dangerous dogs
You hear something on the news almost every day about dog attacks. The news is usually horrifying, the injuries unthinkable and the result inevitable – putting the dog who attacked down.
I understand the reaction – I myself am not a huge pit bull fan, but is there a better answer? Is it passing new laws? Enforcing new breeding standards? What can be done?
About 120 cities nationwide have passed breed-specific legislation targeting certain dogs like pit bulls or Rottweilers.
Most people who have heard of these laws assume they only apply to pit-bull types of dogs. But in some states, the law includes German shepherds and other guard dog breeds.
In fact, 26 different breeds, including golden retrievers, chow chows, shar-peis are now banned or subject to special restrictions somewhere in the U.S. These laws require anything from simple spay/neuter to outright confiscation and execution.
Have these laws gone too far in reaction to dog attacks? Is this the answer? Are we once again not holding the owner to a certain level of responsibility here?