Can a law that bans or restricts ownership of a breed of dog protect a community?

Question

According to experts, the answer is no.

Why? Popular breeds come and go. When ownership of one breed of dog is outlawed, those who want a dangerous dog simply turn to another breed. The Doberman pinscher—known as the dangerous dog breed of the 1970s—was replaced in popularity by the pit bull in the ’80s and the rottweiler in the ’90s. Breed-specific laws require that someone be able to prove that a specific dog is a member, or a mix, of that breed—not always an easy task. Boxers and bulldogs, for instance, may be mistaken for pit bulls. Any medium-large sized black and tan dog with a long tail may be mistakenly labeled as a German shepherd. Breed-specific legislation doesn’t acknowledge the fact that a dog of any breed can become dangerous. The law should protect your community from any such dog. Breed-specific laws are difficult, costly, and sometimes impossible to enforce. It’s one thing to require that every rottweiler in your community be muzzled whenever outside of the home; it’s another to fund and support adequate animal control staff to ensure that this happens. In 1987 the Cincinnati City Council banned all pit bulls within the city after a series of severe maulings and one human fatality involving the dogs. The ban was passed even though the state of Ohio and the city of Cincinnati already had statutes that allowed authorities to seize any dog known to have injured or killed a person or another dog. Nearly ten years later, the council’s law committee recommended that the ban be repealed, saying that it was unnecessary. The council recommended that pit bulls be handled like any other dogs and that owners be prosecuted only when the dogs were unrestrained or exhibited dangerous behavior. It made this recommendation in part due to the cost of enforcement. Confiscated dogs spent up to five months at the city’s contracted shelter while the cases against the dogs’ owners were being litigated. Many of the confiscated dogs were family companions with no history of aggression. Legislation that restricts breeds may actually create a population of dangerous dogs within your community. When a community imposes strict regulations on a specific breed of dog, owners of those dogs may end up chaining or caging the dogs for long periods of time. Dogs so chained or caged can be so desperate for activity that they become uncontrollable should they escape. Restricted dogs often receive little veterinary care because it is difficult for their owners to transport them to a veterinary facility without violating restrictions. Most importantly, restricted dogs who don’t get to experience normal opportunities for socialization and training will undoubtedly act in an unpredictable fashion when exposed to the real world

Answer 1

doubtful that a law banning a breed of dog can protect the community from irresponsible dog owners, it is the irresponsible owners that need dragged out and euthanized

Answer 2

Yes it can and no it cant. Unfortunately these laws were enacted due to irresponsible owners. Maybe there should be a law for having to be a responsible pet owner.

If you research the bulk of the cases on malisious dogs, the owners were of how can we put this nicely "shady back grounds". Not all. Studies have also showed low income / government housing has the majority of these types of animals. Mostly due to the size and rep of the dogs. It is sad that these types of people use these dogs to deter "other shady characters". Once case in point. Alliquippa in the middle of the government housing project three pitbulls escaped their owners appartment, while she was arguing a drug deal with another woman. Meanwhile, the three pitbulls, trained to be mean, attacked and killed a 4 year old girl and maulled an elderly man. While the woman continued to argue even after the police showed up! Needless to say, the animals were put to sleep, both women were arrested for drug trafficing and the elderly man recovered. Another example, a couple moved out of their home and left 5 pitbulls locked inside the home. They eventually got out and mulled a 5 year old girl (didn't kill her) and 4 others that tried to help. A man from a neighboring home shot three of the dogs. The police shot the other two. Later they found a Kilo of coke in thehouse which a friend was suposed to pick up along with the dogs (to shoot them) however their friend was arrested on drug trafficing and was sitting in the county jail. There are a thousand stories over and over and over. The problem isn't outlawing the dogs it is outlawing certain people from owning them. Even here on Yahoo answers youngsters want a pitbull because they are "bad *** dogs" They are cool and mean. This is the mentality to which these animals should not be allowed. Many communities with small children ban the ability to have pit bulls....actually to get around this, no dog taller than 15" either way they made their point.

I have a pit bull mix. She is part lab and part pitbull. She looks full pit however but is all tan. Her papers from the humane society state she is a mix not a pit. I do not have to register her as such because a certified vet said she was a mix. We here in PA have to have dog license. We must register the age, sex, fixed or not and the breed. We still have Dog catchers, paid a minimal salary (just about volunteer) and the Animal control. I have two dogs and I rarely leash them. They travel with me, stay in my hotel with me and go fishing with me. They never go more than 20 yards from my side, I can let them out and they dare not leave the yard. (No electronic fence) That was how I raised them. People need to realize animals are time, patience, work and love. Unfortunately for some they are trophies who loose their shine when no one is watching.

Good Question and thinking.

Answer 3

No, A ban on a breed is pointless. The irresponsible/abusive people who's dog attack others be it people or dogs are just that, irresonsible. They dont care about any laws and if you take one dog away they'll just get another one because they obviously didnt care enough to follow the law in the first place. Also, just like with gun bans, when you restric something it's only criminals who have that something anyway. So those people will still have these dogs because they have no intention of following the law anyway. It's not fair for the RESPONSIBLE owners who love their breed to not be able to own their choice of dog just because a bunch of idiots arent being held responsible for their actions. If either of my dogs ATTACKED someone unprovoked (breaking into my house or attacking me is a whole nother story!) I would have them quarintined and then put down. I love my dogs but if they were that unstable (which they absolutely arent thank god) i wouldnt want them to be around me or anyone else. I know enough to not put a anyone in danger because i love my dogs. The sad thing is that people that own most of those banned breeds have them for a reason and that reason usually is about having a vicious dog. Not because the breed is vicious, you have to make a dog vicious, but because certain types of dogs can do much more damage than a vicious chihuahua. And i've seen many more unstable, vicious little dogs than the ones they keep banning. It sucks, I hate stupid people and their stupid actions that are ruining it for all of us that love our dogs and know enough to be responsible for our dogs.

Answer 4

I don't think that it does, and in some ways it puts people at risk since the people that have to get rid of a breed often go get a bigger breed. In my area people are getting rid of their Pits and getting Presa Canarios. They are both extremely sweet dogs if raised properly, and the people that couldn't raise a Pit are now getting 100+ lbs Presas that are the same way only bigger.

I think that they meanest dog breeds are Chihuahuas, Min Pins, Dachshunds, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Labs. I have never met a Pit, Dobie, or Rottie that I would not trust, and I have met many toy dogs that I would not trust.

Answer 5

It won't protect anything. Not all dog breeds are vicious. If you torture and abuse a dog it'll either turn vicious or afraid of everyone and everything. They should make the laws of abusing dogs more strict. Then you wouldn't have all these abusive owners out there using their dogs to protect their drug stashes.

Answer 6

you will doubtlessly call me a fanatic on this subject but all pit bulldogs,rottweilers,and doberman pincers should be destroyed. i will explain this way.my beloved and elderly husband was attacked by a pit bulldog and severely mauled before he could be rescued .there have ben three pit bulldog attacks in this small town within the past twelve months,one of these attacks was on a small child!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

No