The majority of BSL is focused on breeds traditionally known as "dangerous," or those that have demonstrated particular propensities for aggression and violent behavior. "DEFRA’s guidelines state there are 32 measurements that dogs must conform to 'in the majority' to be classified as a type. Real life stories how Breed Specific Legislation has affected some dogs in the UK and what happens to them. The law on dangerous dogs refers to specific breeds of dog as ‘dangerous’. As Alsatians and Dobermanns had been used before for intimidation, Pit bull type dogs were 'in vogue' in the late 80s in the US to be used by criminals as guard and status dogs. Legislation which aims to protect the public by banning certain breeds, breed specific legislation (BSL), cannot be justified – the vast majority of behaviourists agree that breed is not the determining factor in dog attacks. This includes 1052 United States cities, 38 counties, and 292 military bases which impose breed specific laws. [Above: Archie's favourite thing to do is enjoy a Kong while snuggling up on the sofa. You can be fined if your dog is out of control in public - find out about Dog Control Orders, banned dogs, dog fouling and reporting a dangerous dog This is why Blue Cross is calling on the government to repeal breed specific legislation. - Dogo Argentino Montreal's ban, an example of breed-specific legislation (BSL), stems from common biases and misperceptions about pit bulls. Under the eyes of the law, his looks make him ‘dangerous’, but in reality he is no more a threat to society than any other dog of any other breed. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience. Dogs that fit the “measurements” are being seized because someone “believes” them to be “of type”. This is not in the public interest, both financially and legally.". Many states in America started introducing breed specific legislation and investigations started to be made in the UK. We all understand 'saving face' and at K9 Magazine we have to question whether a government driven by the same party who introduced BSL all those years ago would in fact stop short of implementing a change because of this, or whether there is any scientific evidence which is clung onto to justify. That’s what it came down to in that case. The It is impossible for illegal types to get health insurance – no UK pet insurance company will insure them – leading to hefty bills if your pitbull type becomes sick. What would you advise concerned dog owners do? The Dangerous Dogs Act is often cited by lawmakers as an excellent example of how not to enact legislation. It allows seizure of other breeds, but the rules are not applied homogeneously by councils. Instead, UK legislation bases the decision on whether a dog is illegal on looks alone – a dog’s breed, a dog’s parents’ breeds, DNA testing and behaviour don’t come into it. After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised "to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs". As part of an evaluation of Dutch breed specific legislation, data were collected from dog bite victims (1078) and dog owners (6139) using Internet surveys. Deeply impressed by their commitment and professionalism, when asked he became a patron without hesitating. Sadly, many of those dogs would have been kept away from their owners in kennels for the duration of a costly court case, before being allowed to return home. Perspectives on Breed Specific Legislation 11. "It is key that we keep making Politicians and all relevant agencies, such as local councils, aware that there is wide opposition to this law due to the pain it causes families and dogs and also due to the cost it places on public funds. Nearly as many dogs - not banned breeds - were seized under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act as under section 1 last year for being dangerously out of control, highlighting how important it is for government to change the legislative focus from what a dog looks like to dealing with irresponsible owners of any breed of dog to keep our communities safe.”. We were told it would prevent dog attacks, but twenty-five years on, injuries caused to humans by dogs are at an all-time high and pet dogs are killed every month simply because of how they look…. He is the longest serving Chair and former President of the League Against Cruel Sports and his work was central to bringing about the Hunting Act of 2004 and the criminalisation of hunting with hounds. ", He continues, "At Born Innocent we believe there is a need for a Dangerous Dogs Act that covers irresponsible ownership and handling, as well as the odd case of dogs that might have mental issues and be innately aggressive. Discover (and save!) From a global perspective, of 196 countries, 43 nations worldwide have some form breed specific legislation on the books. This includes 1052 United States cities, 38 counties, and 292 military bases which impose breed specific laws. [Above: Archie must be muzzled in a public place. This should be a first choice, rather than a vague possibility. Professor Cooper explains what he thinks officials should be doing as a first choice, rather than seizing dogs purely based on looks and size, if they have done nothing wrong. Watch our video to find out how!]. Professor Cooper says, "Alas, only a trained assessor can know for sure if a dog fits type or not, hence we cannot comment on identification. Dr Samantha Gaines, an RSPCA dog welfare expert and lead author of the Breed Specific Legislation: A Dog’s Dinner report, said: “The law is letting down dogs who look a certain way, who have specific measurements, or who tick an unfortunate number of boxes on a … According to DogBite.org, 2016 data estimates a total of 36 states have adopted breed specific legislation. The introduction of UK Breed Specific Legislation received support from the political & animal world. Sports Illustrated ran a series of “articles” highlighting how dangerous these dogs were, followed by articles in other media. Pitbull terrier types are defined using measurements based on an American breed standard for show dogs from the 1970s. We continue to work with the relevant Governments to improve animal welfare across the UK; including new licensing laws governing a range of jobs involving animals, making sure the ban on third party sales of puppies and kittens is effective and campaigning for an end to Breed-Specific Legislation. Find out more about our petition to end breed specific legislation, On 12 August 1991, the Dangerous Dogs Act came into force, banning four types of dog. Becky added: “We need a piece of specific dog control legislation, enabling enforcers to step in and take action before dog attacks happen, as well as sufficient resources and training to allow them to do so.”. May 1, 2014 - This Pin was discovered by S James. Non-breed specific legislation includes restrictions targeting irresponsible owners based on exhibited behaviour of their dogs, typically including an educational component [ 2 ]. Looks could literally kill. Breed-specific legislation prohibits ownership or places restrictions on dog breeds categorised as ‘dangerous’ or ‘able to inflict greater injuries’ . "In 1991, after a 6 year old suffered severe bites by a Pit Bull Terrier, the act was passed in a rush. She also had personal experience of the exemption process, having been through it with her own dog, Archie. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has given guidance to law enforcers on what to look for when ‘typing’ a dog. Professor Cooper explains that sadly the introduction of breed specific legislation received support from both politicians and figures within the animal world. Dogs are being killed because of what breed they are. We use cookies to make this service simpler. We do, however, know a lot more today than we did 25 years ago about canine genetics and behaviour and it has been scientifically and empirically proven that breed is not a determinant of bite propensity. Severe injuries and fatalities have happened in confrontations with larger dogs, so this is where the focus often is in breed-specific legislation. Jo-Rosie is a dog behaviourist and works as an expert independent witness for the courts in Dangerous Dogs Act cases. There should be at the very least, … He explains the mood of the country to us at the time of it's introduction. - Fila Brasileiro, He continued, "As this determination is done based solely on measurement and proportion, this act can affect any dog owner, as 'type' dogs can be any cross breed or even affect certain pure breeds. your own Pins on Pinterest The municipality’s breed-specific legislation contradicted state law; Breed-specific legislation violates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act; Believe it or not, but Prince George County’s BSL costs were some of the lowest we discovered. Section 1 of The Dangerous Dogs Act explained, Understanding how a ‘type’ dog can be identified, even if parents are known, The introduction of UK Breed Specific Legislation received support from the political & animal world. "Moreover, even following the DEFRA guideline is very subjective – the words 'majority' and 'significant' leave a lot to interpretation and are not precise enough legally. There is no standard set of measurements on which to benchmark the other three banned types; it is open to interpretation. As of Wednesday morning, more than 64 percent of voters had approved the measure. Find out more about Born Innocent and get involved in their campaigns on Facebook or at www.borninnocent.co.uk, breed specific legislation due to its ineffectiveness. He is also a spokesperson and legal advisor to Queen Guitarist, Brian May’s ‘Save Me’ Trust which campaigns and lobbies for the protection of animals. He explains the mood of the country to us at the time of it's introduction. There is little evidence that breed-specific laws make communities safer, either for people or for dogs, and the bans are expensive and difficult to enforce, these groups say. Eight-year-old Archie is a pitbull type. Find out more about cookies. Owners must keep the local authority up to date with where they live at all times. Related: 6 Ways You Can Fight Breed-Specific Legislation in Your Community Although the ballot measure passed, it is not completely legal for Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type dogs to live in Denver. However, she measured the measurements they use, he even said he did some several times to check, he could see how lovely she was. Jo-Rosie says that this means court cases can be long and drawn out with arguments over tiny details: “I’ve been in court before where we’ve spent over an hour arguing over one measurement. Denver Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Ballot Measure to Lift City's 30-Year-Old Pit Bull Ban ... Herdon argued that breed-specific legislation is ineffective and often targets communities of color. This is called BSL, breed specific legislation. PPG considers BSL to be ineffective in dog bite prevention and the safety of the public at large, and opposes any law or regulation that discriminates against dogs based purely on breed or appearance. But Archie is a soppy thing, and he’s used to it by now. The officer did an assessment on Lola and confirmed she was a well balanced, obedient, gentle dog that showed no aggression what so ever. An amendment to the law that year meant that dogs who were found guilty of looking like a banned type could be ‘exempted’ if they passed a court behavioural assessment and proved they could live happily and peacefully in the community. 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