My Pet World: Animal behaviorists take a stand against breed-specific legislation

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on Jul 30, 2014

It turns out cutting-edge genetic testing has proven that the CDC was right. Various studies utilizing modern genetic testing confirm that dogs with a "pit bull look" are mostly merely mixed-breed dogs, often with no real pit bull in them at all. How a dog looks (phenotype) doesn't necessarily match up with what a dog is genetically (genotype).

However, in communities where breed-specific legislation exists, dogs who happen to match a profile consistent with what officials believe looks like a pit bull can be removed from a family, even euthanized, though that dog has done nothing wrong.

The reality is, there are lots of dogs in America with a profile that matches that of what many would call a "pit bull." Arguably, dogs with this general look you might as well describe at the All-American dog because there are so many of them. The overwhelming majority are family pets with no history of biting

Besides, data indicates that BSL doesn't improve community safety. In 2008, the Dutch government repealed a 15-year nationwide pit bull ban after a government study demonstrated that the ban was ineffective. A year later, Italy repealed its ban, with both countries instead concentrating on supporting responsible ownership.

Closer to home, Denver enacted its breed ban in 1989. Since then, the rate of hospitalizations in Denver due to dog bite-related injuries has been higher than in nearby breed-neutral Boulder, CO, according to the AVSAB position statement.

In 2013, a national study in Canada found that BSL wasn't an effective tool to lower dog attacks. However, public education and the fact that dog owners are taking more responsibility for their pets' actions, have proved extremely effective.

In Calgary, for example, proactive public education programs resulted in a 50 percent decrease in reports of dog aggression. An important focus of these programs is humane education in schools.

Often dangerous dogs are intertwined with socio-economic issues. It's those issues that public officials need to focus, not a dog breed.

The AVSAB position statement is free to download at http://avsabonline.org/resources/position-statements. Full disclosure: I co-authored this position statement with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sagi Denenberg, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.