"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man." -Gandhi
I have a dream that one day I will not be judged by my appearance, but by the content of my character. Please Don't Judge - Learn
Breed Specific Legislation or "BSL" is exactly
what it sounds like...regulation of your right to own or, in many cases, not own, a dog based solely on the breed or "type" of dog - not your responsibility as an owner. BSL can also refer to regulations and/or requirements placed only on a specific breed of dog and their owners. No matter how you define it, BSL targets all dogs of a specific breed -- the innocent as well as the guilty - and it removes the responsibility from the dog's owner and places it on the dog itself. Laws are created to punish or deter the actions of humans - not those of animals - and the failure to recognize the integral role or irresponsible ownership is the biggest reason that breed specific legislation fails. Laws are being proposed every day that are intended to take away our rights to own particular dogs for no reason other than their breed and/or their resemblance to a certain breed. Most instances are fueled by media hype and the fears fueled by that hype. There is no such thing as a vicious breed of dog, and a dog's appearance has nothing to do with his actions or behavior. BSL is an inadequate and uneducated "band-aid" quick fix to address the gushing "wound" of irresponsible ownership and lack of personal accountability.
