Professional Organizations Position Statements on BSL
American Veterinary Medical Association
"The AVMA supports dangerous animal legislation by state, county, or municipal governments provided that legislation does not refer to specific breeds or classes of animals. This legislation should be directed at fostering safety and protection of the general public from animals classified as dangerous."
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/dangerous-animal-legislation
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
“The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) supports dangerous dog legislation provided that it is not discriminatory of a specific breed. This legislation should be directed at fostering the safety and protection of the general public from dogs classified as “dangerous” or “vicious”. The CVMA encourages and supports a community approach to dog bite prevention, including responsible breeding, training, pet selection and pet ownership as well as education on animals in the community.”
British Veterinary Association
"We oppose any legislation that singles out particular breeds of dog rather than promoting responsible ownership and targeting individual dogs. We support the principle of 'deed not breed'."
Canadian Kennel Club
"(The) CKC opposes fear-based breed-specific legislation (BSL) in favour of well-crafted dangerous dog legislation that is reasonable, enforceable and non-discriminatory. We believe that public awareness and education, stronger enforcement of existing bylaws and stiffer penalties for irresponsible owners are more effective at protecting the public."
https://www.ckc.ca/en/News/2019/November/Ontario-Government-Introduces-Bill-to-Repeal-Breed
American Kennel Club
"Like racial profiling for dogs, BSL unfairly penalizes responsible dog owners without holding owners of truly dangerous dogs accountable. This is why the American Kennel Club, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Animal Control Association, the American Bar Association, and a host of other respected national organizations oppose BSL and recognize the inequities and inherent fallacies of such laws."
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/issue-analysis-breed-specific-legislation/
Chicago Veterinary Medical Association
"The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association supports proper training and socialization of pets, as well as spaying/neutering. Since any dog can be trained to be aggressive, responsible ownership is the key to this issue. The CVMA does not support breed specific legislation. Forcing responsible pet owners to surrender well-behaved dogs is both unfair and unnecessary. The CVMA strongly supports enforcing leash laws, vaccination requirements and the implementation of programs to teach responsible dog ownership. In addition, we advocate setting clear guidelines to manage dangerous dogs on an individual basis."
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
"The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior is concerned about the propensity of various communities' reliance on breed-specific legislation as a tool to decrease the risk and incidence of dog bites to humans. The AVSAB's position is that such legislation - often called breed-specific legislation (BSL) is ineffective, and can lead to a false sense of community safety as well as welfare concerns for dogs identified (often incorrectly) as belonging to specific breeds."
https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Breed-Specific_Legislation_Position_Statement-FINAL.pdf
Humane Society International (Canada)
"Across Canada, municipalities and even entire provinces like Ontario ban or restrict dogs because of their breed (or perceived breed). HSI/Canada opposes such public policies as inhumane and ineffective. There is no evidence that breed-specific laws reduce dog bites or attacks on people, and they divert resources from more effective animal control and public safety initiatives."
Ottawa Humane Society
"The OHS believes breed-specific bans are not a very effective way to protect the public from aggressive or dangerous animals."
https://ottawahumane.ca/about-us/media/position-statements/#answer15
Toronto Humane Society
"The Toronto Humane Society opposes breed-specific legislation as it does not reduce the incidence or severity of dog bites, penalizes responsible pet owners and kills innocent dogs. A community approach to responsible pet ownership, one that focuses on the behavior of the dog and the owner, is the best way to protect public safety and promote animal welfare."
https://www.torontohumanesociety.com/pdfs/Breed_Specific_Legislation_Jan-14.pdf
Humane Canada
"Humane Canada™ opposes laws banning individual breeds. Furthermore, Humane Canada believes that the most effective way to address public safety concerns is for humane organizations, other animal stakeholder organizations, provincial governments and municipalities to work together on multi-faceted strategies that identify and address dangerous dogs of all breeds. Humane Canada recognizes that aggression by dogs against people and other animals may be a threat to public safety, and that this issue must be addressed if we are to create humane and responsible societies where people and dogs co-exist and enrich each other’s lives."
Pet Professional Guild
"PPG holds that Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) such as this paints an unjust picture of certain breeds of dogs and punishes responsible dog guardians unnecessarily. PPG considers BSL to be ineffective in dog bite prevention and the safety of the public at large, and opposes any law or regulation that discriminates against dogs based purely on breed or appearance."
Media Links and Anti-BSL Web Based Features
Beyond The Myth
Unfairly known as violent killers, Pit Bulls have suffered from the stigma of negative media coverage that has lead to city-wide bans across the country. This breed-specific legislation has torn pets away from families, and killed thousands of innocent dogs across the country. Stripping away the preconceptions to show the loving companions they can be, Beyond the Myth is an important, must see film for all dog lovers.
The Champions
“The Champions” is an inspirational story about the pit-bulls rescued from the brutal fighting ring of former Atlanta Falcon’s star quarterback Michael Vick, and those who risked it all to save them, despite pressure from PETA and The Humane Society to euthanize the dogs. It is a story of second-chances, redemption and hope. This uplifting documentary takes us on a journey about much more than just dogs — about prejudice, being misunderstood, the power of resilience, and the significance of the relationship we as humans have with animals.
The Story of Gamboa and the Horrors of Vaughan Animal Services (Ontario)
Meet Gamboa. The Labrador/Bulldog cross who was wrongfully targeted by the City of Vaughan Animal Services. Gamboa was held in captivity for 6 long months prior to being shipped out of Ontario, much to the heartbreak of his distraught family... See his story below.
A Dying Breed: 10 minute documentary on BSL in Ontario
Barbara Kay vs. Fran Coughlin: a nasty, hate-filled reporter who despises dogs typed as "pit bulls" more than any other Canadian Journalist... Watch as her myths are debunked with ease by the leader of Hershey Anti-BSL Group, Fran Coughlin, and her certified good canine neighbor, Che Bean.
Bull Sh!t - a Documentary on BSL
Bull Sh!t is an emotionally driven, research-supported piece that will tug at your heartstrings but also offer you the facts of the situation. We strike a balance between heartwarming, often sad stories pertaining to pit bull type dogs and their owners, and very powerful, factual information relayed by experts in the field.
Pit Bulls - Off the Chain Documentary
*VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED DUE TO VIOLENT NATURE OF THIS FILM*
Off the Chain is an unprecedented look into the underground world of dog fighting. Beginning with a history of the American Pit Bull Terrier, the film explores the evolution of the breed. Classic film and television footage show the popularity of what was once considered a noble and trustworthy family pet. Examine how this breed went from America's dog to public enemy number one. Travel to the back alleys and dark corners of the inner city to expose the truth behind the breed's new status in pop culture; an urban symbol for violence, aggression and gang-life.
Kitbull - Pixar SparkShorts
Kitbull, directed by Rosana Sullivan and produced by Kathryn Hendrickson, reveals an unlikely connection that sparks between two creatures: a fiercely independent stray kitten and a pit bull. Together, they experience friendship for the first time.
Bully
Since the early 1990's, the fight against animal breed discrimination has been waging behind closed doors - until now. With the Pitbull breed at the head of the issue, 'Bully' takes a look inside the corrupt, political world of Breed Specific Legislation. A world where second chances cease to exist.
Filmed and Edited by Stray Matter