What is breed specific legislation

This has inevitably led to conflict, litigation, and protest from dog owners and breed advocates. Ordinances outlawing pit bulls have at times clashed with disability rights by discriminating against owners with service dogs of a certain breed.

Despite long-standing BSL, pit bulls have remained a popular choice as family pets and loyal companions. They are also the dogs most commonly seen in shelters, as well as the least likely to be adopted. Their legal status remains at issue in subsequent the fall out of BSL in the form of barriers to housing, insurability, liability and social stigma.

The ban describes physical characteristics of prohibited breeds, or it may list specific breeds that are prohibited, or a combination of both.

Part of this procedure then includes a visual identification test to ensure the prohibition is accurate. These attacks were sensationalized by the media and used to spread fear.

As such, pit bulls were labeled aggressive, powerful and often attacking unprovoked. Local governments calmed the fears of the public by passing legislation banning all pit bulls. A banned dog being found within city limits would seized and often euthanized. In one form or another, BSL is still present in many U.

This includes United States cities, 38 counties and military bases which impose breed specific laws. These laws remain despite some state governments taking an opposing view to BSL by passing laws prohibiting legislative discrimination based on breed. A: BSL is very costly, penalizes responsible pet owners, diverts resources, and is open to legal challenge.

That estimate did not include other expenses, such as utilities, manpower, or overtime, and did not include expenditures of the County or Municipal Police Departments, which also expend efforts with respect to the breed-specific law. A: There is a growing awareness that BSL does not improve community safety and penalizes responsible dog owners and their family companions. From January May , more than seven times as many American communities have either considered and rejected a breed-specific ordinance, or repealed an existing one, as have enacted BSL.

Effective laws hold all dog owners responsible for the humane care, custody, and control of all dogs regardless of breed or type. Facebook Twitter Instagram. Q: What is breed-specific legislation? Q: What breeds of dogs have been targeted by BSL? Q: What position do legal, animal-related, and non-animal related organizations take on BSL? Q: Aren't certain breeds of dogs more likely to injure or bite than others?

An Irish study found that bites from dogs labeled as legislated breeds in the country were no more severe than those from dogs labeled as non-legislated, and neither group was more likely to deliver a bite that required greater medical attention than the other.

Creedon, N. Dog bite injuries to humans and the use of breed-specific legislation: a comparison of bites from legislated and non-legislated dog breeds. Irish Veterinary Journal, 70 Patronek, G. Co-occurrence of potentially preventable factors in dog bite-related fatalities in the United States Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 12 , Q: Does BSL reduce dog bites? Use of a number-needed-to-ban calculation to illustrate limitations of breed-specific legislation in decreasing the risk of dog bite-related injury.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 7 : Rosado, B. Spanish dangerous animals act: Effect on the epidemiology of dog bites. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 2 5 : Ways to effectively protect public safety have been explored in other countries and it is clear that much of the focus is on encouraging responsible dog ownership and education.

BSL has been reviewed in many countries worldwide and the trend is to repeal this type of legislation. While Section 1 exists, the RSPCA wants to see a raft of measures to improve the welfare of affected dogs including a consistent application of the Interim Exemption Scheme, speeding up the review of cases, allowing the rehoming of prohibited types of dog by rescues and improving the welfare of seized dogs through the application of the RSPCA's guide on this issue.

Find out more about our proposed solutions and recommendations in our detailed report: Breed Specific Legislation: A dog's dinner. Exempt dogs are forced to live a very restricted life despite no danger to the public. In , the law was amended to allow exemptions from euthanasia for any dog that had been identified as type.

This is done through the use of a Contingent Destruction Order which sets out the following conditions:. This means that despite a court ruling that the dog is no threat to public safety, that its freedom is only conditional. A dog under exemption may not be put to sleep, but it will have to live by strict rules as if it were a dangerous dog, despite being proven not to be.

There are also very severe restrictions on changing keepership. This is only possible if the current owner dies or is seriously ill which means that many owners are faced with euthanasing their pet if their circumstances change e.

Share this What happens to banned dogs? How does the Dangerous Dogs Act affect me? Dogs on death row. Call for an end to BSL Despite an enquiry in , the UK Government has not committed to EFRA's recommendation to review whether the four types of dogs pose a more significant risk to human safety than any other type of dog.

What is Breed Specific Legislation? Help us reach more supporters Share this vital campaign by adding our 'Dogs deserve better' Twibbon to your social profile picture.

We believe that a three-pronged approach is needed to better protect public safety: Effective legislation and enforcement to tackle dog-related issues regardless of breed or type and based on their behaviour Education particularly targeted at children, who are most vulnerable from dog bites A better understanding of why dogs bite Ways to effectively protect public safety have been explored in other countries and it is clear that much of the focus is on encouraging responsible dog ownership and education.

What about exempted dogs? This is done through the use of a Contingent Destruction Order which sets out the following conditions: the dog must be neutered the dog must be permanently identified with a tattoo and microchip the owner must take out and renew annually third party insurance for their dog the dog is muzzled and kept on a lead when in a public place the dog cannot be taken out in public by anyone under 16 years of age the dog must be kept securely at home i.

Real life stories how banned dogs have been affected in the UK. Give animals a voice Sign up to our campaigns newsletter. How does the Dangerous Dogs Act affect my dog?