We do, however, know a lot more today than we did 25 years ago about canine genetics and behaviour and it has been scientifically and empirically proven that breed is not a determinant of bite propensity. WHAT IS BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION? Under the DDA, if a dog's measurements are in line with their standard for "pit bull types", the dog can be seized without warrant and sentenced to death (a recent amendment stipulates the that the dog must also be proven … The officer did an assessment on Lola and confirmed she was a well balanced, obedient, gentle dog that showed no aggression what so ever. There is no standard set of measurements on which to benchmark the other three banned types; it is open to interpretation. It is impossible for illegal types to get health insurance – no UK pet insurance company will insure them – leading to hefty bills if your pitbull type becomes sick. According to DogBite.org, 2016 data estimates a total of 36 states have adopted breed specific legislation. We already have laws in place that do that, which is Section 3 of the DDA. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience. The points for or against a subject may not be RSPCA policy and represent some of the wider thinking around the subject. Becky Thwaites, Blue Cross Head of Public Affairs, said: “Many dogs that are seized as illegal breeds are in fact well-behaved dogs with responsible owners, who just have the misfortune to have the wrong measurements. “On a logistical basis for a normal person with an illegal type as a pet, it’s incredibly difficult,” says Jo-Rosie. Breed specific legislation is active in certain countries across the world, the UK being one. Perspectives on Breed Specific Legislation 11. "DEFRA’s guidelines state there are 32 measurements that dogs must conform to 'in the majority' to be classified as a type. He explains the mood of the country to us at the time of it's introduction. Eight-year-old Archie is a pitbull type. Nearly as many dogs - not banned breeds - were seized under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act as under section 1 last year for being dangerously out of control, highlighting how important it is for government to change the legislative focus from what a dog looks like to dealing with irresponsible owners of any breed of dog to keep our communities safe.”. This is called BSL, breed specific legislation. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But Archie is a soppy thing, and he’s used to it by now. Jo-Rosie says that this means court cases can be long and drawn out with arguments over tiny details: “I’ve been in court before where we’ve spent over an hour arguing over one measurement. This should be a first choice, rather than a vague possibility. However, we believe that breed-specific legislation ignores the most important factors that contribute to biting incidents – primarily anti-social behaviour by irresponsible dog owners who train their dogs to be aggressive or do not train their dogs adequately. Most experts … Experts agree that breed-specific legislation (BSL) and similar policies that restrict dogs based on appearance do not reduce dog bites in communities or enhance public safety.. A company limited by guarantee. The new alterations in the Dangerous Dogs Act October 2014, covers all eventualities. From a global perspective, of 196 countries, 43 nations worldwide have some form breed specific legislation on the books. The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom prohibiting or restricting certain types of dogs and codifying the criminal offence of allowing a dog of any breed to be dangerously out of control. Petitions UK Government and Parliament. Breed-specific legislation prohibits ownership or places restrictions on dog breeds categorised as ‘dangerous’ or ‘able to inflict greater injuries’ . Breed-specific legislation engenders a false and dangerous perception that breeds not included will not show aggression. "All of these measurements are taken by a stranger who the dog has never met before. 3 There are UK bodies such as the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and International Cat Care (ICC) that provide advice on good welfare standards with regard to cat breeding. "Pit bulls were selectively bred for "gameness," the ability to finish a fight. The biggest change to the regulations is the reduction of the litter threshold for which a dog breeding licence is required. We campaign for breed neutral legislation in the UK backed by a framework that fosters education, responsible ownership and bite prevention, supported by scientific research. Professor Cooper explains what he thinks officials should be doing as a first choice, rather than seizing dogs purely based on looks and size, if they have done nothing wrong. We were told it would prevent dog attacks, but twenty-five years on, injuries caused to humans by dogs are at an all-time high and pet dogs are killed every month simply because of how they look…. Under the eyes of the law, his looks make him ‘dangerous’, but in reality he is no more a threat to society than any other dog of any other breed. Failure to keep up with this could lead to him being euthanised. This is often referred to as ‘breed specific legislation’, or ‘BSL’, but actually the law doesn’t recognise a dog’s family tree, or pedigree. Why is our first reaction to ban without fully understanding the consequences? Pitbull terrier types are defined using measurements based on an American breed standard for show dogs from the 1970s. As part of an evaluation of Dutch breed specific legislation, data were collected from dog bite victims (1078) and dog owners (6139) using Internet surveys. Supporting #HaveaHeart and sending a Valentine’s card to DEFRA asking them to repal BSL is a different, fun and positive way of making voices heard.". Rachael and Darcie . Professor John Cooper explains how to us how Section 1 of The Dangerous Dogs Act, 1991 (amended) can affect any dog owner. Although BSL is enforced in the UK, statistics released by Born Innocent recently as part of their #Haveaheart campaign (see story here) show that the number of dog bites are on the rise. That’s what it came down to in that case. It had murdered hundreds of innocent , much loved famiy pets and has cost the country millions in kenneling and court fees. When Jo-Rosie moved house recently, she had a visit from the dog legislation officer with 30 minutes of letting them know she had moved. He is the longest serving Chair and former President of the League Against Cruel Sports and his work was central to bringing about the Hunting Act of 2004 and the criminalisation of hunting with hounds. Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) is, in simple terms, a statute or regulation that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs. Dogs that fit the “measurements” are being seized because someone “believes” them to be “of type”. For a dog who has just moved to a new environment, to have a stranger come into your personal space can be a bit much. If you are a dog owner concerned about breed specific legislation and The Dangerous Dogs Act, one of the best things you can do is arm yourself with knowledge and an understanding of the law. Professor Cooper says, "Alas, only a trained assessor can know for sure if a dog fits type or not, hence we cannot comment on identification. "Most importantly, anyone that is worried about their dog should also seek to fully understand the law, research solicitors and have a trusted number to hand, as well as following Born Innocent so they can support campaigns and raise awareness. Instead, UK legislation bases the decision on whether a dog is illegal on looks alone – a dog’s breed, a dog’s parents’ breeds, DNA testing and behaviour don’t come into it. This is nothing to do with breed but simply to do with looks. Aggression is a normal behaviour and can be shown by any dog of any breed, type or mixed breeding. Blue Cross is a registered charity in England and Wales (224392) and in Scotland (SC040154). Banning specific breeds has not decreased Dog Bite statistics. We all understand 'saving face' and at K9 Magazine we have to question whether a government driven by the same party who introduced BSL all those years ago would in fact stop short of implementing a change because of this, or whether there is any scientific evidence which is clung onto to justify. Instead, UK legislation bases the decision on whether a dog is illegal on looks alone – a dog’s breed, a dog’s parents’ breeds, DNA testing and behaviour don’t come into it. Places such as Ontario in Canada have noticed similar with fatal dog bites continuing to rise and they are preparing to repeal their 11 year old breed specific legislation due to its ineffectiveness. “But I once had a guy shout at me in a train station, ‘You shouldn’t have that type of dog, they’re dangerous’, which was quite intimidating.”. Dog attacks and fatalities often result in the formation of breed specific legislation. He says, "The Act states that 4 breed types are illegal to own breed, sell, gift or allow to stray in the UK. Does political fear for being known as the government who overturned BSL stop change? The role of a police officer is not to tell an owner what to do, but to implement the law and to ensure owners understand their legal options. 23 talking about this. Jo-Rosie is a dog behaviourist and works as an expert independent witness for the courts in Dangerous Dogs Act cases. Experts agree that breed-specific legislation (BSL) and similar policies that restrict dogs based on appearance do not reduce dog bites in communities or enhance public safety.. Blue Cross wants to see an end to legislation that singles out dogs based on looks alone and the focus switched to prevention, and we’re writing to Lord Gardiner, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Defra, to ask him to repeal the unfair and ineffective law. “The number of measurements is open to interpretation, but case law suggests if 60 per cent of the measurements meet the standard then the dog is of type. A: Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also referred to as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL), is a law or ordinance that prohibits or restricts the keeping of dogs of specific breeds, dogs presumed to be specific breeds, mixes of specific breeds, and/or dogs presumed to be mixes of one or more of those breeds. "It is important to note the word 'type' as this means that any dog that fits most of the characteristics associated with one of the banned breeds can fall within this classification. Section one of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 outlaws four types of dog based on their physical appearance, regardless of whether or not the dog has ever behaved dangerously. Despite passing with a 7-4 vote in the Denver City Council, the new … These laws judge a dog based solely on their appearance and not their actual behavior. So let’s get started, I gathered most of my information from the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (DDA) and the UK government site where the legislation is outlined in the section Controlling your dog in Public.Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) was introduced as part of The Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) on the 12th of August 1991.. Professor John Cooper tells us the focus is on the word 'type' and the interpretation of this. ", [Above: don't despair if your dog needs to wear a muzzle. This is why Blue Cross is calling on the government to repeal breed specific legislation. your own Pins on Pinterest Breed Specific Legislation fails to achieve what Parliament intended, to protect the public. Archie must also be insured for public liability under the terms of his exemption. This has led countries such as the Netherlands to lift their breed ban because it was deemed ine ective [13]. Death was mandatory. You can be fined if your dog is out of control in public - find out about Dog Control Orders, banned dogs, dog fouling and reporting a dangerous dog The law on dangerous dogs refers to specific breeds of dog as ‘dangerous’. I once had a guy shout at me in a train station, ‘You shouldn’t have that type of dog, they’re dangerous’, which was quite intimidating. PPG considers BSL to be ineffective in dog bite prevention and the safety of the public at large, and opposes any law or regulation that discriminates against dogs based purely on breed or appearance. An amendment to the law that year meant that dogs who were found guilty of looking like a banned type could be ‘exempted’ if they passed a court behavioural assessment and proved they could live happily and peacefully in the community. In the meantime, educating others on alternatives is the best way to create progress in helping all our four-legged friends live equally. “He loves to snuggle up at night and just wants to puts his paws around you. Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a type of law that prohibits or restricts particular breeds or types of dog. Denver Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Ballot Measure to Lift City's 30-Year-Old Pit Bull Ban ... Herdon argued that breed-specific legislation is ineffective and often targets communities of color. Hier sollte eine Beschreibung angezeigt werden, diese Seite lässt dies jedoch nicht zu. "In 1987, an American pit bull terrier guarding a marijuana crop in California mauled and killed a 2 year old. This is without doubt a form of racial profiling which cannot continue. Learn more about fighting BSL in our advocate toolkit. - Japanese Tosa Registered company in England and Wales under company number 00363197. The measure passed the City Council on a 7-to-4 vote, two fewer than the nine required to override a mayoral veto. Such laws range from outright bans on the possession of these dogs, to restrictions and conditions on ownership, and often establishes a legal presumption that such dogs are dangerous or vicious. Breed-specific legislation has remained an emotionally fraught issue in Denver since the city introduced a law banning pit bulls in 1989 following a string of high-profile attacks by such dogs. Under this law, a dog that looks like an illegal type can be seized and killed based on looks alone – the dog doesn’t have to have behaved aggressively or injured anyone. Most of the dogs that fall under this classification are 'pit bull types' and the reason it is so widespread is that any Mastiff or Bull Breed cross can end up within this classification, although we have seen many other breeds fall foul to this - one of Born Innocent’s Ambassadors is a Vizla!". This legislation has been ineffective at preventing dog attacks. Milo has been seized as a pit bull type dog, he is a family pet who belongs to two older ladies. In March, Mayor Hancock vetoed the repeal of Denver’s pit bull ban that had been passed by the Denver... View Article Dogs are being killed because of what breed they are. All owners should cover all these points and also train any dog to use a muzzle. We have had too many reports of people being told not to fight for their dogs through the legal system and to give them up. "Also, we have been highly distressed by DEFRA disputing cases where the judicial system has granted an exemption. "It is widely accepted that this is one of our worst pieces of legislations and very difficult to implement fairly due to all the possibilities of misinterpretation.". This is despite the fact that the majority of these dogs are gentle, loving, affectionate and friendly family dogs, and completely innocent of any wrong doing. Professor Cooper explains that sadly the introduction of breed specific legislation received support from both politicians and figures within the animal world. Mayor Michael Hancock has vetoed a proposal to end breed-specific legislation within Denver, Colorado, effectively killing a measure that would have allowed Pit Bulls within both the city and county. Its an unworkable, unenforcable racist peice of legislation. "The issue behind this is that any dog can have, say, the same head or tail shape as specified. Discover (and save!) Owners should not face the suggestion it is best to kill their pet. 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