An intelligent person always seeks out information from reliable sources. Dumb people, on the other hand, keep repeating the same rubbish even when people are not listening. As we say here in Aussie, "they keep flogging a dead horse". So here is what the experts with first-hand knowledge and training have to say:
Education and enforcement the answer to vicious dogs: AVA
Friday 7th October 2005
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) says the latest vicious dog attacks in the Hunter Valley demonstrate that breed specific legislation will not stop these incidents.
Dr Norm Blackman, immediate Past President of the AVA says that the breed reportedly responsible for the latest attack is not statistically prominent in reported dog attacks.
“The Johnson American bulldog, the breed reportedly involved in this most recent attack, does not appear in the top 8 breeds responsible for serious attacks in NSW,” Dr Blackman said. “As a breed though the Johnson American bulldog is larger than the pit bull and they are also very powerful dogs. It is important to recognise that factors associated with the socialisation, training, care and control of any large dog have a much greater influence on whether or not a dog will be involved in an attack than the breed. Banning particular breeds may be a distraction to tackling the real issues,” he said.
“While there are occasional incidents of dog attacks involving a dog that is normally well behaved and which has a responsible owner, they are not common. Where a dog has a dangerous temperament and it is in a position where it can attack someone, the failure of the owner to responsibly care for and control the dog is generally the major underlying problem. The breed of the dog is not the cause,” he said.
“International experience shows that banning particular breeds such as pit bulls has no impact on the number and severity of attacks, people who would ordinarily seek to have a pitbull will acquire other types of large and powerful dogs and the risk to the public remains,” said Dr Blackman. “We believe that with better enforcement of current legislation and better pet owner education most of these attacks can be prevented. The vast majority of the individual dogs within the breeds that appear prominently in lists of dog attacks have responsible breeders and owners and are not dangerous. Banning the breeds would be both ineffective and unfair.”
Hey, if this is what you are proposing, it is a start. I sure don't see anything like that now. At present anyone can go and buy a "tough breed" dog.
Yes, put them through an education course before the can own the dog. Then if they don't follow what they have learned, take the dog and yank their ability to own another one in that jurisdiction.
The program can be paid for with fees for the course and increased license fees, with fees for "strong/tough dog" breeds being higher.
Are you really alright with this as a start? I mean, it is a suggestion that moves solving the problem forward.
House Bill 78
By: Representatives Williams of the 89th, Brooks of the 63rd, Watson of the 91st, Mosby of the 90th, Mitchell of the 88th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 8 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dogs, so as to define a certain term; to provide that no person shall import, sell, transport, carry, own, keep, or otherwise possess any live pit bull dog in this state; to provide for exceptions; to provide that certain dogs shall be neutered and confined; to provide a penalty; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 8 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to dogs, is amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:
"4-8-31.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'pit bull' means any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to import, sell, transport, carry, own, keep, or otherwise possess any live pit bull within the state; provided, however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the following:
(1) Any person who import transports, carries, owns, keeps, or otherwise possesses any pit bull for bona fide zoological, educational, medical, or scientific purposes;
(2) Any person who is not a resident of the state transporting a pit bull through the state for a period of less than one day; or
(3) As to a specific animal, any resident of the state who, on July 1, 2005, had maintained such pit bull in the state for at least six months. To be so exempt, each such animal shall be neutered, shall be maintained in a secure area designed to prevent the animal from coming into contact with the public, and shall by fully leashed and muzzled and accompanied by an adult when not so confined.
(c) Any person found guilty of violating any provision of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00 or incarcerated for a period not to exceed six months, or both. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense."