BSL Fails To Reduce Bites

Numerous studies have found that breed-specific legislation (BSL) fails to reliably decrease dog bites or enhance public safety. For example, despite being in place since 2005, Toronto's BSL, which targets dogs labeled as 'pitbulls' including American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, has failed in reducing serious dog bite incidents in the city. In fact, Toronto experienced an alarming 39% increase in dog bite incidents in 2022 alone and a significant 57% rise over a previous 10-year period with BSL in effect. Speaking about the failure of BSL in Toronto, a member of Ontario's Provincial Parliament stated, "The current law isn't working, and thankfully, we're getting the stats to back that up. Anybody who's been on this issue for a long time knows that it's a predictable failure." By contrast, Calgary, which implemented comprehensive breed-neutral regulations in 1985, witnessed a 68% reduction in dog bite-related incidents, demonstrating the effectiveness of an approach that does not single out specific breeds.

TALE OF TWO CITIES 📊

Enacted BSL in 2005 and dog bite-related incidents increased 57% over a 10 year period (from 486 in 2005 to 767 in 2014).

+57%

Dog bite-related incidents increased an alarming 39% in 2022 alone (from 946 in 2021 to 1,316 in 2022).

+39%

Toronto

The stark contrast between Toronto's breed-specific legislation (BSL) and Calgary's comprehensive breed-neutral regulations clearly demonstrates their impact on public safety. While Toronto's BSL has led to a significant rise in serious dog bite-related incidents, Calgary's approach has markedly decreased the number of incidents. This contrast underscores the ineffectiveness of BSL in achieving the intended reduction in dog bites while highlighting the effectiveness of modern breed-neutral regulations.

Calgary

Enacted modern breed-neutral regulations in 1985 and dog bite-related incidents decreased 68% over a 30 year period (from 2,000 in 1985 to 641 in 2014). Moreover, the number and severity of dog bites continue to be well controlled when accounting for population growth.

-68%

Scientific Studies 📑

Conclusions from Scientific Studies

  • BSL is ineffective and fails to reduce both the rate and severity of dog bites in municipalities where it is enacted.
  • Municipalities enforcing comprehensive breed-neutral regulations have achieved a reduction in dog bite incidents and an improvement in public safety.
  • Dog bite incidents result from a complex set of factors, including dog ownership, circumstantial, behavioral, and other factors.
  • The results of breed risk calculations do not match the breeds typically targeted by BSL.
  • A dog's breed does not determine aggression, bite strength, or its propensity to bite.

Evidence-based studies on the effectiveness of bans targeting dogs based on appearance or assumed breed have determined that these bans are ineffective and do not reduce dog bites or improve public safety. A recent study in Missouri compared municipalities with and without BSL to assess its impact on public safety. After analyzing hospital emergency room records, the study found that bans targeting pitbulls "have not reduced the risk of emergency department visits for injury from dog bites in Missouri." Consequently, the study concluded that "there appears to be no greater risk to public safety as local governments move to repeal existing breed bans." A summary of conclusions from numerous studies on the effectiveness of BSL is provided below.

Breed-Neutral for Public Safety 🐶

Scientific research and practical evidence consistently demonstrate that breed-specific legislation (BSL) is ineffective at reducing dog bites or improving public safety because a dog's breed does not determine its aggression, bite strength, or propensity to bite. Such policies divert resources from addressing the root causes of dog bites, such as irresponsible ownership and aggressive behavior, regardless of the dog's appearance or breed. The comparison between cities like Toronto, which has an ineffective breed-specific ban, and Calgary, where breed-neutral policies have significantly decreased dog bite incidents, underscores BSL's inefficacy and discriminatory nature. Consequently, it's really no surprise that BSL is a trend in decline, with over 100 cities in the U.S. repealing BSL since 2018 — which is not only great news for responsible owners and many wonderful dogs, but also for public safety.

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Last Updated

10/18/2024

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