A law from October 2011
in Victoria, Australia, that could be the country's toughest regulation
of the American pit bull terrier and four other dog breeds, based on
the notion that some breeds are inherently dangerous. The crackdown -- spurred by several recent attacks including last month's mauling death of a 4-year-old Melbourne girl -- has veterinarians in Australia and other countries objecting to the idea that certain types of dogs are more likely than others to bite. Practitioners also fear that they will be dragged into Victoria's efforts to kill pit bulls by being asked to identify and euthanize them.
Beginning Friday, authorities will knock on doors in Victoria, seizing and euthanizing any American pit bull terrier -- or dog that looks like one -- that is not registered as a restricted breed with local officials. Owners of lookalikes such as American Staffordshire terriers need a certificate from a veterinarian or pedigree papers from breed registry groups that prove their ancestry.
In addition to the American pit bull terrier, the restriction in Victoria includes the perro de presa canario, dogo Argentino (Argentinian fighting dog), Japanese tosa and fila Brasileiro (Brazilian fighting dog).
In addition to the ban, legislation recently introduced by the Victorian Coalition Government in Parliament proposes that owners with dogs of restricted breeds or are declared dangerous face up to 10 years in jail if their dogs kill someone.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) spoke out against the legislation saying that innocent family pets are becoming scapegoats for aggressive dogs. Dog bite incidents aren't limited to pit bull breeds.
"The risk is this could lull the community into a false sense of security and do little to address the overall problem of dog bites," she said. "... Dogs of any breed known to be aggressive and potentially dangerous must be properly housed and restrained. But just declaring that some breeds are dangerous and others aren't is misleading."
To spread this message, the AVA has adopted the slogan "Ban the deed, not the breed." The group's campaign focuses on educating the public about what causes dogs to bite as well as responsible ownership, which involves socializing and training family pets.
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