Published in the 4/18/07 Tacoma News Tribune. See it here.

Robert Shirley’s letter regarding dog attacks in his neighborhood unfortunately puts the blame on the wrong party – the dogs. He complains of loose, dangerous dogs, and asks that “aggressive breeds” be banned.

The problem lies not with dogs, but with irresponsible owners. Most cities currently have Animal Control laws in place that allow for the pickup of loose dogs, especially those that are aggressive. Any dog that attacks is impounded.

The idea of banning “aggressive breeds” is a slippery slope. Pit bulls are typically the primary focus of breed specific legislation (BSL). To some, banning the breed that statistically bites or attacks most often makes sense. However, it is only in this decade that Pit bulls have received this dubious distinction. The Center for Disease Control statistics show Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and even Great Danes have topped the list in previously. Labradors, Dauchunds, and Yorkshire Terriers also make an appearance.

BSL does not address the root of the problem - any breed can be made aggressive if mishandled and/or abused. The same dogs that are considered “aggressive breeds” in some areas are celebrated for their sensitivity and intelligence in others. German Shepherds are one of the three breeds used by Guide Dogs for the Blind.

At a time when a large percentage of adoptable shelter dogs are crossbred in some way with Pit bulls, banning “aggressive breeds” from one neighborhood and moving them to another makes no sense. Requiring spaying and neutering and strengthening current dangerous dog laws are better solutions.

Read the unedited version in the extended entry Robert Shirley’s letter regarding dog attacks in his neighborhood unfortunately puts the blame on the wrong party – the dogs. He complains of loose, dangerous dogs, and asks that “aggressive breeds” be banned from “family neighborhoods”.

The problem lies not with dogs, but with irresponsible owners. Lakewood, like most Washington cities, currently has Animal Control laws in place that allow for the pickup of loose dogs, especially those that are aggressive. Any dog that attacks is immediately impounded, and the owner may face further legal action.

The idea of banning “aggressive breeds” is an incredibly slippery slope. Pit bulls are typically the primary focus of breed specific legislation (BSL). To some, banning the breed that statistically bites or attacks most often makes obvious sense. However, it is only in this decade that Pit bulls have received this dubious distinction. The Center for Disease Control statistics show Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and even Great Danes have topped the list previously. Labradors, Dauchunds, and Yorkshire Terriers also make an appearance.

The CDC also notes several factors that “affect a dog’s propensity to bite”:

Several interacting factors affect a dogÂ’s propensity
to bite, including heredity, sex, early experience,
socialization and training, health (medical and behavioral),
reproductive status, quality of ownership and
supervision, and victim behavior. For example, a study
in Denver of medically-attended dog bites in 1991 suggested
that male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite
than female dogs, sexually intact dogs are 2.6 times
more likely to bite than neutered dogs, and chained
dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite than unchained
dogs.

BSL does not address the root of the problem - any breed can be made aggressive if mishandled and/or abused. And who decides exactly what an "aggressive breed" is? The same dogs that are considered “aggressive breeds” in some areas are celebrated for their sensitivity and intelligence in others. German Shepherds (often included in BSL) are one of the three breeds used by Guide Dogs for the Blind. Boxers and Dobermans (also considered “aggressive breeds” in some communities) have also been used as guide dogs and service animals.

Banning specific breeds is akin to banning the automobile because it is the most accident-prone mode of transportation. Forcing everyone to travel by plane doesn't make airplanes or automobiles any safer.

At a time when a large percentage of adoptable shelter dogs are crossbred in some way with Pit bulls, banning “aggressive breeds” from one "family neighborhood" (what exactly is a family neighborhood? last I checked almost all neighborhoods have families in them) and moving them to another makes no sense. Requiring spaying and neutering and strengthening current dangerous dog laws are better solutions.

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