Support the removal of Breed Specific Legislation in Russellville, Arkansas

The City of Russellville has had breed-specific legislation active since 2006. Not only are American Pit Bulls banned, so are Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American bull dogs, any mix of ANY of the aforementioned breeds, as well as ANY dog that can be remotely identified as a "pit bull," regardless of its actual ancestry. It is time to overturn this outdated and needless law.

The American Veterinary Medical Association stands in opposition of breed-specific legislation, saying "breed-specific legislation is discriminatory against responsible owners and their dogs," and "BSL can lead to euthanasia of innocent dogs that fit a certain 'look,' and responsible pet owners being forced to move or give up dogs that have never bitten or threatened to bite."

Additionally, the facts simply do not support BSL. In 2008, a team of University of Pennsylvania researchers completed a study of aggressiveness in 30 breeds of dogs. The researches collected roughly 15,000 questionnaires for the year-long study. The results found Chihuahuas and Dachshunds were the most aggressive towards both humans and other dogs. Pit bulls, the researchers found, were not significantly more aggressive than other breeds toward strangers and their owners. Furthermore, for nearly 35 years, the American Temperament Test Society has conducted a 10-step exam and has checked out nearly 31,000 dogs. The two types of pit bulls (the American pit bull terrier and the American Staffordshire terrier) they've studied have aggression scores that are not as bad as boxers, bulldogs, collies, Great Danes, greyhounds, and Shetland sheepdogs. They are in the same range as the German shepherd and golden retriever. Unless the City of Russellville next plans to ban golden retrievers, it has no business whatsoever in banning pit bull breeds.