Most of the time when we talk about breed specific prejudices, we focus on Pit Bulls, but its important to remember we’ve been here before. Many breeds have been the subject of laws and even just plain hatred because they’ve been seen as too aggressive. Typically, what we end up seeing is that if you breed and train them right, they are no different than any other dog.
In my recent trips through our local dog pounds and shelter, I’ve seen an abundance of Pit Bulls waiting to be adopted. They are very hard to place because people don’t realize how sweet they can be. Please don’t discriminate!
Many homeowners insurance carriers are loathe to provide insurance to homes that include certain breeds of dogs that they deem more likely to bite and cause injuries. Although the laws in many jurisdictions are finally reflecting the fact that it’s not necessarily the breed so much as the way the dog is raised, insurance companies still, in many cases, use breed-specific rating systems to either deny insurance or to require a higher premium, regardless of the individual dog’s behavioral history. Continue reading Tuesday Top Ten: Breed-Specific Insurance Rates→
Somehow during a week dominated by the introduction of Sunny, his family’s new dog, President Obama was able to address the topic of breed specific legislation. What is breed specific legislation or BSL? It is any law that seeks to make it illegal to own a specific dog because of his or her breed. BSL has been used particularly against pit bulls. Advocates of BSL say it keeps people safer by limiting the number of dangerous dogs being kept as family pets. Those against BSL say there are no bad breeds, only bad breeders and owners who teach their dogs to be aggressive and / or dangerous.
If you didn’t live under a rock last fall, you may remember the exotic animal keeper in Zanesville, Ohio, who let his animals run loose before he killed himself. Lions and tigers and bears were found running loose and unfortunately, had to be killed to protect people living in the area. For a long time, Ohio has been at or near the bottom of the rankings of states for animal welfare laws. Changes are now being made, starting with the state’s treatment of dogs. Continue reading The End is Near for Breed-Specific Legislation in Ohio→
Aurelia, Iowa has a Pit Bull ban, like many other jurisdictions across the country. Not too long ago, it came to the city’s attention that Snickers, a registered service dog who lives with retired Chicago police officer James Sak, is a Pit Bull, Lab, and Boxer mix. Snickers assists Sak after the man had a stroke in 2008.
Most of the time when we talk about breed specific prejudices, we focus on Pit Bulls, but its important to remember we’ve been here before. Many breeds have been the subject of laws and even just plain hatred because they’ve been seen as too aggressive. Typically, what we end up seeing is that if you breed and train them right, they are no different than any other dog. 
