Fighting dogs arrived in the United States in 1817, after which Americans crossed several breeds to create the American Pit Bull. The United Kennel Club supported the fights and provided referees. Dog fighting was legal in most U.S. states until the 1860s and was not completely banned in all states until 1976. Today, dog fighting is a crime in all 50 states, although fighting thrives in illegal clandestine locations. [3] [4] In addition, this aggression is used as an advantage by some dog owners who want to make money for fights with their pit bulls. This is an illegal activity and a driving force behind many pit bull bans and laws. Although a pit bull is a dog of primarily American origin, it is a breed that has become illegal in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to do anything with a pit bull, namely: BSL is ineffective because it treats the result (a dog bite) instead of the cause (bad pet owners). For example, Miami-Dade County, Florida, has banned pit bulls since the 1980s, but the county still sleeps about 800 illegally held pit bulls a year. Aragon, Spain, experienced no change in the number of dog bites five years before and five years after the introduction of BSL. [13] Laws banning certain breeds of dogs do not achieve these objectives, instead creating the illusion, but not the reality, of improved public safety.
Notably, there are no national laws that discriminate based on dog breed, and 18 states have taken the proactive step of explicitly banning laws that eliminate certain breeds for different legal treatment. Even the White House has spoken out against laws targeting certain races. In a 2013 statement, President Obama said, “We do not support breed-specific laws — research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources. And the simple fact is that dogs of any breed can become dangerous if they are deliberately or unintentionally bred aggressively. In addition, pit bull arenas are often associated with other illegal activities, including drug possession and distribution, weapons distribution, assault, and murder. [12] But it is also illegal to possess Rottweilers, Chow Chows and bastards. In Selmer, Tennessee, it is illegal to own, sell or host a pit bull. Nationally, the ORB would cost approximately $476 million annually, including enforcement, related veterinary care, euthanasia and disposal, and legal fees. There are about 4.5 million dog bites per year, resulting in about 40 deaths, so each death costs taxpayers about $11.9 million.
[15] Therefore, it is illegal to possess a pit bull (purebred or mixed) unless you receive a waiver approved by the supervisory board. People who breed or train dogs for illegal fighting or to protect illegal activities simply turn to another breed of dog when pit bulls are banned. For example, after the 2005 ban on pit bulls in Council Bluff, Iowa, bites from boxers and Labrador retrievers increased, as did general dog bites. [14] Therefore, it is not surprising that several cities in this state make a pit bull illegal. Mahnken said she and her fiancé have a few friends at the fire station and knew they wanted to adopt a puppy, so she contacted them immediately. This bill aims to end laws that ban certain breeds of dogs in Florida, such as the pit bull. A pit bull ban is a local or regional law or legislation that prohibits the use or ownership of a particular breed of dog. We often talk about breed-specific legislation. While it is true that many pit bulls are adorable, and pit bull owners would say they can all be, they are a breed that can pose a danger. This is the main reason why there are pit bull bans in many countries. Aruba (left) and Drizzy (right). Image by the author.
Therefore, Denver residents can now have this special Fido as a pet. In November 2011, police officers shot and killed a pit bull that had bitten a 16-year-old boy on Staten Island. The teenager visited a friend, a 12-year-old boy, and was attacked as soon as his boyfriend opened the door. In 2016, Westwego city officials wanted to tighten pit bull regulations in their city. It`s Pit Bull Awareness Month, a time to celebrate and adopt this misunderstood (but very common) breed of dog. One obstacle to finding these home-loving dogs is breed-specific laws and housing restrictions that were supposed to protect people from dangerous dogs, but haven`t done so for a long time. Pit bulls have been a problem in the city for years. Drizzy and Aruba are both pit bulls. Drizzy came from a rescue in Virginia, and we own a house in Montgomery County, so there was no problem when we wanted to adopt him. It wasn`t that easy for Aruba.
She came from the Prince George County shelter, which has banned pit bulls since 1997. Anyone caught with a dog suspected of being a pit bull can face a fine of up to $1,000 or even go to jail. It is estimated that 80% of all dogs are sterilized. However, only about 20% of pit bulls are sterilized. And only about 38 percent of shelter admissions are pit bulls, but dogs account for 63 percent of euthanasia. [9] When my partner and I rented an apartment in Montgomery County three years ago, the lease listed 38 restricted breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier, German Shepherd, Husky, and obscure breeds like Briard, Jindo, and Kuvasz.