Newspaper article seven

Breed Specific Legislation Does Not Promote Public Safety

There it was again – another dog attack on the news.  This one was not fatal, but looking at the victim’s face, it had been a vicious attack.  The woman was pleading for the dog to be euthanized, not because the dog was a pit bull, she said, but because she did not want it to hurt anyone else.  Her claim was that she had only reached over to pick up her purse when the dog launched into her, no warning signs given.  Quickly, the picture on the screen changes to a young man, obviously distraught, squatting in front of a cage containing a pit bull who is barking, wagging, panting,  showing  all the classic signs of a dog  in distress.  The young man wants his dog back, claiming the woman was on all fours, taunting the dog.  Two different perspectives of the same case, each emotionally charged, making for great television news ratings.   I feel for both people and the dog in this case.

What makes this case significant?  Due to this case, and several others that are equally sensational, we  in Tennessee are now faced with  a legislature considering Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), a ban on owning pit bulls.   Many folks will say it is understandable.  I would simply suggest that we let the emotions die down and then look at the facts.  In a previous column I noted opposition to BSL by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.  Another site for information regarding dog breeds and bites,  http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/ , arrives at the same conclusion.   The site compares two large cities, one with a pit bull ban and one without.  The city with the ban had a dog bite related fatality (not by a pit bull), while the one without a ban had none.   The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), Volume 218, No. 11, June 1, 2001, presents a report by its Canine Aggression Task Force stating the reasons it believes breed specific legislation is both “inappropriate and ineffective.”  Dogs bite due to lack of socialization, lack of training, medical problems, or the behavior of the victim, not because of breed.  The article points to the possibility of skewed statistics due to multiple attacks by one dog that may be erroneously recorded as separate bites of different dogs of the same breed.  People are unfamiliar with dog breeds and will often erroneously identify a dog as a breed it is not.   The Task Force presents several other arguments to support their position against BSL. 

There is no doubt that something must be done to reduce dog bites.  A more rational approach will involve several tactics.  Enforcement of leash laws is a good start.  17% of dog attacks occur from dogs roaming off their property and 25% of attacks come from dogs loose on their own property.  Chained dogs accounted for 25% of dog bites. The website www.doggonesafe.com has a frightening video of an aroused dog breaking its chain to attack.  Some states have laws restricting the amount of time a dog may be chained.  As 23% of dog bites occurred in the owner’s home, the need for owner education is obvious.  Learn the signals dogs in distress give.   Choose  the correct dog for your family.  Size is not a good indicator of safety.   I have worked on aggression cases involving everything from chihuahuas to great danes.  The most heartbreaking case I observed involved a golden retriever.  Check the AKC website for specifics about a certain breed.  Go to a dog show and talk with many owners of a breed you are considering.  Find out the good, the bad, and the ugly. Shelters and rescue groups are good places to find dogs that have already  been temperament tested  for family placement.

Pit bulls are powerful dogs used by some as a “tough guy” symbol.  Reports I receive from fellow trainers in the northeast indicate that banning pits has resulted in the new status dogs being Cane Corsos, Presa Canarios, Bull Mastiffs, and Dogo Argentinos.  Legislation aimed at banning a breed will not solve the problem.  One local site,  www.blessthebullys.com ,has wonderful information about pit bulls, which can be wonderful family dogs in the hands of knowledgeable owners.  BSL often moves on to include other large breeds such as Rottweilers, Dobermans, and Shepherds.  In an effort to help owners and the community, Knox County’s Young-Williams Animal Shelter is providing breed specific pet parenting classes for those who have or are considering some of these more challenging breeds.  Taking such a class can only help owners understand the unique responsibility that comes with owning a powerful dog.

For a reduction in dog bites, promote community education and require owners to be responsible for their dogs.  Legislators need to look beyond breed hysteria and investigate what it will take to truly make a community safe.