Why are you anti BSL? BSL

I just thought that I would do a thread about why people are anti BSL, so that people can air their views without getting into a heated debate about it

From past experiences I am anti BSL for three main reasons:

1.Misidentication - I grew up with a cross breed, who at six weeks old the vet wanted to pts, as she looked like a pit bull pup, she grew up and looked nothing like the sort, but many people misidentify fully grown dogs, thinking that they are pit bulls, or because of skewn images that pit bulls aren't pit bulls as they behave so well and are friendly ;-)

2.I got bitten by a English bull terrier, when I was taken to hospital and it was being reported the woman almost wrote down pit bull terrier because she wasn't listening. This highlights that not only do people misidentify dogs, but you also have to trust the people who are writing reports to be listening properly and write the right things, so I don't believe that dog bite statitics are accurate, of course people do get injured by banned breeds, but I believe that many are other breeds, but because of human error the true breed or cross is not what is reported.

3.When working at kennels I was pinned up against a locked door by a labrador, there were two labs, when I got them out to take them to the paddocks for a run one decided that it didn't like me, the other one was barking and growling at the side lines, at any point during this I never thought that thank goodness its not a banned breed. Funnily enough when faced with something like that, at that point breed doesn't really go through your head, or at least mine, its more like how to get yourself out of there without being hurt, luckily I did.

But really any breed can bite, any breed can leave physical and mental scars, many breeds can disfigure, kill, but the law seems to think that only banned breeds are the problem, that other breeds are meek in comparision. So I believe that it really is deed not breed, we wouldn't like to be judged by looks, but many people do judge by looks.

I agree for all of the above!

Plus to me its like saying that because one black man commits a crime, all black men are criminals, because one hoody shouts abuse...all hoodies are abusers... etc etc we know that complete crap, so why cant this be applied to dogs????

Ive been attacked by a jack russell, two labs, a giant schnauzer and a small black mix terrier.....never have i once met a bull breed that wasnt the soppiest thing going!

I totally agree with you too. When I worked as a groomer the dogs I remember being the most aggressive were a Pekingnese, a Scottie and a couple of toy Poodles. Infact I was of the opinion that all Yorkies were snappy little things which was totally wrong! They are sweet but game little dogs with huge characters. I'm a big fan of them now.

I have never been bitten and aside from the dogs I've groomed I've met 1 aggressive Lab, 1 Dobe that took a dislike to me and that is it.

It is completely down to the individual animal, it's circumstances, who owns it and what is happening at the time if the dog does bite. I've heard of less than a handful of genuine out of the blue attacks but dozens of times I have given the dog the benefit of the doubt. Having witnessed children pulling around dogs while their stupid parents laugh, I have little doubt that many dogs bite out of pure frustration and pain.

I hear far more people saying they don't trust JRT's than I do any other breed. Owning one that is soft as butter and a big wuss I know it is mainly down to the upbringing of the dog as to how it behaves.

My favourite breeds are the bull breeds and I adore Pitbulls. I've met a few now and they are the silliest, friendliest dogs going. Brilliant with other dogs because they have never been encouraged to be aggressive.

I groomed a Standard Poodle once who was a trained guard dog. He was an intimidating dog and certainly made me nervous as he was trained not to like anyone but his owners. Conversely I looked after a Standard Poodle for a couple of years who was the sweetest girl.

Any dog is capable of attacking and being aggressive but 9 times out of 10 that behaviour has to be encouraged. And that can happen through training, abuse or neglect.

I think this law should be repealed BUT only if strict laws about using dogs to harass and a control on private breeding is brought in. The world has changed since this knee-jerk law was passed. Imagine the current abuse / indiscriminate breeding of staffy crosses taking place instead with the currently banned breeds.

BSL should never have been passed! its like putting a person on death row because they look like a murderer!!! doesnt make sense to me.

just because they cannot speak themselves it doesnt mean we have the right to decide wether they live or die!

i swear there are probably more smaller breed bites a year, they just arnt reported.

I am really against it because I feel it is bigotry against those breeds... I don't have any of the breeds involved but at teh end of the day more people are bitten by Labradors, Yorkies, JRT's etc. than these alleged "Bullybreeds".. what about blame the deed not the breed? No-body can assume that all Staff, Bull Terriers etc. are going to be vicious.

I too am against it, I've never met an aggressive bull breed, they've all been good as gold, staffies and bullmastiffs are great dogs and I'd hate to see them banned. It would be so unjust.
Out of aggressive dogs I've met working in boarding kennels, I've met a yorkie, a few shar-peis, a malamute, a few terrier mixes and a BC. Yet to come across an aggressive bull breed.

I am also against it because I don't believe that any dog is born aggressive (with the exception of medical problems which can affect temperament). I think that any dog raised well by loving owners will not turn out aggressive and that breed is unlikely to be a factor in this.
It just seems a shame that it is not responsible, loving owners who often own pits and other 'tough' dogs because it is these woners who are tarring every dog of the breed with the same brush by training their dogs to be aggressive

What gets me is that I have only met a couple of Rotties that were no good with people they didn't know, or other dogs but only because they'd been badly treated by a previous owner. I have never met a nasty Staffie, Bull Terrier or any of the other bullybreeds - I hate that term... I have though met nasty owners of some of the breeds sadly in certain areas who use them as staus dogs and give their breeds a bad press. It is not the dog or the breed but the owner. Now, I have met several snappy, nasty JRs, Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers and many other breeds and hate the fact that the media make such a big thing about bullybreeds when they are NOT!

I hate BSL.
Agree with the above posts,you can not blame a whole breed for the actions of one dog or it's owner.All dogs have the potential to be dangerous not just certain breeds.

I'm against it because it doesn't work.

I am not big on BSL, with regard to pitbulls it has come down to 'type' and that gives it a broader range and one that can be abused and misinterpreted too often.
On breeds that have aggression problems instead of being able to breed the best in them and try to quash the undesired traits, the dog is still being bred by people who have no regard for the law and breed for all the reasons they are being persecuted for, so really it is ending up a self fulfilling prophecy for those who agreed with the introduction of BSL.
A dog can have done nothing wrong but being a 'type' and the lab (just an example, pick any breed not affected by BSL) next door can actually be more of a threat than the 'type' they want to dispose of.
What is going to be next?? There have been talks of banning other breeds in some countries(Rotties and GSD's), where will it stop? Who knows the next breed that will be chosen to be dumped in a class that is not looked upon for its own merits just looked upon as a category that is blanketed by law and a generalisation.
And all that others have stated and more than likely more reasons.

totally agree with the above posts. i own 2 of the so called "bully breed" they are the most loving and loyal breeds i have ever come across, i do have people cross the road or grab there dogs/children and try to get out of the way, i always try to ensure the my dogs are no threat there are the odd few who do judge the breed i cannot really blame them as all that gets reported of these animals is the bad never the good, but the ones who do take a few minutes(and thats all it takes) realise that they are good dogs as i always say an animal is never born bad its made that way by us humans. on a positive note my naz is a registard therapy dog who visits care homes for the elderly, and yes 80yr olds walk my 28kg staffiexpit and hes every bit the gentleman with them. judge the deed not the breed

I agree it is blaming a while breed for the acts of a few.

I dont know what the answer is.
I have met the most lovely staffies and my friends dog who I looked after for a month was a staffy cross and the most lovely dog in the world

But round here I also see lots of status dogs. Badly socalised nervous dogs who have been encouraged to be agressive
and these are powerful dogs who if they do attack can do lots of harm
When I was in the vets after Mia had been attacked by the GSD there was a little toy breed who had had its whole back peeled off it in an unprovocked attack from an akita

Another dog in my street has been blinded by a free roaming staffy - and the dog wardens wont touch it cos they say its a police matter - and of course the police are not interested

I think the breeders and owners need to be held more responsible - but I dont know the solution

I don't believe the law is fit for purpose and would much prefer to see crackdowns and tougher sentences for cases of animal cruelty and cases where owners are using a dog to bully and intimidate others

Did you see the published response of the public consultation, just read about it yesterday, but it's been out a while.

Shockingly low number of people submitted anything, only 4000

http://www.bva.co.uk/newsroom/2218.aspx

and the defra link... http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/dangerous-dogs/index.htm

I'm anti bsl purely because it doesn't work, infact it's a load of b*ll*$^s.

Edited - and the only dog that has ever bitten me was a Daschund.

Because I own a German Shepherd. And they could be next...
or it could be YOUR dog.

Bull breeds in general I think have been given a wrongful reputation but unfortunately its not the dogs fault its the owners. Some get them for status symbols, some don't know how to look after them and then there are the scum that use them for fighting.

I have 3 friends that own SBT and they are the softest dogs out (one is even scared of rain!). My late step-dad also had a staffie x (well think it was a staffie, it was brindle and looked like one but I could be wrong) and we had to keep him seperate from my mums YT as the YT kept wanting to attack the bigger dog!

I have been bitten by ESS, JRT, YT and an english wolfhound but never a 'bad' breed as some like to label them.

Agree with all posts a dog for a well known rescue was found stray it had been obviosly used for dog fighting and was in an awfull state it was put into a foster home where it seemed a real softie, a few weeks later it had its picture taken to go on rehoming site.it was then that it was decided it had some pit bull in him and was put to sleep:-( What a horrible life he'd just found a safe enviroment and was then pts because he may have had the wrong breed in his dna:twisted: Judge on the individual dog not a whole breed!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladycarfax/5715794880/in/photostream

because saying a dog is a 'pit bull type' is as bad as saying a person a 'black' or 'asian' type, and serves about the same purpose!

I'm Anti BSL, because it doesn't work, and will never work. and if they successfully get rid of the "Pit Bull" it will be another breed, then another, then another, until the only dogs we can own are under 10 lbs. Pitties are dogs, no better, no worse. they can be aggressive, they can be big softies, they are very powerful dogs, and need to be trained and socialized, like any big dogs.

I LOVE Pit Bulls, not because they're big tough looking dogs, but because they're so willing, and so able. They'll do anything for you, (even fight other dogs.) they're amazing athletes, and wonderful to train.

BSL rips apart families and destroys wonderful dogs.

I dont know what the answer is, but BSL IS NOT IT!

Incidentally, the breed bans in Ontario include your little Staffy. Thank goodness I live here where there is no BSL. The dangerous dog laws are very strict here though, where even a little barking and lunging at a backyard fence can have a dog termed "dangerous" and very stiff fines and penalties imposed. which is why Oliver never goes out off leash, EVER. Even an attack on another dog will have a dog labled dangerous and a $1500 fine dropped on you.

The last child attacked by a dog was a little boy who walked past a yard (garden) with 2 Huskies in it they hopped the 6ft fence and attacked him, that was almost 3 years ago.