of this site is to put an end to such unjust policies by fighting BSL and promoting a positive, accurate image of Pit Bulls.
But as true dog lovers we all know that the secret to successfully doing this is NOT to ban certain breeds, but to effectively ban certain OWNERS.
What is BSL?
BSL is legislation that targets specific breeds of dog (namely
Pit Bulls and "pit bull types") because they are supposedly inherently dangerous and
therefore deserving of prejudicial rules and regulations. BSL can
be loosely divided into two types:
Type 1--Bans
Bans make it illegal to own, house, harbor, import, train, or breed
any of the dogs listed in the legislation in a particular location.
Dogs that already exist in the area of the ban are usually
grandfathered in, but their owners have to comply with extensive
laws in order to keep their animals. These laws usually require
owners to take out expensive liability insurance on their dogs,
muzzle the dogs in public, keep the animals confined in kennels,
mandatory spay/neuter, among other things.
Type 2--Ownership regulation
Regulation legislation doesn't outright ban a breed, but rather
makes it extremely difficult to own a certain breed. Requirements
such as liability insurance, mandatory spay/neuter, higher
licensing costs, muzzling in public, etc. are typical of legislation
like this. Ownership regulation also places age limits on who
can own or handle certain breeds. Through this type of
legislation, the government is basically deciding who is and who
is not allowed to own certain dogs.
Bite Statistics
BSL is also largely based on misinformation and truth-twisting, its authors citing the "inherent
viciousness" of certain dog breeds as plenty reason to outlaw
even those dogs that have never acted in a criminal fashion. Bite statistics are also used as justification since "pit bulls" often top such lists.
Of course, no breed is inherently vicious, and the accuracy of bite stats are suspect as best.
Dog Bite Statistics are unreliable sources of information regarding the "viciousness" or dangerousness of breeds for the following reasons:
1) Very few people can accurately identify dog breeds.
2) Breeds are not listed individually, but rather under group headings. For instance, under the heading "pit bull", you will find no less than 3 distinct breeds, mixes of any of those three breeds, any dog that appears to be one of those breeds, plus any misidentified dogs. And make no mistake, dogs get misidentified all the time. There is a case of an Akita attack that was reported as a "pit bull attack" in the media. This author's dogs have been mistaken for Boxers, Bulldogs, and yes, one was even mistaken for an Akita. Just about any Pit Bull owner can tell you of many cases where their dog has dealt with a case of mistaken identity.
3) Bite stats take into account only reported bites.
4) Bite stats do not take into account the dogs of a specified breed who do NOT bite. No one knows the overall percentage of Pit Bulls who bite compared to, let's say, the percentage of Dalmatians or Golden Retrievers who bite.
5) Bite stats do not list "provoked" bites that occur at grooming shops and veterinary offices. If you took a survey of groomers and veterinarians, I'm sure you'd find an overwhelming majority of them would tell you that the small, "cutesy" dogs that people generally hold as harmless are the dogs that give them the most trouble. This author is an ex-groomer and can attest to the fact that the big dogs, particularly the Pit Bulls, and other similar breeds, are by far the most cooperative.
6) Bite stats DO list the truly provoked bites, i.e. dogs who have bitten after being teased/harrassed/abused.
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You think dogs will not ne in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us
--Robert Louis Stevenson |
What's the point of BSL?
The supportors of BSL claim their goal is to put an end to dog
attacks by targeting certain breeds of dog that are "inherently
vicious/dangerous", and dogs that tend to appeal to people who
are involved in criminal activity (i.e. drug dealers, dog fighters,
gangbangers, etc).
Why Breed Specific Legislation Doesn't Work:
1) Current laws are barely enforced. New laws are going to be heaped on top of old ones, for what purpose? Take something as simple as the leash law. It is not very often enforced. Leashes save lives, they prevent dog bites and attacks. It is a simple, yet extremely effective means of lessening dog problems.
The blatant disregard for leash laws is not something that should be allowed to go on.
2) BSL takes time, money and man-power to enforce. The responsibility for the enforcement of laws falls on Animal Control and sheltering systems. These are agencies that are already dealing with massive surpluses of animals, more calls than they can sometimes handle. Now they are being forced to deal with the additional weight BSL dumps on their shoulders.
3) BSL is predjudicial in nature. It punishes dogs and owners who have done nothing wrong. It is discriminatory against people who choose to own a particular breed of dog.
4) All dogs bite. All dogs can inflict harm. There is no scientific study to prove that one breed of dog bites more or causes more injury than any other breed of dog. There have been cases of tiny dogs, under 20 pounds killing or seriously injurying children.
5) If Pit Bulls and similar breeds are outlawed or severely restricted, one of two things happen: criminals and irresponsible owners will continue to get their hands on the dogs and simply ignore laws, or they will turn to other breeds to suit their purposes.
Why BSL Doesn't Work by Jennifer Peterson
Firstly, breed-specific legislation requires that every dog be classified as a certain breed. This is not always easy to do! Are Staffordshire Bull Terriers the same as American Pit Bull Terriers? They are very similar breeds in temperament and appearance! Are American Bulldogs included under general legislation against Pit Bull dogs? What about mixed breed dogs? What about "Dozer" dogs (we have no idea what Dozer is but we call him a pit bull because it's just easiest)?
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A dog has a soul of a philosopher.
--Plato
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Secondly, what happens once a certain breed is banned? If pit bull terriers are banned, what stops a vicious person from getting a Rottweiler or German Shepherd? The reason pit bulls rank so highly in the annual deadly dog bite statistics is not because the dogs are vicious, but because they are frequently owned by cruel, heartless owners that breed and train for fighting and "guarding". So, what happens when those sick, twisted people are blocked from owning pit bulls? They'll probably just get some other breed to do the job. Indeed, across the decades we have seen those bad owners create bad reputations for Dobermans, then Rottweilers, and now to pit bulls. Banning a breed punishes the innocent dogs, not the sicko creeps that want to create a vicious dog.
Thirdly, what happens to the breed that is outlawed or restricted? Dogs that are not allowed to attend obedience classes or must stay confined in a small area will almost certainly become unruly and uncontrollable. It is unfair to the dog to force it to wear a muzzle when it has not exhibited aggressive tendencies. Rescuing dogs of restricted breeds from abusive situations will not be desirable because rehabbers have better things to do than fight miles of red tape. And dogs of a breed that are banned have to go some place. The animal shelters will have to slaughter countless dogs simply because they are a certain breed.
Fourthly, breed-specific legislation is expensive and difficult to enforce! There are just not enough animal control officers to patrol the entire city searching for outlawed animals. There are not enough cells at the city pound to contain all those outlawed animals. How many animal control officers can tell the difference between a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and an American Pit Bull Terrier? Probably not many. The extra training needed to ensure that officers don't apprehend the wrong breeds would be expensive and time consuming. Lack of education leads to the mistaken identity and unjust imprisonment of many more animals. Owners who are dedicated to their dogs will undoubtedly take their arguments to the court, which takes more taxpayer time and money.
Lastly, breed-specific legislation does not take into account the owner's responsibility for the dog or the individuality of each dog; it punishes an entire breed. ANY dog can bite - even little bitty poodles and cute little Lhasa Apsos! Why, then, should a particular breed get all the blame? The owners should be held responsible, and yet, BSL does not punish stupid or cruel owners that create monsters (those owners will simply find a new dog to victimize) - it only punishes responsible dog owners and innocent dogs.
Alternatives to Breed Speficic Legislation:
1) Enforcement of generic dangerous dog laws, laws that hold owners accountable for the actions of their dogs regardless of breed. Almost every city in the U.S. already has this kind of legislation. If a dog bites or attacks someone, the owner is legally responsible, and restrictions are placed on the "guilty" dog. Why is breed-specific legislation necessary if there are already legal means in place to punish irresponsible owners and put restrictions on dogs that are proven to be aggressive?
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He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life,his love, his leader. Hw will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
--Anonymous |
2) Enforcement of leash laws. Let's be real strict about this. Tickets should be handed out like candy to individuals who disobey this law. Fine owners who let their dogs run loose or fail to keep them in enclosures that they cannot escape from. Let's have a 3-strikes and you're out law for people who refuse to keep their dogs under control. Use the money collected from these fines to fund community dog safety and responsible ownership programs.
3) Stop making excuses for animal cruelty, neglect, and irresponsible ownership. There need to be huge fines for those involved in any inhumane or irresponsible activity with animals.
4) Require an owner education class prior to allowing someone to own a dog. We require drivers to pass a driving test and immigrants to take a citizenship test. Teaching people about their responsibilities as dog owners is just as important, and yet, very few pet owners bother to seek education before or after getting a dog.
5) Encourage or even require people to spay or neuter pet dogs. In many cases, aggression can be significantly reduced or eliminated by neutering a dog. Most dog bites come from unneutered male dogs.
6) Teach people how to avoid dog bites. Many dogs bite out of fear or from provocation. Teaching people the best way to avoid a confrontation with a dog will keep everybody, including the dog, safe and happy.
7) Require people to socialize and train their dogs. Socialization as a puppy is one of the best ways to reduce aggression in dogs. Training reinforces the owner's status as "top dog" and reduces the likelihood of owning a dominant or aggressive dog.
Breed-specific legislation is pointless and unjust. The OWNERS should be responsible for the actions of their dogs, not the dogs themselves! Responsible dog ownership and an educated populace are the keys to eliminating confrontations between dogs and humans
Informative BSL Links:
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