Responsible Dog Ownership More Costly than if you Fight Your Dogs

Responsible dog owners are worst than dog fighters!

In July of last year an average, everyday lady’s pet dog was stolen. Being a responsible owner she had microchipped her dog and reported her missing to the right people. Missing posters went up but to no avail. Then in November a knock on the door revealed Honey had been found safe and well. During the time she had been stolen she had been bred from and was now a mum to four approx 8 week old pups.

Cutting a very long story short, it wasn’t a happy reunion. In fact as I type this owner and pet have still not seen each other. The reason they haven’t seen each other is because someone decided that Honey looked like a pit bull. Responsible owner, missing her pet dog fights for her, as we would hope all owners of any dog would fight for their dog. Pleading not guilty to owning a pit bull, as she firmly believed her pet dog wasn’t one, she was found guilty of owning what is commonly referred to as a ‘type’ dog. This means the dog is guilty of looking like a pit bull. For those who don’t know, in the UK and dog could be a Mastiff x Labrador, if it shares the physical characteristics of pit bull ‘type’ then, in the eyes of the law, it IS a pit bull.

Honey was deemed to be “type” but being a good dog, not dangerous and having a good responsible owner the Judge decided she could be added to the index of exempted dogs, which is a list of dogs who have been deemed to be ‘pit bull type’ but whom the owners are allowed to keep provided they obey a set of instructions such as keeping the dog muzzled in public.

Her owner, who had clearly put in the training on this dog was then ordered to pay a staggering £2500 and will have to pay for her dog to be tattooed and neutered. The crazy thing is, if she had signed her dog over to be killed, she probably wouldn’t have been taken to court as it wouldn’t have been in the public interest so all in all she’s been fined for being responsible. Worst still it seems being a responsible owner of a good dog can cost you more than attending a dogfight! Last year 19 defendants, 14 of which pleaded guilty were fined between £500 and £1400 for attending a barbaric dogfight in Birmingham.

Is it any wonder we have a problem with irresponsible ownership?

The Dangerous Dogs Act is flawed. Breed specific legislation does not protect anyone. We know this; we all read the papers normally with the title “devil dog”. But you wouldn’t have read in the papers about a family pet seized as a possible pit bull. This dog died in kennels but his owner was still charged anyway. He went to court and argued that his dog was not a pit bull. He won, the court said his dog was not illegal. Doesn’t bring his dog back though does it? Next time you think it wont happen to you, think again because it might.

The Pet Owners Parliament is asking for a show of hands from its members who oppose the notion of breed specific legislation. To add your support please see here Pet Owners Parliament Anti Breed Specific Legislation Covenant

End BSL.

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Tags:  Animal Welfare, Breed Specific Legislation, Dangerous Dogs