I found the following link-
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/banned-dogsIt indicates that each of the following breeds are banned as a whole in all of the UK:
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
Interestingly enough, you could go to court to seek an exemption certificate which will last the life of the dog. However, even if an exemption is granted, you have to have it muzzled at all times it is out in public, keep it contained, and obtain insurance along with updating the registry as to when your dog moves locations or dies. Clearly, they do have the presumption in place that these breeds are more aggressive and that it is in the public's best interest to ban these dogs. Thereby, they place the onus on the owner to go to court to obtain an exemption from their overlying belief that these breeds are inherently dangerous, which is inherently unfair. In court, you must produce evidence that the dog is safe despite the breed. However, initially, owning a banned dog results in fine and could result in up to 6 months of prison or both according to the Purina article. After conducting a little more research, I found that the law was enacted in 1991- Dangerous Dog Act- in response to "unprovoked attacks" by certain breeds which they characterize as being "bred for fighting". (See-
https://www.purina.co.uk/find-a-pet/articles/dog-types/breed-groups/illegal-dogs-in-uk). This BBC article (https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-36033778) details human history of "using" dogs in ways that led to aggressive behaviors and also includes details of one horrific attack in the UK that galvanized support behind the Dangerous Dog Act legislation. The BBC article also indicates that in Ireland many more breeds are banned. As an honor of a pitt bull, I am saddened to see that despite the research to the country these dog breed bans continue to persist. Clearly, more education is needed to remove these archaic laws that are based on beliefs that science debunks, so that less pitt bulls can be put down or languish in shelters each year simply because of their breed.
Jennifer Lewis
Animal Advocate (Rescuer, Rescue Volunteer, Transporter and Foster)
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Jennifer Lewis
Volunteer
Deogie's Backyard Rescue
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-28-2022 11:15 AM
From: Sheila Segurson
Subject: What are your thoughts about this paper about behavior differences between legislated and non-legislated dog breeds?
Thx for the reply, Emily. One of my other concerns was that they looked at legislated vs non-legislated breeds, but didn't include bully type breeds like the american bulldog, american pit bull terrier, and american staffordshire terrier. But then again, those breeds might be really uncommon in the UK?
Sheila
Sheila Segurson, DVM, DACVB, CDBC, CCBC
(she/her/hers)
Director of Outreach and Research, Maddie's Fund
925 860-8284
A good teacher does not teach facts, he or she teaches enthusiasm, open-mindedness and values. - Gian-Carlo Rota
Original Message:
Sent: 11/28/2022 2:09:00 PM
From: Emily Roberts
Subject: RE: What are your thoughts about this paper about behavior differences between legislated and non-legislated dog breeds?
Hi Sheila!
Thanks for sharing this paper. I was unaware of the DIAS and PANAS surveys so those were interesting to learn about.
I think the main issue I found with this research, however, is that the breeds appear to be self-reported by owners. Some of the owners were contacted via breed-specific, breeding groups on Facebook. Unless breeder paperwork was provided on any of the dogs, they could all be mixed-breeds. And as we all know from several research studies, most dogs are identified by looks alone and the breeds we label them as can be so misleading!
And when the UK has a ban on "pit bull type" dogs, it is unsurprising that many owners would begin labeling their dogs as non-legislated breeds.
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Emily Roberts
Executive Director
Cortland County SPCA
she/her
Original Message:
Sent: 11-10-2022 10:29 AM
From: Sheila Segurson
Subject: What are your thoughts about this paper about behavior differences between legislated and non-legislated dog breeds?
Hi,
This paper was published in the last month, Comparison of behavioural tendencies between "dangerous dogs" and other domestic dog breeds – Evolutionary context and practical implications, by Hammond et al in Evolutionary Applications. The paper found that there are no significant behavioral differences between legislated and non-legislated dog breeds with regard to impulsivity, positive activation and negative activation.
Have you read it? What were you surprised to learn? Do you have any thoughts or questions for us all about the paper or the two surveys used, the DIAS and the PANAS?
Looking forward to chatting about this :)
Sheila
#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
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Sheila Segurson, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Director of Outreach and Research
Maddie's Fund
9258608284
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