Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL)

It is a lucky APBT who does not fall victim to BSL.

By Lindsay Biddle

What is BSL?

Breed-specific legislation is just like it sounds: Laws which regulate dogs by their breed. In recent years, it has become fashionable for government officials to propose laws which target various dog breeds, irrespective of whether or not their community actually has a problem with those breeds. BSL has been enacted on city, state, provincial, and country-wide levels. Sadly, the people who push for these laws usually believe that they are taking a proactive approach to the issue of dog attacks.


There are two general types of BSL. The first is an outright ban in which targeted breeds are prohibited from the community. Sometimes breed bans will include a grandfather clause for existing dogs, and sometimes not. The 2nd type of BSL is restrictive-type, in which owners of affected breeds are required to comply with various conditions. The type of BSL differs from location to location.

Who is affected by BSL?

The usual suspects targeted by breed-specific legislation are 'pit bull breeds' and
Rottweilers. (The term 'pit bull' usually encompasses the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, sometimes other breeds, and usually mixes of those breeds as well.) However, sources have suggested that up to 78 dog breeds are named on BSL across America. A recent proposal in Illinois was geared towards declaring 10 different dog breeds inherently dangerous: 'Pit Bulls,' Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Akitas, Great Danes, German Shepherds Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Doberman Pinschers, and Saint Bernards. Italy has BSL on 92 different dog breeds (some being outright banned, and some being restricted) including such innocuous breeds as the Corgis, Miniature Pinscher, Border Collie, Schnauzer, and Bernese Mountain Dog.


Justice is NOT served by taking this dog away from his young master.

In reality, all dog owners are affected when BSL passes, whether they know it or not. One thing to consider is that the people empowered to make a determination of breed are not always familiar with the breeds they are to look for. Michael Bryant, the author of Bill 132, which banned 'pit bull breeds' in Ontario Canada, could not identify an APBT when asked to choose from a line-up. (His logic? If it looks like a Pit Bull, and wags its tail like a Pit Bull, it's a Pit Bull.) Many localities follow that casual thinking: Any black and tan dog with a stubby tail could be a Rottweiler or a Doberman. Any short-coated, athletic dog could easily be branded a 'pit bull breed.' Having registration papers or veterinary records does not necessarily protect your dog.

And BSL spreads like wildfire. Cities tend to watch and see what their neighbors are doing, and then they frequently try the same thing. Example: Many places which are trying to get BSL now are modeling their ordinances after the Denver Colorado or Ontario Canada bills. (As a result of Denver challenging the state-level BSL prohibition, numerous other cities are pushing to get their own breed laws using the same 'home rule' reasoning.)

Even if your dog is irrefutably not a targeted breed, there are still undesirable side effects to BSL. For one, it reflects badly on all dog owners that we need the government to regulate our dogs for us. An air of hostility and suspicion is created in the community. People who already don't like Pit Bulls (or other targeted breeds) will feel that their fears are vindicated by the passage of such laws. And neighborhood watch types will be on the lookout for any dog they think might be a contraband breed. Frequently, those that are most fearful don't even know what an APBT looks like. (One person was confronted by an ill-informed citizen who stated that the person's dogs were going to mature into 200-pound killers!)

Another consideration is that in communities with BSL, there can be an inordinate amount of emphasis put on finding all restricted breed dogs, at the expense of other, potentially greater threats.



So in the long run, who is affected by BSL? All of us!

What does BSL mean for me?

Well, let's start with the worst-case scenario first. (And believe it, this can happen.) Your city passes a breed ban with no grandfather clause. They give you 30 days to remove your beloved pet from the city, or move yourself. What do you do? Sell the house, find someone to board your dog until you move? Do you give up and take your dog in to the animal shelter, where he will be euthanized? Or do you live like a fugitive, hiding your dog inside your home and hoping like nothing else that nobody turns you in? (One Denver resident opted to live in his vehicle outside city limits with his two dogs rather than give them up. Talk about dedication!)


Faces of BSL: These dogs are on Denver's death row, the last stop for Pit Bulls in that city.

Or maybe it isn't as bad as that. Perhaps they give you a grandfather clause, and you get to keep your dog. Most likely, you have to get him neutered, so if you had any plans to show him or breed, those are out the window. Hopefully he isn't a valuable Grand Champion dog. (Even in cities that allow you to breed, they almost always require that the puppies are removed when they are a few months old.) And most likely, that isn't the end. You may also have to deal with a mass of restrictions, sometimes ones so severe that they practically are a ban themselves.



The easiest scenario to live with is a city that passes breed restrictions, but even those can be financially and mentally draining. Here is an example of the (paraphrased) restrictions of one BSL town. These are actually semi-lenient, as restrictions go.


Example of a 'secure kennel' that is can be a provision with BSL.

• You must build a kennel for your dog. The kennel must be a minimum of 10' x 5' and must have a secure top, with the sides sunk into the ground or attached to a concrete slab. The kennel must be locked when your dog is inside, and he can be in there with no other animals. You must post a warning sign on the kennel (and ensure that said sign includes a symbol to warn young children).
• Warning signs are to be posted at all entrances to your property.
• You have to maintain $100,000 worth of liability insurance at all times.
• When off your property, your dog must be muzzled and on a 4' leash.
• You can't have a dog door. Your dog can't be in a room where there is only a screen preventing him from exiting. In other words, if you like to open your screened doors and windows on nice days, you can't have your dog loose in the house.
• If your dog bites anyone without provocation or kills another animal, it dies.
• Your dog has to wear a city-issued collar and tag.
• The police get color photos of your dog. Presumably so they can identify him if he's ever loose. (What they do if they recognize your dog is anybody's guess.)
• The city must be notified if your dog is lost, stolen, or dies.
• If your dog is bred, you must remove the puppies from the city by the age of 2 months.
• If you're ever found in violation, they will take your dog until you correct the problem (and presumably charge you fees for caring for him).

Does this seem like a lot? As I said, this city is actually fairly lenient as far as restrictive BSL goes. Some cities will require spay or neuter, or delve into how you keep your dog in a car. Others jack the insurance requirements up so high (into the millions in some areas) that nobody who isn't independently wealthy will be able to afford the premiums.


A young APBT in a city-issued collar for a BSL town.




APBTs modeling muzzles which are required by Ontario law.

What can I do about BSL?

There is no magic cure to put an end to BSL. It will take time and much effort on our part to affect a meaningful change. The mind-set against our breed is ages-old and deeply ingrained in the minds of some. We will not be able to convince everybody that they are wonderful, worthy animals, but we may just be able to change enough minds to be able to keep our dogs around for generations down the road.

Here are some ideas for battling BSL

Make Your Opinion Known: Write your senator. Write your congressman. Make sure that the people we've elected to govern for us are aware of how you feel about breed-specific legislation. Even if there is not a breed bill on the docket, write them, or email, or call and ask them to please not support BSL. These people only stay in power if we continue to vote them into office. Let them know what you, as a law-abiding, tax-paying dog owner expect of them. BSL is written because of people's fear of dogs. Perhaps if enough pro-dog people get in touch with their representatives, the trend will shift towards good generic dog laws and anti-BSL bills being written.

Also make a point to attend your town meetings. (You can be assured that the people who want breed bans are already there.) Writing letters and making phone calls are important. But a calm presentation in public can potentially have a greater impact. Always remember to be polite when addressing politicians, even if their opinion differs from yours. Not all mind are irrevocably closed, and we stand a greater chance of winning the BSL fight if we keep our cool and speak our arguments and politely. Strong-arming the opposition is rarely effective.


Some dedicated APBT owners doing PR work.

Let Them See The Good Side: Folks have but to turn on their television to see glaring examples of 'bad' Pit Bulls. Reporters and journalists are only too happy to report every time this breed looks at somebody cross-eyed. It hurts the breed every time there is an attack reported, be it on a human or another animal. (Most people don't seem to understand that there's even a difference between aggression towards other animals and aggression towards people. A truly human-aggressive Pit Bull is an aberration.)

So what's the answer? If you've got a stable, outgoing dog, get him/her out there in public! Take a little piece of your day, and walk your dog at the park (always obeying the leash law of course). Take him to an outdoor restaurant, to the pet store, to march in your local Mardi Gras parade. Let him shake a few hands and kiss a few babies, like a proper breed ambassador. And always let people know that this dog is none other than the grand ol' American Pit Bull Terrier!

Be a Responsible Dog Owner: I am a firm believer that ownership of this breed
essentially means being more committed than if you owned a less-maligned dog. You must be ten times more responsible than the Lab or Golden owner down the street. As unfair as that may seem, it is the hard truth of the situation. A lot of people are afraid of Pit Bulls, and it is your responsibility to make sure that your dog does not cause any trouble for your neighbors or for the breed.

First and foremost, you have to obey the leash laws. It doesn't matter how cuddly your APBT is, how mellow it is with little kids and other doggies. In a crowded world, the leash is our friend. Also, make sure your fence is secure, and that your dog cannot escape. If you don't have a fence, do not leave your dog outside unattended, whether he is tethered or not. Too much can happen when your back is turned. And since nobody appreciates a bratty dog, make sure your dog doesn't create a nuisance of himself. That includes barking and fence-fighting with other dogs. When you go out in public, always take a plastic bag or two, and clean up after your pup.


This hard-working girl shows the true APBT nature by giving her young fans a ride.

Get Involved: Most major cities have a dog club nearby. If you are able, join what clubs you can and give them your support. Breed and activity clubs have been instrumental in fighting BSL. (When Cody Yelton lost an arm in an attack in Oklahoma, the 89ers APBT Club hosted a benefit weight pull and donated the proceeds to the boy's family, at the same time creating a great opportunity for breed PR.) They also go hand-in-hand with shows and other events which allow us to get our dogs out and show them in a positive light. There are also national organizations whose sole purpose is fighting BSL, and they need as much support as they can get to keep up the good fight. (See links below for clubs and organizations.)

It is important to remember to give support to other breed clubs in your area, too. Especially those which involve large-breed dogs. Pit Bulls are not the only ones affected by BSL.

Peer Pressure: This is where we start getting into sticky territory, because nobody wants to have to stand up to their friends. But you have to think: Would we rather police each other or have the government do it for us? If you see a Pit Bull owner doing something that could be damaging to the breed, please step up and politely say something. Not everybody is inclined to listen, but give them the benefit of the doubt that they want to be a respectable dog owner. Sometimes, they honestly don't realize how much trouble the breed is in, or how what they're doing would affect all of us. I had one person approach me at a Meet the Breed booth, and she did not realize that American Staffordshire Terriers were regulated right along side the APBT. Or sometimes, people become complacent, and they just need a friendly reminder.

At the time this project was started, 21% of polled dog owners live with BSL.

Breed-specific legislation is not something that anybody needs. It is wrong on so many levels that it isn't even funny, but somehow more BSL springs up everyday. However, 11 states at the time of this writing have state-level laws which prohibit breed bans. And BSL has been defeated before by a concerted effort from dog owners, clubs, and canine experts. If we band together, we can fight the madness. If we give up, or allow our differences to overcome us with infighting, we lose the breed. And if that happens, in the long run, everybody loses.

If we work together, we can beat BSL!

These people are protesting SB861 in California, the bill which made it legal to require spay/neuter for certain breeds, overturning that state's prohibition on BSL.

BSL Resources:

Understand-A-Bull?.com - http://understand-a-bull.com/

Rott-n-Chatter?.com - http://rott-n-chatter.com/

Goodpooch.com - http://www.goodpooch.com/

CHAKO - http://www.chako.org/

Banned Aid - http://bannedaid.com/

American Dog Owners Association - http://www.adoa.org/

American Canine Foundation - http://americancaninefoudationlaw.com

Companion Species Coalition http://www.companionspecies.org/home/

Endangered Breeds Association - http://www.endangeredbreedsassociation.org/

Find your local UKC Club Here - http://www.ukcdogs.com/dogevents/clubs/index.shtml

http://www.adba.cc/p_pdetails.asp?fpid=12&pg=12 Find your local ADBA Club Here

http://www.povn.com/rdows/index.html RDOWS

http://www.dogwatch.net/ Dog watch

http://ncrf2004.tripod.com/index.html national canine research foundation


ALL DOGS ARE IN DANGER FROM BSL
The list of breeds is growing and the truth of the situation is that very powerful groups have an agenda to eradicate all dog ownership. They would prefer that there were no pets.

Enemies of all dogs

HSUS
PETA
ALF

http://www.apbtconformation.com