Breed-Specific Legislation

800

​Estimated number of cities & towns with breed-specific regulations such as BSL.

100%

Percentage of cities with BSL where serious bite-related incidents continue to occur because safety is not a breed-specific issue.

18,700

​Estimated number of cities & towns that rely exclusively on breed-neutral regulations.

Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also known as a breed ban, is an unfortunate result of breed stereotypes, misinformation, and irresponsible ownership. For public safety, it is important to understand the two primary approaches to canine regulation: BSL and breed-neutral legislation (BNL). BSL targets dogs and their owners based only on the assumed breed of dogs, using a narrow, appearance-based approach that does not consider a dog's behavior or responsible ownership. In contrast, BNL employs a comprehensive, behavior-based approach that addresses aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners. Therefore, BSL imposes regulations on a minority of dogs based solely on their appearance or assumed breed, while BNL addresses all potentially dangerous dogs, all irresponsible owners, and all unsafe dog-related situations — regardless of a dog's appearance or breed. Consequently, numerous studies have determined that BSL is ineffective. Furthermore, BSL is a trend in decline, as evidenced by the vast majority (~96%) of cities and towns that rely exclusively on BNL for a comprehensive approach to public safety and reducing dog bite-related incidents. Below, we summarize the differences between BSL and BNL, including the benefits of breed-neutral policies over breed-specific policies.

Breed-Specific Legislation

Addresses a minority of potentially dangerous dogs; used by ~4% of cities & towns.

  • Limited: Applies to a limited number of dogs, based only on their assumed breed.
  • Appearance-based: Uses a dog's appearance or assumed breed as the primary factors for regulation, regardless of a dog's behavior or responsible ownership.
  • Ineffective: Used by 4% (~800÷19,500) of U.S. cities with questionable success because dog bite prevention is not a breed-specific issue.
  • Discriminatory: Impacts a targeted population of dog owners regardless of their dog's behavior or responsible ownership.
  • Complicated: Breed identification and evaluation, such as DNA testing or a breed evaluation by a canine expert, is required.

Addresses all potentially dangerous dogs;

used by ~96% of cities & towns.

Breed-Neutral Legislation

  • Comprehensive: Applies to all dogs, regardless of appearance or breed.
  • Behavior-based: Uses a dog's history of aggressive or problematic behavior and/or irresponsible ownership as the primary factors for regulation.
  • Effective: Used by 96% (~18,700÷19,500) of U.S. cities with consistent success because dog bite prevention is applicable to all breeds.
  • Equitable: Impacts all dog owners and holds all owners accountable for their dog's behavior, encouraging responsible ownership for all dogs.
  • Straightforward: Addresses dangerous dogs of all breeds, without the need for DNA testing or a breed evaluation.

Why BSL Is Ineffective

Lacks Scientific Basis

There isn't a single peer-reviewed scientific study supporting the notion that any specific breed is inherently more dangerous than others. On the contrary, numerous studies have determined that a dog's breed does not determine aggression, bite strength, or its propensity to bite.


Focuses on Irrelevant Physical Characteristics

A dog's appearance is influenced by less than 1% of its genetic makeup, making BSL's reliance on physical traits misguided. This approach overlooks over 99% of a dog's genetic factors that influence crucial behaviors, dispositions, and temperaments. Key issues like behavioral problems and irresponsible ownership, which are critical for assessing a dog's potential danger, are ignored by BSL. Furthermore, a recent study on the DNA of dogs and breed stereotypes found that only 9% of a dog's behavioral traits are attributable to breed, confirming that breed has a minimal impact on behavior.


Overlooks Key Safety Factors

Multiple studies have determined that the main contributors to dog bite-related fatalities (DBRFs) are preventable factors tied to irresponsible dog ownership, such as failure to neuter dogs and allowing dogs to run at large, not the dog's breed. BSL fails to tackle essential safety concerns, such as a dog's aggressive behavior, history of bites, or irresponsible ownership, which are significant predictors of dog bite incidents.

Rejection of BSL

Due to the advantages of breed-neutral legislation (BNL) compared to breed-specific legislation (BSL), all reputable research, public safety, and canine organizations oppose BSL, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), National Animal Control Association (NACA), American Bar Association (ABA), and many others. Organizations that oppose BSL and support repealing BSL where it's still enacted include:

Public Safety & Dog Bite Prevention

Studies have determined that comprehensive breed-neutral approaches to dog bite prevention are the most effective tools for reducing or preventing serious dog bite-related incidents. For public safety, these studies and veterinary experts strongly favor policies that address relevant factors, such as irresponsible ownership and canine behavior issues, over limited, single-factor approaches, such as breed-specific legislation (BSL), that target a dog's appearance or assumed breed. Furthermore, BSL is a discriminatory trend in decline and is being increasingly rejected by city councils and voters. In contrast to BSL, a comprehensive breed-neutral approach to dog bite prevention focuses on the responsible ownership of all dogs, regardless of appearance or breed, and includes:

  • Enforcement of breed-neutral dangerous dog laws, with an emphasis on chronically irresponsible owners and dogs with behavioral issues.
  • Enforcement of animal control ordinances, such as dog-at-large and leash laws.
  • Policies that encourage neutering/spaying dogs.
  • Community education about animal control ordinances through signage and other methods.

Breed-specific legislation (BSL) or breed discrimination is ineffective as it fails to enhance public safety, is expensive to enforce, and violates the property rights of dog owners. We want our communities to be protected against dangerous dogs – and we want abused dogs to be protected from reckless owners. The focus of any policy should be on the behavior of the dog and the behavior of the owners.


National Animal Control Association (NACA)