Breed Specific Legislation does not address the root cause of problems with dangerous dogs. Instead, it unfairly targets dogs due to actual breed or breed appearance. Only two states have laws preventing BSL; in the other 48 states, owned dogs are always at risk that their local, county or state officials could pass a law or ordinance that would restrict their enjoyment of life, even to the point of summary execution, based on a prejudicial attitude of dogs by appearance and/or breed type.
BSL has typically been instituted as a knee-jerk reaction to an irresponsible owner not controlling their dog, resulting in a bite event. BSL has not been proven to work to reduce bite events. Further, it is based, at least in part, on "media hype", rather than actual facts.
We want our government to protect responsible dog owners from having to fear that laws could be passed that result in our loved pets being executed. There is no such thing as a breed of dog that is "inherently dangerous"; dogs as small as a six-pound Pomeranian has killed a human in the United States. Millions of dog owners do not want to have to wake up one day to find that their particular dog is suddenly the target of a law probiting the dog's existence.
Rather, laws need to encourage responsible dog ownership, such as:
1. Require dogs to be licensed and permanently identified (micro-chip or tattoo).
2. Require dogs, when out and about in public, to be under control of their owner (leash and/or harness) unless the dog is working (law enforcement, search-and-rescue, legal competition, service/assistance dogs).
3. Require appropriate investigation when a bite event occurs; if a dog was protecting his owner or home, was acting in self-defense or otherwise was incited to bite through inappropriate handling (for example, repetitive teasing or harassment of the dog), the dog and the owner should not be penalized. Conversely, an owner that habitually allows a dog to roam in public, places their dog at risk.
