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Colorado Survey Results Don’t Support Breed Bans

March 23, 2009, 2:37PM MT

By Cheri Moon

Dog Bite Incidents Not Linked to Particular Breed

Dog Bite Incidents Not Linked to Particular Breed

By Christelle L. Del Prete, Best Friends Network Volunteer

Since 2005, when its discriminatory breed ban was reinstated, the city of Denver has euthanized nearly 2,000 dogs fitting the description of a “pit bull.” But has this drastic measure really lowered the risk of dog bites?

Not according to survey results reported by The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs. This survey, conducted over a one-year period in seventeen Colorado districts, was spotlighted in a recent Denver Post article by Kieran Nicholson.

More Bites From Labradors than Pit Bulls
According to Nicholson, the Coalition reported that, out of 700,000 dogs in the survey area, there were 2,060 bites—one bite for every 350 dogs. Other results might come as a surprise to those in favor of Denver’s breed ban; the evidence strongly supports the position of those who oppose Breed Discriminatory Legislation (BDL). Specifically, the survey found that pit bulls—usually the targets of BDL—were responsible for fewer bites than Labrador retrievers. That’s right: pit bulls accounted for only 8.4% of the reported incidents while labs topped the list at 13.3%.

These numbers lend credence to the message of Denver Kills Dogs, a group of dedicated activists with an aggressive ad campaign called The Point.

This campaign is aimed at motivating the public to defend their dogs, and their right to own those dogs, by speaking out against Denver’s pit bull ban and voting out City Council members who support it. As Denver Kills Dogs points out on their website, most pit bulls are loyal family pets with no history of aggressive behavior.

Data Doesn’t Support Breed Ban
Likewise, the Coalition points out that very few dogs—of any breed or type—actually bite people. Additionally, the data does not suggest that any particular breed is more likely to bite than another. Even the lab, unlucky in this particular study, cannot be singled out as a “bad” breed. In order to compare bite incidents across breeds, a dog census would have to be conducted.

Investing in such a project, however, would be neither cost-effective nor productive. Targeting a particular breed or breeds is clearly not going to bring the risk of dog bites down to zero. Imposing stricter dangerous dog laws; however, will help reduce their occurrence. Dangerous dog laws make far more sense than breed bans because they acknowledge that any dog has the potential to bite.

However, most responsible owners can prevent dog bites. For example, dogs are most likely to bite when unaltered, chained, roaming off-leash, or when a human intervenes between dogs that are fighting. Keeping the family pet spayed or neutered and properly restrained are simple preventative measures that could prevent a bite.

For More Information
• Read the article Denver Kills Dogs Campaign Reaches Milestone.

How You Can Help
• Residents and non-residents can donate to the Denver Kills Dogs campaign to keep it going.

• Become a member of the Best Friends Breed Discriminatory Legislation campaign.

• Keep your community safe with 10 things to do if you suspect dog fighting.

• For additional recommendations on dog bite avoidance, read Preventing Dog Bites on Children.

Photo by Jennifer Hayes
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff

Comments

Posted March 24, 2009, 6:47PM by bunnyluvr

Hurray for the folks at Denver Kills Dogs!! Anyone who's been around pit bulls much knows they're sweet & affectionate by nature. Please Denver, overturn the ban on pit bulls so that no more beloved family pets have to be killed.

Posted March 26, 2009, 2:34PM by bluethunder1962

I have been around pits my whole life and have never been bitten by one. I don't know how many time I have been bitten by cats though. Are we going to kill all the cats now? I have one cat that will just bite you with no warning but I would never put her to sleep because of it.

Posted March 23, 2009, 7:33PM by nicol

The people of Denver who support BSL are ignorant and misinformed. It is a FACT that BSL does not work. This has been proven in Europe and in the US. Dogs are a reflection of their owners and the way they have been trained and treated. Therefore instead of BSL, Denver needs generic dangerous dog laws that go after all dangerous dogs and their dangerous owners. It is only when the owners are targeted, that there will ever be any progress on this topic. Denver should do the following:

• Enforce stricter consequences for dog fighting.
• Enforce stricter consequences for all types of dog abuse, neglect, mistreatment .
• Require residents to spay/neuter their pets.
• Effectively identify and manage truly dangerous owners and their dogs.
• Protect innocent dogs and responsible owners.
• Make it illegal to tether, chain or force a dog to live outside.
• Prevent reckless/irresponsible/abusive owners from having dogs.
• Implement laws which require dog owners to take a theoretical & hands-on course and pass an exam before getting a license that will allow them to own a dog.

It is a true horror that thousands of innocent dogs have been slaughtered just because of the way they look. This is worst than 3rd world countries. Denver is truly stuck in the dark ages.

"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
Immanuel Kant

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”
Mahatma Gandhi

Posted March 25, 2009, 3:31PM by dixiesherman

I have a Boxer who some people think is a Pit Bull. Any dog it seems that is sturdily built is a target for stupidity. Here in NC Boxers are known by many as "Boxer Bull", ignorance abounds in this country. I hope all of this BSL will be overturned and I personally will do everything possible to see an end to it.

Posted March 24, 2009, 12:47PM by nicol

We have to all fight to get BSL overturned wherever it exists. It does not work and causes the deaths of loving family pets. Right now they are trying to get BSL overturned in Ohio - please everyone get involved. If we do nothing, nothing will change.

http://network.bestfriends.org/stopbsl/news/32971.html

Posted March 23, 2009, 7:5PM by MonikaSwiss

Any breed can do damage, specially any large breed. To single out pitbulls is an unjust attempt at trying to control safety issues with no results thereof. It is only targeting the innocent. Instead, owners of such breeds could participate in workshops/classes to learn how to be responsible with breeds that demand more knowledge and responsibility... such as they do in Switzerland now.
Also, this would allow the breeds to be part of our society everywhere and expand the education and knowledge on the breed - instead of letting myths and fear-mongering be in charge, or misleading facts and media hype - Education to responsible dog ownership and the implementation of much tougher and stricter "dangerous dog laws" is the only way to increase safety, get rid of assumption and myths, and the horrific practice of killing innocent dogs, who are victims of oblivious city council members, irresponsible and careless owners who exploit the dogs, and mostly: ignorance and oblivion towards a breed that once was America's favorite dog - lovable, loyal and with a great sense of humour... Let's go back to those times and end the senseless discrimination against dogs by dealing with the people on the other side of the leash. All the studies and data in the world will never do justice to the real nature of a well raised pitbull - dogs are dogs first, then a breed.

Posted April 23, 2009, 11:41AM by MissionPitbull

I like many others HATE the fact Denver's city officials are actually supporting this! I also am trying to do everything I can to have these officials voted off, and this ban revoked!! They are completely handling this situation the wrong way!! I have owned 3 pitbulls in the past, unfortnatley old age got in the way.. but I raised them since they were pups, they were around kids ages 6months-8years old, and other dogs as well. NEVER had any problems. It is truley owner responsibilty. All thos people in Denver that lost their family pets, will be tramatized and emotionally distrat their whole lives, and what about their children... how do you explain to your kids that they cant see their dog anymore!! This really sickens me, and I am going to do everythign possible to help and get this revoked!