Excuse my language, but I am just absolutely riled up over the Oshkosh City Council!! They are proposing Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) which would, surprise, target pit bull breed dogs, as well as some other breeds, and any dog which displays the characteristics of those breeds targeted. Now, the city is not banning any breed, but is wanting to label these restricted breeds as vicious. Owners of these breeds of dogs will have two choices: either have their dog pass the Canine Good Citizens test or obtain a vicious animal license (which comes with a whole slew of hoops to jump through - regardless of the actual temperment of the dog).
The scariest part of this legislation is that the city is threatening to confiscate and euthanize any restricted dog of an owner who does not comply with this legislation. The Oshkosh Kennel Club and Oshkosh Humane Society have come out in opposition to the city's proposal. Every voice counts, and we need you to speak out against BSL for every dog owner every where. For more information, including a link to the city's proposal please visit:
www.stoposhkoshbsl.com
To sign the petition, please visit:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-oshkosh-bsl
The scariest part of this legislation is that the city is threatening to confiscate and euthanize any restricted dog of an owner who does not comply with this legislation. The Oshkosh Kennel Club and Oshkosh Humane Society have come out in opposition to the city's proposal. Every voice counts, and we need you to speak out against BSL for every dog owner every where. For more information, including a link to the city's proposal please visit:
www.stoposhkoshbsl.com
To sign the petition, please visit:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-oshkosh-bsl
In case you, my reader, are unaware, we are the proud owners of three dogs who would be affected by this proposal. We also work with a bully breed rescue organization, Chicagoland Bully Breeds (www.chicagolandbullybreedrescue.org). We help to foster dogs, partake in adoption counseling, and do public education of the breed. The problem with BSL is that it punishes responsible pet owners and does not address the real issue: encouraging pet owners in general and at large to be good pet owners. And, BSL has been proven to not be effective in preventing dog bites or attacks - even when all of the "vicious" breeds have been banned, confiscated, and euthanized!
BSL tends to be a knee jerk reaction fueled by stereotypes and myths not facts or actual knowledge of a specific breed. Even though the city is not currently proposing banning of actual breeds, it is our fear (and given past history with BSL - we feel very well justified) that this is a gateway to more extreme BSL regulations down the road. They are one step closer to BSL as found in Ontario, Denver, Iowa, and Ohio.
These areas have complete bannings of specific breeds, will seize a dog suspected to be of a certain breed, and will then euthanize that dog - regardless of the dog's temperament or rights and responsibilities of the pet owner. Given that the city has been very hush on this subject, they have been secretly working on this proposal for over a year now, they appear to be trying to slip this in under the radar. Is it because they know they will have to deal with a great amount of backlash and uproar over the injustice of BSL of any sort????
Responsible pet owners are already following all of the city's regulations regarding dogs, this would be just additional hoops that target pet owners who are already following the rules and who are already responsible pet owners will have to jump through. Irresponsible pet owners, drug dealers, and criminals will not and do not register their dogs with the cities. Nor, would they obtain the required "vicious" animal license or take their dogs to Canine Good Citizens classes.
We are extremely offended to have our loving, sweet, and good natured dogs labeled as vicious simply because they are of a certain breed. Nor, do we feel that we should have to jump through any more hoops than any other responsible pet owner has to. If the city wants dogs to attend Canine Good Citizen classes, then all dogs should be required to attend. Non-targeted breeds bite, harass other dogs, etc. Why are they not required to attend CGCs? We have licensed all of our dogs with the city, walk our dogs on leash, do not take our dogs to the parks or on school grounds (all required by the city of all dog owners). Now we have to follow more rules and regulations???? Especially when our dogs have never done anything wrong?
Another concern that I/we have with this proposed city ordinance is what will happen to these "vicious" dogs in the Oshkosh Humane Society. These dogs are already temperament tested and owners are screened for adoption. How much harder will it be to adopt out these dogs if the city wishes to label them as vicious and enact BSL.
The American Temperament Test Society and what they do is an organization that tests the temperaments of all breeds of dogs. The 2007 test results can be found at http://www.atts.org/stats1.html. I wish to point out some of the results of the dos targeted by the proposed city ordinance:
American Pit Bull Terrier - Percentage Passed: 84.3%
American Staffordshire Terrier - Percentage Passed: 83.4%
Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Percentage Passed: 88.8%
Presa Canario - Percentage Passed: 88.5%
Dogo Argentino - Percentage Passed: 90.0%
Dogo Canario - Percentage Passed: 100.0%
Compare this "vicious" dogs targeted by the city's proposed BSL to these "family" dogs:
Golden Retriever - Percentage Passed: 84.2%
English Setter - Percentage Passed: 75.0%
Collie - Percentage Passed: 79.4%
Dachshund (Standard Smooth) - Percentage Passed: 70.2%
Does it seem fair to target specific breeds???
I am also including some reasons why BSL does not work, taken from a group that is concerned with Breed Specific Regulations (http://stopbsl.com/bsloverview/)
- BSL does not improve public safety or prevent dog bites.
- BSL ignores the plight of victims and potential victims of non-targeted breeds.
- BSL is costly.
- BSL requires each and every dog to be identified as a breed—something that has proven impossible to do accurately and objectively.
- BSL makes targeted breeds more desirable to irresponsible and criminal owners.
- BSL does nothing to make irresponsible dog owners accountable.
- BSL punishes responsible dog owners.
- Not a single canine welfare organization supports BSL.
If you would like some more information, I hope you will visit the following websites:
The Humane Society of the United States' stance on BSL: http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html
The Oshkosh Humane Society's Stance on the City's Proposal:
http://www.oahs.org/default.asp?id=165
More Information About the City of Oshkosh's Proposal:
http://www.stoposhkoshbsl.com
An Organization Dedicated to Stopping ALL BSL:
http://stopbsl.com/
Additional Links:
http://www.lovedoesnotdiscriminate.com/2007/02/what_can_i_do_a.html
http://www.pbrc.net/breedspecific.html
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/
