Pitbull Legislation
Would you enact a ban on cars because someone was killed in an auto accident? Well this is precisely the type of logic which has been used to come up with breed specific legislation banning pit-bulls calling them a dangerous breed of dog. These animals are not to blame for the way in which they are bred, raised and trained any more than an automobile is responsible for the way it is designed, manufactured and driven. We should not allow legislation to pass which outlaws an entire breed of dog due to the actions of a few individual dog owners.
The problem is gang members, drug dealers and dog fighters have been known to train these animals because it often has been claimed that the pit-bull and other “fighting” breeds are especially dangerous because of human breeding selection for physical and “temperamental” traits functional in pit fighting (Budiansky, 2001). . The media spotlights these incidents altering the perception of people whose only exposure to these animals is seeing them in connection with criminals. To these people outlawing so called “dangerous breeds” may sound like a logical solution. However, responsible dog owners are having their homes invaded and being forced to watch a beloved family member being taken away to be “destroyed”. Not because the dog had bitten someone or it was being used in illegal activity, but because it has been labeled dangerous for no other reason than being a pit-bull. Cities, counties and states all across the nation are enacting these pit-bull bans in reaction to highly publicized criminal activity involving these animals. Can you imagine enacting a ban on Pomeranians because a criminal was the owner of one?
Breed specific legislation is a very costly and highly ineffective solution which punishes the dog and not the dog owner. There are many more sensible and effective ways to deal with this issue rather than simply banning pit-bulls outright. For example, people should be required to attend an extensive training
The problem is gang members, drug dealers and dog fighters have been known to train these animals because it often has been claimed that the pit-bull and other “fighting” breeds are especially dangerous because of human breeding selection for physical and “temperamental” traits functional in pit fighting (Budiansky, 2001). . The media spotlights these incidents altering the perception of people whose only exposure to these animals is seeing them in connection with criminals. To these people outlawing so called “dangerous breeds” may sound like a logical solution. However, responsible dog owners are having their homes invaded and being forced to watch a beloved family member being taken away to be “destroyed”. Not because the dog had bitten someone or it was being used in illegal activity, but because it has been labeled dangerous for no other reason than being a pit-bull. Cities, counties and states all across the nation are enacting these pit-bull bans in reaction to highly publicized criminal activity involving these animals. Can you imagine enacting a ban on Pomeranians because a criminal was the owner of one?
Breed specific legislation is a very costly and highly ineffective solution which punishes the dog and not the dog owner. There are many more sensible and effective ways to deal with this issue rather than simply banning pit-bulls outright. For example, people should be required to attend an extensive training