Toronto Humane Society-5 years and countless deaths later...

BSL proven useless!!!!
Study Shows Pit Bull Ban Does Not Stop Dog Bites

posted by: Sharon Seltzer 1 day ago

Results of a new study showed “no significant drop in dog bite cases” since a ban on pit bull dogs was implemented five years ago in Ontario, Canada.

In 2005 the provincial government passed Breed Specific Legislation that required pit bull dogs and Staffordshire terriers to be muzzled in public. The law also resulted in death of “countless” dogs that were euthanized in animal shelters.

Michael Bryant, attorney general at the time, touted the ordinance would, “make our streets safer.”

Now five years later the Toronto Humane Society (THS) wanted to see if those words had translated into fewer dog bites. They conducted a survey with all of the municipalities affected by the law and found no slowing of dog bites to people.

“This survey shows that the pit bull ban has not resulted in a reduction in the number of dog bites in Ontario,” said the THS.

The organization is now calling for the government to amend its Breed Specific Legislation and “stop the punishment of innocent animals.”

The statistics revealed a nearly 10 percent drop in dog bites from 2004 to 2005, to just over 5,000. Then there was a slight drop again in 2006. But the years following showed an increase back to the original number of dog bites documented when the law began in 2005.

Ian McConachie of THS said in an interview with the Toronto Sun, “Dogs are not born violent. Instead, they are made that way by irresponsible owners who train them to be that way or neglect them and they develop behavioral problems.”

“If we want to reduce the number of dog bites we have to address the route causes of the problem, those irresponsible owners who do not appropriately care for their animals,” he continued.

Currently Garfield, New Jersey is considering BSL that would require pit bull dogs to be muzzled and their owners charged “excessive fees.” The ban would also endanger the lives of the pit bulls and pit bull mixes that make up 70 percent of the dogs in the town’s animal shelters.

Care2 members are currently fighting to stop the Breed Specific Legislation in Garfield, NJ.

Here's the chart that went with it....

I really can't believe no one has anything to say about this...LOL

I'm not surprised that dog bites did not go down but also, no one is muzzling their dogs here either.

I sit firmly in the camp that BSLs do not solve problems. people that cannot own pits will just get another breed that is not recognized under the particular BSL - look at the HUGE increases in the populations of mastiff type breeds since 2005.
very. very. poor band-aid solution to a problem that has nothing to do with the dogs themselves (IMO)

anywho - shouldn't this be moved to the opinion section based on its potentially heated topic and strong opinions? Just curious

Not only do we have to do something about the irresponsible owners who don't care for their dogs properly, but there should be animal safety classes included in elementary schools. How many children get bitten by doing something stupid like putting their face in a strange dog's crate or dog house? How many TERRIFYING videos are there on youtube, where people sit and watch their child or toddler interact in a dangerous way with a dog that's not happy about it???

Cityratt said:

anywho - shouldn't this be moved to the opinion section based on its potentially heated topic and strong opinions? Just curious

Click to expand...

No worries, chances are it won't get heated. I think *most* on this forum feel the same way about BSL...

I think BSL just absolves irresponsible owners. It's so sad to go into any shelter in Ontario and know that you can't help many of the dogs there because you can't adopt a pit bull. Not that I was in a position to adopt a pit bull last time I was at a shelter (not the greatest with rats and rabbits) but it's very frustrating nonetheless.

This isn't a surprise...BSL has been proven completely ineffective time and time again. Then again, it was never meant to reduce bites...it was nothing but a cheap, vote-grabbing ploy, but whatever...

'The bite rate is virtually unchanged' - I only have one thing to say about that:

Well, DUH!

(Sometimes people are so dumb...I can't believe the legislation was passed in the first place!)

People are dumb...thats the reason bite rates have not changed. Its the people who own dogs (the irresponsible ones) that should be banned, not the breed...

Dogs bite. They obviously didn't clue in when they made the law.

Guess someone should have told the dogs that they're not supposed to do that... :giggle:

Cityratt said:

I sit firmly in the camp that BSLs do not solve problems. people that cannot own pits will just get another breed that is not recognized under the particular BSL - look at the HUGE increases in the populations of mastiff type breeds since 2005.
very. very. poor band-aid solution to a problem that has nothing to do with the dogs themselves (IMO)

Click to expand...

Hear hear!!! That's EXACTLY it. Look at all the Presas and Corsos making their way into the mainstream pet market. Why does no one look at this and go "Oh wow this is really stupid after all"???

And I agree with Moon about educating kids... Kids don't naturally know how to interact with animals! And all it takes is just a split second of not watching your child and just the right child-driven trigger to cause a huge problem that is completly avoidable.

It's not just pits or rotts or German shepherds or chows, it's labs and cockers and all the countless small dogs who bite and no one reports because they're LITTLE. Where's the BSL for chihuahuas or rat terriers?? *rants and raves for hours*

Ahem anyway! Of course it doesn't work because the basic principle is so severely flawed! There's no logic behind it.

Cait, its pretty bad out near you isn't it? The BSL that is...I was trying to figure out the states that had it and Iowa had quite the list!!!!!

It's ridiculous here. We even have one in our small town... Which makes no sense! I think the wording is something along the lines of any APBT, Staffies, bully breed, Rottweiler, mix, or any dog that LOOKS like any of those breeds is banned and they can/will destroy it if someone reports it. I think in Des Moines you have to have it registered and muzzled, and have to have like 100,000 dollars of insurance on your homeowners FOR the dog. And some other crap I am sure.

However. I also know for a fact that our county treasurer has a blue staffie and that the manager of the bank here has a fawn pit. I also know of at least 3 rottweilers in town. And countless boxer mixes that look like bullies. It's not enforced at all. *rolls eyes*

Edit: I forgot!! One of our deputies has an American bulldog, too. What's the point... Of course there are TONS of really stupid people here. That explains it really.