On Tuesday, January 28, 2014, a Springfield, Missouri toddler was attacked by what is being described as a “pit bull.”   The boy suffered bite wounds to his ankle and was hospitalized, and the dog is now scheduled to be killed.

But Springfield has had breed-specific legislation (BSL) in place since 2006.   How can that be?   BECAUSE BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION DOESN’T WORK!   And maybe if we start yelling what the dog lobby and safety advocates have known for decades — that breed bans and breed-specific restrictions are ineffective legislation — maybe all those politicians will actually start hearing it.

And while Springfield’s “pit bull” ordinance requires all “pit bull” owners to register their dogs, pay a yearly $50 fine, er I mean, “fee,” and microchip their dogs, what do you know?   The dog that bit the innocent little boy wasn’t registered and the identity of the dog’s owner is unknown.    

So tell us again politicians, tell us again Dogsbite.org, tell us again “pit bull” haters how breed-specific legislation works?   Better yet, tell it to the child your crusade didn’t save from being attacked.   And tell it to the dog, who was most likely horribly abused himself by being neglected and constantly chained outside, who must now die because of your “advocacy.”