WHAT IS BSL (or Breed Specific Legislation)
BSL judges a dog by appearance, not by temperament. What ever happened to the old saying, "Don't judge a book by it's cover?"
KEEPING YOUR DOG SAFE THIS 4TH OF JULY
......or any day there are fireworks.............
* Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
* Don't leave your pet in the car.
* Keep your pets at home in a sheltered, quiet, indoor area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened. Leave a TV or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you're attending picnics, parades and other celebrations.
* Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn't leave the yard may escape and become lost or entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
* Make sure your pet is wearing an identification tag so if he does become lost, he can be returned promptly.
EDUCATION IS PREVENTION
DOG BITES ARE PREVENTABLE!
BSL video on YouTube
Dog Bite Facts
** Children make up 60% of dog bite victims.
**About half of all children in the U.S. will be bitten by a dog by the 12th grade.
**Nearly 20 people die a year from dog bites in the U.S.
**Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. seeks medical care because of a dog bite.
**70% of dog bites occur when the dog is on the owner's property.
ALTERNATIVE TO BSL
1. Strengthen and/or enact leash laws is an excellent place to start. It's not the dog's fault it's loose - it's the owner's fault. Owners are responsible for containing their dogs. Many dog attacks reported in the news are committed by a loose dog or dogs running off their property.2. Educate children, parents and dog owners about dog safety. See our lens here: Paws for Safety Teaching children about Dog Safety
3. Focus on laws that hold dangerous dog owners responsible for their dog's behaviors. In most states when a dog attacks, the dog is put down. There is NEVER a consequence for the person who owned the dog. If there we laws where the owner got consequences for NOT training and keeping their dog safe, perhaps people would think twice and not be so haphazard with their dogs.
4. Strengthen animal abuse laws. Dogs can become aggressive as a result of cruelty/abuse, neglect, or improper care. A dog that is left alone in a backyard without socialization or mental stimulation can become unruly, destructive, and possibly aggressive. Chaining/tethering dogs is not only inhumane, it also fosters aggression. Chained dogs account for 25% of all fatal dog attacks.
5. Regulate Dog Breeders: Backyard breeders and puppy mills produce mass quantities of puppies that are genetically compromised, both behaviorally and health-wise. They breed for money, without concern for good temperament or public safety.
6. Increase low cost spay and neutering in all communities: Unneutered dogs, particularly males, are far more likely to attack a human than either neutered males or spayed females. Unneutered male dogs also tend to escape and wander more than neutered males. Then increase public awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering dogs.
7. Offer education to dog owners about proper ways to treat/teach/raise a dog. Never leave infants or children alone with any dog, spay/neuter your dog, keep your dog healthy (an unnoticed injury can make a dog aggressive), properly socialize your dog with people and other dogs in different settings.
BREED IDENTIFICATION IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!
The biggest problem is that breed-specific legislation, true to its name, requires every dog to be classified as a certain breed. This is virtually impossible!Breed misidentification leads to expensive, time-consuming lawsuits against the government, something that costs taxpayers a lot of money.
In our DEMOCRATIC society where one is innocent until proven guilty is NOT true in BSL. It is typically the owner's responsibility to "prove" that their dog ISN'T a specific breed.
Can you find the "Pit-Bull"?? Play this game from Understand-a-bull and see if you can "identify the breed". How dog savvy are you??
Find the Pit Bull Game
TEACHING CHILDREN DOG SAFETY
Paws for SafetyWhether you have a dog or not, dogs are all around us. You MUST teach your children how to act safely around dogs. Visit our Lens: Teaching Children Dog Safety
Topics include:
Not all Dogs are friendly
How dogs think and learn
Dogs have instincts
Play - Dogs and Children
How should you Pet a dog
The two T's - be a TURTLE, be a TREE
We have written and designed a short wirebound book that will teach you and your children how to be safe around dogs. There are links to these books at the link above and we can personalize the cover with your own dog, or any dog breed. Just email us at greywolfcreation@yahoo.com
ANTI-CANINE LEGISLATION POWER POINT PROJECT
This project is available as a Power Point presentation or in a movie format. It has been created for ARC by Legislative Committee member, Karen Brinkley. It is completely self-contained and needs no narration. It runs approximately 10 minutes. It is an excellent tool to use at meetings or as a backdrop at any canine event. If you download and use this tool, it would be appreciated if you would let us know how this has or has not helped to educate your viewing audience.
The ARC plans on creating other individually focused projects similar to this one and they too will be made available here as a free download.
ANTI-CANINE LEGISLATION POWER POINT PROJECT
ABOUT DOGWATCH
Our mission is to watch for and alert people to poorly thought out canine legislation in North America and abroad, providing timely access to information, human networks, and resources that will help groups strategically oppose breed specific legislation (BSL) in their areas on a just-in-time basis.
Goals - we hope to:
Update,
Inform, and
Educate
people and dog owners about the real issues related to canine legislation, with an emphasis on laws that restrict dogs by breed or type.
Status:
We are currently developing a full mandate and goals for DogWatch.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT DOGWATCH
Important links about BSL
- Stop BSL
- Stop the MADNESS, stop BSL. This website give lots of good information about Stopping BSL.
- Stay dog bite free
- The Humane Society of the United States works to reduce dog bite injuries with this site that has wonderful resources and even coloring pages for kids.
- Understand-a-bull
- Extensive information about BSL!!! A great website resource.
- Any dog can bite
- Another excellent resource on teaching children about dogs and dog language - how to prevent dog bites.
Anti-BSL designs
CAFEPRESS COUPON CODES:
CafePress Coupons
$5 Off $50+ Coupon
Coupon Code: MOUSEROBOTS
Expires: June 10, 2009
Akita BSL1 Sticker (Bumper)
Please don't ban my best friend. Show you're against breed specific legislation with this design featuring the Akita on a bumper sticker, mug, magnet, shirt and more.
Price: 5.00 
Dogo AntiBSL3 2.25" Button
"Punish the deed...NOT the breed!" This popular slogan is displayed with the targeted breed, the Dogo Argentino, in the middle. Show you are against BSL.
Price: 3.50
Rottie BSL2 Yard Sign
It's MY breed today but YOUR breed tomorrow. BSL hurts EVERYONE. Show you're against breed specific legislation with this design featuring the Rottweiler on a black t-shirt, mug, magnet, and more.
Price: 20.00
GSD (black) Anti-BSL 3 Value T-shirt
Price: 15.00
What are your VIEWS??
Please share your views about breed specific legislation here with us.
dearaewi wrote...
Far too often I see more cities and towns and counties jumping aboard the BSL bandwagon and although by now I should no longer be surprised, I am still amazed that people who claim to be intelligent, rational, logical human beings buy into the load of BS that BSL offers.
Even people who claim to be 'dog lovers,' who should know better, that each dog, regardless of the breed, is an individual, support BSL. And of course media hype and all the myths out there don't help, they just fuel the flames.
There are days that I think we are fighting a war we will never win but if we ever give up, those targeted by BSL won't stand a chance. And who know what the next breed will be that will be targeted.
Thanks for this great lens and great information!
Pitbulls - The BS of BSL
Posted December 11, 2008
Ritzy wrote...
I am so glad you have raised this issue. Each country seems to have its own flawed laws on dog legislation. I owned a Rottweiler in the UK, where it had to be licensed, I moved to Spain with it and the local council weren't even interested - but maybe thats just the Spanish for you!
Well done
Denise
Posted August 22, 2008
alslad wrote...
Thanks for adding this lens to the Gone to The Dogs group. Here in the UK we have what is called the "dangerous dogs act", which is similarly flawed like BSL. Thanks for raising awareness on this
Darren
Dog Training With Positive Reinforcement
Posted June 30, 2008
Educate your community about BSL with these products!!
Which Would You Ban? Ringer T-Shirt
Show cities like Denver just how hypocritical their ban on Pit Bulls and related breeds is! Stop the slaughter of innocent dogs and puppies and discriminatory breed-specific legislation!
Price: 17.99
Fight BSL Bumper Sticker
Ban Stpid People, not Dogs. Help in the fight against BSL (Breed Specific Legislation. Support the Pit Bull Terriers in the care of Measle's Animal Haven
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Stop Dog Fighting - Women's Dark T-Shirt
If They Could Talk...Would You Listen? Animals can't speak, so we have to speak for them. Help spread the word against animal cruelty. Purchase today!
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Ban Bad Owners Button
Ban Bad Dog Owners - it is the owner, not the dog that is bad. Dogs do what they learn. Fight BSL with this Button.
Price: 4.49
Am Staff BSL1 Rectangle Magnet
Don't ban my best friend. Support Anti-BSL legislation with this American Staffordshire Terrier design asking you not to ban him on a t-shirt, sticker, button, mug and more.
Price: 5.00
