Breed specific legislation
The Bark over Breed Specific Legislation
fevered pitch in recent months. Across the U.S., city and state
governments have been proposing legislation geared at keeping
dangerous dogs out of their communities, and many times that
means banning or restricting a certain breed, particularly Pit Bull
breeds and Rottweilers.
“With BSL popping up in many of Indiana’s surrounding states like Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, and Michigan, dog [guardian] or not, one needs to understand what BSL is, what it means, and how it effects the community,” says Laurie Adams of Casa De Toro Pit Bull Rescue. She explains that BSL is costly and ineffective, places a huge burden on shelters that are most likely already underfunded and under-staffed, and doesn’t address the heart of the problem which is irresponsible guardians. AKC’s Gina Lash agrees.
“Since it’s often impossible to determine a dog’s breed, Breed Specific Legislation is often hard to enforce,” she says. In fact, a Pit Bull is not a breed, but a term used to describe several breeds, including American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, or any mix of those breeds. She adds that another reason BSL doesn’t work is that people that raise dogs to fight or for other malicious purposes will just switch breeds if one is banned.
Patricia Offenbacker of The Indy Pit Crew, a small, hands-on
volunteer group focused on both rescuing Pit Bulls and educating
the public about Pit Bull breeds, responsible dog guardianship, the
truth about canine aggression, and non breed-specific dog law
alternatives, says one problem shelters face is trying to adopt out
the dogs affected by BSL.
“Any bull breed dog is very hard to place because it is
important to screen very carefully,” she says. “If we have to
add that they need a pen that meets XYZ requirements, and an
expensive permit, a 100K insurance policy–how many people will
be interested?”
Offenbacker points to a recent proposed ordinance in
Louisville, KY, which would deem Pit Bulls and Rottweilers as
“potentially dangerous” and require guardians, among other
things, to carry a half-million dollar liability policy.
In Chicago, a recent proposal by a city alderman would ban any
more Pit Bulls from entering the city and require the guardians of
those currently residing there to follow a list a required safeguards,
including carrying a “dangerous animal” license. Violators would
face a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
Indiana is not currently facing any impending BSL, but that’s
not to say the issue hasn’t come up. Last September, Indianapolis-
Marion County City Council saw a proposed ordinance of its
own brought forth by Councillor Sherron Franklin. Although the
measure has since been tabled, it would have deemed Pit Bull
mixes and Rottweilers as dangerous dogs and placed limitation
on guardianship.
“Having an excellent open line of communication with
your local officials is a positive step in the right direction,”
says Adams. “No one gets anywhere unless we help each other
educate each other and come up with an effective solution.”
Adam Goldfarb, HSUS Companion Animal Issues Specialist,
explains that BSL is a common first response to a highly publicized
dog attack.
“Instead of BSL, communities should opt for well-enforced,
non-Breed Specific legislation. They should have laws or
ordinances that identify and regulate both dangerous and
potentially dangerous dogs,” says Goldfarb. “Aside from changing
laws, other options include hiring more animal control/police
officers to enforce existing laws, providing subsidized spay/
neuter services for the community, and educating the public
about avoiding dog bites and proper pet care.”
To find out more about Breed Specific Legislation, Pit Bull breeds, or canine aggression visit www.Understand-a-Bull.com,
www.Rott-n-Chatter.com, or www.AnimalFarmFoundation.org.
