Breed specific legislation

Breed Specific Legislation was introduced in 1991 as part of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It restricts the ownership of certain types of dogs deemed to be dangerous to people.

Dog bites numbers continue to rise

Despite the legislation, dog bites in the UK continue to increase. BSL not only fails to protect public safety but has also resulted in the suffering and loss of hundreds of dogs. They’re labelled 'dangerous' simply because of how they look.

Between 1989 and 2017, 48 people died in dog-related incidents. Of the 62 dogs involved, 53 were dog breeds not on the prohibited list.

A better approach than BSL

What we think the right approach is and how other countries have tackled BSL.

We believe that a three-pronged approach is needed to better protect public safety:

Effective legislation and enforcement to tackle dog-related issues regardless of breed or type and based on their behaviour

Interventions including education that focus on safe behaviour around dogs 

A better understanding of why dogs bite

Other countries have already proven effective alternatives

Ways to effectively protect public safety have been explored in other countries and it’s clear that much of the focus is on encouraging responsible dog ownership and education.

BSL has been reviewed in many countries worldwide and the trend is to repeal this type of legislation. This has been achieved in the Netherlands, Italy and Lower Saxony, Germany as well as many US administrations.

While the law exists, we want to see new measures to improve the welfare of affected dogs. This includes: speeding up the review of cases allowing the rehoming of prohibited types of dog by rescues improving the welfare of seized dogs through the application of our guide on this issue.