what legislation would you introduce for people who owned/wanted potentially dangerous dogs?

Question

i have my own opinion on this, and i think most of the time its the owners fault when a dog bites, also bad breeding.

yes i am aware of this too tracey, i said 'potentionally' (spelt wrong up there). it is the owners but sometimes bad breeding.

Answer 1

Just what do you mean by potentially dangerous? Having worked with dogs in the past I will tell you that Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and most of the small dogs are far more likely to bite and attack for little to no known reason. The reason you do not hear about this in the media is that there is far more money involved in the high price over bred dogs. No one wants to watch the news about a Dutch hound attacking some kid walking by. They automaticly think "oh the kid MUST have done something to the poor dog" The animals that get the attention are the ones that were "bred for fighting"
I can't even begin to count the number of times I have been niped at or bitten by a "cute cuddly" small dog. The nuber of times I have been bit by the larg breeds... once and that was my fault. I grabed a sore foot and she let me know about it.

Personally I think That no matter what the animal the owner should be held accountable for its actions. The only acceptation to this is if the animal was acting in defense of an attacker or intruder.

Answer 2

There's no point in licensing people to own dog breeds. It would take more time and money then it was worth. Not to mention the real morons out there wouldn't get a license to own a "dangerous" breed anyway, they'd acquire the dog illegally. Like you said, all dogs are potentially dangerous. A Pitbull is just as likely to harm someone as a Boston Terrier is. So while we might notice a drop in some dog breed aggression we'll notice a rise in other breeds. What breeds go on the list as "potentially" dangerous dogs? I've had some pretty close calls with Chihuahuas, but I doubt they'll be on the list. But I've never had a problem with a Husky and that's a dog that could be on the list. It's just wouldn't be effective. It wouldn't solve anything. The only way to decrease dog attacks is to promote better ownership, breeding, and safety around dogs.

Answer 3

I own three pit bull mixes, that I have adopted from shelters. I agree with you that bad behavior or dangerous behavior is the owners fault. I feel that anyone who has or wants to own a breed that is considered dangerous, should have a home visit from animal control. They also need to have a fenced yard to allow the dog freedom and it's own territory to protect. I also think that breeding of these animals be controlled. I would almost say that all of these animals should be spayed or neutered before they can reproduce, but some of the purebreds with good breeding and a good disposition should be allowed to breed under controlled circumstances to keep the breed alive. I know this sounds horrible but if you go into any animal shelter anywhere, they are putting these dogs down by the hundreds. I believe prevention is way better than euthanasia.
My experience with these "dangerous breeds" is that they are loving and devoted to their owners, but there are too many dangerous dog owners out there who should never be allowed to associate with man's best friend.

Answer 4

It is not the dog that should suffer. it's the owner. the owners are the ones that should have the the legislation passed against them. There needs to be harsher animal cruelty laws and a mandatory spay/neuter laws so that stupid people who have no idea what they are doing should not be allowed to breed. There should be a class and a certification you have to get in order to breed. I run a dog rescue and I can't tell you how many people come in looking for a dog to breed with their dogs, and primarily is a pit bull they are looking for. Some people should just no own an dog.

Answer 5

Some dogs are bred to be aggressive such as Pit Bulls . In my opinion the owners should be responsible for the actions of their pets. I am a dog owner and have been for 37 years and I love all dogs but I also have two daughters 3 and 9 and a few years ago when my oldest daughter was 5 ,she was going to our car and a dog was standing there growling at her as if he was ready to attack. My 45 auto took care of this problem quickly,if I had not been right behind her it might have been a different story. I don't think I could sleep at night if I owned a dog that had the ability and desire to hurt or kill a child.

Answer 6

I have to agree with Wild Flower here, but with the addition that you MUST have a licence which would only be given through demonstrating that a potential owner is a capable and responsible enough person to own any dog.

Answer 7

NONE!!! The MSN and DD laws mostly hurt the good owners/breeders. WHY do people think the thugs will trot right in to comply with the laws??? They are THUGS!!!

The places that have passed laws like this have NOT solved the problem, they HAVE hurt the responsible GOOD owners/breeders though! It has been shown NOT to work!

ENFORCE the leash laws! If dogs weren't wandering on the streets, there would be much fewer dog attacks and less unwanted litters as well!!! We DON'T need MORE laws that stop GOOD people from owning/breeding dogs!!!

Answer 8

If there are breeders with a documented history of breeding aggressive puppies with bad temperaments, they should be banned from any future breeding. I don't know how this can be enforced, but I agree with you ... bad breeding yields bad dogs. If a dog was bred to be badass, it wouldn't matter who owned it.

Answer 9

I would put then through the same rigorous tests that a gun owner has to go though.
No criminal convictions
Member of a club
An exam to prove they are responsible enough
After all they are an offensive weapon when in the wrong hands

Answer 10

I own a Rottweiler. I attend many dog related events. I always bring "ROXSY". She is such a good dog, and I always tell people that she is with me to help people understand that all that is said about these so called "KILLER" dogs just is not true.
DON'T BLAME THE BREED, BLAME THE BREEDER.
Debi/PETSITTER1