This article was created for Simone Hewitt to use as she wishes. http://twitter.com/energygirl11
Breed-Specific Legislation, the Facts.
What is it, and why?
Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is legislation that imposes discrimination against a specific breed or breeds of dog. BSL either entirely bans the breed(s) regardless of context, or severely restricts the ownership and breeding of the breeds in which it has legislated against. The law is in place across the world, from the UK, to many states in the USA, to Australia, to Canada, Germany, France and many other countries.
Its purpose? To supposedly reduce dog bites.
Supporters claim the purpose is to reduce dog attacks by not allowing breeds inherently predisposed to attack, to exist around others.
Originally the 'Nanny Dog', the Pit-Bull has now been demonized by the media
The facts
- At birth, all dogs, regardless of breed, are ‘blank slates’, meaning they can be mentally shaped into anything. Even though dogs do have individual quirks, this is predominantly due to the fact that every single dog is raised differently. No matter how hard you try, each and every dog will experience life differently and therefore develop their own individual quirks.
- Adding, removing or accentuating behaviours during the first weeks and months of a dog’s life dramatically (often always) increase the chances of the same behaviours occurring or not occurring later in life.
- Though sometimes more difficult, at adulthood, any behaviour can still be added, removed or accentuated.
- Lineage is significantly more important than the breed of dog in determining likely characteristics or likely temperament traits of a dog. Even so, it only increases the likeliness; it is not set in stone and therefore can be change or removed.
What do these facts show? Breed does not determine the way a dog will be. So what does? The environment and individuals in the environment in which each dog is raised and cared for.
With this being the case, why then are breeds banned to prevent dog attacks? This is mainly due to the statistics of dog attacks, the media and propaganda.
What gives them a right to make this law? Statistics?
Yes, statistically it is often the case that Pit-Bulls are involved in the most dog-related attacks where they are legal. However, what is NOT the case is that A- these statistics are reliable and B- they show the root of the problem. The statistics on Pit-Bull attacks refer to attacks by three distinct breeds; the Staffordshire, American Pit, and American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, any mix of those breeds and any misidentification of those breeds, of which there are thousands, as not many people can properly identify a breed. They also only take into account reported incidents – clearly people are more inclined to report alleged incidents involving Pit-Bulls rather than say, a Cocker Spaniel. The statistics also take into account incidents wherein the dog is forced or provoked to bite or attack, which leads onto the next point, as abusive owners often target Pit-Bulls, for that reason alone the statistics will dramatically increase in the number of Pit-Bull related attacks. So as far as statistics are concerned, Pit-Bulls are ‘set-up’ to fail.
Along with these ridiculous statistics, media coverage of any and every dog attack involving a Pit-Bull, and a false belief that breed determines behaviour, these are all the reasons for BSL. It’s important to understand this, because there isn’t simply no reason behind BSL, it’s just unreasonable. BSL is just the lazy, easy way for a government to satisfy people’s shock to media hyped Pit-Bull attacks, there’s no science or (logical) logic behind it.
BSL across the world
Across the world, in all instances, BSL is failing, not only is it failing but it is worsening the problem. The list is exhaustive:
- In the Netherlands, where Pit-Bulls have been banned for the past 15 years, dog bites are rising, and rising.
- In the United Kingdom where several breeds including Pit-Bulls are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, dog bites have increased by 50%, and are still rising.
- Pit-Bull bans in Maryland and Colorado both have been ineffective, with no change in the number of dog bites.
- In Canada, BSL was introduced in 2005, and dog bites statistics have not changed, showing zero effectiveness.
- Aragon, Spain, BSL was introduced in 2000 and dog bites have not changed.
- Australia is falling down the same hole, from the governments website itself “Restricted Breed Dogs have additional restrictions and limitations placed on them to prevent members of the public from being attacked by such dogs.” The absurdity here is almost laughable, but not quite. Note how the owner is not once mentioned, just the supposedly born-vicious breed, the owner could be kicking the dog in the head for all they care.
World famous dog behaviorist Cesar Millan and his assistants Daddy and Junior, both Pit-Bulls
These are just a few of many examples where BSL has proven ineffective; there is no shortage, because BSL simply doesn’t work. Though it must be noted some countries are taking initiative, for example in the UK the Dog Control Bill is passing through parliament, it targets owners instead of specific breeds, though it is unlikely to un-ban the American Pit Bull.
The Problem
In addition to the problems of BSL mentioned, here are a lofty few more:
- It is extremely costly, not only to ensure specific breeds aren’t kept or bred, but to hold and/or euthanize illegal dogs for periods of time.
- It ignores the real problem, bad and abusive ownership.
- It ignores the many victims of attacks by non-banned breeds.
- It does not prevent or reduce dog bites.
- It accentuates the issue that some dogs appear ‘tough’ and are physically capable, therefore are more desirable by criminals and abusers.
- It requires all dogs to be identified as a breed, which is near impossible as, for example, some dogs may be 1/6 Pit-Bull. It is difficult to track the entire lineage of each dog.
- With one breed banned, the REAL problem, the bad owners, simply move to another breed, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on………
- It shifts the accountability and responsibility from the poor owners to the dog, because of its breed.
- It punishes the responsible owners, whom, for example, use Pit-Bulls as child therapy dogs or rescue dogs, they will be indiscriminately destroyed.
- Innocent family pets are killed in vast numbers.
- ‘Hate’ is generated towards specific breeds and people with specific breeds.
- People begin to fear dogs, due to the false belief that tough-looking breeds are automatically dangerous and to be feared.
- It is made with the idea that it will end suffering, quoting PETA, whom support BSL “[Pit-Bull Bans] have the potential to prevent an enormous amount of suffering” – where in-fact it does the exact opposite.
- It is ABSURD.
The Solution
Two solutions: education, and legislation.
- Educate, educate, educate. Educate on how to properly raise and own a dog, regardless of the breed. Dogs are a different species to us, with different needs and wants. Many owners simply don’t understand their canine companions, and here the problem is a lack of knowledge, from which many bites do occur.
- Educate in schools to children about how to be around animals safely from an early age. Currently all children have to go by are movies and TV shows where dogs talk or are given human personalities – children are socialized at an early age to HUMANIZE dogs, this is a huge problem, children need to be taught the specific needs and ways of dogs and how to behave around them.
- Integrate animals, specifically dogs, into society and education, so there are resources readily available to everyone to better understand dogs.
- A general understanding of dogs among all people would solve the problem, writing this I am coming from a viewpoint of knowledge, and if everyone were to share the same viewpoint, there would be no dog bites and absurd laws like BSL would not exist, this is why education is important.
- Legislate, legislate, legislate. Regulate the ownership of dogs. Because dogs are all blank slates at birth, and amendable at adulthood, it makes sense that all breeds are treated equally when it comes to legislation. Dog ownership should be heavily regulated for one simple reason; they are living creatures! It shouldn’t be so easy to get your hands on one, it’s as easy as going down to the grocery store and buying a turnip, that is the problem. To own a dog you should meet a set of requirements, responsible owners would be happy to comply with this as it would prevent negligent owners from obtaining a pet.
- In addition to regulating dog ownership, delegate police units to enforce regulation and tackle abuse in forms such as dogfighting.
- Introduce low cost or free spay and neuter programmes, to encourage people have their dog altered.
- Make dog owners FULLY liable for their pet’s actions, no two ways about it, the breed has nothing to do with it.
Winnie the Pit-Bull who left a legacy of saving rescued pits
The problems of BSL are endless, but so are the solutions, let’s get the information out there and make a difference.
- George Manning
