Breed-Specific Legislation: Help Defeat It
Stacie Tamaki, a Dogster member and guardian of Kitai, returns as our guest blogger.
Recently my Dogster pal Lisa from www.helpfido.net helped to defeat breed-specific legislation (BSL).
My personal feeling on the matter is that BSL unfairly punishes owners with loving, well-adjusted pets based on the bad actions of a few dogs within their breed. Plus there are other solutions that would be more effective in helping to bring down the overall number of dog bites and maulings that take place in our country each year. If making communities safer is the goal, targeting one breed or a small group of breeds still leaves the community at risk to dozens of others breeds that, when owned by people interested in dog fighting or careless and indifferent owners, are just as capable of causing harm to both people and other animals.
So how did she do it? How did www.helpfido.net help defeat the proposed BSL?
1. By being willing to acknowledge that Bully breeds in particular are not the same as every other breed of dog. All breeds of dogs have certain traits; many of the dogs that fall under the “bully breed” classification have issues with dog aggression. Overlooking or denying this simple fact can cause your opposition to not take any of your other points and ideas seriously because you won’t appear to see their side of things. Unless you can show them you hear them and share their concerns you won’t be able to effectively communicate with them.
2. Educate and license owners of power breeds. Especially first-time dog owners. Licensing should not be construed as a bad thing but rather a positive, it shows the neighborhood that you are a responsible owner and are educated in handling your pet. It sets you apart from the dog owners who give the rest of us a bad name. Combining licensing and education can teach owners about training methods and early socialization to ensure the safety of their communities.
3. Help coordinate to bring animal services into your community. Work with city officials to promote free or low-cost spay/neuter services, vaccine clinics, microchip clinics, training classes and registration drives. Provide grant information to city officials to direct them to funding to offset the costs of providing such services.
4. When you contact councilmen and legislators do so using more facts than emotion, to make your points. Saying you own a friendly bully breed as a pet doesn’t address the larger concern that council people and legislators have for the dogs who are in the hands of irresponsible owners.
5. Support education for adults. More adults need to know that regardless of breed it is NEVER safe to leave any dog unattended with infants and small children. Dogs as large as the targeted BSL breeds and as small as a Pomeranian have caused serious injury and death to infants. The responsibility to keep kids safe is up to the adult who is supervising the interaction between both.
6. Bring dog safety education into the schools. Children need to know how to behave around dogs and how to interact with them safely. So many of the things kids are naturally inclined to do, such as running near a dog, can result in a dog giving chase as its prey drive is triggered, the child being knocked over, and the end result is a bite. Something as benign as a hug can result in a bite. Kids need to be told that dogs may perceive a hug as threatening, not loving. Any child may poke, pull on, hit, or do who knows what to a dog not meaning any harm, but the end result is a bite and a friendly but provoked pet being euthanized at Animal Control.
7. Demand stronger enforcement of leash laws and increased penalties. The fines can be funneled back into animal-related community programs. If a dog is under an owner’s control the odds of a bite go from very possible to highly unlikely.
8. Statistically kids who are unsupervised are more likely to suffer from being bitten than those who do have more parental or adult supervision. More after-school and community activities and programs for at-risk kids would help to reduce the number of bites, by getting them into adult-supervised programs that on a peripheral level offer a safety cushion against dog bites and other many other dangers.
9. Recognize and agree that the status quo is not acceptable and that rather than BSL, the more effective approach would be to hold owners responsible through dangerous dog laws which will more effectively target dogs of ALL breeds who endanger public safety by holding owners responsible for their pets’ actions.
10. Point out that visual breed identification will always be a flawed process. It is not always possible to tell the breed of a dog, especially mixed breeds by a visual ID process. In the process of enforcing “mixed breed” or dogs that “appear to be of” bully breed lineage, there will always be collateral damage. Dogs who contain no targeted breed DNA but because their head is a little “boxy” or their neck a little too “thick” will be condemned to die or their owners forced to sell their homes to move to a community where they will be accepted and safe.
I think proper training is absolutely necessary to help ensure a healthy environment especially for dogs disposed to problems such as Pits.
I agree that training should include positive rewards. Owners should always have treats with them while walking their dogs to reward positive behavior at the time of the act.
One way to make dog owners more responsible and to aid in training is to make taking care of their dogs as convenient as possible. For example, if an owner has poop bags readily available they will most likely be more prone to picking up after their dog(s) and if they have treats readily available they are better able to train their dogs more efficiently.
My Home !!
Yes, yes! True, true, true! One of my dogs is a German Shepherd, and some people will stay far back when I have her. Doesn’t seeing a 14-year-old girl leading a big, strong German Shepherd spell anything about GENTLENESS to them???
I didn’t want anything to do with Pitbull dogs and threw a fit when my husband allowed our son to get one. I had heard all the horror stories. I found that with proper training and treatment that a pitbull could be as gentle and loving as any other dog. I still recognize the danger of the breed’s aggressive nature, but they are not the only breed with that nature. Irresponsible owner’s is the biggest problem with any dog and cities not enforcing the leash laws. Stop the fighting and there will be less reason to bring the viciousness in a breed. Punish the deed not the breed.
Pit buls aren`t mean! Or killers! OR evil! Go to my site, watch the video. Shows a real pits potentail! http://Www.dogster.com/dogs/757313
That is exactly the author’s point. Emotionally protesting has no effect on legislators and city councils. When dealing with BSL, we need to be as strong and logical as our opponents aren’t. By providing real facts , suggesting solutions, admitting the POTENTIAL danger and discussing how to mitigate it (instead of condemning one breed for the actions of the few) is a realistic and effective counter to BSL.
I feel for the owners of bully breeds, whose animals are discriminated against, but by taking on such an animal they know that their animal must be a breed ambassador, and train them according. While I detest BSL, I also feel that many bully breeds are mishandled and poorly socialized for their size. By acting smart about BSL, we can prevent it. Cries for change will fall on deaf ears without the proper and well thought out approach.
“they know that their animal must be a breed ambassador”
Well said Michelle! I think this is one of the key points when it comes to educating owners of any large or small breed of dog. Good or bad our pets are all ambassadors for all dogs within our own communities.
My last dog before Kitai weighted 110 lbs. When I decided to get him? I knew I would be enrolling him in formal obedience classes because I knew that his behavior had to be 100% within the realm of acceptable if he and I were going to live together in the same house without issues.
I wish all first time dog owners, especially those choosing a large and/or powerful breed, would enroll their pups in at least two levels of obedience training as early as possible. I think it does a world of good in teaching owners how to interact with their pets and establishes what is acceptable behavior setting a precedent that a dog is then usually willing to follow for the rest of its life.
[...] said, Lisa and I agree that the most important thing all of us can do to halt the spread of BSL is for each of [...]
Also offer the benefits of a Dangerous Dog Ordinance (DDO) to city council members, along with why BSL does not work nor can it be enforced effectively. Find out how much your city spends on animal control, educate them on how much more it will cost to adopt BSL. (Extra ACO’s, larger facilities, etc.)
As said before, be professional and informative when speaking with city representatives. Don’t be afraid to e-mail , snail mail or call your council members or reps. If need be get to know your city officials and where they stand on BSL.
If re-election is coming up remember who is pro and who is con, inform other Bully owners of the runners stand. Take part in the elections and get involved with what is going on within your city.
fyi in case anyone didn’t know
PETA supports bsl.
I couldn’t believe it got into several email arguments but fact they support dog bans.
my city is banning pitbulls & simular breeds the final meeting Is sept 8th I was hoping you can help with this to prevent It from happening
click below for latest article my name Is geoff owens phone 712-444-1110 I live In sioux city iowa i hope u can help all the proud responsible dog owners in this city out Ive had my pitbulls & amstaffs for 10 years & have never had one incident at all they are wonderful breeds & have a horrible bogus reputation this is not right at all but it looks like its going to happen please help
PLEASE READ
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/08/26/news/local/17270357b810aa26862574b10011a7dd.txt
i really hope u can help with this & convince our city officials the final vote is september 8th please do everything you can I love my animals I love pitbulls & amstaffs & have never had a single issue with my dogs & theres alot of other people that are the same the new law there going to pass Isnt right & no one that have spoke at the meetings have been able to provide them with the proof or convince them not to do this
please read latest article regarding matter so you are fully aware of what there doing click below
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2008/08/26/news/local/17270357b810aa26862574b10011a7dd.txt
Mayor Mike Hobart
PO Box 447
Sioux City, IA 51102
ccouncil@sioux-city.org
712-899-6130 (cell)
712-258-1882 (home)
Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Rixner
PO Box 447
Sioux City, IA 51102
jwrx@aol.com
712-490-0245 (cell)
712-258-7855 (home)
Councilman Aaron Rochester this is the guy who propossed the ban
PO Box 447
Sioux City, IA 51102
impactaccounting@cableone.net
712-253-4547 (cell)
712-226-4675 (home)
Councilman Dave Ferris
PO Box 447
Sioux City, IA 51102
ccouncil@sioux-city.org
712-279-6136 (work)
Councilman Brent Hoffman
PO Box 447
Sioux City, IA 51102
http://www.siouxcitycommunity.com
brent.hoffman@att.net
712-251-5344 (cell
We have bully breeds, by way of rescue. One is a Lab-Pit mix. No mistaking the Pit in this dog, and our other is an Akita. Both dogs are loving and trained. They both love people and the Akita us a “girly girl” .She expects to be treated like the princess she is. They are loved at our vet’s office for their restraint and training, especially when other large dogs come in. Ours stay on the floor without becoming agitated. All of that is training and lots of love and attention. Bully breeds get a bad rap.