01/02/2026
Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) is common in Arkansas, targeting certain dog breeds, primarily pit bull-type dogs, for restrictions or bans. This approach is ineffective and inhumane, leading to the unnecessary killing of pets and the disruption of responsible owners' lives.
Why BSL Fails
Supporters of BSL argue that these laws enhance public safety, but decades of evidence show otherwise. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and animal behavior experts agree that breed is not a good indicator of aggression. Any dog can bite when provoked, untrained, or abused. On the other hand, well-socialized dogs of so-called "dangerous" breeds live happily in many homes.
BSL creates a false sense of security while ignoring the real causes of dog aggression, such as lack of training, irresponsible ownership, neglect, and abuse. Communities with BSL see no decline in dog bites compared to those that emphasize owner accountability and education.
The Human Cost
BSL disrupts families. Responsible owners with loving, well-behaved dogs face a terrible choice: give up their family member to be killed by authorities or move away, often leaving behind jobs, schools, and support networks. Renters have an especially hard time, as BSL makes it difficult to find housing.
Low-income families, and communities of color, suffer the most. They have fewer resources to relocate, or fight legal battles. Their dogs are often wrongly labeled as banned breeds, simply based on their looks.
The Violence of Enforcement
Under BSL, dogs are taken from loving homes and killed, not because they have harmed anyone, but merely because of their appearance. These deaths are not humane; dogs experience fear and confusion as they are removed from their families, placed in strange facilities, and ultimately killed. This is state-sanctioned violence against innocent animals whose only "crime" is how they look.
Shelters are overwhelmed with dogs that cannot be adopted due to breed labels. Instead of placing adoptable animals in homes, shelter workers are often forced to euthanize healthy, friendly dogs in large numbers. This traumatizes staff and volunteers and misuses resources that could be dedicated to real animal welfare.
What Works Instead
Communities that have repealed BSL and enacted breed-neutral dangerous dog laws see better results. These laws hold all owners accountable, regardless of breed, and focus on:
- Actual behavior, not how dogs look
- Owner responsibility and education
- Resources for training and socialization
- Quick responses to negligent ownership
- Rehabilitation when needed and fair penalties when appropriate
Calgary, Alberta, repealed BSL and saw dog bites drop by 30% thanks to breed-neutral enforcement. Similar outcomes have been reported in areas worldwide that prioritize effective policies over fear-driven breed targeting.
The Path Forward for Arkansas
Every level of Arkansas government that upholds BSL - city, county, and state - must repeal these ineffective laws right away. The evidence is strong: BSL does not work, it kills innocent animals, and it harms families and communities.
Arkansas should follow the growing number of jurisdictions that recognize that both public safety and animal welfare improve when policies are based on evidence, not bias. The killing must stop. Breed-neutral dangerous dog laws protect communities while respecting responsible owners and their dogs, no matter the breed.
The real question is not whether BSL should be repealed, but how many more dogs will die and how many more families will be broken apart before Arkansas lawmakers take action based on what the evidence has clearly shown.
