Breed-specific ordinances are short-sighted & ineffective because ...

1. Dog control problems are people problems and are not limited to a breed or mix. Singling out breeds of dogs as vicious or banning them outright merely shifts the responsibility from the dog owner (where it belongs) to the breed of dog and does not solve community dog problems.

2. Banning a breed or declaring it inherently vicious punishes those responsible dog owners who are the type of citizen that communities need to keep, not drive away.

3. Communities that have instituted such bans often find that the irresponsible owners and the criminals who use dogs for illegal purposes simply switch to another breed. For example, in Ohio the criminals who were using Pit Bulls for dog fighting and other illegal purposes are now switching to Wolf Hybrids.

4. Banning a breed or particular mix of breeds punishes those dogs that are reliable community citizens, therapy dogs, assistance dogs for handicapped owners, search and rescue dogs, drug-sniffing dogs, police dogs, etc. and drives them out of the community. Some individual dogs have been corrupted by some ignorant breeders and owners, but the breeds themselves have a long and honorable history of serving man. To label all as vicious for the actions of a few ignores this history and the benefits of owning these dogs.

5. Breeds and mixes are often difficult to identify. The American Veterinary Medical Association and several state veterinary medical associations are on record as opposing breed-specific legislation for just this reason.

6. Passage of laws that are only enforced on complaint cause two problems: they create disrespect for the law if the authorities require compliance only upon complaint, and they provide ammunition for neighborhood feuds.

Some reasonable alternatives to breed bans are:

1. Vigorously enforce dangerous dog laws. Untrained and unsupervised dogs of any breed or mix can cause community problems. Those who allow dogs to run loose or to menace the neighbors should be dealt with according to a tough at-large or dangerous dog law. Anyone who deliberately trains a dog to menace others or who uses a dog in commission of a crime should be charged with an additional offense.

2. Host education sessions for responsible dog ownership that includes safety information about dealing with dogs. Ohio Valley Dog Owners Inc. and area dog clubs can provide the expertise for these sessions.

3. Teach the children of the community about responsible dog ownership and care. The American Kennel Club has a free education program on dog care for elementary schools. It includes a video tape, teachers guide, and worksheets and can be supplemented with demonstrations of obedience training, grooming, and talks on veterinary care by local training clubs or veterinarians.

State of Ohio Breed-Specific Legislation:

Click here to view the state of Ohio laws regarding Pit Bulls.

Pit Bull Breed-Specific Legislation and Pit Bull Bans in Ohio Communities:

Click here to view the local BSL and pit bull bans in the state of Ohio laws.

Breed Specific Bans:

A group of laws that bans particular breeds, usually pit bulls (a type of dog, not a breed) and sometimes Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Akitas, Dobermans, Chow Chows, and a few others. These laws are usually passed after several attacks by a particular breed so that city councils can assure citizens they are “doing something” about a voter concern

But breed bans don't work. They target all dogs of a breed -- the innocent as well as the guilty; are difficult to enforce; and do not end the use of guardian dogs by criminals. If pit bulls in their various incarnations are banned, drug dealers and other felons switch to another breed or mix. In the meantime, the ill-tempered terrier mix that bites the hand that feeds it and the poorly-bred purebred that attacks the neighborhood children pose a far greater danger to people than the obedience-trained American Staffordshire Terrier that is a registered therapy dog but cannot step foot inside the city.

Far better than breed-specific bans are strict laws to control aggressive dogs of any breed or mix. Known as generic vicious dog laws, they put restrictions on the ownership of dogs that pose a danger to people, restrictions such as confinement in locked, escape-proof kennels while outdoors on the owner's property; muzzles when the dog is off the property; and purchase of a liability insurance policy.

Source: Dogs and The Law <http://www.canismajor.com/dog/laws1.html>

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
"HSUS Statement on Dangerous Dogs and Breed-Specific Legislation

The HSUS opposes legislation aimed at eradicating or strictly regulating dogs based solely on their breed for a number of reasons. Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is a common first approach that many communities take. Thankfully, once research is conducted most community leaders correctly realize that BSL won't solve the problems they face with dangerous dogs..."

Read entire text here.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

The ASPCA does not have a formal position statement on BSL. However, they work actively against it, while supporting stronger non-breed-specific dangerous dog laws. They encourage their members to vote against BSL. They provide information on alternatives to BSL on their site in the article "Are Breed-Specific Laws Effective?" (.pdf)