Statement on Breed-specific Legislation
As local advocates in animal welfare and education, Animal Haven, Wayside Waifs, The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City and No More Homeless Pets Kansas City urge municipal governments to reconsider recent proposed legislation that would ban pit bulls in their areas. Breed-specific bans target an entire phenotype in order to eliminate a handful of animals that have been poorly socialized under irresponsible ownership. Instead, the jurisdiction could adopt a more dynamic strategy against dog bites by passing a stronger dangerous dog law and creating special restrictions for dangerous dog owners.
Breed-specific bans are both overly inclusive and insufficiently exclusive. The vast majority of pit bulls in the metro area are good-natured, well-socialized dogs, and a single breed ban will not prevent bites from other large dogs. Pit bull owners who neglect, maltreat, or train their pet to be aggressive will produce the same disreputable qualities in another dog of comparable size and strength, if not another illegally owned pit bull.
Often mischaracterized as vicious aggressors, pit bulls actually test very well with humans. According to a February article in The New Yorker, the Georgia-based American Temperament Test Society conducted a standardized drill for 25,000 dogs, testing their stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness, and 84 percent of the pit bulls passed, ranking them ahead of beagles, Airedales, bearded collies, and all but one variety of dachshund (Gladwell 40). It is agreed, however, that pit bulls are an uncommonly strong and resolute breed of dog. Their potential to inflict serious injury on humans or other dogs should be addressed through firm dangerous dog legislation designed to filter out rogue animals of all breeds and irresponsible pet owners.
We recommend that governments:
- Pass a dangerous dog law to allow local law enforcement to investigate a potentially dangerous dog of any breed and, with the court’s permission, euthanize the animal if it creates a significant threat to public health.
- Require spay/neuter surgeries for all dangerous dogs. A 1991 study of dog bites in Denver showed that biters were 2.6 times as likely to be intact than sterilized and 2.8 times as likely to be chained than unchained (Gladwell 42). Those who do not want to spay or neuter their dog should be obligated to obtain a breeder’s license.
- Fund animal control organizations at a level that is sufficient to enable them to enforce the laws that are on the books. It is clear that passing laws without providing the funding to enforce them will not produce the desired result.
- We encourage the city council to look at the root cause of each dog bite instead of targeting an entire breed of dog. Without proper pet ownership, any dog is capable of compromising public health. Since pit bulls are prime candidates for exploitation by their human owners for use in dog fighting events, each jurisdiction should enforce a dangerous dog law and consider owner restrictions to help lower the incidence of dog bites. A simple ban on pit bulls does little to address the irresponsibility of certain dog owners and does not protect the public from animals of all breeds that are capable of causing injury.
Patti Glass, President, Wayside Waifs
Charles E. Vreeland, President, Humane Society of Greater Kansas City
Brendan Wiley, Executive Director, Animal Haven
Gail Longstaff, President, No More Homeless Pets Kansas City