Looking for safety in all the wrong places: India’s new ban on 23 dog breeds cannot succeed
Thankfully, banning dogs of certain breeds is increasingly rare. But when this choice is made, as with the recent national BSL legislation in India, we are reminded of some of the reasons that it simply cannot help prevent dog bite injuries: Behavioral genetic science shows conclusively that a dog’s breed simply cannot predict anything about […]
Eighth Circuit Court Fails to Protect Dog Owners’ Rights
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to protect the constitutional rights of dog-owning citizens of Council Bluffs, Iowa. The court decided not to reconsider en banc the summary judgment granted to the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the suit challenging the constitutionality of an ordinance prohibiting “pit bulls.” The court’s rejection of constitutional rights, as well as the scientific advances at the broad institute, lays a foundation for seizing innocent pet dogs.
“What kind of dog is that?” Asking the wrong question and answering it badly
Our review has revealed no findings of breed based behavioral differences that successfully overcome all the difficulties presented by this question.
Welcome Back to SPARCS + 2018 Conference
The SPARCS Initiative is now maintained by National Canine Research Council.
Breed-Specific Legislation is myth-based and ineffective according to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)
AVSAB released a position statement expressing their opposition to breed-specific legislation.
New Edition of “Dog Bites: Problems and Solutions”
Second edition of “Dog Bites: Problems and Solutions” Released.
Breed-specific legislation on the decline
Breed-Specific Legislation on the Decline : 5 more states no longer allow BSL & more than 7x as many U.S. Municipalities repealed or rejected proposed BSL, than enacted it between: January 2012 – May 2014. The national trend is moving steadily away from breed-specific legislation (BSL) and toward breed neutral laws that hold all owners equally […]
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 […]