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Dispelling “Pit Bull” Urban Mythology
For about 30 years, myths about so-called “pit bulls” (though “pit bull” is not a breed) have been disseminated via hearsay, anecdote, and even the media. But these myths are just that: stories of invention. For instance, we have countless times read articles in the media wherein the author, a local, or even…
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Kirksville, Missouri Passes Breed-Specific Legislation Much to the Chagrin of Reasonable, Thinking People
Editor’s note: While our thanks go to Mayor Kuhns for voting against BSL, the rest of the Council appears to have been hellbent on ignoring the overwhelming evidence of the inefficacy of breed-specific legislation, instead subscribing to the long-debunked urban myths, skewed statistics, and junk science of the opposition. Kirksville itself defines the “pit…
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Seward County, Kansas May Consider Repeal of 20-Year Old “Pit Bull” Ban
Editor’s note: It is unfortunate that there is so much disinformation out there. City councils and city attorneys are repeatedly misinformed by those with an agenda about the supposed effectiveness and constitutionality of breed-specific legislation (BSL). The constant stream of repealed BSL nationally and internationally of late illustrates the ineffectiveness of BSL, and…
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Elkader, Iowa May Consider Breed Restrictions
Editor’s note: The Hopkinton incident illustrates the danger, not of a specific breed, but of dogs that are constantly penned, unsocialized, and abused. If Elkader seeks to be proactive, they should do what Hopkinton didn’t: respond in a timely manner to calls from citizens about possible animal abuse. Folks want to point a…
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Beatrice, Nebraska Considering Breed-Specific Ordinance for “Pit Bulls”
Editor’s note: A breed-specific ordinance, whether an outright ban or breed-specific restrictions like Beatrice is considering, is still ineffective, unenforceable, and unconstitutional. And while DNA tests (which are not at all as reliable as the public has been made to believe and certainly not enough to withstand a legal challenge) have been proposed as…
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Illinois HB 1080: An Update
All Illinoisans with a dog should know by now that Rep. John Bradley’s HB 1080, if passed, would allow breed-specific legislation — meaning breed bans and breed-specific restrictions — in any municipality in Illinois. HB 1080 was in the House Agriculture & Conservation Committee for many weeks, but every time HB 1080 came up…
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UK: Dog Control Bill to Replace BSL Successfully Passes Committee Stage
Editor’s note: The UK has had a breed-specific ban instituted since 1991. I think 20 years of impotent breed-specific legislation is quite enough and indeed the repeal of the UK’s BSL is a testament to what animal welfarists have known all along: breed-specific legislation is ineffective, unenforceable, and needlessly kills innumerable innocent dogs. Republished…
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Oklahoma State Supreme Court overturns Midwest City, Oklahoma’s “Pit Bull” ban
Editor’s note: See? Municipalities who pass these breed-specific ordinances have no idea how to enforce them because “pit bull” is not a breed and so “pit bulls” become whatever arbitrary designation the ordinance wants them to be. Used to be they defined “pit bulls” as American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and…
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Illinois HB 1080: A Letter to the Editor
March 18, 2011 update: According to HB 1080’s status page, HB 1080 has been kicked back down to the Rules Committee where its sponsor is most likely hoping for an assignment to a more amenable committee. We hope HB 1080 dies a well-deserved, dishonorable death in the Rules Committee because the bill and its…
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Hopkinton, Iowa to consider additional BSL after Rottweiler mauling
Editor’s note: Fatal dog maulings almost always have mitigating factors — like the dog being sick, unaltered, abused, unsocialized, or some combination of these — that the media seldom takes into consideration. What we know for sure is that dog-bite related fatalities are not a breed problem. Any dog of any breed if…