Should dog breeds be banned?
Amy Gilbert
Ms. Homer
English
October 1, 2012
Should There Be a Ban on Specific Dogs? There are plenty of different breeds of dogs that could be considered dangerous. The main targeted breeds are breeds such as Pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds. According to the American Humane Association, an organization founded in 1877 dedicated to the welfare of animals and children, “An estimated 4.7 million dog attacks occur in the U.S” (5). Some people argue that a ban on specific dog breeds is the answer to this problem. But others such as Pit Bull Rescue Central, a shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes, argue that, “When breeds are singled out as dangerous or vicious, responsibility is removed from the dog owner which is where it belongs” (7). Though both sides make a good point, specific breeds of dogs should not be banned because it cost too much, it would be punishing good dogs, and it would be discrimination against dogs.
Breed Specific Legislation or "BSL" is a statute or regulation that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs. BSL started in the early 1980s when the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by certain breeds (such as pit bull dogs) brought a lot of attention to the public and was perceived as a need for more stringent laws governing restraint of dogs. There have been organizations formed such as the Endangered Breed Association and the American Dog Owners Association that were created just to challenge BSL because there are so many reasons why BSL would not work. When people think of BSL no one ever think about how much it’s going to cost. BSL is enforced by animal control agencies (by extending their duties) that are already low on money. “Extending their duties means extending their budget as well, we would be spending an extra 560,000 dollars a year on enforcing the ban” stated by the
Ms. Homer
English
October 1, 2012
Should There Be a Ban on Specific Dogs? There are plenty of different breeds of dogs that could be considered dangerous. The main targeted breeds are breeds such as Pit bulls, Rottweilers and German shepherds. According to the American Humane Association, an organization founded in 1877 dedicated to the welfare of animals and children, “An estimated 4.7 million dog attacks occur in the U.S” (5). Some people argue that a ban on specific dog breeds is the answer to this problem. But others such as Pit Bull Rescue Central, a shelter and resource for owners and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and pit bull mixes, argue that, “When breeds are singled out as dangerous or vicious, responsibility is removed from the dog owner which is where it belongs” (7). Though both sides make a good point, specific breeds of dogs should not be banned because it cost too much, it would be punishing good dogs, and it would be discrimination against dogs.
Breed Specific Legislation or "BSL" is a statute or regulation that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs. BSL started in the early 1980s when the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by certain breeds (such as pit bull dogs) brought a lot of attention to the public and was perceived as a need for more stringent laws governing restraint of dogs. There have been organizations formed such as the Endangered Breed Association and the American Dog Owners Association that were created just to challenge BSL because there are so many reasons why BSL would not work. When people think of BSL no one ever think about how much it’s going to cost. BSL is enforced by animal control agencies (by extending their duties) that are already low on money. “Extending their duties means extending their budget as well, we would be spending an extra 560,000 dollars a year on enforcing the ban” stated by the
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