This article is from the K9 Magazine archives, subscribe to our newsletter & get our best dog news, tips and articles ---->As many of you will know, the Netherlands once operated a dangerous dogs law that was closely modelled on the UK’s 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, in that it attempted to combat the problem of dog attacks by banning certain ‘types’ of dogs. This concept is known as breed specific legislation.
Well, ever the free thinkers (the type who don’t let media hype determine the laws of the land, but instead look toward REAL facts when legislating), the Netherlands no longer operates breed specific legislation and has instead pursued a more educational approach to canine laws. Now a new study has been carried out in the Netherlands which overwhelmingly concludes that a ban on dog breeds has zero effect as a means to reduce or eradicate dog bites.
Here’s an extract from the study.
As part of an evaluation of Dutch breed specific legislation, data were collected from dog bite victims (1078) and dog owners (6139) using Internet surveys.
The incidence rate of dog bites and details of incidents (victims, injuries, circumstances and aggressors) are reported and the justification for using breed specific measurements to deal with dog bites are considered. For aggressors, attack records for breed groups and popular breeds were established by calculating breed risk indices using a reference population.
Several breeds and breed groups were over- and under-represented in the biting population and there was a mismatch between risk indices and the then-current legislation.
Mitigation strategies should not be based on attack records (since this would lead to the rejection of a significant proportion of the canine population) but on the circumstances of the incidents. Preventative measures must focus on a better understanding of how to handle dogs.
Brent Toellner over at the excellent KC Dog Blog has seen a copy of the report and he shares some of the findings on his site (you really should have a look: link).
Of particular note, this passage:
“Our findings, like those from other groups, do not support the use of an attack record in developing mitigation strategies. We found that all dogs can bite and therefore one should always be careful when interacting with a dog, even a family dog and during play. if we were to use base mitigation strategies on attack records, this would not lead to the establishment of feasible actions to take.
Removing the most common biters would also imply removing the most common breeds; for example, we found that the Jack Russell terrier was responsible for approximately 10% fo the bites and 8/10 of the most popular breeds were the most common biters (including the highly polymorphic group of mixed breed/mongrel). Eliminating these breeds is neither practicable nor desirable.”
Neither practicable or desirable.
1) You CAN’T eliminate dog breeds (as so deftly proven by the UK for the past 19 years)
2) Eliminating breeds would NOT actually address the problem any way.
If you live and pay your taxes in the UK, YOU are currently contributing to the MILLIONS of pounds that are routinely WASTED by the Government as they persist with a law which study after study has shown to be folly.
At what point will Government’s recognise that a law based on a flawed concept is a monumental waste of tax payer’s money AND has actually shown itself to CONTRIBUTE to rather than eliminate the problems it seeks to address?
As DEFRA put out a call for proposals on changing the legislation on dangerous dogs, it did so with the caveat that it would be retaining breed specific legislation. It has NEVER been able to justify the retention of a law which has been an unmitigated failure (prior to 1991 no person in the UK was ever killed by a Pit Bull, since 1991 two people have died as a result of attacks by Pit Bulls….work THAT one out!) – yet there are those who will still try and have you believe that we can reduce serious and fatal dog attacks by simply wiping out certain dog breeds.
At some point, one would hope, we might just see the same sort of sense that the Netherlands has.
Don’t hold your breath though.
Highly Recommended: This could be the most important link you EVER click as far as your dog’s life is concerned – see why….!
Related posts: Police Chief: Breed Specific Legislation is StupidMP’s Urgent Call for Rapid Repeal of Breed Specific LegislationThe Dangerous Dogs Act: It’s Time For Breed Specific Legislation To Go & Go NowGovernment Minister “Breed Specific Legislation Not Something That Can Easily Be Ditched”Vets Tell Government To Get Rid of Breed Specific Legislation Now
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