Breed Bans: Do They Work?

Breed Bans Don’t Work

How to Reduce Dog Bites

Homeowner’s Insurance Issues

Take Action

Good Dogs, Bad Raps

Why are some dogs “man’s best friend” and others sentenced to death? Is the breed of the dog the sole factor in determining which dogs will behave aggressively and which ones won’t? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) article “A community approach to dog bite prevention,” there are a number of factors that determine how a dog will behave: “…a dog’s tendency to bite depends on at least five interacting factors: heredity, early experience, later socialization and training, health (medical and behavioral), and victim behavior.” Only one of the five factors relates to the genetics of the dog. The rest are factors under the control of the dog owner.

If a dog is spayed or neutered, properly socialized, treated humanely, and well supervised, chances are that dog will become a model canine citizen. Yes, genes make a difference; however, training and education round out the picture. For instance, there’s the backyard bred dog who’s been trained by his or her owner to attack; and there’s the responsibly bred dog who’s been trained as a guide for the blind. Genetics may not have played a factor at all in either of these dogs’ behaviors—human intervention may have created the aggressive dog as well as the guide dog.

If we look at just two of the above issues: dogs who have not been spayed or neutered and dogs who live their lives on the ends of chains, we find dogs in those situations are more than twice as likely to bite than dogs who are spayed or neutered and live indoors in a family setting. In fact, according to the International City/County Management Association’s Animal Control Management guide, “…unsterilized dogs account for 95 percent of all fatal maulings.” The social and medical care, not the breed, account for the bites.

Currently, pit bull type dogs are being banned in local and state jurisdictions with the hope that by banning the breed, fewer humans will be injured. Doberman pinchers, Rottweilers, German Shepherd Dogs, Chow Chows, and others have also been brought up on charges of being dangerous dogs and have been banned in some areas. If we follow this logic—by banning something that causes injuries, fewer people will be harmed—should we not then ban knives since people are injured by knives? In fact, we’d have to ban all cutlery. Such logic is patently absurd, yet proponents of breed bans want us to believe that if the breed is banned, the problem goes away.

Fatal dog bites or dog bite injuries to children grab the headlines. Citizens cry out to be protected from the type of dog that caused the injury. Legislators rush to push through breed bans. Hype has forced the issue. The reality may be quite different. According to the AVMA, “…half of all bites are inflicted by the family dog.” Should we then be banning the family dog?

Breed Bans Don’t Work Back to Top

Breed specific legislation does not work. Sentencing all members of a particular breed, today pit bull type dogs, does not end dog bites in a community. Dangerous dogs come in all sizes, shapes, and pure and mixed breeds. To single out one breed is to ignore the fact that all dogs have teeth and that all dogs have the capability to use those teeth to harm each other and us.

Pit bull type dogs include: American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers. Although these breeds may be easy to identify by an individual with knowledge of these breeds, mixed breed dogs are hard to identify. Some dogs may look like pit bull type dogs but are not genetically linked to the above three. Just because a dog looks like a certain breed does not mean his or her DNA contains that breed. Typing a dog by visual means is limited; only DNA testing can ascertain the specific breed or breeds contained in a dog. Without DNA testing, we may be targeting the wrong dogs just because they have a physical resemblance to the banned breed.

Breed bans leave the community with a false sense of security. Parents think their children are safe—no more __________ (fill in the blank with the latest banned breed) in the neighborhood. But that sweet, docile mixed breed retriever or friendly neighborhood mutt may be the one who bites your child. And, since no one was educating children and parents on the dangers of chained dogs or no one was requiring owners to spay or neuter their dogs, no one was ready for the mauling little Susie experienced at the paws of her neighbor’s beagle.

Instead of focusing tax dollars on banning one breed of dog, we should be focusing our attention and our dollars on dealing with irresponsible dog owners. Spending money on spay/neuter initiatives, canine owner education programs, registering dogs, and maintaining records of bite and aggressive dog incidences will go a long way to reduce the number of dog bites regardless of the breed doing the biting. Remember, it is the family dog, regardless of breed, who is responsible for half of all dog bites. Educating all family members in proper canine training and care can reduce dog bites.

In a study of dog bites published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, September 2000, 30 different breeds of dogs were shown to be responsible for fatal attacks on people between 1979 and 1998. Banning one breed won’t stop the other 29 breeds from biting. Banning one breed won’t stop any dog from biting. If breed bans work, why after many years in some locales are the banned breeds still being rounded up? Why have dog bite reports continued to increase?

Regardless of how much money is spent enforcing breed ban legislation, those individuals who wish to own a particular breed for illegal reasons—drug dealing, dog fighting, etc.—will continue to own the breed they want. Someone engaged in drug dealing isn’t going to suddenly relinquish his or her dog because the dog is included in the breed ban. Drug dealers, dog fighters, etc., will still find ways to keep the dogs who are banned or simply find another breed that isn’t banned and continue their illegal activities—this time with impunity because the dog they selected isn’t on the breed ban list.

Animal care and control agencies would better spend their time going after individuals who are irresponsible dog owners than going after one specific breed of dog. When one breed is banned, another pops up. Legislatures then have to change the definition of what constitutes a banned breed in their jurisdiction. Animal control and other governmental agencies have to shift gears from the old breed to the new breed. That constant shifting takes time, energy, and money, which could be better spent on responsible dog ownership education, spay/neuter initiatives, registration, and rabies inoculation.

When breed bans are put in place, many responsible companion animal owners may have to relinquish their best friend and that best friend may lose his or her life.

How to Reduce Dog Bites Back to Top

Instead of banning a specific breed, we need to educate dog owners on their responsibility to their dogs and to the public who interacts with their dogs. Spay/neuter, canine good behavior training, appropriate care, etc., will go a long way toward eliminating dog bites. Dogs who are truly dangerous must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis—not a sweeping mandate to remove all of one breed from a community.

Owners who fail to train their dogs or control them humanely may find their dogs involved in dog-on-animal and dog-on-human attacks. Dogs who are allowed to run loose or are chained continuously may be more likely to bite. Abused dogs, unneutered dogs, and untrained and unsupervised dogs may also be more likely to bite. Females tending a litter may bite. Multiple dogs in one space may form a pack; the pack mentality takes over and innocent bystanders are injured. Dogs new to their surroundings may lash out when startled—newness to the household lasts about 60 days or more depending on the dog’s previous life experiences.

By enacting dangerous dog laws, instead of breed bans, the focus is on the human and not on the dog. If a dog is deemed dangerous, then placing restrictions on the owner of such a dog will do more to reduce dog bites than banning a breed. Such restrictions might include muzzling dogs who have been deemed dangerous when they are off their property. When on their property but outside, they must be contained in an escape proof kennel. Owners of dogs deemed dangerous may be required to carry a minimum level of liability insurance.

Identifying dangerous dogs before they take their first bite and instituting procedures to keep the public safe from these dogs will go a long way toward lowering bite incidents. Identification of dangerous dogs can take place through records of dogs running at large, dogs who have shown aggressive tendencies toward other animals and humans but who have not yet bitten anyone; dogs who are not neutered or spayed; and dogs who are chained for most or all of the day. Identifying dogs who may pose a threat to the community before they have the chance to bite will reduce dog-bite incidents and keep the community safer than will breed bans.

Dangerous dog laws place the responsibility for a dog’s behavior on his or her owner. Breed bans do not. Dangerous dog laws provide appropriate legal means to sanction owners of dogs who have bitten or have shown aggressive tendencies. Breed bans do not. Dangerous dog laws work; breed bans do not.

Homeowner’s Insurance Issues Back to Top

A 2005 study entitled “An Analysis of Breed Discrimination of Domesticated Dogs among Insurance Companies” by The Foundation for the Interdisciplinary Research & Education Promoting Animal Welfare, indicated “there appears to be little data to support a specific premium for a specific breed, and even less evidence to justify outright denial of coverage based on this single risk factor.” What the study did determine is that chained dogs and unneutered dogs are most likely to bite. Therefore, owner compliance on these two issues will greatly reduce the number of dog bites and therefore reduce the incidence of insurance claims against a homeowner for dog bites.

The report states, “Even if certain dog breeds could be shown to be higher risk across all geographic areas and points in time, the issue of risk by breed needs to be put into context. According to the insurance industry’s most recent estimate insurance liability claims involving dog bites totaled $345.5 million in 2002 while the net premiums written in 2002 for the property and casualty industry were $369.9 billion. That’s more than a thousand times higher than claims involving dog bite-related injuries. Looking just at claims, only 1.6% at most of every dollar paid in homeowners insurance claims went to dog bite-related costs.”

Homeowners and renters should protect themselves against the possibility of their dog biting someone. They should check with reputable insurance companies to determine the level of coverage most appropriate for their situation.

Take Action to Help All Dogs

What can you do to change what is happening to certain dog breeds and breed mixes? First, be a responsible dog owner by ensuring your dog is spayed/neutered, lives in your house, and is taught good canine citizenship. Other humane actions include:

• Support legislation that focuses on dangerous dog issues and not on specific breed bans.
• Support early spay/neuter programs through your local shelter.
• Gently encourage owners of dogs who are not spayed or neutered and those who live outside all the time to consider alternative, humane ways to care for their dog.
• Suggest canine educational programs through adult education classes, local animal shelters, schools, or other venues.