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Breed-Specific Legislation: Dog Breed Ban Alternatives

To keep people safe from dog bite-related incidents, the best and most effective laws focus not on breed, but on behavior — both the pet owner’s behavior and the dog’s behavior.

In 2013, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association published a peer-reviewed study examining 256 dog bite-related fatalities in the U.S. from 2000 to 2009. The researchers found that dog bite incidents often involved factors under the control of the dog owner, including failure of the owner to neuter or spay a dog, isolation of a dog from positive family interaction, and mismanagement (abuse or neglect) of a dog by an owner.

Nearly 2 out of 3 US shelters are now no-kill graphic

See how your community is doing

We've seen tremendous momentum and success so far, and we are so close to achieving no-kill around the entire country. Knowing where each shelter and community stands not only helps determine the best way to move forward, but it also helps track the progress we’re making together.
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Dog breed bans and breed-specific legislation

Dog breed bans and other forms of breed-specific legislation (BSL) force many responsible people to give up their beloved pets, but they do not make communities safer. In America, responsible people should be allowed to love and care for any breed of dog they choose.

The following are examples of good alternatives to dog breed bans and breed-specific legislation. These laws focus on reckless owners instead of dog breeds:

Read more from Best Friends Animal Society on dog breed-neutral laws.

Issues:
Pit Bull Terriers Preventing Breed Restrictions
Tags:
Pit Bull Terrier Breed Specific Legislation Dogs
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About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends is working to end the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters in part by getting more pets out of shelters and into loving homes.

We’ve come a long way since the first known city reached no-kill in 1994, and now we’re closer than ever to making the entire country no-kill. Today, roughly 2,500 shelters are no-kill throughout the U.S. — and 700 more are just 100 pets or fewer away from reaching that milestone.

Best Friends is committed to working with passionate people like you to save homeless pets through adoption, volunteering, fostering, and advocacy. In addition to our lifesaving centers around the U.S, we also founded and run the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals.

Working together, we can save homeless pets in our communities and secure a better future for our best friends. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill.