It’s thirty years since the Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced in the UK, after eleven horrifying attacks on people in 1991, and it is viewed by many as being a perfect example of ‘rushed’ legislation made in response to public demand. The Act impacts on the Isle of Man in that it is illegal to import a dog that is classified as dangerous within its provisions. Certain breeds, or breed types, of dog are banned – the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro and the American pit bull. It is illegal to own, sell, breed, give away or abandon any of these types of dog.
The Act is often referred to as ‘breed specific legislation’ (BSL) but the law does not recognize a dog’s family tree or pedigree. And when it comes to pit bulls, a dog is deemed to be a pit bull type based on a set of measurements rather than any kind of identifiable breed standard.
The BSL has been controversial since its inception both because it was rushed through Parliament, and because the dogs in question are often put to sleep even when they are good-natured and non-aggressive.
An exemption order, granted by a judge, can be an alternative to euthanasia in some cases, and dogs in this situation have to be muzzled, kept on a lead when in public, and live at an address that is registered with the authorities. These exemption orders are granted when a dog can be proven to be of no threat to the public, and is owned by someone deemed to be ‘fit and proper’.
The British Veterinary Association, the Kennel Club, the RSPCA and many other UK animal charities are calling for the BSL to be reviewed on its 30th anniversary, with a bigger focus on breed-neutral legislation that ensures responsible dog ownership rather than punishing dogs for the way they look if they haven’t harmed anyone.
The RSPCA, Battersea and the Blue Cross had to put to sleep 482 dogs between 2016 and 2021 due to the legislation, and all three charities stated that the majority of these dogs could have been rehomed.
Despite BSL, admissions to UK hospitals for dog bites increased by 154% between 1999 and 2019, according to UK Health and Social Care Information Centre figures, and so BSL clearly isn’t working.