Opinion Piece - Ineffective BSL

Ineffective BSL – Sarah Cousineau – March 21, 2019

Every year, countless of dogs are being destroyed. Families are being crushed and many dog owners feel uneasy, simply because their dogs are deemed “dangerous” by the way they look. Politicians, worried about their public relations, are attempting to fix a complex problem by enacting discriminatory laws, known as breed specific legislation (BSL). Their intended goal is to reduce dog attacks on humans and other dogs. These laws either ban or regulate ownership of targeted dogs based only on their appearance. Over and over, those laws have proven to be ineffective. Non Profit Justice for Bullies founder Chantelle Mackney believes in breed neutrality, and a “discriminatory free future”. Through education and advocacy, she is fighting relentlessly for the end of BSL in Canada. 

As mentioned in theAmerican Society for the Protection of Animals (ASPCA) policy and statement position, breed identification in dogs is very difficult. There is inconsistent data on breed population and bite rate. Animal advocate and reference in the dog world Steve Barker firmly believes breed identification is inaccurate and unreliable. Dog owners, victims, animal control staff, police officers, and members of the media may speculate on the breed without possessing any official documentation to prove their labelling. Barker says that even if a dog’s identification were to be right, the circumstances surrounding an incident are far more important. Many factors can affect a dog’s aggression tendencies. Amongst many factors, genetic predisposition, improper socialization, poor animal management and care, neutering status, and careless handling can affect a dog’s behaviour (Mackney, 2018). 

As quoted in the American Veterinary Medical Association peer-reviewed summary, “the substantial within-breed variation… suggests that it is inappropriate to make predictions about a given dog's propensity for aggressive behavior based solely on its breed."

In 2013, researchers at the University of British Columbia (Animal Welfare Program) conducted a study comparing data from Canadian municipalities with BSL and without it. The results demonstrated no decrease in dog bite occurrence in cities with BSL. In cities where breed neutral laws were in place, a decrease in dog bite was noted. Breed-neutral laws target dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog owners, as opposed to targeting specific breeds and appearance. In 2015, a similar study, based on Ireland’s dog bite related injuries data for the last 15 years, was conducted. Researchers concluded that dog bite frequency has increase despite the enactment of BSL. Consequently, this study rejects BSL. It is important to note that BSL are not evidence-based. To this day, there has been no peer-reviewed scientific research done that links a dog’s breed or physical characteristics with aggressive tendencies. 

Ironically, BSL laws can compromise the public’s safety as opposed to boosting it. After the regulation of specific breeds, criminals who favor aggression in dogs are likely to utilize other unregulated breeds instead. Such patterns took place in Winnipeg in the 1990’s. After the pit bull ban, rottweiler bites increased. Ten years later, Winnipeg enacted BNL. The total pit bull and rottweiler dog bites have since declined drastically, another proof that targeting specific breeds is the wrong approach (ASPCA, 2019). 

“There is, however, evidence that such laws unfairly target responsible pet guardians and their well-socialized dogs, are inhumane, and impede community safety and humane sheltering efforts.” (ASPCA, 2019)

In the United States, Prince George Maryland alone, Animal Control destroys 500-600 animals annually in the name of the pit bull ban. But eighty percent of these dogs fall in the category of “nice, family dogs,” says the ASPCA.

In conclusion, dog identification is difficult and inaccurate. Dog aggression depends on many factors that go way beyond a dog’s breed. BSL is not based on science and dog bites have not decrease after the enactment of such laws. Additionally, BSL has pushed malevolent individuals to pick another breed of dog to exploit. Above all, studies have shown BSL is ineffective. Furthermore, irresponsible ownership has been proven to be the primary cause for most dog bite related injuries and deaths. Recommendations such as installing a secure enclosure for loose dogs, as well as supervising children and their interactions with dogs would have prevented 88% of the dog attacks related-deaths in Canada between 1983-2017. Like Mackney, The International Association of Canine Professionals believes in teaching people and children on dog bite prevention skills as well as proper care, training and socialization of dogs. The ASPCA supports breed-neutral laws that hold dog owners accountable for their dog’s conduct. A dog should be judged according to his actions and behaviour, not its physical characteristics. This powerful quote sums it up, “Punish the deed, not the breed” (author unknown).

Reference

ASPCA (2019) ASPCS Policy and position statements. American Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 fromhttps://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/position-statement-breed-specific-legislation

AVMA (2014) Dog bite risk and prevention: The role of breed. American Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Division. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 fromhttps://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Pages/The-Role-of-Breed-in-Dog-Bite-Risk-and-Prevention.aspx

Barker, S. (2019) Dog bite related fatalities in Canada. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 from http://www.chicobandido.com/dbrf-canada/

Mackney, C. (2019) Justice for bullies. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 from https://justice-for-bullies.myshopify.com

Raghavan, M. (2008) Fatal dog attacks in Canada, 1990-2007. The Canadian Veterinary Journal49(6) Retrieved on March 11, 2019 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2387261/

RSPCA (2019) What happens to banned dogs? Royal Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. Retrieved on March 6, 2019 from https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/dogownership/bsl/whathappens/-/articleName/CAD_BSL_Case_Studies

Author unknown (2019) Breed specific legislation (BSL). Facts over fear. Retrieved March 20, 2019 from https://www.pitbullinfo.org/scientific-studies.html