Good News! Washington State Might Be Next to Prohibit Breed-Specific Legislation

A state representative introduces a bill to override dozens of local ordinances aimed at certain breeds.

Here's some good news in dog-related law: Washington state is considering banning breed-specific legislation.

Under HB 2117, introduced by Rep. Sherry Appleton, cities would no longer be allowed to use the breed of a dog to determine whether the animals should be declared "dangerous." Only the dog's behavior could be considered. Right now, about two to three dozen cities in Washington have ordinances that target specific breeds.

A lot of breeds have been targets by breed-specific legislation, or BSL, but Pit Bull owners probably feel the brunt of it most often. Thanks to the news media image of Pits as being violent, and their association with dog fighting, they're easy targets. In Dec., I even wrote about a city attorney in North Chicago who rationalized a policeman's fatal shooting of a dog because "Many drug dealers have a Pit Bull and this was a Pit Bull." That kind of fear makes it easy to target an entire breed based on the actions of a few.

Appleton made a pointed and evocative argument against this image of "dangerous" dogs: "I had a friend that was attacked and disfigured by a Beagle. That's Snoopy," she said. "It just depends on how a dog is treated."

That's a great point, although it does leave me with the image of Snoopy, my beloved childhood icon, as Cujo rattling around in my head.

Sometimes, breed-specific legislation can seem like an easy sell for politicians. It has the benefit of offering a simple, clear solution to a public problem, and it can make a politician seem unafraid to stand up and take clear and decisive action. But as H.L. Mencken once said, "There is always a well-known solution to every human problem -- neat, plausible, and wrong."

More states are coming to recognize this, with regard to breed-specific legislation. Last June, Nevada became the 14th state to outlaw BSL. Late last year, President Obama publicly opposed BSL in response to a petition submitted via the White House's website.

It would be great to see Washington join that list, and congratulations to Rep. Appleton for bringing the issue to the table.

But please -- can I have cute Snoopy back in my head now?

Read more on Breed-Specific Legislation:

Via Seattle Times and Examiner.com

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Hooray! Sanity Wins! Nevada Bans Breed Specific Legislation

It's the 14th state to pass a law preventing breed discrimination. Let's hope more follow.

Obviously, we don't like breed specific legislation, or BSL, which lets government bodies regulate, ban, seize, and even destroy dogs solely because they belong to a specific breed -- or just look like they do. And it's not just Pit Bulls who are affected -- many breed specific laws include such breeds as Bulldogs, Chow Chows, and even Dalmatians. They're breed-discriminatory laws, to use a more accurate term. And too often, cities adopt them as a knee-jerk reaction, based on little more than a few vocal proponents. 

But undoing those laws is a hard process, involving local heroes who take up the cause on behalf of their pets and refuse to back down. 

Thankfully, there are people such as Jessica Clemens, founder of Incred-A-Bull, and groups such as Best Friends Animal Society. They led the effort to outlaw BSL in Nevada. And they succeeded. 

Last week, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 110, which "prevents local governments from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that deems a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on the breed of the dog," according to a Best Friends' press release. 

Nevada is the 14th state to pass a law preventing breed discrimination.

The group worked with bill sponsor Assemblyman James Ohrenschall. 

"It has always been bad public policy to enact ordinances that target a certain breed of dog without considering that individual dog's actions," he said. "I'm proud of sponsoring this legislation because it will help keep our innocent friends from being killed needlessly and senselessly. This bill will help strengthen the bond between humans and our beloved dogs.”

Best Friends brought some popular figures into the campaign. Richard Hunter, owner of Mel, one of the “Victory” dogs rescued and brought to Best Friends from Michael Vick’s 2007 dog fighting bust, testified before the Nevada Senate to show support, according to the release.  

Good work, people. The ban on BSL takes effect Oct. 1. Let's hope more states follow Nevada's lead. For those looking to get involved, a good place to start is by creating a Change.org petition. Here's Incred-A-Bull's petition for the Nevada campaign, to give you a guide. 

Via Huffington Post; photos via Best Friends Animal Society

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