Legislation - BSL

What is Breed Specific Legislation (BSL)?

Basically, BSL is a law that is based on looking at the breed of a certain dog rather than the behavior of one specific animal. It affects the rights of individuals to own a certain type of dog. Breed bans mean that entire breeds of dogs are targeted, rather than targeting the responsibilities of the owner of an individual dog. BSL is much like racial profiling, in that it fails to take into consideration the actions of the individual, preferring to generalize it to the entire race/breed.

BSL is seen by many to be a knee-jerk reaction of politicians to dog bite occurrences. No education or knowledge of the breed is behind these decisions. People overreact to dog bites, specifically when 'Pit Bulls' are involved, and tend to howl for the euthanasia of the animal rather than directing their attention to the details surrounding the incident. In most cases, the dog has been kept in the yard on a chain and under socialized; the dog has been left alone with a child unsupervised (which should not be done with any dog, not just Pits); the dog has not been spayed/neutered... The list goes on and what it basically comes down to is irresponsible ownership of the dog.

The main reason that so many of us are fighting against BSL is because it is not effective, and it targets the dogs rather than the people who own them. BSL basically says that it will remove certain breeds from the hands of responsible owners at the same time as removing them from neglectful hands. It makes honest and dependable Pit owners out to criminals for owning the dogs that they love so much.

Breed Specific Bans: A group of laws that bans particular breeds, usually pit bulls (a type of dog, not a breed) and sometimes Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Akitas, Dobermans, Chow Chows, and a few others. These laws are usually passed after several attacks by a particular breed so that city councils can assure citizens they are ?doing something? about a voter concern.

But breed bans don't work. They target all dogs of a breed -- the innocent as well as the guilty; are difficult to enforce; and do not end the use of guardian dogs by criminals. If pit bulls in their various incarnations are banned, drug dealers and other felons switch to another breed or mix. In the meantime, the ill-tempered terrier mix that bites the hand that feeds it and the poorly-bred purebred that attacks the neighborhood children pose a far greater danger to people than the obedience-trained American Staffordshire Terrier that is a registered therapy dog but cannot step foot inside the city.

Far better than breed-specific bans are strict laws to control aggressive dogs of any breed or mix. Known as generic vicious dog laws, they put restrictions on the ownership of dogs that pose a danger to people, restrictions such as confinement in locked, escape-proof kennels while outdoors on the owner's property; muzzles when the dog is off the property; and purchase of a liability insurance policy.
Source: Dogs and The Law

Why Doesn't BSL work?

Most people cannot correctly identify an American Pit Bull Terrier. There are over 10 breed of dogs commonly and mistakenly identified as 'Pit Bulls'. Can you Spot the Pit Bull?
Human aggression and animal aggression are not the same thing, yet the people making the laws don't seem to know that there is a difference. They announce that Pits were originally bred to bring down bulls and participate in blood sports, which they were, but human aggression is not a trait present in a well-bred and socialized Pit Bull.
Dog attack occurrences are more likely to be the fault of the owner rather than the dog, and these attacks and bites are not limited to breed. When a breed is targeted as dangerous, it removes the responsibility from the owner and places it on the shoulders of the dog. Unlawful people are also less likely to abide by the law, so it doesn't affect the irresponsible owners that it should.
By deeming a dog 'dangerous', law-abiding and responsible dog owners will shy away from owning these breeds, therefore ensuring that the only hands that these dogs are in are the wrong ones.
Those individuals who use the dogs for nefarious purposes will either go deeper underground with their breeding activities, this ensuring that the only Pits in circulation will be badly bred ones, or they will target another breed, which will then be deemed dangerous, and it will all begin again.

First they came for the Pit Bulls
and they banned them and killed them
their owners cried out in horror but I did not object
because I did not own pit bulls.

Then they came for the Rottweilers
and they banned them and muzzled them
their owners cried out in protest but I did not object
because I did not own Rottweilers.

Today they have come for my dogs
and they will ban them and take them from me
as I cry out in outrage and anger no one objects
because they do not own my dogs.

Alternatives to BSL

More effective enforcement of existing dangerous dog laws and tougher penalties for offenders. Any dog is capable of biting, and the laws need to be focused on responsible dog ownership.
Encourage education for dog ownership and canine safety education. Many dog owners do not know the first thing about dog behavior, and therefore miss many signs of an impending problem. From this lack of education comes the statement 'he just suddenly snapped....'

What does BSL do?

BSL can be enforced in many ways. It can involve the removal of the dog from your ownership and ownership of that breed of dog made illegal; mandatory spaying/neutering of every dog in the breed group; destruction of all dogs of that breed in county shelters...

Many dog owners are reluctant to get involved in the fight against BSL; many are even dismissive because they don't own or even like Pit Bulls. BSL is not just something that threatens Pit Bull owners - it is something that threatens the rights of all dogs owners...

What can I do?

Below, please find some links to other sites offering ways to help fight BSL.

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