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Kathleen Kelly

Marie Miles

ENG101

12/12/2020

Breed-Specific Legislation

Pets have provided comfort and essential work for centuries. Over the years, humans

have bred animals for tasks such as hunting, ratting, search and rescue, etc. Unfortunately, not all

breeders are ethical. Many have begun to breed dogs for aggressiveness and looks vs health and

skills. This has led to an uptick in misinformation regarding certain breeds. In response,

countries and states have begun to write up breed specific legislation. Breed-Specific Legislation

is based in fact-less rumors and is extremely immoral.

Now several of the counter arguments include the following. Some governments believe

that breed specific legislation will reduce the number of dog attacks. Others aim to reduce the

number of dog fighting cases. An even greater reason can be to reduce the number of animals in

shelters as well. While valiant, these legislations do not fully decrease these issues. These issues

are far more in depth and need a response that will cover every aspect while not punishing the

innocent.

A recent study from the CDC determined that 1 out of 73 people receives a dog

bite[ CITATION Aut20 \l 1033 ]. That is equal to 4.5 million dog bites a year in the

U.S[ CITATION Aut20 \l 1033 ]. Of these reports, Pit Bulls rank in the top majority reported for

fatal attacks[ CITATION Aut20 \l 1033 ]. Germany, France, Holland, and Portugal are just some

of the countries that enacted breed specific legislation in response to dog bite

statistics[ CITATION Nic04 \l 1033 ]. They determined that “particular” breeds were naturally
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dangerous and should be banned or controlled[ CITATION Nic04 \l 1033 ]. In a way this also

connected back to the generalization of dog owners as well. This generalization defines certain

breeds of dogs as belonging to a certain type of owner (thugs, drug dealers, etc.)[ CITATION

Nic04 \l 1033 ].

However, these reasons are fundamentally wrong. First off, the data this was based on is

not accurate. As stated above, pit bulls rank in the top of breeds reported for dog bites. However,

this information is due to the rumors and misinterpretation of breed types. Many people

generalize characteristics of dog breeds. This leads to a lack of info regarding true dog breed

types and characteristics. Often, the public will see a smooshed face and well-muscled larger dog

and assume it is a Pit Bull. This leads a lot of the dog bite reports to be wrong, thus skewing the

data. Also, the belief that certain breeds are more prone to being dangerous, is false.

Many of the breeds listed as dangerous are not naturally that way. Breeding can lead to

certain characteristics in mental, physical, and emotional traits to be prevalent. Take, for

example, a pit bull. The AKC (American Kennel Club) does not recognize the Pit Bull as an

official breed[ CITATION AKC18 \l 1033 ]. However, it’s cousin the American Staffordshire

Terrier looks very similar. The Am Staff is a stocky and muscular breed[ CITATION Ame \l

1033 ]. It has a square head and well-defined jaw[ CITATION Ame \l 1033 ]. Am Staffs are alert

and responsive to training[ CITATION Ame \l 1033 ]. They love mental and physical challenges.

However, due to its similar appearance to the Pit Bull, it is almost always misclassified by

rescues and public agencies.

Due to the characteristics of the Am Staff, many people have begun to breed them for

fighting and protection. They train and breed the aggressiveness into them. Naturally, this breed

is loving and playful. However, affective manipulation can create a monster. Estimates of the
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amount of people involved in dog fighting range in the thousands[ CITATION ACl \l 1033 ].

The average dog breeds used in dog fighting includes Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, and the

American Pit Bull Terrier[ CITATION ACl \l 1033 ]. Due to the stocky and well-muscled build,

they are chosen over smaller less-defined dogs. However, any breed can be used as a bait dog.

Though these breeds are popular for fighting, it does not mean they are not good family

dogs. According to the ASPCA: “It is important to remember that any dog can behave

aggressively, depending on the context, his genetic background, and his upbringing and

environment. When a dog is treated well, properly trained, and thoroughly socialized during

puppyhood and matched with the right kind of owner and household, he’s likely to develop into

a well-behaved companion and cherished member of the family.”[ CITATION ACl \l 1033 ].

Much like the argument of nature vs nurture, dogs are not inherently evil. The way they are

trained, treated, and socialized can affect their response to outside stimuli. Even in grooming, it

is well documented that the more the pup is trained and socialized, the better the reaction to

noise, sensations, and outside stimuli. An owner’s management dictates so much of the behavior

of their companion.

Responsible ownership allows for these breeds to be successful companions. Many bully

breeds are successful in other fields including breed sports and rallies, service dog training,

police work, drug scenting, etc. When owner and pet can work as one, the chance of a dog bite is

lessened[ CITATION Aut20 \l 1033 ]. Thorough follow through and training tactics will build

confidence and resilience for the pet. By teaching them what we expect, they can begin to behave

as needed. Think of it like a toddler, you do not hand them a pen and expect them to write a

novel. So why should we expect our pets to respond without teaching them?
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On average, 30-50% of animals in shelters are pit bulls and bully breeds. According to

the ASPCA, approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal

shelters[ CITATION Mag19 \l 1033 ]. Of this number, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals

are euthanized. Many of the pit bulls are surrendered due to breed specific legislation. There are

many reasons why breed specific legislation is immoral. From euthanizing the dogs deemed to

meet the breed classification to causing mass owner surrender. Breed specific legislation should

be banned due to the immoral conditions it encourages.

Works Cited
A Closer Look at Dogfighting. n.d. website. <https://www.aspca.org/animal-

cruelty/dogfighting/closer-look-dogfighting>.

American Staffordshire Terrier. n.d. website. <https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-

staffordshire-terrier/>.

Author, Guest. Dog Bite Statistics (How Likely Are You To Get Bit?). 27 May 2020. web page.

<https://www.caninejournal.com/dog-bite-statistics/#:~:text=According%20to%20a

%20study%20from,out%20of%20every%2073%20people.>.

Breed-Specific Legislation. n.d. website. <https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/breed-

specific-legislation>.

Duncan, Magdaline. Do pit bulls account for 30% to 50% of shelter dogs? 10 May 2019. web

page. <https://www.politifact.com/article/2019/may/10/are-30-50-shelter-dogs-pit-

bulls/#:~:text=Thirty%20to%2050%20percent%20of,pit%20bulls%2C%22%20Baker

%20said.>.

Mays, Nick. The Lights Go Out Across Europe. 05 09 2004. journal article.

<http://www.staffordmall.com/bsl-thelightsgooutacrosseurope.htm>.

Mora, Esther, et al. "Fatal dog attacks in Spain under a breed-specific legislation: A ten-year

retrospective study." Journal of Veterinary Behavior volume 25 (3018): 76-84. journal.

<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817301405>.

Pet Statistics. n.d. web page. <https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-

surrender/pet-statistics>.
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Relations, AKC Government. Why Breed Bans Affect You. 1 Feb. 2018. website.

<https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/breed-bans-affect/>.