END SPECIFIC BREED LEGISLATION

Pit Bulls are not the stereotypical devil dog put forth in media myths. They are companion animals who have enhanced the lives of many through their devoted people-loving natures, positively channeled physical prowess, bravery, and intelligence. Pit Bulls have served key roles in search-and-rescue efforts, excel in agility training, and work nationwide as therapy and service dogs. Famous Pit Bulls include Petey in "Our Gang/Little Rascals" film series and an American poster mascot during WWI.

Pit Bulls have great physical and mental characteristics that make them excellent partners for responsible, active, and caring owners. These same outstanding qualities can also make them a little difficult to handle for people who don't have a lot of experience with dog ownership. Obedience Classes are strongly recommended for this breed. A well behaved and obedient Pit Bull will be a wonderful companion, and a great ambassador for an often misunderstood breed.

Owner responsibility is required for anyone getting any dog. Pit Bulls strive to take on the behaviors that their guardians instill in them, and their behavior is reflective of the care, training and socialization practices (or lack thereof) used by their owners. It is essential for owners to socialize and train their dogs so they are well-behaved with people of all ages and in public situations

Pit Bulls can and do interact peacefully with other dogs and animals. Individual dog temperament, early training and socializing, all play an important role in whether or not a Pit Bull is capable of getting along with other animals. Many people successfully keep multiple Pit Bulls and other pets in the same household. Success is based on careful supervision, proper management and training, and the individual animals involved

 

What is BSL?

Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a law that bans OR restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance, usually because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs.

  BSL Does Not Work

While supporters of BSL argue that the only way to be safe from dog bites is to eradicate “dangerous breeds” from the community, there is little evidence that supports BSL as an effective means of reducing dog bites and dog attacks. On the contrary, studies have shown that it is not the breeds themselves that are dangerous, but unfavorable situations that are creating dangerous dogs. Often, the very research that some cite as “support” for BSL actually argues for alternative, more effective means.  Examples include:

• Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Dog Attacks in the U.S. Between 1979 and 1998
• Fatal Dog Attacks, 1989-1994
• Dog-Bite-Related Fatalities - United States, 1995-1996

 

  TALKING POINTS  

The Cost of BSL.   One thing that always catches the ear of any official is the cost or potential cost to his or her constituents.  Reinforce the fact that breed specific laws cost a lot of money - additional animal control, shelters fees, vetting, litigation, etc.  The bottom line is simple... BSL costs tax payers A LOT of money!

• The states of Tennessee and New Mexico issued fiscal reports on financial impact breed specific legislation.  Those reports are an excellent illustration of the tremendous financial impact and strain BSL has on communities. 

  Breed Identification.  Another important flaw with breed specific laws is breed identification.   There are a minimum of twenty (20) dog breeds that possess the physical traits of  'pit bulls.'  The "Find the Pit Bull" game is an excellent tool to demonstrate the difficulty of identifying 'pit bulls."    Most animal control and/or law enforcement officers are not able to identify specific breeds of dogs with any degree of accuracy because the commonly stated physical characteristics are similar in many breeds.   Breed bans carry with them too much potential for arbitrary or improper enforcement:  inaccurate breed identification by officials and difficulty enforcing breed bans against mixed-breed.  

Because breed identification by animal control officers is subjective and/or arbitrary, it opens the city to liability and litigation issues in the event of mistaken identification.

  Failure to Address Irresponsible Owners.  Perhaps the most compelling argument with respect to why breed specific legislation fails is that it simply does not address the issue of irresponsible dog ownership.  BSL places all the blame on the dogs and removes the responsibility from the dog owner.  Dog ownership is a responsibility, and dog owners must be held accountable for the actions of their dogs. Restricting breeds of dogs does not address the real issue of irresponsible owners.  Only when such owners are held accountable for the actions of their dogs, will adverse dog incidents be reduced.   Because breed specific legislation fails to address irresponsible dog owners, many areas that have enacted breed regulations have actually experienced an increase in dog bite/attack incidents of the dog breeds NOT covered by the breed specific law.    Only when you see more owners committed to providing the proper training, care, socialization and supervision for their dogs will dog bite incidents be reduced significantly.   Owners should be held accountable in the judicial system for the actions of their dogs, not the other way around.  Only then will you see owners committed to providing the proper training, care socialization and supervision that every dog requires - regardless of breed.

 

Disputing the CDC Report.   Proponents of breed specific legislation routinely rely on the CDC report to support their arguments in favor of breed bans. However, it should be noted that information contained in the CDC report was gathered via media outlets thus rendering it an unreliable source to base legislative decisions regarding animal control.  It is not based on statistics, and the CDC has acknowledged this fact by premising the report with a similar statement.  For an excellent summary of the flaws of the CDC report, please visit www.understand-a-bull.com.   The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that their data is inaccurate and not supported by any scientific evidence.  Their data was based on newspaper articles and has been found to be unsubstantiated.  Moreover, the CDC no longer makes reference to breed in their data and has indicated that others should do likewise.   According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) there is no individual breed of dog that is responsible for a greater number of bites.  In fact, both respected organizations support responsible dog ownership as the key factor in reducing dog bites.    

 

General Talking Points: Any legislation that targets specific breeds of dogs is ineffective, costly to the community, and a poor alternative to a generic dangerous dog ordinance which encompasses all breeds and places irresponsible dog owners accountable for the actions of their dogs.   Restricting breeds of dogs does little, if anything, to protect citizens in the community.  Moreover, breed bans perpetuate the myth that certain breeds are inherently bad.  It also indemnifies all of the unnamed breeds as being safe by exclusion.  In doing so, breed specific legislation promotes a false send of security for the public.   The lack of enforcement of existing laws is the primary contributing factor to dog bites - not specific breeds of dogs.  Every area should have strictly enforced leash laws since dogs at large are the primary source of the problem.   It has been found that breed restrictions are by far and large, unenforceable, and unfairly penalize responsible dog owners who properly train, socialize, care for and supervise their dogs.  

 

Closing Talking Points: An effective solution is not to make more laws that punish responsible owners and entire breeds, but to enforce existing leash laws and enact generic dangerous dog laws that are not breed specific and punish the irresponsible owners. 

I trust that you will take into consideration the position of many well known, major organizations such as the American Kennel Club, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association, and the National Canine Research Council who do not support legislation that targets any specific breed of dog.  

I ask that you end this law in this city because any such law that is specific to breed does not address the real problem, which is that of irresponsible owners.