[ SHOWGSD-L ] BSL Study

From: "Ginger Cleary" <cleary1414@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Showgsd-L@Freelists. Org" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:17:43 -0400
-----Original Message-----


here is the link to the actual Study regarding why BS legislation does not
work.

http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/retrieve/2404/etd2000.pdf
link to the 112 page study



            http://www.sfu.ca/mediapr/sfu_news/archives/sfunews07130607.html
            Student criticizes pit bull media coverage
            July 13, 2006 , volume 36, no. 6
            By Marianne Meadahl
                  Criminology student Niki Huitson poses with one of her
three American pit bull terriers.
            If you are an American pit bull terrier living in Coquitlam, the
law says you'll need to wear your muzzle in public. Cross over into Port
Coquitlam and you can be muzzle-free.
           An SFU study of breed-specific legislation - invoked by about
half the Lower Mainland's municipalities - suggests it is not an effective
response, raising both constitutional and practical issues, and even leading
to a false sense of security that all other dogs are safe.
            Breed-specific legislation bans or restricts the ownership of
certain breeds of dogs. In Lower Mainland communities where the law is in
place, that includes pit bulls.
            SFU criminology graduate student Niki Huitson, who conducted the
study for her master's thesis, says more comprehensive legislative options
should be considered, while greater public awareness of dogs such as pit
bulls is needed.
            "It's not the legislation that will ultimately reduce bites,"
says Huitson, noting that only 16 per cent of all dog owners in the City of
Vancouver have registered their dogs. "It's responsible ownership."
            Statistics show there is typically one fatal dog bite a year in
Canada. The only recorded pit-bull fatality in Canada was in 1995, by an
American Staffordshire terrier.
            Huitson, who owns three American pit bull terriers, studied
media coverage of dog-bite references and incidents over a six-month period.
            Only three articles out of 31 pertained to a pit bull biting a
human.
            Seven articles revisited old cases and four referred to the 'pit
bull' qualities of a person. Some media reports of pit bull attacks appeared
later with clarifications about the dog being a different breed.
            Huitson suggests that increased media attention on dog attacks
has led to a near panic about dog-bites and, in particular, the
"demonization" of the pit-bull. The dog is currently banned in Ontario.
            "Overall, the media has created a negative image of the pit
bull," says Huitson, noting a lack of scientific research showing that any
breed is inherently more aggressive than any other.
            "They're often lumped together with Rottweilers, although
historically known for dog fighting, pit bulls have evolved through
responsible breeding and ownership to be loyal, family pets."
            Huitson's thesis supervisors included SFU criminologists Neil
Boyd and Gail Anderson and, as external examiner, former Vancouver mayor
Larry Campbell. Huitson also conducted interviews with a series of experts,
including representatives from the American Veterinary Medical Association,
the Vancouver SPCA, the RCMP, dog breeders and others.
            While many felt there should be laws, most agreed that
designating certain breeds as dangerous would not solve the problem, and
that promoting responsible ownership was a necessary part of addressing
dog-bite concerns.


------------------------



Ginger Cleary, Rome, GA

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the
most oppressive. C.S.Lewis

www.rihadin.com <http://www.rihadin.com>

My Ebay site
<http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=ginny2003>

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[ SHOWGSD-L ] BSL Study

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