The ASPCA Recommends Against BSL!

YAY ASPCA!

The ASPCA has released clear and specific recommendations in a position statement in which they oppose breed bans.

Putting forth a well-constructed argument, supported by - gulp - research and facts, the ASPCA has done an excellent job of developing a statement that applies to individual dogs and their owners/guardians, and NOT to specific breeds.

"...the ASPCA is not aware of credible evidence that breed-specific laws make communities safer either for people or other companion animals. There is, however, evidence that such laws unfairly target responsible pet guardians and their well-socialized dogs, are inhumane and impede community safety and humane sheltering efforts (Sacks et al., 2000; Wapner, 2000; Taylor, 2004). Although multiple communities have been studied where breed-specific legislation has been enacted, no convincing data indicate this strategy has succeeded anywhere to date (Klaassen et al., 1996; Ott et al., 2007; Rosado, 2007). Conversely, studies can be referenced that evidence clear, positive effects of carefully crafted, breed-neutral laws (Bradley, 2006)."

By including a combination of laws such as the mandatory sterilization of shelter animals, leash laws, tethering/chaining laws, and holding dog guardians financially accountable for a dog's actions, this position statement could be the foundation we've been searching for for so long.

What a great idea: Judge each dog individually!

During its ongoing ban on Pit Bulls, the city of Denver, Colorado has systematically euthanized over 550 Pit Bulls - whether or not they've bitten or acted aggressively in any way. In many instances, just "looking like" a Pit Bull was reason enough for a dog to be seized from a backyard and destroyed.

Denver Pit Bull owners moved from the city to places like Boulder. Oddly enough, in 2008, 207 dog bites were reported. Only nine of those were from Pit Bulls. Read how the city of Boulder has used its dangerous dog law to train owners and control aggressive dogs rather than try to label or extinguish an entire "breed."

What goes around...

There is justice in this world.

A Sioux City councilman pushed and pushed until his BSL was passed. As one reader commented, he gave his constituents a false sense of security in thinking that ONLY Pit Bulls would bite and that all other dogs were safe to be around.

Until his own dog bit a passerby and was labled vicious by the city's Animal Control Officer... Read on, my friends!

Breed Specific Legislation Ticks Me Off

What do German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Akitas, Greyhounds (yes, Greyhounds), and pit bulls have in common? They're all great dogs who have become the target of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in many countries around the world, including the United States.

And it burns me up. It makes me want to stomp my paws and bark at the mailman!

Often, if a dog is aggressive or violent, it's due to poor breeding, poor upbringing, or a combination of both.

BSL doesn't solve the root of the problem: Humans who have trained their dogs to be fighters or otherwise dangerous. Rather than addressing the need for responsible pet ownership, BSL ignores the human factor and punishes the animal.

It's time to hold owners responsible for their despicable actions. The Michael Vick case was a disturbing event that will hopefully show officials that it's the humans, not the animals, who are the responsible parties. Of the 49 dogs that were seized from Vick's property, all but one will be placed with families or live their lives in peace as loved members of sanctuaries.

And besides, how would you ban pit bulls with Breed Specific Legislation? We're not a breed! Us plain old pits are a mix of as many as 35 different breeds of dog including Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Spanish Alanos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Bandogs, Dogues Brasileiros, Dogo Argentinos, Guatemalan Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, Boxers, Bull Mastiffs, Bull Terriers, English Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Akitas, Chow Chows, and even Labradors. Look for a Lab with a purple tongue. They're quite common.