Breed Specific Legislation

In some communities, dog attacks are real and can be a serious problem. But addressing which dogs can potentially be dangerous is confusing and can be a touchy issue. This is why the Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) was created. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) definition for this law is, “BSL is the blanket term for laws that either regulate or ban certain dog breeds in an effort to decrease dog attacks on humans and other animals”.

            The breeds that are impacted by these laws are the ones that have gained a bad rap by us humans. In most areas, pit bulls are the main banned breed. Other areas include a big variety of other power breeds like the German shepherds, Rottweilers, mastiffs, Doberman pinschers, or any mix of these breeds or sometimes even dogs who may simply resemble any of these breeds. Many states however, don’t put a ban on one breed, they make laws that identify, track and regulate each dangerous dog individually. For example, if you own a dangerous pug, your pug will be banned from dog parks across the state. But there are still over 700 U.S. cities are still blaming the entire breed and have breed specific laws.

            There is no evidence that proves breed specific laws makes communities safer for people or other pets. The ASPCA followed through a study of human fatalities resulting from dog bites. This study showed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly oppose BSL. “The CDC cited, among other problems, the inaccuracy of dog bite data and the difficulty in identifying dog breeds (especially true of mixed-breed dogs). Breed-specific laws are also costly and difficult to enforce.”

            Breed specific laws cause the dogs, owners, and the public safety to suffer. The dogs are suffering from these laws because the owners of these banned breeds choose to avoid any public interaction. This can cause the dog to lose social interaction, exercise and even proper veterinary care. This can create negative impacts on both the dogs mental and physical health. The owners of these dogs can have trouble finding housing, they can face legal fees, or sometimes even have to put their pet down. The public safety suffers because there is only bans on the entirety of the breed, not just one individual dog. This means that there can be a certain dog of a different breed that isn’t banned. This certain dog could be dangerous but will still be allowed in public because of the BSL.

            The APSPCA says, “The CDC has noted that many other factors beyond breed may affect a dog’s tendency toward aggression—things such as heredity, sex, early experience, reproductive status, socialization and training. Conversely, studies can be referenced that point to clear, positive effects of carefully crafted breed-neutral laws”. Alternatives to these breed specific laws may include, more enforcement of dog license laws, making spay/neuter services more available, dangerous dog laws that focus more on the individual dog rather than the breed, community based approaches, and laws that hold the owner accountable for their dangerous dog.

Works Cited

"Breed-Specific Legislation." ASPCA. ASPCA, n.d. Web. 30 Nov 2015.