Andrea Rosebrock 
We’re seeing more and more places jump on the BSL bandwagon, but is it just a knee-jerk reaction or are they actually examining the evidence as to whether or not breed specific legislation really works? I think the answer to that is obvious. Pitbull attacks are a reality but who is to blame for them? The dog? Of course not!
Any breed of dog can and does bite and attack. Pitbulls have been singled out because of media bias and hype. The more stories you see about pitbull attacks, the more undesirable people decide they want them. It is a vicious cycle that feeds the propaganda machine.
A proposal in Oregon to ban pitbulls never even made it out of committee, it was killed but that is not the end of it. They are still proposing a measure, House Bill 2852, that will single out pitbull owners by forcing them to have liability insurance which is usually extremely cost prohibitive, especially now in these times of financial crisis.
The original proposal would have made owning a pitbull illegal in Oregon and the “state would punish those who own one by euthanizing the dog, slapping the owner with thousands of dollars in fines and perhaps even throwing them in jail. And if your pit bull killed someone? Then you could be fined $125,000, spend five years in jail or both.”
Those already in the state would have been “grandfathered” in under some pretty strict conditions.
If they had been able to pass this, Oregon would have been the first state to have a statewide ban.
Wichita, KS, which last year enacted some dangerous dog laws is now debating whether to enact some breed specific legislation. They say the dangerous dog laws have not curbed the pitbull problem.
The city says that in 2008, it resonded to 733 dog bites and attacks. Of those, 246 involved pit bulls. The Wichita Animal Shelter housed over 6,000 dogs, of which nearly 1,800 were pit bulls. City animal control officers collected more than 4,600 stray dogs or dogs running at large, of which 1,279 were pit bulls.
The proposed changes would include microchipping, spay or neuter, limit the number of pitbulls a person may own.
Now, there is no denying that “pitbulls” can be strong, powerful dogs and in the hands or irresponsible owners, can do damage, often terrible damage. We also cannot deny when there is a bite incident, very often the dog is misrepresented as a pitbull when in reality it isn’t but seldom is there a recantation of that mistake.
Now lets talk about Denver and BSL. Denver has been at the forefront since they enacted BSL in 1989. There were two attacks, one in 1986 which resulted in the death of a young child and another in 1989. The ban was in effect from 1989-2004 when Gov. Bill Owens signed a bill prohibiting local municipalities from enacting breed-specific legislation. Denver challenged the bill and BSL was back in Denver.
Since 2005 at least 1667 pitbulls have been killed but there is still a question of whether BSL is working there. Have there been any more pitbull attacks? No… but then there were only two to start with.
What about other dog bites of attacks? Yup, and it’s quite interesting too.
Between 1995 and 2006, Denver had almost six times as many dog-related hospitalizations compared to Boulder, even though Denver’s population is less than twice that of Boulder. During that 12-year period, Denver experienced 273 dog-related hospitalizations, while Boulder experienced only 46, according to statistics provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
By the way, Boulder has no BSL.
In the Denver metro area, what is the most dangerous breed? Believe it or not, Labrador Retrievers.
Labrador retrievers are the most likely dog to bite, at 13.3 percent, according to data provided by the Colorado Association of Animal Control Officers and released last week by the Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs.
Pit bulls follow, at 8.4 percent, which is then followed by German shepherds at 7.8 percent.
The likelihood of a dog to bite also has to do with the popularity of the breed. Labrador retrievers are an extremely popular breed. But Michaela DeGraw, spokeswoman for the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, points out that labradors are biting more than pit bulls, and there’s no ban on labs.
“Are we going to ban labs just because they are at the top of the list?” asked DeGraw. “I think not.”
Karen Delise, founder and director of research for the National Canine Research Council, said breed-specific legislation does nothing to educate owners on their responsibilities for owning a dog. She said without that component, there is no way to keep dog bites down.
“I find it interesting that the only area, region, county or city in Colorado with a breed ban happens to be the only county with a higher than normal rate of dog bite hospitalizations,” she said. “The breed ban isn’t working, it’s not addressing education or irresponsible owners.”
Englewood Mayor Jim Woodward said his city decided against breed-specific legislation because the research he conducted indicated that banning pit bulls would not cut back on dog bites. Because Englewood wanted a component that involved educating and holding owners responsible for their actions, it decided last summer to beef-up its dangerous dog laws rather than impose a ban.
“I have not seen any proof that (breed-specific legislation) is the way to go,” said Woodward. “I think what we have come up with is much more progressive.”
The mayor added that in speaking with code enforcement officers, they find the stricter dangerous dog ordinance much more effective because it supplies them with additional tools to go after irresponsible owners, as well as educate the owners on their mistakes. (Denver Daily News)
Even Denver Animal Control Director Doug Kelley can’t come out and say that BSL is actually working.
You can find quotes and statistics but accuracy is highly questionable. People can make statistics show anything they want with the right manipulation of numbers.
In order to determine whether a breed of dog is “riskier” than another breed, a standard risk calculation must be performed. The easiest way to understand this calculation is through an example.
If you record one bite by a green dog and ten bites by purple dogs, which is more likely to bite—a green dog or a purple dog? If you look at the numbers alone, you might think that purple dogs are more dangerous than green dogs, because there are more bites by purple dogs.
However, it turns out that there are five green dogs total, one of which bit. And there are one hundred purple dogs total, ten of which bit. Now which type of dog is more likely to bite? Based on the data, one out of five green dogs have bitten, or 20%, while only one out of ten purple dogs have bitten, or 10%.
Once we know what the total population of green and purple dogs is, we are able to calculate risk. (Stop BSL)
This is what is not taken into consideration. Actual ratio. And with the media popularizing pitbulls, even though it is mostly negatively, that actually is making pitbulls more attractive to negative aspects of society so the pitbull population is rising. Sadly those clamoring to own pitbulls for these reasons are the worst possible owners and it is these owners whose dogs are causing problems, and not just problems for them but problems for all pitbull owners, most of which are loving and responsible owners of wonderful dogs. Stop BSL has a great article on just this HERE.
Here’s another reason that dog bite information is so skewed. All dogs bite but larger more powerful dogs are naturally going to do more damage when they do bite. If a little dog bites, most likely no one is ever going to hear about it. If a big dog bites there is more of a possibility that someone is going to need medical attention. So you could have 100 bites by lttle dogs and maybe one will be reported whereas you could have 2 by bigger dogs and both will be reported, so you figure it out, what is going to come under scrutiny?
There are so many factors that must be examined and not only are they not, many of them cannot even be examined accurately. BSL is a knee-jerk reaction fed by hype, myth and propaganda. It does not work! Education works. Well thought out dangerous dogs laws works. Enforcement of leash laws work.
BSL doesn’t work? Calgary Alberta Canada put in a dangerous dog law with teeth and their bite are way down. Ontario which has province wide BSL on the other hand, guess what their dog bites are up. So NO BSL doesn’t work.
Just goes to further prove the point! Thanks for passing that along. Always love to see more “case studies” that refute BSL.
D.
I think they are born with either tendencies. I have know people who have rescued abused Pitbulls from rescue leagues and they have turned out to be amazing animals. Some are aggressive right from birth.
I don’t believe that dogs are born aggressive from birth. I do believe that some dogs are born with a stronger personality, Alphas. These dogs will need to be well trained and kept on a shorter leash, figuratively speaking. You can find Alpha dogs in any breed. My first Springer was an Alpha and at the time I didn’t know much of anything about dogs. He grew into a very dominant dog, territorial and possessive. He was still a wonderful dog but had to be very well supervised and was very carefully trained.
I’ve seen these types of dogs in many breeds. In the stronger breeds, you need to be more careful because Alphas do have a natural tendency to lead or dominate and this can easily turn to aggression if not handled properly and those tendencies are not redirected.
D.
Every breed has the odd dog born off or with violent tendencies. But pit bulls are just a breed of dog like any other. Most pit bulls are not born aggressive, it is a matter of nurture, not nature.
The problem with Labs is that we have been conditioned to think that all of them are friendly, that it’s okay to just reach inside the car or over the fence to pet the doggie without consulting the owner first. A person doing this is crossing over into the dog’s territory, and some dogs will bite in order to defend it. Similar problem with little dogs, people assume that if it’s cute it won’t hurt them. Little dogs can be ferocious biters. What they need to do is ban stupid dog owners, not certain dog breeds.
Couldn’t agree more Susan! Now if someone could just come up with a genetic test….. hmmmmmm
Animals Away…..yea, right! As I have said in the past, destroy those human baby’s born from aggresive parents. After all, AA, they ARE, BORN, aggresive. Think AA. Think! This is impossible! As D says, we mold those attitudes in our “pets”. And Alpha’s need close, careful and cautious care. It doesn’t mean they will be aggresive dogs, they are just the stronger dog. Humans exist like that as well. And as humans, we also have the intelligence to raise these Alphas to be wonderful, kind, loving dogs. Susan, you are absolutely right about Labs. They have been put out in the public eye as a wonderfully unaggresive dog. So, naturally, people think it’s okay to walk right up to one and pet it. That’s just crazy. They are still a dog and territorial as well as devoted to their humans. They don’t know, any more than Pitty’s, Rot’s. Shepherds, or any other dog, what the hell that human is planning to do to them or their human companions or property. Labs are still, another large breed, large toothed dog. Those little ones can really rip into someone as well. I never put so much faith in any breed of dog that I can assume they will not hurt me. Big or small, they can all bite, they can all be very fearful (causing aggresion), they can all appear harmless. Think before you pet that fella. Be kind to all God’s creatures…big and small.
Is there anyone else out there who is tired of hearing how vicious pit bulls are? Any dog can be trained to bite or has had to learn to defend itself from the inhumane treatment it has suffered from an abuser or uneducated owner. Every few years there is a breed we fear – Dobermans, rottweillers, and now pit bulls. IT IS NOT THE DOG’S FAULT!!!!! Every puppy is born innocent and wants to feel secure and loved. Some are unlucky enough to fall into the wrong hands and don’t turn out to be the “perfect” dog. So, we know what happens next… they end up in a shelter, discarded on a roadside, left to fend for themselves, and then we label them “hopeless”. America can do better than this! Should all pit bulls be euthanized – NO! Every day about 100 people lose their lives in auto related accidents. How many of you sell your cars and promise to never drive again so it won’t happen to you? Nearly a half million people die every year from smoking related effects – does that discourage others? Educate the pet owner to be responsible and stop the killing!
Jen, Yes I for one am very tired of hearing how aggressive Pit Bulls are!!! As the owner of 3 Pit Bulls, including one “Alpha” I am here to say that all three of my babies are just that; babies! Are they strong? Yes. Are they stubborn? Sometimes. Are they aggressive? HELL NO!!! But then again, I’m not a thug or wannabe and I treat them like the family members they are. They have all been thru obedience training, live in a secure, safe home with a large yard (with a very high fence around it)for them to play and be dogs in. And the very high fence is not because I am afraid they will get out and kill someone it is because I am fearful for their safety. Yes, I said their safety. Do you have any idea the comments we get from the nut cases out there that want to harm my babies? It is a constant battle when you own this breed but you know what? I wouldn’t trade them for all the money in the world. They are by far the most loyal, loving, smart, goofy dogs I have ever had the pleasure of parenting. They truly show me unconditional love each and every day. And while aren’t aggressive I do know that if anyone tried to hurt me or a member of this family all three of them would fight to the death to protect us. When will people wise up and realize that it is not the dog but the idiots that own them that make them mean. They are not born that way, no dog is. But if you treat them horribly and do the most awful things to them they will learn to survive. And the sad thing is they will do what their POS owner makes them do in hopes of making that person love them or show them some attention. Talk about an injustice!! And then to make matters worse, when or if someone does finally step in and take them away from the horrors of their life society says they are worthless and hopeless and orders them murdered. It’s enough to make you just want to hang your head in shame and cry. How awful of mankind to do this to God’s creatures. I wonder what He will have to say about all of this when the day comes to meet our maker!!
Any dog can be bred to be Nasty it is the owners NOT THE BREED. Alpha dogs need the correct guardians POS need to be dealt with
All: Miami-Dade County, FL is THE only county statewide with an assanine BSL ordinance against pits both full bred AND mixes. ALL are killed. It is currently being challenged in a court of law after 20 yrs. on the books. Wish us luck. I’ve rescued MANY a pit from our public’s high kill shelter and they’re loving, sweet natured, playful, innocent souls. There may be a rotten egg here and there as in all nature including mankind when dogs are bred for the wrong reasons (mainly aggressiive personalities) but even THEY with proper conditioning, training and control can be taught to overcome their inherent instincts SAME AS HUMANS. BSL is nothing more than an assanine knee jerk reaction and some politician wanting to make a name for themselves. Well with me they have: JERKS UNITED. May a chihuahua take a good, ragged, painful bite out of EACH of their calves!