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Saturday 26 March 2016

Proper Breed Identification Matters

JACQUE LYNN SCHULTZ, DIRECTOR, ASPCA SPECIAL PROJECTS


In a full service shelter, recognizing one breed from another improves lost and found reporting enabling owners to be reunited with their pets faster and opening up cage space quicker.
Shelters that continuously misidentify dogs to purebred rescue groups will find that their calls soon go unanswered – dismissed as just another “boy cries wolf” scenario. And when adoptables are improperly identified, it is the adopter who pays – unless the animal comes back to the shelter after someone at the vet’s office or on the street accurately identifies the breed type and the new adopter feels “had” by the organization.Just like Mom always said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
Starting this month I will be writing a breed identification column which I hope will enhance your knowledge of breed types – primarily canine since that’s where breed difference plays the biggest role – so that the Petfinder breed index is a more accurate tool for potential adopters. As more groups sign on and the list gets larger, accuracy will be even more important. So, let’s get started!
THE PIT BULL & PIT BULL MIX
There is probably no other breed type that demands accuracy more than the pit bull (and pit mix). Since adopters may find that owning this type of dog prohibits them from living in certain communities or demands that they purchase prescribed amounts of liability insurance or muzzle their dog when off home turf, they must know what they are taking on.
Let’s call a pit bull, a pit bull. Just because he’s black doesn’t make him a Labrador mix or because she’s red, she must be a Pharaoh hound. And a brindle coat does not a Whippet make!
If the dog before you has many of the following physical characteristics, he/she should most likely be identified as a pit bull or pit mix:
  • Very short, hard, glossy coat of any color or markings
  • Ears that are either cropped or medium-sized and folded
  • Broad, blocky back skull and jaws Wide mouth that gives the appearance of grinning when opened
  • Stocky, well-muscled body with a broad chest or sometimes a little gangly with a leaner, more wiry form
  • Adult weight of 30-80 lbs., occasionally heavier males
  • High activity level, engages in lots of jumping and tugging action
  • Bonds quickly and deeply
  • Quick reactivity, may be very aroused around other dogs
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424 East 92nd Street
New York, NY 10128-6804
www.aspca.org


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Saturday 5 March 2016

BSL has proven time again to be a costly, ineffective way to address the issues of dangerous dogs in communities.

BSL has proven time again to be a costly, ineffective way to address the issues of dangerous dogs in communities.  The trend nationwide is away from BSL in favor of breed neutral dangerous dog laws.  As with light rail, Kansas City is woefully behind the times.  Knee jerk reactions, media inspired hysteria and political grandstanding has led several cities to enact BSL.  We urge dog owners of all breeds to reject this unfair, unconstitutional and wasteful use of tax payer money.

“Ban them all!”
Although experts agree that aggression is almost always ownership based, breed-specific laws are typically rationalized by saying that certain breeds are inherently more dangerous. This argument usually stems from news of a serious attack by a dog and perpetuated by media coverage of the incident. Often the knee-jerk reaction to a serious attack is to look to laws that regulate or ban the specific breed of dog as a way to try to ensure public safety. Later though, public officials learn that this is not an effective solution.

The truth is singling out certain breeds only provides a false sense of security. Breed-specific laws do nothing to address the proven factors that contribute to a dog’s likelihood of displaying dangerous behavior such as…
  • Owner irresponsibility
  • Abuse and neglect
  • Being inhumanely chained
  • Not being spayed or neutered
  • Dogs roaming at-large

The following animal and medical experts agree that singling out certain breeds isn’t justified and doesn’t really provide greater safety:
  • American Veterinary Medical Assn.
  • Missouri Veterinary Medical Assn.
  • Kansas City Veterinary Medical Assn.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • American College of Emergency Physicians
  • Professional Liability Insurance Trust
  • American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
  • American Medical Association
  • National Animal Control Association
  • U.S. Center for Disease Control
  • Humane Society of the United States
  • ASPCA
  • American Kennel Club
  • National Canine Research Foundation

If certain dog breeds aren’t inherently more dangerous, why do some breeds seems to be responsible for more bites than others? Bite statistics can often be misleading. More popular breeds are going to reflect a greater number of bites because there are more of these dogs in the general population. Statistics can also be misleading because dogs are often misidentified.
Bite statistics usually don’t indicate the severity of the bite either. Was medical attention required? Was the person hospitalized? Statistics also don’t tell us if the bite was a reasonable response or unprovoked. Was the dog neglected or abused? Was the dog protecting his property or his owner? Or did the dog “snap” for no reason? We simply can’t tell from bite stats.

Not only are bans ineffective, but there are other noteworthy disadvantages to consider.

  • Are costly to enforce with no real benefit
  • Place unreasonable restrictions on responsible pet owners
  • Jam-up the animal control system with too much time and resources focused on certain dogs, most of which are not dangerous.
  • Don’t stop irresponsible owners from choosing another breed of dog and raising them to be dangerous too.
  • Infringe on constitutional rights and leave cities vulnerable to lawsuit.
  • Unfairly target any dog having similar characteristics of the banned breed

As long as humans and dogs interact, dog bites will always be a risk. The key is to take reasonable steps to reduce the frequency of bites. Practical steps that have proven effective include:
  • Dog bite prevention education programs for adults and children
  • Restricting the chaining of dogs
  • Spaying/neutering incentive programs
  • Strict fines and felony penalties for owner irresponsibility

Once one breed has been restricted or banned by a city it makes it even easier for other breeds to be targeted. Who can say your dog won’t be next?
In cities across the country many different breeds have been regulated or considered for regulations, including some that might surprise you…
  • Blue Heelers
  • German Shepherds
  • Golden Retrievers
  • Labradors
  • Pugs
  • Rottweilers
  • All Terriers
  • Dogs over 50 pounds
  • …and many more!

Want to Know More?
Check out the following resources to learn more about why breed-specific laws don’t work:

Please contact your local public officials and tell them you oppose breed-specific laws. Encourage them to focus instead on ordinances that target:
  • Behavior, not breed
  • Irresponsible owners
  • Inhumane chaining of dogs
  • The need for voluntary spay/neuter incentive programs
  • Education!
Contact your public officials ASAP! The future of all dogs and  the rights of dog owners depends on it!

  • American  Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
  • The American Kennel Club (AKC)
  • The United Kennel Club (UKC)
  • American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
  • American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS)
  • National Animal Control Association (NACA)
  • Maryland Veterinary Medicine Association
  • Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
  • American Canine Foundation (ACF)
Courtesy of.....
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