Recently, Mobile, Alabama did something revolutionary. They decided to stop the danger that free-roaming dogs pose by taking a pro-active approach. Instead of attempting to pass a breed-specific law, or BSL (which is widely known to be ineffective legislation) when confronted with a “pit bull” owner who refused to contain his dogs, Mobile County Animal Control prepared a portfolio of prior incidents involving the irresponsible “pit bull” owner and took the case to the District Attorney.
Finally someone gets it! It’s not the breed of dog that free-roams that makes a dog dangerous; it’s the free-roaming that makes a dog of any breed potentially dangerous, and it is their owner who should be punished. Hopefully other municipalities will follow Mobile’s example and punish owners of free-roaming dogs of any breed with escalating fines and penalties until people finally understand that if they continue to allow their dogs to free-roam, it’s going to cost them.