PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
End Breed-Specific Legislation in the UK
  1. Signatures
    898 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. Minister of State (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Minister of State (Jim Paice)
      • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Henley)
      • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
  2. Created By
    Pamela Black
    Lapeer, MI
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

Breed-specific legislation in the UK is under review. The Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 is considered ineffective by a wide variety of government officials and animal organizations. The problem is determining the new direction for the legislation.

The reason this type of legislation doesn’t work is because it targets the dogs based on breed profiling. In reality, the owner holds the key to their dog’s behavior. Irresponsible owners lead to dangerous dogs, whether they are 2-pound Chihuahuas or 80-pound pit bulls.

A number of organizations, including Animal Legal Defense Fund in the US, believe the answer is within a community that adopts “responsible laws that focus on the behavior of individual dogs and their guardians, not their breed.”

Banning one breed doesn’t solve the problem. Another breed will be chosen and legislation will have to be modified to accommodate the new breed. The cycle continues until we are left without any legal dog breeds or improvements to public safety. Additionally, breed-specific legislation is also costly to enforce.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is considering the results of a report they compiled regarding the Dangerous Dogs Act. Of those surveyed, 88 percent believe the law is ineffective. And 63 percent feel that extending the law to dictate what dogs are allowed on private property is not acceptable.

A new law is needed. But instead of repeating the mistakes of the past and outlawing dog breeds, the UK should take this opportunity to focus on the people who encourage their dogs to act dangerously.

Photo  Credit: Pete Markham

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Make the Dangerous Dogs Act Effective: End Breed Profiling

Dear Minister,

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has found the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 to be perceived as ineffective. The consultation on dangerous dogs has found 88 percent of those surveyed believe the government is operating under a law that cannot protect its own citizens from the actions of dangerous dogs.

Instead of focusing on dog breeds that may be considered dangerous, Defra should take this opportunity to focus on the people who encourage their dogs to act dangerously. Outlawing certain breeds creates a demand for those dogs as a status symbol and perpetuates the ownership of these breeds by gang members and dog fighters.

Another consequence of breed-specific legislation is a shift to a different breed that is still legal to own. In response, authorities are forced to add new breeds to the list. Money and time is spent trying to keep up with law enforcement and housing seized dogs instead of prevention.

Numerous other countries have repealed breed-specific legislation. They have realized that it just does not work, as Defra is discovering.

The law should target the issue of irresponsible ownership instead of blacklisting breeds. The majority of dog owners are law-abiding citizens who should not be punished for the actions of the minority.

Dangerous dogs should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, not through breed profiling. I strongly urge you to update the Dangerous Dogs Act to target the actions of irresponsible owners, regardless of the dog breed.

Thank you,

[Your name]

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