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Breed Specific Legislation: Laws Are Supposed To Be For People, Not Pets

Maddie Aumiller

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Breed Specific Legislation, or BSL, is a term used to describe ordinances which are

placed on and affect particular types of domestic animals, commonly dogs that are perceived to

be more aggressive, or more likely to bite, than others. The title of “dangerous dog” has been

passed from German Shepherd, to Doberman Pinscher, to Rottweiler, and other breeds. Today,

the diagnosis is assigned to the Pit Bull. These laws were enacted in order to uphold public

safety by reducing the number of total dog bites per year, yet, statistically, there is no notable

decrease whatsoever. To put things simply, breed specific legislation is an ineffective policy.

2,800 Pit Bulls are euthanized every day in the United States. That’s more than one

million per year; one-third to one-fifth of the entire U.S. Pit Bull population. This genocide is not

because 2,800 pit bulls have attacked or killed, but purely because they are overcrowding the

shelters. Believe it or not, the majority of these Pit Bulls would make as wonderful a family pet

as the Labrador you grew up with. These dogs are being euthanized simply because there is a

stigmatic black cloud looming over their heads that labels their exterior as dangerous and

unadoptable. One in six hundred pit bulls find a forever home. One in six hundred.

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I am not a Pit Bull owner. I have owned 5 dogs in my lifetime since the time I was born; a

Samoyed, a Great Pyrenees, an Australian Shepherd, an Alaskan Malamute/Labrador mix, and a

Mini Bull Terrier. I am not a Pit Bull owner, however, this is absolutely a personal issue for me. I

am an animal lover, I am a dog lover. I am one of the few who connect more with animals than I

do with humans. Animals are honest; they don’t know how to lie, they don’t know how to

deceive; they are a reflection of how they are raised and nothing more or less. They envelop

and define the basic conception of nature and nurture, which stems from the fundamentals of

animal (including human) psychology that humans too often fail to understand.

The problem I see, in my own experience, is that most people simply don’t have a

mental connection to dogs’ emotions. People, as a whole, don’t know how to read body

language – an important survival trait for every species except Homo sapiens. We are largely

unable to identify and distinguish otherwise clear signs of anxiety, discomfort, fear, or even true

contentment and happiness. Humans communicate through language. Sound spoken from the

mouth shaped into words that trigger neurons to fire in the brain of the listener, decoding the

meaning and tone of voice articulated in order to make or prove a statement. No other animal

does this. Can you see the disconnect?

Through extensive research in both pro- and anti-BSL positions, as well as a more

complex middle ground, I’ve found that the statistics represented in the media are largely

manipulated in order to create a story. Titles of newspaper articles and on-screen headlines are

geared to the extremes by using language such as “savage,” “vicious,” “attack,” and “maul;” all

used in sequence with the words “Pit Bull.” Yet when we come across other articles simply

labeled “dog attack,” no breed is mentioned. Why is this? Because the media is powerful;

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because the media can make you read whatever they want you to read by using strategically

well-placed diction and fear-driven vocabulary; because pit bulls are hot topics as of late.

Because humans are easily manipulated. The media can create a belief that these “Pit Bulls” are

responsible for more attacks than any other dog breed by only reporting, or labeling, pit bull

attacks. “When people see ‘Pitbull Attacks’ in the headlines they don’t even have to read the

rest of the story. They already have an opinion in their head. See it enough times and you start

to think that all pitbulls attack all the time” (Russell).

Dogs bite, there’s no denying that. It is, after all, their primary defense. But can you

determine if a dog is or is not dangerous based on the shape of their body, the length of their

fur, the color of their eyes? Discriminating against individual dogs based on breed is no

different than racism. A genetic fallacy that falsely and widely misinterprets an entire group

based on those few bad examples. “These laws unfairly punish animal and owner alike by

ignoring the obvious facts that dogs are individuals capable of a variety of emotions and

behaviors, and that no breed is inherently good or evil” (Burstein). Any dog, especially when

subjected to horrible conditions will defend itself against a threat – we just tend to pin it to

certain breeds. Can a dog be born evil? Should a dog or puppy be euthanized at no fault of its

own other than the fact that it was born a pit bull? Are these puppies a true danger to society?

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(Above: a litter of Pit Bull puppies)

“Pit Bull” is actually not even technically a breed, but instead a label commonly used as

general classification based on “type.” The term is used to describe dogs of medium size with

short coat, muscular build, big head and round eyes, four legs and a tail. There are identification

checklists in several municipalities which allow law enforcement to determine a dog to be at

least 50% Pit Bull based on a series of 8 physical traits, which then allows officials to fine an

owner or even impound and possibly euthanize a dog based on looks alone, in cities and states

where Breed Specific Legislation is enforced. Misidentification is, clearly, among the many

issues in this debate.

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(Top: 3 different dog breeds. Above: checklist used by City and County of San Francisco, Department of Animal Care and Control to determine whether a dog is 50% or more Pit Bull.)

Of the dogs above, can you accurately determine which photo is of an American Pitbull

Terrier by using the checklist? Do you have your pick(s)? Now, please allow me to make my

point; none of the dogs above are “Pit Bulls.” The one on the left is an American Staffordshire

Terrier, middle is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the one on the right is a Dogo Argentino.

These are just a few of the breeds which are commonly misidentified as pit bulls, and you can

clearly see why. By visual scrutiny, it is nearly impossible to estimate the breed or background

of a particular dog; only through genetic analysis can breed be correctly determined. Even

highly trained professional dog show judges can misidentify these breeds, yet we are leaving it

up to the opinions of untrained police officers and other law officials to decide. Incorrect breed

identification costs dogs their lives.

The current legislation is paying no mind to the responsibility of dog owners to properly

care for their dogs. Not to mention, dog-bite incidences are not decreasing. This current

“solution” is simply the wrong way to handle the inherent problem of dog attacks.

Here’s the thing: Pit Bull type dogs are appealing to criminals. Bully breeds are the most

common breeds used for underground dog fighting – they also make up for 77.5% of all animal

abuse cases. Do you think these owners are responsible? Absolutely not. Do you think these

owners are training their dogs to be calm, well-balanced, submissive dogs? Absolutely not. Dogs

owned by criminals have one job; to win their “owners” some money. These dogs don’t want to

fight, in fact, if they don’t, they’re often used as bait dogs or inhumanely disposed of. Do you

think criminals are good at keeping illegal activities under the radar? Absolutely.

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Dog fighting is considered a felony in all 50 states, yet irresponsible dog owners and

criminals are not being targeted or punished. Who is? Anyone who owns a dog that can be

visually considered a pit bull type by more than 50% of the criteria listed in a checklist. They will

have their dogs confiscated like a piece of property, and more often than not, the dog will be

euthanized. For no other reason than it was born a pit bull. By enacting the legislation in this

way, what “problem” are we “fixing?” Good dogs, family pets who are cherished and loved like

a member of the family are a danger to society? No. “Irresponsible backyard breeders with un-

altered males and females living together are a problem. Owners that keep their dogs chained

and tethered their entire lives are a problem. Dog fighters are a problem. Drug dealers and

criminals who have no idea what it really means to own a dog are a problem. BSL makes people

‘feel safer’ but are they?” (Russell).

The main reason why Breed Specific Legislation is used in the first place is because of

the incidence of serious or fatal dog attacks. Children are the most likely victims; not because

the dog sees them as an easy target, but because the child was not taught to respect a dog’s

space and read his body language. Why? Because the parents did not teach them. Why not?

Because they, themselves, have no idea. 88% of all fatal dog attacks involving 2-year-old

children occurred when no adult was present.

Children should not be left unattended around dogs, period. It doesn’t matter what

breed of dog; even Dachshunds, a.k.a. “Wiener Dogs,” have the capability to do serious bodily

damage to a child, and an adult – speaking from my own experience. We need to re-evaluate

the environment in which dogs are born and raised, and change the way we think about who is

to blame in every dog-bite circumstance.

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(Above: simple body-language queues that the dog is using to tell the child to give him space)

Nobody wants anyone to be injured or killed. I should rephrase that; nobody wants any

human to die. But what is the life of the animal worth? Many BSL supporters tend to take the

life of the animal lightly, almost jokingly. Through my research of the pro-BSL side of the

debate, I came across dozens of hate-fueled message boards and Facebook pages, as well as

websites which used strong, hateful words that were fired towards the pit bulls and the pit bull

supporters – yes, the humans who support these dogs. A side of a debate which resorts to

derogatory and abusive language towards living beings of any nature as a form of “reasoning,”

is an ill-supported position in my eyes. Brutality by humans by use of the way we communicate

is synonymous with the idea they’re trying to disprove. A dog’s defense is his teeth; a human’s,

his words. Dogs do not have a voice to defend themselves. Imagine if they did.

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The picture below was found on a blog titled Occupy Maul Street, which had endless,

undignified lists of reasons why pit bulls should be eliminated entirely – to the point of

extinction. This particular photo is captioned “Pit Bull Snow Angels,” and is described as a

beautiful image, not by any photographic or artistic perspective, but solely because it is the

symbol of death. Blood-stained grass and melted snow where the once warm body lie lifeless. If

a supporter of Breed Specific Legislation is so accordingly self-righteous to be enthused by the

death of another living being, what does that say about them? This goes beyond the argument,

beyond the debate, and onto a whole new level of absolute morbidity. Death should never be a

cause for celebration.

(Above: “Pit Bull Snow Angel”)

Myths about these dogs have been circulating for decades, therefore a large majority of

positional standpoints are based not on personal experience, but rather on a lack of knowledge.

Among the most talked-about and referenced are the myths that pit bulls have locking jaws and

the bite force of a shark. Both of these are untrue. First of all, no dog has locking jaws, and

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second, in a study conducted by National Geographic, which tested the bite force in several

different animals, it was found that the average bite force for domestic dogs was 320 pounds

per square inch, with the American Pitbull Terrier’s bite force being the least of the three dogs

tested (German Shepherd, APBT, and Rottweiler). The American Pitbull Terrier’s bite force was

just 7 more psi than the human’s – which measured 120 pounds per square inch (Barr). A

shark’s bite force is 2,000-6,000psi, not even close.

Another myth that is easily debunked is that pit bulls are the worst behaved dog breed.

In a study evaluating canine temperament, 82% of dogs receive a passing score, and pit bulls

consistently score above average. Their passing scores rank higher than even some of the most

popular dog breeds in America, including the Golden Retriever, Beagle, Chihuahua, and even

the Poodle, both Standard and Miniature (American Temperament Test Society).

Yet another alarming statistic worth making note of is that you are more likely to die by

flaming nightwear than to die by an incident involving pit bulls. You are also seven times more

likely to die by contact with hot tap water, than by pit bulls. Should we ban tap water or

pajamas? No, because that’s silly. Which is exactly my point.

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(Above: graph showing likelihood of common causes of death)

Dogs do not know how to lie; they don’t know deceit. They don’t know how to hate.

They don’t know much beyond their basic instincts of survival. But they do know love; they do

know kindness, loyalty, respect. It is a human’s responsibility to raise a dog in a warm

environment where they are taught balance. We owe it to them to give these dogs a chance at

having a voice. Thankfully, more people are speaking up, and BSL is coming to the long-awaited

conclusion of being a thing of the past – hopefully for the last time. It’s up to us, humans,

whether the torch will be passed to yet another innocent victim of breed discrimination.

(Above: a rescued pit bull hugs a volunteer shelter attendant)

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Works Cited "ATTS Breed Statistics." American Temperament Test Society Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2014. Barr, Brady. "National Geographic’s Dr. Brady Barr’s Bite Pressure Tests." Dog Facts. N.p., n.d.

Web. 02 Apr. 2014. Beyond The Myth: A Film About Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination. Sherrill, Libby. Screen Media

Films, 2012. Documentary. Burstein, Devin. "Breed Specific Legislation: Unfair Prejudice & Ineffective Policy." N.p., 2004. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. Gerken, James. "Laws Against Pit Bulls Soften As Attitudes Change." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Ledger, Rebecca A., Jane S. Orihel, Nancy Clarke, Sarah Murphy, and Mitja Sedlbauer. "Breed Specific Legislation: Considerations for Evaluating Its Effectiveness and Recommendations for Alternatives." Animal Welfare, Aug. 2005. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. "Occupy Maul Street.": GREAT PIT BULL INVENTIONS IN HISTORY. N.p., 14 Sept. 2012. Web. 6 May 2014. "Pit Bull Facts and Myths – Infographic – 1800PetMeds." PetMeds® Pet Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2014. "Pit Bulls and Euthanasia Rates." Examiner.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014. Raghavan, Malathi, Patricia J. Martens, Dan Chateau, and Charles Burchill. "Injury Prevention." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 01 Aug. 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2014. Russell, Chelsea. "Pitbulls." Pitties for Your Thoughts. N.p., 1 Mar. 2013. Web. 06 May 2014. Other Pit Bull Breed Identification Checklist - http://www.ci.kearney.mo.us/pdf/Pit-Bull-Criteria.pdf Pit Bull photos: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1574730/thumbs/o-PIT-BULL-facebook.jpg https://www.pixoto.com/images-photography/animals---dogs/portraits/caged-in-15215860.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2428/3615062289_a52a631a17_z.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nlQL4r6wphI/Tz6eGE9CPGI/AAAAAAAACOQ/b8vezHbWr5Q/s1600/hug.jpg https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/p403x403/1510647_757435737620870_2011400070_n.jpg