Lennox was not killed because he was a dangerous or vicious dog. Lennox was killed because he looked like a "pit bull", which is a dog banned in Northern Ireland as a result of the Dangerous Dogs Act. Shit like this happens in our country as well, people. In Denver, Colorado, for instance. Maryland is making gestures towards it. At least one county in Florida has it. Ohio had it and, thankfully, dropped it.
Breed Specific Legislation does not reduce dog bite incidents. Breed Specific Legislation kills dogs.
The only way, I feel, to reduce dog bite incidents and dog attacks is to educate people about dogs. That's everybody. Educate dog owners on how to properly raise, train, and socialize their dogs. Educate the general public on the basics of dog behavior and how one should or should not behave around a dog. Start with little kids, as they're learning about the world. Include it in school, with canine guest speakers and visitors. You can't force people to learn, unfortunately, but you can try to educate. You can try to be informative, and friendly, and prove them wrong by example, with responsible dog ownership.
What happened to Lennox could happen to any dog. It could happen to a Doberman. It could happen to a German Shepherd. It could happen to a Rottweiler. It could happen to a Boxer. I am, without equivocation, against Breed Specific Legislation, and feel it needs to be stopped.
Doesn't it just break your heart? I completely agree with you about education, just because you don't own a dog doesn't mean you don't encounter dozens a day. There is no excuse for this ignorance.
ReplyDeleteIt's really surprising to me how many people are "illiterate" about dogs and their behavior. Even the simple things like "don't stare" and "don't run" can be gleaned from casual television watching!
DeleteWe talked about Lennox and the Breed Specific Legislation. It is frustrating and I agree that it's full of crap.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that people should be educated and informed about dog behavior rather than ban dogs that are innocent.
Huggies and Cheese,
Haopee
It's funny to me how behaviorally devoid education is; we really don't talk about people behavior, either, until somebody does something wrong. School really needs to get overhauled.
DeleteWell said. Have a lovely Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
Thanks very much! You too.
DeleteGreat post. I completely agree! It's not the breed, it's the people!
ReplyDeletePeople create the breeds, people create the laws, and then when there are problems...it's those dang [pit bulls], [German Shepherds], [Dobermans]....
DeleteI may not have done well when I took Logic in college, but I still detect a fallacy here.
I feel bad about what happened to Lennox. Unfortunately people are always more then willing to trade their liberty for some perceived freedom. Most regulation concerning dogs does little to solve the perceived problems.
ReplyDeleteAnd trade their liberty for the amorphous notion of "safety".
DeleteIt would make far more sense to have a "Dangerous Dogs Act" that had more to do with, y'know, danger. Rather than anticipation of threat. Pit Bulls aren't the Red Menace!
What a moving post! Fix the people first. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteOh you're so right. It's just crazy, and the result of another fad in people's prejudices. Today pit bulls, next decade something else. Thank you for spreading the word and raising awareness of what needs to happen--I hope change comes in Maryland and everywhere!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can sincerely hope that change will occur, and legislators will get sane about dogs!
DeleteWhat a great post! And you really touch on what needs to be done - people don't believe this about dogs out of experience - most have never even met a pit bull - they believe it out of ignorance, fear and lies. The only way to combat *that* is education.
ReplyDeleteThat Jim Crosby post was excellent, too.
Rumor is a nasty thing, and for some reason is able to take firmer hold than facts. I'll never understand it; I guess it's one reason why we like gossip and urban legends so much.
DeleteI'm thrilled to have found Jim Crosby's blog...I think Dogster linked to him, a month or so ago? His experience is invaluable, and I was so glad to have his eye on this story.
BSL could include Poodles too if some of the animal rights groups had their way to get rid of all pet dogs.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the animal "rights" groups agenda. Another garment rending, hair pulling topic that is entirely inexplicable.
DeleteOne of these days, I'll stop being surprised that people are crazy.
Truth is that Dobermans, Chows, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, and many more breeds are on dangerous dog lists kept by insurance companies all over the country. While having a dog on an insurance company's list won't result in its death, it could result in a family not getting coverage for an unrelated claim if they have a dog on the No Coverage list.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't have a dog on the list, I keep my insurance through State Farm because they don't discriminate by breed.
It's important to look at our homeowner's insurance company to be sure we're not supporting a prejudice we don't want to support.
Thank you for bringing up this point! State Farm is one of the very few insurance groups that does not discriminate by breed.
DeleteOur homeowner's company does insure us, but at a slightly higher fee because of the dog ownership. I don't THINK it's breed based, though my insurance agent might have been afraid to tell me. I do know that Sterling Insurance, as an example, will NOT insure if you have a Doberman. They were our homeowner's company prior to getting Elka.
Education on how to live with Dogs is sadly lacking - and I'm talking about all Dogs, not just specific breeds - I like your suggestion about it being taught in schools - it's a great way to start - it's the humans who need to change and they're the only ones who can change the situation…..
ReplyDeleteWags to all
Your pal Snoopy :)
People just need to get more Dog Wise, or at least less Dog Frantic.
DeleteI hear tell that some people visit schools with canine ambassadors, to give lessons on that very thing.
You are soooo right about the education part. It's not just the general public who lacks education about this stuff. So many dog lovers don't realize that things they do can make the BSL situation worse.
ReplyDeleteEspecially with non dog people, it's so very easy to allow or reinforce image damaging opinions. Some breeds need all the help they can get, but dogs in general would benefit from more humans getting dog-educated!
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