(123)456 7890 [email protected]

What exactly is breed specific legislation?

Breed-specific legislation is laws that govern ownership, insurance requirements, and housing or rental restrictions imposed on certain animals based on the appearance of the breed. This is generally done in an attempt to prevent ferocious dog attacks. Most of the breed specific legislation focuses on “Pit Bull” breeds such as Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but not exclusively. Other breeds commonly caught in the breed legislation are Mastiffs, Chows, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Wolf Hybrids. Legislation varies by location and there are no established national guidelines to help determine which breed should be included on a prohibited dog list.

Legislation based solely on race is controversial and varies widely from one jurisdiction to another. You often face challenges and modifications over time. The breeds affected have also changed as public opinion changes, and since breed is not always a good indicator of the type of dogs that will be involved in vicious dog attacks.

Insurance companies are often the primary arbiter of what type of animal is considered dangerous. If a certain breed is not covered in the event of an attack, many municipalities use them as guidelines to determine which breeds to ban.

The breed alone does not predict what makes dogs ferocious. Most of the animals involved in the attacks are not spayed or neutered, have had a history of abuse, or were chained, used as guard animals or not kept as pets or human companions. Many animals are misidentified as potentially vicious dogs, as determining the breed is not always simple or obvious when based solely on appearance. Good animals and like-minded breeds get caught up in these breed bans along with many well-behaved family pets.

Currently, accommodation at the US military base has restrictions for dogs and other animals based on breed. Some states completely ban certain breeds. Others maintain restrictions such as mandatory liability insurance, special registration, and spay or neuter requirements. Counties and city authorities may also have their own rules, which restrict or, in some cases, prevent the restriction of dogs based on breed, and a community, individual property, or HOA may also set rules on breed restrictions. These rules often overlap or even contradict each other, leading to confusion.

Eventually, ‘dangerous dog’ laws may supersede breed-specific legislation, as dogs of all breeds can cause serious injury and vicious dogs are more determined by the care and training they receive than by the breed alone.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *