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 … 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.". "The issue behind this is that any dog can have, say, the same head or tail shape as specified. "Also, more training should be offered to DLOs (Dog Legislation Officers) and any officers involved in canine handling, not only to understand current canine research, but to be bound to support families in getting their dog back. Dogs that fit the “measurements” are being seized because someone “believes” them to be “of type”. Owners should not face the suggestion it is best to kill their pet. "Do not allow fear to hamper your enjoyment of your family pet, but be proactive in ensuring they have the best training and that the whole family, including children, know how to behave around dogs.". 24,059 signatures toward our 50,000 Goal 48.12% Complete. 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. It allows seizure of other breeds, but the rules are not applied homogeneously by councils. DENVER (AP) — A ban prohibiting pit bulls in Denver is expected to remain in place after the mayor has announced plans to veto legislation that would have lifted the dog breed restriction. 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. After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised "to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs". against breed-specific legislation [40–42], in part due to the growing evidence that suggests that breed ban legislation has negative implications for dog welfare [15,43,44]. "Firstly and foremost, unless a serious bite has occurred, dogs that clearly have a responsible owner should stay at home under the interim scheme. "In 1987, an American pit bull terrier guarding a marijuana crop in California mauled and killed a 2 year old. This costs £25 a year, and just two insurance companies in the country offer it. Why is our first reaction to ban without fully understanding the consequences? Breed-specific legislation engenders a false and dangerous perception that breeds not included will not show aggression. Non-breed specific legislation includes restrictions targeting irresponsible owners based on exhibited behaviour of their dogs, typically including an educational component [ 2 ]. This includes 1052 United States cities, 38 counties, and 292 military bases which impose breed specific laws. - Japanese Tosa [Above: Archie must be muzzled in a public place. Watch our video to find out how!]. Does political fear for being known as the government who overturned BSL stop change? 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. Petitions UK Government and Parliament. They come to your home and take about 60 measurements using a tape measure. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act four breeds of dog are banned – the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. The municipality’s breed-specific legislation contradicted state law; Breed-specific legislation violates the federal Americans with Disabilities Act; Believe it or not, but Prince George County’s BSL costs were some of the lowest we discovered. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. "Breed-specific" legislation (BSL) is the blanket term for laws that either regulate or ban certain breeds completely in the hopes of reducing dog attacks. Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience. 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. 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. 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. He continues, "Good canine practice, as a whole, is to ensure dogs are neutered/castrated, health issues are dealt with promptly, that dogs are socialised and help is sought if there are any behaviour issues. Looks could literally kill. And we're not alone. Rachael and Darcie . “On a logistical basis for a normal person with an illegal type as a pet, it’s incredibly difficult,” says Jo-Rosie. Regulation of commercial cat breeding already exists in the Czech Republic, various US States, and the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria. This should be a first choice, rather than a vague possibility. Deeply impressed by their commitment and professionalism, when asked he became a patron without hesitating. Sports Illustrated ran a series of “articles” highlighting how dangerous these dogs were, followed by articles in other media. The measure passed the City Council on a 7-to-4 vote, two fewer than the nine required to override a mayoral veto. Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is a blanket term for laws than restricts or bans the ownership of certain breeds, most commonly “pitbull-type dogs,” thought to be dangerous. The best way to stay up to date with whats going on at Blue Cross is to join our mailing list. “He loves to snuggle up at night and just wants to puts his paws around you. The majority of public concern over the Dangerous Dogs Act has concentrated on the breed ban in Section 1, and there have been widespread calls for it to be repealed on animal welfare grounds. It allows seizure of other breeds, but the rules are not applied homogeneously by councils. "Dog bites are not fully understood and we, as humans, often have extreme reactions to things we do not know and fear. The person is a responsible dog owner, yet fearful her dogs may be classed as type they find they are in a difficult position for training and socialisation. 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. 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. 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. ", [Above: don't despair if your dog needs to wear a muzzle. Death was mandatory. 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. 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. May 1, 2014 - This Pin was discovered by S James. 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. Lennox, a Labrador/American Bulldog mix, was seized from the Barnes family under the U.K.'s "Dangerous Dogs Act" (DDA) and sentenced to death due simply to his physical measurements. In reality there is nothing specific about them. your own Pins on Pinterest ", Pictured above, Professor Cooper and his dog, Lawrence. 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. They must wear a muzzle even when travelling in a car, as this counts as a public place. 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!". Read More. Owners must keep the local authority up to date with where they live at all times. Montreal's ban, an example of breed-specific legislation (BSL), stems from common biases and misperceptions about pit bulls. 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. Breed Specific Legislation fails to achieve what Parliament intended, to protect the public. “The process of taking the measurements is incredibly intrusive for the dog,” says Jo-Rosie. "There is no reason to take a dog that has shown no sign of aggressiveness from their home, as this not only reduces trauma to the family and the dog, but significantly reduces costs. 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. He explains the mood of the country to us at the time of it's introduction. The law on dangerous dogs refers to specific breeds of dog as ‘dangerous’. The introduction of UK Breed Specific Legislation received support from the political & animal world. "Think about how ridiculous that is; we’re basically saying the dog is dangerous if the circumference of one part of his leg is over 5.7 millimetres, and if it isn’t, then he’s not dangerous. 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.”. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. End Breed Specific Legislation. You can make muzzle training fun and simple. Dog attacks and fatalities often result in the formation of breed specific legislation. "Pit bulls were selectively bred for "gameness," the ability to finish a fight. Professor Cooper is an animal lover and has been a passionate campaigner against all forms of animal abuse and cruelty. "Hence why this is deemed by canine experts and scientists to be so illogical, as the shape of a dog’s eye has no influence on whether he can bite or not. 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.. "Some of the dogs that DLOs believe fit type do not, hence can go home to a normal life. "Also, we have been highly distressed by DEFRA disputing cases where the judicial system has granted an exemption. show that there is no reason to ban certain breeds, hence we can only summaise that their reticence rests on fear of what the media will say when there is a serious bite case in the future. There is no standard set of measurements on which to benchmark the other three banned types; it is open to interpretation. 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. 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. It's a dog's life!]. He is an Honorary Visiting Professor of Law at Cardiff University and in 2012 he was named by The Times as one of the Top 100 Influential Lawyers of 2012 in the UK. From a global perspective, of 196 countries, 43 nations worldwide have some form breed specific legislation on the books. In the UK, BSL bans the ownership of four different types of dogs traditionally bred for fighting: pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero. Professor John Cooper tells us the focus is on the word 'type' and the interpretation of this. This includes 1052 United States cities, 38 counties, and 292 military bases which impose breed specific laws. According to DogBite.org, 2016 data estimates a total of 36 states have adopted breed specific legislation. To do just this, we recently spoke with Born Innocent Patron, Professor John Cooper QC who specialises in human rights and criminal law and has spent much of his life utilising the law and advising on reform for both the protection of humans and animals in his capacity as a member of the Queen's Counsel. 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.. Many states in America started introducing breed specific legislation and investigations started to be made in the UK. 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. "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. "Moreover, even following the DEFRA guideline is very subjective – the words 'majority' and 'significant' leave a lot to interpretation and are not precise enough legally. Up until 1997, being born to look like one of these types signalled an automatic death sentence for these dogs – even if they had never shown any aggressive behaviour. Darcie came to us at 6 weeks old, the house she came from was not the best, the owner wanted the puppies gone so we brought her home. Ella doesn't have to wear a muzzle, even though Archie is the one of the two of them who has proved he is well-behaved in the courts.]. 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. Aurora’s current pitbull ban. 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. 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…. Sadly, many of those dogs would have been kept away from their owners in kennels for the duration of a costly court case, before being allowed to return home. "In 1991, after a 6 year old suffered severe bites by a Pit Bull Terrier, the act was passed in a rush. Despite suffering unimaginable cruelty in his past, Archie has a wonderful temperament, is well trained, and has a devoted and responsible owner who loves him and makes sure he is a well-adjusted member of society – just as she does with her other three dogs, none of whom are illegal types. abolish current Breed Specific Legislation and replace with Canine Regulation and Breed Management Legislation (CRBML) We already have laws in place that do that, which is Section 3 of the DDA. Breeding guidelines: While the official rules for breeding cats are not fully legally implemented, there are established bodies that play a crucial role in governing how cats are bred in the UK. It is not the dogs fault if it is trained to attack, is neglected or poorly trained. Perspectives on Breed Specific Legislation 11. 2 Cat breeding is not regulated in the UK. All owners should cover all these points and also train any dog to use a muzzle. If not, they can be exempted. "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.". Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is a type of law that prohibits or restricts particular breeds or types of dog. Dogs are being killed because of what breed they are. Dr Samantha Gaines, an RSPCA dog welfare expert and lead author of the Breed Specific Legislation: A Dog’s Dinner report, said: “The law is letting down dogs who look a certain way, who have specific measurements, or who tick an unfortunate number of boxes on a … Jo-Rosie is a dog behaviourist and works as an expert independent witness for the courts in Dangerous Dogs Act cases. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has given guidance to law enforcers on what to look for when ‘typing’ a dog. In March, Mayor Hancock vetoed the repeal of Denver’s pit bull ban that had been passed by the Denver... View Article He explains the mood of the country to us at the time of it's introduction. Our research, through FOIs (Freedom of Information research), show that in 2015 only 2 police forces were 'looking at' using it. Jo-Rosie explains: “Just like any other dog believed to be of an illegal type, Archie was measured by the dog legislation officer. Related: 6 Ways You Can Fight Breed-Specific Legislation in Your Community Although the ballot measure passed, it is not completely legal for Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type dogs to live in Denver. The biggest change to the regulations is the reduction of the litter threshold for which a dog breeding licence is required. Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site. Pitbull terrier types are defined using measurements based on an American breed standard for show dogs from the 1970s. Regulated breeds typically comprise the “pit bull” class of dogs, including American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and English Bull Terriers. Hier sollte eine Beschreibung angezeigt werden, diese Seite lässt dies jedoch nicht zu. He is also a spokesperson and legal advisor to Queen Guitarist, Brian May’s ‘Save Me’ Trust which campaigns and lobbies for the protection of animals. 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. This is why Blue Cross is calling on the government to repeal breed specific legislation. "All of these measurements are taken by a stranger who the dog has never met before. Learn more about fighting BSL in our advocate toolkit. Professor John Cooper explains how to us how Section 1 of The Dangerous Dogs Act, 1991 (amended) can affect any dog owner. Section 1 of The Dangerous Dogs Act explained, Understanding how a ‘type’ dog can be identified, even if parents are known, The introduction of UK Breed Specific Legislation received support from the political & animal world. 1. This is without doubt a form of racial profiling which cannot continue. They are allowed to return home under certain conditions, including that they are neutered, kept on a lead and muzzled in a public place. Most experts … “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.”. ", - Pit Bull Terrier The turning point for BSL in the UK is unlikely in 2017, but we must not give up. From a global perspective, of 196 countries, 43 nations worldwide have some form breed specific legislation on the books. Real life stories how Breed Specific Legislation has affected some dogs in the UK and what happens to them. This is not in the public interest, both financially and legally.". 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. What should be done under the current law to save more innocent dogs? According to DogBite.org, 2016 data estimates a total of 36 states have adopted breed specific legislation. Thus, S1 and S4 are unnecessary.". 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