Associated Press reports on NCRC video series that keeps both family dogs and police officers safe.
The heartbreak of a family dog’s death in a police shooting can be avoided while keeping officers safe according to a recent Associated Press story [1] and video [2]. Police and Dog Encounters: Tactical Strategies and Effective Tools to Keep our Communities Safe and Humane is a new five-video series prepares law enforcement officers for interactions with […]
National Canine Research Council is growing.
National Canine Research Council (NCRC) is growing. Janis Bradley, who joined NCRC last year, has been named Director of Communications and Publications. The current Director, Donald Cleary, will continue working with NCRC as a policy and research consultant. Donald co-authored both The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters, a handbook for police responders, published by the […]
“Please don’t make me bite you”: A dog’s eye view of dog bite prevention
This week is Dog Bite Prevention Week, and here’s something that most press releases, websites, and lists of do’s and don’ts may not mention: Dogs will do their part to prevent dog bites. All they need is a little help from us. That dog in front of you doesn’t want to bite you. Even if […]
Breed-specific legislation in Australia: a cruel mandate imposes big costs
The City of Monash has spent almost $100,000 defending itself in court cases involving dogs targeted by the breed-specific provisions of Australia’s Domestic Animals Act. Cardinia, a suburb of Melbourne, spent $80,000 on a single case involving a dog that the court later determined should not have been taken. The dog was returned to its […]
Maryland General Assembly Says No to Dog Owner Discrimination, Passes Effective Breed Neutral Liability
On April 3, 2014, the Maryland House of Delegates gave final approval to breed neutral dog bite liability legislation that would abrogate the 2012 Court of Appeals ruling in Tracey v. Solesky, which imposed “breed”-specific liability on dog owners, custodians, and landlords. From the beginning, Maryland residents and lawmakers have been in agreement that the […]
South Dakota and Utah to be the 17th and 18th states to preempt breed-specific legislation.
South Dakota has passed a bill to protect pets and people by preventing local governments from enacting legislation that regulates dog ownership based on a dog’s breed or breed mix. Governor Dennis Daugaard signed the bill on March 14, 2014[1]. The bill, SB 75[2], states that: No local government, as defined in § 6-1-12, may […]
“Police and Dog Encounters” Training Videos Released.
National Canine Research Council (NCRC) is happy to announce the release of “Police and Dog Encounters”, the law enforcement training series developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, NCRC, and Safe Humane Chicago. The training series was developed to help officers keep themselves, their communities, and the […]
Ádám Miklósi of The Family Dog Project joins NCRC Advisors
Dr. Ádám Miklósi, head of the Ethology Department at Eötvös University in Budapest and one of the founders of the world-renowned Family Dog Project, has joined the NCRC group of advisors. Dr. Miklósi is a leading authority on the social competence of dogs, the mental abilities that make possible the unique relationship that is the human-canine bond. […]
Florida animal services agency strikes breed labels from kennel cards and website
Evidence has mounted in recent years that guesses as to a dog’s breed or breeds usually do not correspond with breed identification using DNA technology. Different observers, even those engaged in dog-related professions, frequently disagree with each other when looking at the same dog. Animal behavior and ethology studies have demonstrated that we cannot reliably […]
Neuroscience May Confirm What Many Dog Lovers Already Know
Dog owners regularly attribute emotions such as love and loyalty to their pets, and may be just as regularly dismissed for doing so. The Dog Project, being conducted by Dr. Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomist at Emory University in Atlanta, has detected canine brain activity suggesting that dog owners may have the last laugh. Dr. Berns […]