Breed discrimination is a widespread problem across the U.S. with Pit Bulls and Rottweilers being the main culprit. Breed Specific Legislation uses laws to restrict and even ban the ownership of a dog based on its physical characteristics. These dog's characters are being determined based on how they look. Sound familiar with humans? Did we not use to judge a person's character based on how they looked? Now it is (hopefully) common knowledge that someone's personality does not depend on how they look. So what's so different about dogs?
By owning a discriminated breed you could have a higher insurance, not be allowed to live in certain places and have your dog taken away and euthanized if it is considered a banned breed in the wrong place.
I feel that banning a specific breed gets us no-where, because it is not a breed of dog that is dangerous, it is a certain type of owner. Get any Pit Bull puppy and have it raised by a 'good' owner and I bet you all of those dogs will be happy and safe dogs. Now give any Lab puppy to the wrong type of owner and this dog will more than likely develop dangerous or unwelcome behaviors like fear and aggression.
No dog is born bad. Yes, some dogs may develop aggression or any other behavior more easily than other dogs, but all dogs are INDIVIDUALS. No dog should have a label put on it based on its looks.
I think a great alternative to BSL laws is to make it mandatory to spay and neuter your dog and also have laws that report/prevent/punish a reckless and/or abusive owner with ANY breed of dog.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/family-chooses-homelessness-over-abandoning-pit-bull-150240015--abc-news-topstories.html
The link above goes to a recent story that is a perfect example of why BSL and breed discrimination does not work, and in my opinion does more harm than good.
By owning a discriminated breed you could have a higher insurance, not be allowed to live in certain places and have your dog taken away and euthanized if it is considered a banned breed in the wrong place.
I feel that banning a specific breed gets us no-where, because it is not a breed of dog that is dangerous, it is a certain type of owner. Get any Pit Bull puppy and have it raised by a 'good' owner and I bet you all of those dogs will be happy and safe dogs. Now give any Lab puppy to the wrong type of owner and this dog will more than likely develop dangerous or unwelcome behaviors like fear and aggression.
No dog is born bad. Yes, some dogs may develop aggression or any other behavior more easily than other dogs, but all dogs are INDIVIDUALS. No dog should have a label put on it based on its looks.
I think a great alternative to BSL laws is to make it mandatory to spay and neuter your dog and also have laws that report/prevent/punish a reckless and/or abusive owner with ANY breed of dog.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/family-chooses-homelessness-over-abandoning-pit-bull-150240015--abc-news-topstories.html
The link above goes to a recent story that is a perfect example of why BSL and breed discrimination does not work, and in my opinion does more harm than good.
Much of what you wrote here could be applied equally to humans (except the spay and neuter part, I guess).
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