They just have us as advocates. It's not the dog it's the owner. Working together, we can ensure that every loving pet … For example, Lennox was a service pitbull who helped a disabled girl named Brooke cope with her disabilities, and eventually became her best friend. Breed specific legislation was first introduced in the United Kingdom when the Dangerous Dog Act was passed in 1991. Italy, for example, repealed its breed-specific policies after six years of costly enforcement and ineffectiveness. Around the age of 10 I owned a pitbull named Diamond. I wrote this article for Senior Expedition, year-long class where we write a 15-20 page paper about a topic of our choice. their dogs to be aggressive, intimidating potential weapons," part is a It is defined as any ordinance or policy that pertains to a specific dog breed or several breeds, but does not affect any others. Find a Victoria Stilwell-Licensed Dog Trainer, Pet Overpopulation (Why To Spay & Neuter), Dog Bite Prevention & Awareness Conferences, Victoria Talks Breed-Specific Legislation on MiamiNewTimes.com, Episode 829 - Advocating for Animals with Peter Egan, Episode 828 - A Fresh Take on the Debate About Shock Collars, Episode 827 - How to Transition Dogs from Crisis into Care, Why I’m Not a Purely Positive Dog Trainer. In a report published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Association in 2010 they state that, “there currently is no published evidence supporting claims that Breed Specific Legislation is efficacious, whereas evidence does exist suggesting that Breed Specific Legislation is not effective or does not improve public safety… (the breed specific legislation) in Aragon, Spain, did not indicate any changes … The fact that the breeds listed above have been restricted means that the government MUST believe that BSL does work! Pitbulls are caring, protective, and gentle to human beings. We know so much more than we did even 20 years ago about how dogs think, what they feel, how their brains are wired, and what could potentially cause them to aggress. Any dog, no matter the breed, could become a threat, but only pitbulls are targeted by breed-specific legislation and that's highly unfair. In the United States, the Amer… There is no evidence that breed-specific laws make communities safer for people or companion animals. Proponents of breed-specific laws seek to limit public exposure to well-documented dangerous dog breeds by regulating the ownership of them. Proponents of breed-specific laws seek to limit public exposure to well-documented dangerous dog breeds by regulating the ownership of them. for the dog. Most Dogs Already Wanted Social Distancing: Now... Looks are Deceiving: Why Breed Bias is Wrong, Merseyside Police Seize and Kill Legally Exempt Dogs, Aggressive Training Breeds Aggressive Dogs, Researchers Probe Into the Causes of Aggression. In June 2009, the Dutch government announced its intent to remove its “pitbull” ban after determining that it did not decrease dog bites or improve safety in the Netherlands. Statistics have shown that throughout the world, wherever BSL has been instituted, the number of dog bites has actually increased since the legislation has passed. Breed-specific laws are also costly and difficult to enforce. It’s primarily a people problem, not a dog problem. Required fields are marked *. Mita Cafe on Kennedy Street brings Ethiopian and Japanese to delight your taste buds, How to get great gifts and support local this holiday season, Online holiday bazaar supports local businesses and LGBTQ+ families, Take advantage of the DC Security Camera Rebate Program (updated), Dog breed specific legislation: It just doesn’t work -- a student perspective, DC Libraries go to curbside pickup, Petworth & Shepherd Park included, Humane Rescue Alliance's popular youth programs are now virtual classes, “Spray the Love” looks to bring new murals to the Kennedy Street corridor, Anafre changes into a pizza pop-up, delivers pies with a Mexican twist. I’ve trained countless Pit Bulls, and have found them to be among the most loyal, intelligent and trainable dogs I’ve worked with. Why Breed Specific Legislation Misses the Mark and Doesn't Work Somewhere along the way, bully breeds got an undeserved bad rap. Aside from being ignorant, breed-specific legislation is also ineffective. The only way that they would ever show any type of aggression is if it was triggered by how people treat them or react to them. Professor Mills said: "This work provides good scientific evidence to explain why the pursuit by governments of breed specific legislation to reduce the … From a global perspective, of 196 countries, 43 nations worldwide have some form breed specific legislation on the books. Why Doesn’t BSL Work? Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is the blanket term for laws that either regulate or ban certain dog breeds in an effort to decrease dog attacks on humans and other animals.States should not have breed-discriminatory laws because it is a form of discrimination, it affects public safety, and dogs of the banned breed are sometimes innocent. Home >> Animal Advocacy >> Breed Specific Issues >> Breed Specific Legislation, Photo by J. Nichole Smith | www.mylittleandlarge.com. I share this desire to reduce the number of dog attacks. Because of Breed Specific Legislation, Lennox was locked in a cage for two years for no reason other than her breed. The AKC plays an active role in stopping breed-specific legislation. done in some places). I feel like there While resources are directed to regulate the ban on a specific breed (or breeds), the focus is taken away from more important safety concerns and regulations. I love them both so very dearly and can't imagine being without them. They are no different than a parent trying to protect their child. Use Feedly or another RSS app? Breed-specific restrictions often require the owners of certain dog breeds to do things like muzzle the dog in public, contain their pets within a kennel that is built to given specifications (e.g., chain link walls and concrete floors), purchase a minimum dollar amount of liability insurance, make the dog wear a “vicious dog” identifier, etc. It is defined as any ordinance or policy that pertains to a specific dog breed or several breeds, but does not affect any others. All of these dogs had a history of dogfighting, and, as a result, were viewed as dangerous. Petworth News, a neighborhood blog on local news, information & events about the Petworth area in Washington DC. Ask Victoria - Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks? Ed Note: We’re pleased to publish the article below from Tori Blakeney, a senior at Capital City Public Charter School. 6 Ways You Can Fight Breed-Specific Legislation in Your Community October is Pit Bull Awareness month -- here are six things you can do to fight Pit Bull bias and breed specific legislation. Because of this history, stereotypes and fear distorted the image of this loving breed. But there are people other than myself who need them, such as people with disabilities or special needs. Subscribe to our feed. Such laws range from outright bans on the possession of these dogs, to restrictions and conditions on ownership, and often establishes a legal presumption that such dogs are dangerous or vicious. So if we are not going to ban certain breeds, what is the solution to reducing the number of dangerous dogs? Period. German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and pit bull type dogs are common victims of this discriminatory and ineffective legislation. President Obama issued a statement in 2013 that opposed breed specific legislation arguing that “bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources. A: Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also referred to as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL), is a law or ordinance that prohibits or restricts the keeping of dogs of specific breeds, dogs presumed to be specific breeds, mixes of specific breeds, and/or dogs presumed to be mixes of one or more of those breeds. Breed-specific legislation is a type of dangerous dog law. bit of a stereotype as it's more about sheer negligence because the next If you live in an area where BSL doesn’t affect you then you can donate to an association such as the Humane Society, ASPCA, and many more to help all pitbulls. So if an owner shows signs of fear or stress, then the dog will move into a protective mode. In the majority of cases, dogs that are confiscated due to BSL are inhumanely warehoused and dealt with using this confrontational approach, which often creates the very problems the law was attempting to avoid. Breed-Specific Legislation Doesn’t Work. mention 97% of dogs involved in a bite are not spayed/neutered (usually The only difference between the human and the dog is that people have resources to use to extinguish the threat. Tori wrote the article for a school project and Petworth News offered to publish the article to help promote the topic of dog breed legislation, and give Tori an opportunity to reach a wider audience. Many studies show that the majority of dogs involved in fatal bites are unaltered. i wont have a non fixed dog its part of ownership the $376.00 is cheap compared to problems with a non nuetered male or the abundance of puppies from a female I have 3 Italian mastiff bully mix and they are 90 lb cuddle pups, Your email address will not be published. In America, responsible people should be allowed to love and care for any breed of dog they choose. These laws — known as breed-discriminatory or breed-specific legislation — target certain dogs by breed or even just by appearance. What people fail to understand is you fear what you don’t know, and when you do learn more, it's not as scary as you think it is. Best Friends prefers to refer to BSL as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL) because certain dogs are targeted by laws based solely on a dog’s alleged breed, not behavior. Breed-specific legislation violates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act; ... Calgary, in the Canadian province of Alberta, is a shining example of what does work: Calgary, saw a five-fold reduction over 20 years – from 10 bites per 10,000 people in 1986 to two in 2006. Growing up, I have always had a pitbull by my side. They are punished based entirely on what breed they happen to be, or even slightly resemble. Breed bans or restrictions fail to enhance public safety and violate the property rights of responsible pet owners. To help pitbulls, people started agencies to advocate for the safety of pitbull, such as the Best Friends Animal Society, and the Humane Society of America. Simply put, any breed of dog can bite, and any breed of dog can make a perfect family pet. And the simple fact is that dogs of any breed can become dangerous when they’re intentionally or unintentionally raised to be aggressive.”. I am 17 years old and I am from Washington DC. Every dog has the potential to be aggressive, and I agree, it's the owners responsibility to find the root cause if that happens. Voted Best Community Blog (2nd place!) Why doesn’t Breed Specific Legislation work? Breed specific legislation restricts residents from owning particular breeds of dogs. Enter your email above to subscribe to the newsletter and we’ll email you a link to enroll in your free course. In every single case, dog bites have become more of a problem since governments began banning breeds. It is discrimination against people. A neighborhood blog of local news, real estate & info for Petworth, Washington DC. This act targeted four dog breeds: the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro, the Japanese Tosa, and the American Pitbull Terrier. Breed specific legislation traveled to the United States, and now many cities around the country, including Denver, Colorado, Prince Georges, Maryland and Midfield, Alabama have passed restrictive legislation. Responsible pet ownershipis truly the key to reducing dog bites in any community. cheaper homeowner's Lots of great points though. Breed-specific legislation may ban own-ership of targeted breeds all together, or dogs suggested as being a certain breed, or a mix of specific breeds. The simple answer is no. Every dog is different, and those differences are not due to the breed of the dog, but rather to the individual dog’s breeding and the environment in which it has been raised. I have own several pitbull and never had an issue. Because of these two years of separation from her service animal, Brooke has missed many days of school due to “suffering health and unneeded stress caused by missing her dog.” Not only was this child affected by not having her service dog to assist her but from being emotionally detached from her friend. Your email address will not be published. Breed specific laws don’t acknowledge the fact that a dog of any breed can be dangerous. Breed Specific Legislation was introduced 26 years ago as part of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to restrict the ownership of certain types of dogs deemed to be dangerous to people. Does breed specific legislation actually work? Learn how your comment data is processed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I am the youngest of three kids and the only girl. Few breeds bond as closely with their human companions as the playful pit; few demonstrate so much unreserved love and affection. I am a senior at Capital City Public Charter School, and am attending Old Dominion University to major in Exercise Science and Kinesiology to become a physical therapist. Not only that, but police or animal control classifying a dog as even just suspected “type” (a banned breed) means the dog is seized and the owner will have to pay court costs to fight for the dogs life. Enforcing this legislation is costly, and even when the county or state has the manpower and funding to enforce BSL, those areas do not see an increase in public safety. only fault I find with this article is the fact that it does not President Obama issued a statement in 2013 that opposed breed specific legislation arguing that “bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources. Now, many pitbulls use their strength to help society as police dogs or service dogs. They discriminate against many types of dogs, but one of the primary victims is also one … It does not work. So really your citation has little or nothing to do with breed specific legislation.Mantion 07:12, 13 September 2011 (UTC) It seems that there are two ways that that BSL is prohibited in the US. I am an owner of two pitbull: my girl’s name is Precious and my boy’s name is Max. Calaveras Man Killed by Two Pitbulls—A Lesson About Pitbulls or About What Not to Do with Dogs? Primarily, breeders crossbred Bulldogs and Black and Tan Terriers to be strong and quick so that they would be good at fighting rats and other dogs. I know if we had give our dogs away to the government, it would break my heart. Breed-specific legislation is a type of dangerous dog law. The AVSAB’s position is that such legislation—often called breed-specific legislation (BSL)—is ineffective, and can lead to a false sense of community safety as well as welfare concerns for dogs identified (often incorrectly) as belonging to specific breeds.” Download the position statement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The number one cause of aggressive dog behaviour is irresponsible ownerbehaviour, not breed specific dog behaviour. This is the case in Scotland, England, parts of Canada, and certain cities in the US, the Netherlands and beyond. BSL may also mandate specific restrictions for breeds or mixes, such as requir-ing owners to spay or neuter their dogs, muzzle their dogs in public and/or carry extra liability insurance. Contact Drew for Media Usage Requests.Using and/or submitting comments on Petworth News means you agree to the Terms, Commenting & Privacy policy. The rescue of 180 Chihuahuas sparks a larger conversation on how to transition dogs from crisis situations into homes. neutered as most bites are from un-neutered males). As a society we must focus on the other end of the leash. Around the world, governments are recognizing the inherent problems with BSL and revising their dangerous dog policies. Since I was a baby, my dad has owned pitbulls and would breed them to help support the family. Unfortunately, people's lack of knowledge about the history of this breed has led to unfair and ineffective legislation that has targeted pitbulls. Yes, the bigger and stronger the dog, the more damage it is capable of inflicting, although I have seen horrific footage of bite wounds from small dogs such as Jack Russell Terriers and Chihuahuas as well. In the UK, BSL bans the ownership of four different types of dogs traditionally bred for fighting: pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero. Dog breed bans and other forms of breed discriminatory legislation force many people to give up their beloved pets. Breed-specific laws have a tendency to compromise rather than enhance public safety. This includes 1052 United States cities, 38 counties, and 292 military bases which impose breed specific laws. I guess in a way you could say I grew up biased, but I also grew up with first-hand knowledge of this breed. Banning specific breeds fails to get to the root of the. It features facts and objective reporting, as well as an occasional subjective point of view and opinion. If we could somehow prosecute those who are reckless, irresponsible or those people who willingly encourage their dogs to be aggressive, I firmly believe the number of tragic accidents would decrease significantly. About Petworth News   |   Advertise / Sponsor Newsletter  |  Sign up for Weekly Email© 2020 Petworth News. These cities are discriminating against their residents who want to own a particular breed of dog. Volunteer with the Friends of the Soldier's Home! Breed specific laws have been ruled unconstitutional and continue to be challenged in several court cases across the United States. The key to avoiding these tragedies is not to make owning certain breeds illegal, but rather to ensure that everyone in charge of dogs and/or children is educated about safe practices and never leaves any dog alone with any child. According to DogBite.org, 2016 data estimates a total of 36 states have adopted breed specific legislation. The Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a law or ordinance that regulates or completely bans the keeping of dogs of or presumed to be specific breeds, dogs presumed to be specific breeds and/or dogs which are or presumed to be mixes of one or more of those breeds. You can help stop BSL by starting a petition or going to your local representative and discuss what you believe should be done. Breed specific legislation is unfair because dogs become aggressive based on how they were treated not because of their breed. Breed specific legislation is unfair because dogs become aggressive based on how they were treated not because of their breed. All Rights Reserved. These organizations have been around for years to help bring awareness to animal abuse, breed specific legislation, and other animal rights issues. She was one of my favorite pits that I ever had. She was all white with tan spots around her torso. As for the general public, putting the focus on breed specific legislation may actually hurt safety as a whole. It saddens me to know that there are laws that are intended to protect people but are hurting animals and pet owners. Local law might include any of these controls or more. Breed specific legislation is based on the stereotype that pitbulls are more likely to bite than other breeds. If a person shows fear, the dog is more alert than it would be if the person were calm. Breed-specific legislation is being proposed and enacted all over the world, and targets so-called 'aggressive breeds.' Local restaurants offer you some great NYE deals! In fact, many areas see a surge in dog bites and attacks after the enactment of BSL. should be more incentives to "fixing" you dog, i.e. Generally, no. When limited animal control resources are used to regulate or ban a certain breed of dog, without regard to behavior, the focus is shifted away from routine, effective enforcement of laws that have the best chance of making our communities safer: Dog license laws In reality there is nothing specific about them. four years in a row. Breed Specific Legislation punishes innocent dogs who have done nothing wrong. I encourage you to use the facts about BSL, pit bulls, and dog safety on this site to arm yourself with information and join the fight against this discriminatory legislation. According to Shakira Richardson from the DC Department of Health Animal Services Program, the chihuahua and golden retriever are the most common biting dogs, but they don’t seem to be discriminated against. But even if that’s not possible in the short term, or even if one chooses to ignore the facts that science has presented to us about animal breeds and behavior, there’s one more simple but powerful argument against BSL: it just doesn’t work. First, we must make a concerted effort to crack down on and eliminate ‘backyard’ breeders and puppy farmers who churn out puppies with no regard for the well-being of the dogs except the money they bring from being sold. Breed-specific legislation seeks to protect the public by limiting or regulating the ownership of what are deemed to be aggressive or dangerous dog … And what do dogs have? And the, "stop irresponsible owners from raising Take Aurora, Colorado as an example. As a mother, my heart breaks every time I hear about another child who has been mauled by the family dog. Using aggression, intimidation and forced submission on a fearful, unconfident dog is like treating fire with fire, as the dog’s issues are often merely suppressed rather than treated and resolved effectively. Regardless, counties, cities and entire countries around the world continue to turn to BSL policies in a desperate attempt to protect their public from the rising number of serious (and sometimes fatal) dog bites. Everyone deserves equality, even pitbulls, and it is not our place to discriminate because of fear. That said, it is indeed possible to turn them into deadly weapons in the wrong hands, just as it is with any breed of dog. If breed-specific legislation does not and cannot work, why do we have this legislation in Australia? Breed-specific legislation is being proposed and enacted all over the world, and targets so-called 'aggressive breeds.' A dog’s appearance does not predict behavior. 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