Voters Reject "Pit Bull" Ban by a Landslide

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Voters in Springfield, MO recently rejected a ban on "pitbull-type" dogs by a landslide with over 68% voting against the proposed ban. While the vote is a strong win against breed discrimination, ineffective policies, and junk science - it also validates a growing national trend against all forms of breed-specific legislation (BSL) including breed-based bans. Furthermore, the vote aligns with a recent national survey where 84% of Americans polled were against breed-specific bans of any kind. Below, we summarize the decaying state of BSL in the U.S. and abroad. Congratulations to the voters of Springfield and a big thanks to "Springfield Citizens Against BSL" that lead the successful campaign against BSL and breed discrimination in Springfield!

The decaying state of BSL in the U.S. and abroad:

• In the U.S., only around 2% (~700÷35,000) of U.S. cities and towns have BSL enacted.
• In the U.S., a recent (2014) national poll revealed that 84% of Americans are against breed bans.
• Since only 2018, over 40 U.S. cities have repealed BSL in favor of stronger and more effective breed-neutral regulations.
• In Canada, Quebec recently rejected a proposed province-wide ban against "pitbull-type" dogs and Rottweilers.
• In the U.K., BSL is being challenged after an analysis concluded that BSL (in place for almost 30 years) has failed to reduce serious dog bite-related incidents.
• Multiple peer-reviewed studies have concluded that BSL is ineffective.

We could easily add more evidence of the decaying state of BSL to the list above, but the overall conclusion is clear: BSL and breed-based bans are being challenged, repealed, voted down, and are becoming increasingly unpopular with citizens and voters all across the U.S. and abroad. Politicians and public officials who support BSL should consider themselves on notice - while there is a fringe but vocal minority that support breed discrimination, it's becoming evident that the majority of citizens are against invasive, ineffective, and discriminatory policies such as BSL and instead support more sensible breed-neutral policies that address relevant factors such as irresponsible ownership and/or a dog's behavior. Although there is still a lot of advocacy, education, and work to be done to combat breed discrimination and to eradicate BSL, the tide (and the majority) is slowly but surely turning against BSL and discriminatory appearance-based bans.​

Updated: February 1, 2020