# Stop BSL!!



## ~Willow~ (Aug 9, 2007)

Bsl has been enacted in lots of countreis worldwide! Breed specific restrictments usually require...

.Muzzling and short leash when off owneers property

.Secure enclosure (6 sided run with concrete floor)

.Liability ensurance, up to $1 million

.Dangerous dog signs on property

.Dog cannot be in a room that has access to any exit (via open windows and doors)

and if a dog is caught under the breed specific BAN then the dog may be euthanized!

a lot of dogs are restricted or banned in the u.s.a including siberean husky,irish wolfhound and mastiff!! MOst targeted breeds are pitbulls and rottweilers...ITS THE OWNERS!! not the dogs!! i know 3 famillies that have rottweillers and they all wouldnt touch a fly! In californa theyre trying to get rid of ALL pit bulls....[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjcmYwnMiA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjcmYwnMiA[/ame] 

who's fault was that!??!! Kill the deed, not the breed!!!


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## Leaf (Aug 9, 2007)

The problem with BSL, long term (if it succeeds) is there will be no foreseeable end to it.

Bump one "bad" breed off, and there is another waiting, right below it - to meet the same fate.





























Not every breed is right for everyone. Not everyone is right for every breed.



My dogs, great and small are my choice, my right, and MY responsibility.


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## Crystalballl (Aug 9, 2007)

I completely agree with you Willow and Leaf. My brother in law has a Pit Bull and I love her to death!!! She is the biggest sweetheart ever! I think this BSL legislation is completely disgusting.

Crystal


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## pamnock (Aug 9, 2007)

Funny this should be brought up today.

Last night, my 17 year old son Ryan took out his brand new $800 Fisher Mountain Bike for a first ride.

He had been riding for about 10 minutes when something hit his bike full force - he never saw it coming.

It was a pitbull that came out of no where and slammed into the bike so hard that it stunned the dog momentarily and knocked out some ofits teeth.

The bike has about $200 worth of damage (bent rims) and a scratch on the fork. Ryan suffered minimal injuries.

He did call the police right away. No charges were filed because it would have had to have been done through animal control. (Which would have involved a couple hours to file the complaint). Ryan was also given the option of petitioning to have the dog destroyed (he chose not to). The owner has offered to pay for damages (but had still not tied the dog up when the police arrived).

What if this had been a small child ?????????????? The story could have had a tragic ending.

On a far more devastating note, I knew of a 5 year oldboy in our area (when I lived in Ohio), that was killed by the family "pet" pitbull.

These dogs have been bred to instinctively kill. Irresponsible owners have made the presence of pitbulls and related breeds a very real risk in our society. They need to bebanned. There is no place for such dangerous animals around the public. They should be contained just as any other dangerous animal would be and there shouldbe serious fines for anyone violating those containment laws.



Pam


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## Michaela (Aug 9, 2007)

I don't know much about it, in detail or anything, but I support it. There are far too many cases of "harmless family pet dogs" killing small children and babies , it's on the news and in the papers all the time! Its horrible. These dogs should _not_ be allowed.

That's awful about your son Pam, I'm glad he's ok.


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## TK Bunnies (Aug 9, 2007)

I hope they don't ban pitbulls!!! I know a pitbull named Lilly who's just the sweetest thing. And I know of a big rotwiler who's a big teadybear. It's not the dogs it's the owners. I think that it's sad to see that people think the way to stop people is by getting rid of the dogs. I think that there needs to be more rules involed. Like mabey when you go to adopt a bitbull the owner has to fill out an aplication form. 

I really don't know.

-TK


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## TK Bunnies (Aug 9, 2007)

I'm really sorry to hear about your son Pam. I'm glad he's alright!!

I've heard lotts of things about pitbull attacks but I'm not sure how to stop them. Banning dogs would just make te problem bigger. Like gangs might start selling dogs along with drugs. I think it's a bad idea, but I don't know how we'll fix the problem.

-TK


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## Leaf (Aug 9, 2007)

Pam and Michaela -



Pam,

I'm sorry about the incident, and I am glad your son is no worse for wear. It is hard for me to tell if it was an attack, or if the dog may have been "chasing" a bike, as many breeds do.

I do disagree with your decision to not file a complaint, no matter what the breed is. Any uncontrolled dog can be a bane to a neighborhood or community, and I always strongly suggest filing a report both with the police and Animal Control.

Some dogs may lose out, and it is sad but most of the neglectful activities lie on the owners irresponsibility. I'm not saying all dogs of any breed are good - or bad, but without proper control of an animal, the potential is ALWAYS there.

You mention "what if this was a small child" - your use of punctuation shows your concern. I would have to say, honestly, it would be your DUTY to further report the incident. Unreported, un-reprimanded, the owner and dog are getting away almost scott-free. What if it IS a child next time?





Michaela,

You make good points. Many bite and attack or injury cases are reported each and every year. Unfortunantly, they cannot be tied to one breed, one mix of breeds or one possible "hybrid". By giving the "ok" to ban, destroy or start the demise of one breed - it opens the door for each and every breed to gradually come to a halt. There is not one breed, mix or cross that is totally pure and innocent of a "crime" against a human.



BSL is one of the worst nightmares, and apandora's box to open in light of pet ownership.





Edited to add:



I LOVE this site - How many here can...



Find The Pit Bull:

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html



Striking, really.


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## TK Bunnies (Aug 9, 2007)

*Leaf wrote: *


> I LOVE this site - How many here can...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I couldn'tI thought it was #3 or #24.


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## Michaela (Aug 9, 2007)

*Leaf wrote: *


> You make good points. Many bite and attack or injury cases are reported each and every year. Unfortunantly, they cannot be tied to one breed, one mix of breeds or one possible "hybrid". By giving the "ok" to ban, destroy or start the demise of one breed - it opens the door for each and every breed to gradually come to a halt. There is not one breed, mix or cross that is totally pure and innocent of a "crime" against a human.


No that's true, there's no such thing as an "innocent" breed. But at the same time you can't deny that certain breeds are more likely to attack, it's been bred into them. Personally I believe there's no such thing as a safe dog, never mind the breed. I really don't like any dogs at all, which probably clouds my judgement on this a bit, butI still don't think they are safe.


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## aurora369 (Aug 9, 2007)

I don't agree with BSL. 

In my opinion, it's the same as accusing people of different ethical backgrounds of crimes based soley on their skin colour or religion. Same as accusing all Muslims of being terrorists, same as accusing all African Americans of being gangsters, and same as accusing all Asians of being bad drivers.

Imagine if you could only get a drivers license based on your ethical background? Based on the fact that a higher percentage of some ethnics crash more.

What if you where banned from entering a bank or convenience store based on the colour of your skin?

This is a really good website to read: http://www.badrap.org/

Just because the media reports the majority of attacks done by pitt bulls and ignores the majority of attacks done by other dogs, does not mean that the majority of attacking is done by pitt bulls.

The American Temperament Testing Society does testing on the temperaments of all breeds of dogs. Their website seems to be done right now, but it's a good website to read when it comes back up: http://www.atts.org/

Also, if you start banning breeds, where does it stop? Many people are bitten by Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels. Should we start banning them to? In the end, to be fair, you must ban all breeds of dogs... And I don't think anyone wants that.

--Dawn


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## pamnock (Aug 9, 2007)

*aurora369 wrote: *


> Also, if you start banning breeds, where does it stop? Many people are bitten by Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels. Should we start banning them to? In the end, to be fair, you must ban all breeds of dogs... And I don't think anyone wants that.
> 
> --Dawn



Biting isn't the major concern. How many Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, etc. have killed people?



Pam


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## pamnock (Aug 9, 2007)

*Leaf wrote: *


> You mention "what if this was a small child" - your use of punctuation shows your concern. I would have to say, honestly, it would be your DUTY to further report the incident. Unreported, un-reprimanded, the owner and dog are getting away almost scott-free. What if it IS a child next time?




I wasn't involved, so I can't file a report. If not for the bureaucracy, Ryan would have filedadditional charges.Hedid filea police report and the owner is responsible for damages.

Further charges would have had to have been filed through animal control for violating leash laws and for the dog attacking.

Both the owners were drunk and the doors in their house were wide open. It's unlikely that they can be trusted to contain their dog even if additional charges were filed. The only absolute assurance of safety would be to destroy the dog.

Pam


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## JadeIcing (Aug 9, 2007)

http://www.articles-collections.com/pets-and-animals/which-dog-breeds-are-more-likely-to-kill-people.html

Topping the list of deaths by dog in a twenty year period is the Pit Bull and Pit Bull mix at 66 human deaths. The Rottweiler and Rottweiler mix was responsibe for 39 human deaths. The German Shepherd dog and mix were responsible for 17 human deaths. The Husky type dog was responsible for 15 human deaths as was the Malamute responsible for 12 human deaths. The Chow Chow was responsible for 8 deaths while the Doberman was responsible for 9 human deaths. The Saint Bernard was responsible for 7 human deaths and the Great Dane was also responsible for 7 deaths. The Akita killed 4 people, the Bulldog 2, the Mastiff 2, the Boxer 2 and believe it or not the Labrador Retriever was responsible for 1 death while Lab mixes were responsible for 4 deaths. The following dogs were responsible for killing one human each during these twenty years: The Bullmastiff, Cheasapeake Bay Retriever, West Highland Terrier, Japanese Hunting Dog, Newfoundland, Coonhound, Sheepdog, Rhodesian Ridgeback and *cocker Spaniel.* The conclusion that I make from this study is that almost any dog of size can be dangerous, particularly to children. Dogs must be properly trained, supervised, and care must be taken when choosing a breed with the propensity to be aggressive. Most important, keep young children away from male, sexually intact, chained dogs. 

http://dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html#homicide


The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family's Pomeranian dog. The average weight of a Pomeranian is about 4 pounds, and they are not thought of as a dangerous breed. Note, however, that they were bred to be watchdogs! The baby's uncle left the infant and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby, who died shortly afterwards. (_"Baby Girl Killed by Family Dog,"_ Los Angeles Times, Monday, October 9, 2000, Home Edition, Metro Section, Page B-5.) [/b]

http://www.anapsid.org/pdv-boid.html



[align=left][font="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif"]*Human Deaths Caused By Animals<--Look at this section.*[/font][/align]

[align=left]
http://www.arnoldhernandez.com/article-san-diego-dog-attack-attorney.htm[/align]


several suggestions, among them are these:

(1) Be careful in the selection of a dog, choose the right breed for you after considering your lifestyle and home environment;


(2) If you have children or children visit your home on a regular basis, donât keep a dog with a history of aggression; 


(3) If your child is not ready for a dog, donât bring one home, wait until your child is ready; 


(4) If you have an infant or toddler use great caution in brining a dog or puppy and be sure you get to know the dog you are contemplating buying or adopting;


(5) Be sure you spay or neuter the dog, as they tend to be more aggressive when they are not;


 (6) Never leave children alone with any dog, especially if they are toddlers;

 (7) Socialize and train any dog that comes into your home;

(8) If the dog develops undesirable behavior or shows signs of aggression, seek professional help immediately; 

(9) Refrain from playing aggressive games with the dog;

 (10) Be sure you teach all children coming into your home about safety around the dog; 

 (11) Never approach dogs you are unfamiliar with; 

 (12) If approached by a dog never run away from the dog;

 (13) If an unfamiliar dog approaches you, remain motionless;

 (14) Do not let children play with a dog unsupervised;

 (15) Avoid making eye contact with a dog;

 (16) Nursing dogs, sleeping dogs, and dogs eating should not be disturbed;

 (17) Do not pet a dog you do not know and always allow the dog to sniff you and see your 

 first before you can pet it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_attack



[*]What proportion of that breed in the community exhibits human aggression? For example, if there were 5,000 pit bulls in a given area, and 5 attacked humans during the previous year, but there were 100 of some other breed in the same area and 5 also attacked humans, statistics would suggest that the other breed is a far more aggressive breed than pit bulls, with 4,995 pit bulls behaving quite decently.[suP][1][/suP] Most statistics published show only the number of dogs of various breeds involved in attacks, not the percentage of dogs of that breed in the area who were involved in attacks. Any popular breed is more likely to show up with more attacks because there are simply more dogs, just as a less popular breed will show up as having a higher percentage of attacks because there are simply fewer dogs. One approach that acknowledges that it's hard to determine the dangerousness of a specific breed takes the strategy of regulating all dogs over a certain size or weight, which would greatly reduce the chance of a dog being large enough to inflict serious harm. This, of course, would remove from circulation most of the hundreds of breeds available in the world today, most of whom would never deliberately harm a human.

Although research and analysis[suP][2][/suP] suggests that breed-specific legislation is not effective in preventing dog attacks, with each new attack, pressure mounts to enact such legislation, despite indications[suP][3][/suP] that dangerous dog legislation would be more effectiveâthat is, focusing on specific individual dogs having exhibited signs of human aggression. The controversy is bound to continue.


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## Tankstar (Aug 9, 2007)

I think it is plain stupid. why werent pittbulls in the news all the time say 20 years ago? becuase they were not as popular to gangs 20 years ago. A dog is what you make it. Pittbulls are bred for non human agression (atleast they used to be bred for this). Yes they were fighting dogs, they were also bull baiting dogs. They were bred for this, but there were never intentionaly bred for human agression. I think BSL is just stupid. And to be honest any one that supports doesnt seem to know much about pitbulls to begin with.



I'm sorry about the poster and her son. But for all your son knows he went after her becuase he was on a bike. My dog would have done the same thing, so are we going to label collies as killers now too.



20 years ago it was the german shepherds, 10 years ago the rottweilers, and recently the dobermans, now it is pittbulls. they are just going down the list of every dog breed they can ban. I think it is disgusting.


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## Tankstar (Aug 9, 2007)

*pamnock wrote: *


> *aurora369 wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Also, if you start banning breeds, where does it stop? Many people are bitten by Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels. Should we start banning them to? In the end, to be fair, you must ban all breeds of dogs... And I don't think anyone wants that.
> ...


But how many pittbulls have actually killed adults? Children yes. so have goldens, collies, poodles, cockers, and even pomeranians have. no dog should be judged by breed. Only by the way the owners train it. its all in training.


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## Bunnys_rule63 (Aug 9, 2007)

I don't think it is fair to judge a dog on it's breeding,or have it's life destroyed just because of what it is born as. It's just as bad as judging somebody because of how they look.

That being said, they can be dangerous, and precautions need to be taken to keep people safe. I definitely don't think they should be killed, but care needs to be taken in the breeding, raising, training, and type of care these dogs get. I'm no expert so I can't say what, but I do know that these dogs shouldn't be punished for something which is humans fault for breeding them like this in the first place.:?


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## polly (Aug 9, 2007)

I found the pitbull on my 3rd try didn't even need to check no20 its an English bull terrier my parents used to keep these and they are gorgeous soft dogs in all the time we had them the only bite i got was off my brothers Jack russell!!

I still think it should be the owners that are registered rather than the dogs it would work to deter people who want them for illegal things. It is a shame to tar all by the same brush.

i bet if there was a list of all dog bites not just vicious attacks then you would see poodles cockers and jack russels coming through top they are very nippy dogs and i have seen that more than any bull terriers i have ever met whichever type, and i always go to pet any bullies i see because i love them as a breed

i also wish people would remember how well dogs sense fear, and that freaks them out!!


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## undergunfire (Aug 9, 2007)

I think it is rediculious .


I am more afraid of small dogs than I am of large dogs. A chihuahua could easily attack and kill a child. In my personal opinion, chihuahua's and other small breeds of dogs that bond strongly with their owners are more of a danger that a large breed of dog. I have met more nippy and nasty small dogs than large dogs.


I used to work at PETsMART in the grooming section. I was assigned all different types of dogs to groom...

I groomed: Labs, Goldens, Huskys, Poodles, PIT BULLS, Rotties, Shepherds, Aussies, Dobermans, and mixes for large dogs.

I groomed: Yorkies, Pugs, Shih Tzu's, Chi's, Pei's, Maltese, Mini Poodles, Poms, and mixes for small dogs.


Which dogs would throw a fit and have to wear a muzzle? Which dogs were so nasty sometimes that I had to call the owner and tell them to come pick up their dog because they were a threat to us in the department?

Ahem....small dogs :shock:.




I am a strong believer that the owner is to blame for a vicious dog. I think the whole country should have laws that ALL breeds of dogs MUST be spayed/neutered unless they are reputable breeders or show dogs.

It is the irrisponsible people out there that is ruining the reputation for such beautiful dogs.


Oh, and I have a Shar Pei/Pit bull mix at my mother's house in New York....and she is the sweetest dog there is.

There is a person in our town that have a MASSIVE pit bull. This dog has it's ears cropped and has MASSIVE muscles. He looks exact to the breed standard and is such a beauitful dog. This dog has the thickest collar and thickest leather leash that I have ever seen. I always see the guy walking this dog down town and around parks where children are. The parents faces turn ghost white whenever this man walks his dog anywhere near their children.

I asked the guy if I could pet the dog one day, as I am fascinated with such a beautiful breed of dog. I got down on the ground and the dog drowned me in kisses. He was such a lover, and in no way a fighter.


I don't look at "vicious dog breeds" any different that any other dog. The same way that I don't look at African Americans, Asians, or any other HUMAN from another culture.


Being prejudice to a breed of dog and thinking that the breed should be destroyed shows a lot to say about someone.





Or....maybe I just love ALL animals, regardless if I like their certain species or breed. Well, except I am dealthy horrified by frogs and toads .


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## Tankstar (Aug 9, 2007)

*polly wrote: *


> I found the pitbull on my 3rd try didn't even need to check no20 its an English bull terrier my parents used to keep these and they are gorgeous soft dogs in all the time we had them the only bite i got was off my brothers Jack russell!!
> 
> I still think it should be the owners that are registered rather than the dogs it would work to deter people who want them for illegal things. It is a shame to tar all by the same brush.
> 
> ...


The american temperment test society has a webpage with all tests doneon every bred of dog. The pitbull has a 84% pass rate. while other breeds have a lower pass rate. but I cant get the website to work atts.org


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## missyscove (Aug 9, 2007)

Where I volunteer I see alot of pitbulls and other bully type breeds. Yes, some of them are "dangerous dogs" but so are most of the chi's that come in there. I think the real problem is with the owners. 

Pam, you said yourself that the owners of the dog that went after your son on his bike were drunk. Clearly they were not being responsible owners. Is it the dog's fault that it was able to chase your son, no. No dog should be allowed to run free. That's why leash laws exist. 

One of the dangers of BSL is that it makes people more comfortable with dogs that aren't banned. Many people don't realize the dangers of other breeds like huskies that are notoriously bad with children. Other people simply don't take the necesary precautions they should take with any strange dog. 

Yes, perhaps some dogs aren't meant to be around children, but should we kill off that breed? No. People simply need to be aware of the dangers surrounding any animal.


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## Michaela (Aug 9, 2007)

*undergunfire wrote: *


> I am more afraid of small dogs than I am of large dogs.



I'm afraid of _all_ dogs. Almost as much as spiders. :shock:

Just thought I'd mention that Pitbulls are illegal in Northern Ireland, along with3 other breeds, the dogo argentino, the fila brasileira and the Japanese tosa (I have no idea what they are, they were virtually unknown in NI before the law came in in 1991). Recently there was a big Pitbull amnesty, because a 5year oldwas killed by one,it was all over the news.

I personally don't think they should be destroyed unless they've attacked someone, butI also think they shouldn't be bred in the first place. 

Of course it's not the dog'sfault, but they are so dangerous, so it's necessary to take precautions and make restrictions for human safety. Yes it is the owner's fault for not training it or locking it up, but you can hardly blame an innocent child who it kills when it gets loose.


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## Tankstar (Aug 9, 2007)

*Michaela wrote: *


> *undergunfire wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I am more afraid of small dogs than I am of large dogs.
> ...



well not to sound to rude becuase death is no funny topic.



But many children are NEVER taught how to act around dogs. Whe I go to the dog park. People bring their kids and let there kids run all over like it is a dog petting zoo. Chasing dogs with sticks and rocks. So in realtiy if parents bring their kids and let them actlike that , it may have been the kids fault.


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## undergunfire (Aug 9, 2007)

Since I am an animal lover and not so much a people lover....


I think parents need to start TRAINING their childred about animals.


If a child pulls on a DOG'S tail and the dog turns around and bites the child in the face......who's fault was it? All fingers point to the parent and the child.

If a child pulls on a CAT'S tail and the cat turns around and claws the child in the face.....who's fault was it? All fingers point to the parent and to the child.


I absolutely can not stand cats at all and I have to live with three of them. I dislike every thing about cats and don't really think they should live inside of a house....just as most people hate dogs and don't think they should live inside of a house.

But yet.....I would never say that all cats should be euthanized just because they are cats.



A dog is an animal and has certain instincts that will go into full force when they feel threatened.


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## Michaela (Aug 9, 2007)

I agree with you Amy, (well except for I hate dogs and love cats so just just that part reversed ), children should be taught how to behave towards animals, parents who don't teach them, well, that's a bit stupid. :? And no animal should be killed because it's an animal, if it's hurt someone that's a different story, but normally that is very, very wrong.

But it's easy to see how a child, not used to dogs (or any animal for that matter), would panic when faced with one, particularly a big one. _I_ would panic faced with a dog, no I wouldn't throw something at it or pull it's tail,but I would be very scared that it would hurt me. The dog may feel provoked, and attack on instinct, true. That doesn't make it ok though, and doesn't explain away tiny babies being killed by them.

It really does all come down to stupid irresponsible owners.


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## naturestee (Aug 9, 2007)

I think there need to be better laws and better enforcement for "dangerous dog" laws. These target the individual dogs and problem owners that actually cause the problems. Licensing should be enforced, and I do like that some cities charge more to license an intact dog. I also like a law I heard of once where if an intact owned dog was caught running free by Animal Control too many times, even with proper tags, it would be spayed/neutered before the owner was allowed to get it back. This helps both with population control and with dangerous dogs as intact animals are generally more aggressive.

I don't like breed laws at all. For one thing, few people can properly identify a pit bull. I have friends and a neighbor who have purebred boxers that people have called "pit bulls." And what about mixed breeds? How much pit bull is ok in a dog's heritage? Two of my friends have adopted dogs that probably have some pit bull in them. They are both sweet and loving dogs and have never been aggressive. Would mixed dogs like them be banned?

I definately agree with Undergunfire about small dogs having worse attitudes. I've played with lots of dogs- Rottweilers, Pit bull mixes, German Shepards, Labs, Golden Retrievers, Dacshounds, Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas, Pugs, etc. The only one that ever bit me? A really nasty toy poodle! Meanwhile, a Rottweiler/Husky was the one that helped me get over my life-long fear of dogs. She's a doll and I love her, and she's not even mine.

I really like this site. The next two quotes are from it.
http://www.thetruthaboutpitbulls.com/

According to the American Canine Temperament Testing Association, 82.5%of the American Pit Bull Terriers that took the temperament test passed, compared to a 77% passing rate for all breeds on average. In the test a dog is placed in a series of confrontational situations. The first sign of aggression or panic is a failure of the test. Pit Bulls have achieved the fourth highest passing rate of all 122 breeds tested. Click here to view an article on the new Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that there is no genetic evidence that one breed of dog is more dangerous than another.

*It is estimated that there are 60,000 Pit Bulls in the City of Chicago alone. This number is so high because people are breeding them for the wrong reasons. Most of them are living in hostile surroundings. It is an amazing testimony to the breed that although 95% of these animals suffer abuse/neglect, we rarely hear of any problems*. One analogy is, if there was a sudden increase of people being injured by red cars, would we ban red cars? No! common sense would dictate that red is more popular color choice.

[font="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]*Breed-specific legislation is opposed by the AKC, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association, the ASPCA, the National Animal Interest Alliance, and a host of national animal welfare organizations that have studied the issue and recognize that targeting breeds simply does not work.*[/font]


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## undergunfire (Aug 9, 2007)

Very well said, naturestee :nod.


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Aug 9, 2007)

I am aganist banning any specific breed. It is not the dog, its the owner. All dogs, no matter breed, size or purpose should be trained and kept on a leash unless in an off leash area. I have 2 small dogs and I dont let them get away with much. For them, the park is a privilage, if the misbehave they go on the leash. 

In Calgary we have Dangerous Dog Legislation. Basically if a dog attacks a person, they can be declard dangerous. The dog would then have to be on a short leash and musled in public, must always be contained, have a special licence and signs posted on the owners property. This allows dogs that pose a threat to society to be dealt with that only affects dogs that have done something. I think it is a good way to keep people safe from dangerous dogs while allowing dogs that have done nothing to be free. So no BSL and no auto PTS for dogs that attack people.


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## nermal71 (Aug 9, 2007)

As the owner of three dogs ( a golden retriever, a full blood rottweiler and a rotten shepherd) I am against BSL. My rottie is a 5y/o rescue. She is sweet as can be. She gives kisses, thinks she is a lap dog (at a100lbs I need a bigger lap!!) and would never intentionally hurt a child. That being said do I leave my 16m/o grandson alone with her? No I do not. But I will not leave him alone with any of my dogs. Because of the fact that they are dogs and if they are injured may react in a way which would hurt him. I also know that they do not understand what their play can do to a child. It is MY responsibility as a dog owner to keep an eye on them. 

Parents DO need to teach their children how to act around dogs. My neighbor's 6y/o daughter is continually sticking her arm through the fence. I have asked and asked and asked and BEGGED them to get her to stop doing this. It is not that I think Stormie would bite her because I know she would not. But I am afraid that 100lbs of dog if she hits that little girl's arm will break it. Stormie loves to stand up on the fence to have her belly rubbed. The girl's grandfather rubs Stormie's belly all of the time. I just wish they would respect my wishes in not doing this because now the child thinks she should do it as well.

As to it always being Pits, rotties, dobes, etc. Last year one of the 2nd grade girls on my bus was attacked by the neighbor's dog. She had over 50 lacerations on her arms from this dog grabbing on and not letting go. She missed a week of school, had to go to the emergency room and is now very afraid of dogs. It was a labrador retriever that bit her. A dog that the owner's KNEW was dangerous. Yet they continued to let this dog roam the neighborhood. He at one point went after the tires on my bus. He had bit several people. They were advised to put him down. Last I heard he is being hidden at a family member's out in the country. Who knows when he will bite again. 

My neighbor's have a chihuahua that has repeatedly tried to bite me and my sons. It is a 4lb dog which is meaner than sin. Their reasoning is he's old. I have warned them if he bites me or mine that will be that. I don't have to worry too much now though as the chi is afraid of Stormie's bark.

I guess it just boils down to it's not the breed it's the owner. You have to be responsible for your pets. Whether it's a pit, a rott, a golden, a chihuahua or even your pet boa constrictor. You know what your pet is capable of and need to make sure that precautions are taken when necessary. I mean if you have a pet boa would you let it sleep in the crib with your newborn child? I really hope the answer to that is no. So why let a dog sleep on the bed with your child? It's common sense which sadly many in this world lack.


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## Bunnys_rule63 (Aug 10, 2007)

*Michaela wrote: *


> Just thought I'd mention that Pitbulls are illegal in Northern Ireland, along with3 other breeds, the dogo argentino, the fila brasileira and the Japanese tosa (I have no idea what they are, they were virtually unknown in NI before the law came in in 1991). Recently there was a big Pitbull amnesty, because a 5year oldwas killed by one,it was all over the news.


When I was on holiday in SI I remember there being a bit on the news about how certain 'dangerous dogs' were being banned from council estates and people were getting really mad about having to give up their beloved pets. I can't remember all the breeds but German shepherd and pitbull were in there.:?


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## Michaela (Aug 10, 2007)

*Bunnys_rule63 wrote: *


> *Michaela wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Just thought I'd mention that Pitbulls are illegal in Northern Ireland, along with3 other breeds, the dogo argentino, the fila brasileira and the Japanese tosa (I have no idea what they are, they were virtually unknown in NI before the law came in in 1991). Recently there was a big Pitbull amnesty, because a 5year oldwas killed by one,it was all over the news.
> ...


The law is different down in the south, I'm not sure what they are. It's just 4 breeds up here. They really had a big crack down on Pitbulls,think it was the police whotook themthem and euthanized them. :?People shouldn't have had them in the first place as they've been illegal for 16 years, but still was quite upsetting to watch (on the news) people being so devastated about losing their pets. I can't imagine how awful that would be.


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## bat42072 (Aug 10, 2007)

I have had two pit bulls in my lifetime and my cousin bred them... none of them ever bit anyone(not even a nip)...i think owners do need to be more responsible if they are going to own them...Iwon'town one now that I have children...my cousins little girl almost died when her step grandmothers mutt attacked her and grabbed her be the throat... there for any dog can have thepotintial threat to attack people... my grandmas chihuahua would attack us if we got to close to my grandma...


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## polly (Aug 10, 2007)

In answer to why does a dog attack a baby. Why does a parent leave a baby alone in the same room as a dog!! A bit of responsibility please and how about all the things we aren't told by the news and papers hmmmm They just want shock tactics so you never get the full story and they just scaremonger people.

I am so fed up of people penalising these dogs and making out they are monsters. 

People also pass fear on and it annoys me to see kids taking a freak over a dog and the parents feeding that fear, it should be something thats taught in schools to respect animals and be shown how to handle them and treat them and respect them for what they are. Then perhaps people wouldn't be decapitating rabbits and starving animals and annoying dogs!!

If a dog is nippy even if it is with other dogs muzzle it!! But really it is up to the owner to ensure that behaviour like that is shown as unacceptable to the dog.

With our dog (and all dogs play with their mouths) Bruce trained her from the start that it is not acceptable to bite. He did this by putting his hand over her bottom jaw with his hand right to the back of her mouth so she couldn't bite down you will never meet a dog more soft mouthed than our Suzi. IT IS ALL IN THE TRAINING!!


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## ~Willow~ (Aug 11, 2007)

every1 thinks that pitbulls LOOk like monsters. But pitbulls are actually pretty cute! the pure bred ones, as well as the mix bred. But some people breed them with other bulldogs and suchto look horrible and mean looking. My dads friend has two pitbulls, a pure bred and a mix, and they look REALLy diffrent.

Some complete strangers sometimes hurt and even kill pitbulls because they are that type of breed. I feel so bad for the innocent pitbulls that people have hurt, and killed JUST because they are a diffrent breed. WHy should they be punihsed just because of their breed or their parents breed??:nono


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## JAK Rabbitry (Aug 11, 2007)

I'm kind of split. I do think its the way the dog is raised that makesi t behave how it does later in life, and that some breeds are more prone to agression. Breeds do have specific personalities but there are always exceptions. Sometimes a pomeranian is just as likely to gnaw through y our spine as a pit bull is. The way the dog is brought up is mostly responsible for its adult behavior. This is with any dog. Not just pits. 

There are pit bulls who are satanic and there are pit bulls who would lose ina fight against a butterfly. 

I do think you should ''punish the deed not the breed''. There's a lot of racism towards people, and I know people always associate the young black men as being violent gangsters but its not always true. Its how they're always portrayed in movies too and its sad. It would be like locking up people just because of how their race is stereo typed, wether they personally did anything wrong or not. 

Though pit bulls seem to have a high tendency of being agressive, or turning out that way. It is what's been bred into them. The breed was designed to be a fighting dog. Just as a tiger has been shaped by nature to be a killer. 

Why don't we just start a new breeding program to refine the personality of the pitt bulls and other ''dangerous'' breeds? Maybe they should start making laws restricting their breeding and upbringing, that kennels breeding these dogs should have to be under a lot of random inspections and meet a lot of minimum requirements. I'ms ure eventually we can come up with a pit with lesser aggressive tendencies that what seems to float through the breed's blood today. 

Iw as appalled to see that huskies were ont hat list. They're crazy and insane and they get into EVERYTHING but they wouldn't hurt anybody. yeesh.










I share my bed with these two morons. MY BED.


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## Leaf (Nov 18, 2007)

*JAK Rabbitry wrote: *


> I share my bed with these two morons. MY BED.


:laugh:


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## NZminilops (Nov 18, 2007)

Any breed of dog can be dangerous under the right circumstances.

A few years ago I was attacked by a labrador that was roaming the streets. It came at me from across the road while I was walking, grabbed me by my arm until I fell over on my front and dragged me off the footpath and onto the road. I suffered severe grazing up my forearm and calf that has left ugly dark scared patches in those areas. They wept and bleed for a couple of weeks , and hurt so bad I couldn't sleep, thobbing and burning feeling for so long.

Other dog attacks I've seen or been a part of have mostly imvolved standard poodles, a bichon and alsations.

My grandma has 3 dogs, a bichon, a lab cross and a staffidshore terrior cross, and all three I love to bits.

I would never want to ban an animal, I'd love to ban some bad owners though.

Just keep in mind that ANY dog, even loved family members, can and do turn on their humans for unkown reasons.


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## cheryl (Nov 18, 2007)

Actually pit bulls and rottweilers are banned over here now....wow to many young children were just being mauled by these dogs,young children have even lost their lives by being attacked by these dogs.


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## cheryl (Nov 18, 2007)

*NZminilops wrote: *


> Just keep in mind that ANY dog, even loved family members, can and do turn on their humans for unkown reasons.


So true,a lot of young children have gotten hurt or mauled from their loving family dog,that they have had for years:shock:


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## cheryl (Nov 18, 2007)

Just about 3 weeks ago..a little 8 week old baby lost it's life through the family's pet dog...i cannot remember what kind of dog it was now


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