I absolutely agree that the federal government should have nothing to do with it. If a ban happens at the local level, at least the owners have options.
I know a lot of conservatives hate the mere mention of HOAs, but I think if there IS any evidence of danger, a rational first step would be to pass a law that allows HOAs to vote on a ban within their communities.
That way, the people who live in a neighborhood would decide whether a dangerous dog breed was appropriate for their neighborhood, and people who wanted to own the breed could choose a home where the neighborhood hadn’t banned the dogs.
Already HOAs control things regarding pets in a way that encourages pet owners to choose their home purchases based on the HOA regulations. In my neighborhood, permanent “dog runs” are not allowed, so people who want their dogs outside are instead encouraged to put up fences. Not sure why dog runs are discouraged, but that’s the rule.
My pets are ferrets. So all of this is somewhat academic, except for the part about localities banning ferrets. Well, that and that I am required by law to get shots for my ferrets each year that, given they are indoor, mostly caged pets, make absolutely no sense.