The Truth About BSL
- lotsapuppies123
- Apr 27, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 22, 2023
BSL is an important law that is impacting so many dogs and dog owners a day. But what exactly is BSL?
BSL stands for Breed-Specific Legislation. BSL is a law that prevents certain dogs to be owned. Not all BSL is restricting the dog from being owned, though. BSL can be anything from being forced to muzzle your dog in public to requiring a certain leash length.
BSL is inhumane and unnecessary. But the worst part is that it doesn't even work.
(Credits to @littlepiggydog on Instagram)
According to the RSPCA, the number of hospital admissions due to dog bites has increased by 154%, even with the BSL laws being put in order.
Most BSL laws focus mostly on Pit Bulls (which isn't even a breed, a topic I'll be getting to in another post), but some laws focus on Rottweilers and even Boxers.
Assuming that a dog's personality is based on its breed is irresponsible. Even though certain dogs can inherit certain personality traits from their parents (for example, border collies can be energetic, and Labradors can be mellow even when bothered) a dog's full personality isn't hereditary.
Dogs' personalities are based on different experiences that they've been through. For example, if a dog is abused, its personality will be littered with fear and caution, even if it's a Labrador. But if all dogs have known is love, then it will probably be extremely happy.
According to a statistic from Dogsbite.org, (do not visit this website, it's quite anti-dog) pit bulls and rottweilers are responsible for 76% of dog-related deaths.
And yes, that's going to happen.
But this is expected. Pitbulls are a powerful breed, with potential to hurt you. But that doesn't mean they will.
Even if you get rid of a Pitbull or a rottweiler, another less-powerful breed will surface as the most dangerous. That's how statistics work.
Most aggressive dog attacks are because of irresponsible owners taking care of their dogs inadequately. Most dog attacks occur because the dog was abused or neglected.
BSL is also costly. According to the Best Friends Animal Society, Maryland spends $250,000 a year to enforce their pit bull ban. And for what?
Also, Breed-Specific Legislation provides a false sense of security. You think that you're safe because of the breed ban, so owners let their guard down, encouraging abuse and neglect for other dog breeds, which heighten dog attacks.
According to a recent study, the most aggressive dogs are chihuahuas and dachshunds, but since they don't have the potential to be deadly, they aren't seen as "bad" in the eyes of someone.
Also, aggression is more complicated then dogs just randomly lashing out. Most aggression-based attacks is self-defense for the dog, because they are fearful.
And no, dogs don't randomly bite people. It's not a randomly occurring thing. Your dog did communicate with you. Whether they flattened their ears, stiffened their body, or turned away from you- the signs were there, and you just didn't notice.
That doesn't mean it's your fault for getting bitten, though.
Dogs are supposed to provide companionship and comfort. By abusing or neglecting your dog, I mean, what's even the point of having one?
BSL has been proven to not work. Also, it's inhumane. Why would you take a dog's life when they've done nothing wrong?
So what is the conclusion? We have unfairly put ourselves against dogs just because of what breed they are, not even taking account of the dogs' actions. It's not even fair.
What Should My Next Post Be?
0%Cropping Your Dogs' Tail: Looks Aren't Everything
0%Pitbulls Aren't Breeds: The Word "Pit Bull" Is A Lie
0%Dog Inbreeding: Your Dalmatian Is Deaf
ahhh this was so interesting! personally, i agree with you. people shouldn't send a dog to.. i can't even say it, that's how sad and unfair it is. anyways, i voted in your poll x)