What is BSL?
(Courtesy of Love-A-Bull in Austin TX)
Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also known as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL), bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs.
A breed ban usually requires that all dogs of a certain appearance (”targeted breed”) be removed from the area where the BSL has been implemented.
Breed-specific restrictions may require an owner of a targeted breed do any of the following or more, depending on how the law is written:
Problems with BSL has been proven ineffective in reducing the number of dog bites in areas where BSL is enacted.
(Courtesy of Love-A-Bull in Austin TX)
Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also known as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL), bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs.
A breed ban usually requires that all dogs of a certain appearance (”targeted breed”) be removed from the area where the BSL has been implemented.
Breed-specific restrictions may require an owner of a targeted breed do any of the following or more, depending on how the law is written:
- Muzzle the dog in public
- Spay or neuter the dog
- Keep the dog on a leash of specific length or material
- Purchase liability insurance of a certain amount
- Place signs on the outside of the residence where the dog lives
Problems with BSL has been proven ineffective in reducing the number of dog bites in areas where BSL is enacted.
- The Netherlands (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1993)—Dog bites continued to rise after a breed ban was enacted. The ban was repealed in 2008.
- United Kingdom (Ban on four types of dogs since 1997)—Dog bites increased by 50% between 1997 and 2007, and a number of fatalities involved non-banned breeds.
- Denver, CO (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1989)—“Between 1995 and 2006, Denver had almost six times as many dog-related hospitalizations compared to Boulder, even though Denver’s population is less than twice that of Boulder.” Boulder does not have BSL.
- Prince George’s Co., MD (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1996)—A task force found that “the public safety benefit is unmeasurable.”
- Prince George, MD—In the fiscal year 2001-2002, expenditures due to pit bull confiscations totaled $560,000. Income from pit bull registrations during that same period totaled only $35,000.
- A BSL Cost Calculator developed by Best Friends estimates that BSL in Indianapolis would cost the city over $1million per year to enforce.
- The U.K.’s Dangerous Dog Act is estimated to have cost well over $14 million to enforce between the years 1991 and 1996 (no more recent numbers are available).
- In 2001, a Baltimore, Maryland, auditor estimated it would cost $750,000 to enforce a breed-specific ban.
- Citizens file lawsuits against municipalities with BSL, alleging unwarranted discrimination or breed misidentification.
- In 2007, only an estimated 2% of dogs were registered with a kennel club. The rest had undocumented parentage.
- Animal Control Officers and Veterinarians are not trained to identify breeds.
- Many places with BSL use a checklist of characteristics which are subjective (head is medium length, neck is muscular).
- Many owners have successfully challenged the breed identification of their dog.
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Please visit Love A Bull on this page and read about how YOU can help prevent this, let the Texas Legislature know that we will NOT stand for our rights to be chipped away a little bit at a time.