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by Ann Linder, Legislative Policy Fellow, Harvard Law School’s Animal Law and Policy Program. J.D.
Read the paper
by Bronwen Dickey
Purchase the book
By Erin C. Tarver
“The Responsible Pet Ownership Model is focused first on supporting and incentivizing responsible behavior in pet owners and second, discouraging problematic behavior.”
Cory A. Smith wrote this step by step guide on breed-neutral animal ordinances for Animal Sheltering Magazine in 2012. Years later, it’s proactive approach and focus on responsible pet ownership and accessible resources keep it relevant for anyone wanting to create a safe community for people and pets.
Read the article (pdf)
Collection of effective animal ordinances from National Canine Research Council
A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention (pdf) from the American Veterinary Medical Association
“BSL suffers from the fundamental, flawed presumption that breed reliably predicts vicious propensity. It draws from retrospective review of anecdotal evidence based on questionable phenotypic and genotypic identifications (not double-blind, randomized trials).”
– Adam Karp
Download and read Karp’s paper
Breed-specific legislation is costly. Millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on enforcing ineffective laws. Prince George’s County’s BSL has been in place since 1996. In 2001, it cost the county $560,000.
Read the case study (pdf)
Read statements from organizations and businesses on how breed-specific legislation is anti-science, damages the relationship between dogs and people, and doesn’t prove to keep communities safe.
You can share these statements with law and policymakers to show them how many reputable organizations do not endorse BSL.
Established Epidemiological Measure Shows Why Breed Bans Fail to Reduce Dog Bite Injury (pdf) from the National Canine Research Council
Ineffective Canine Policies from the National Canine Research Council
We Can’t Fix Human Problems by Fixing Dogs
Outdated Thinking Is Going to Hurt Dogs in South Carolina
Here’s What We Learned in South Carolina (podcast)
“Regardless of whether someone inaccurately believes that a specific breed has a certain behavior or “dangerousness,” a dog with moderate or minor/trace amounts of that breed has the majority of its genome derived from breeds other than the breed in question. It is not rational or scientifically valid to assume that a dog can be defined as dangerous by virtue of having “any element” of a particular breed.” – Dr. Kristopher Irizarry Download and read the full report
View the full infographic and see citations
What Kind of a Dog Is That? from the National Canine Research Council Interview with veterinary geneticist Jessica Hekman Does Breed Really Matter When Choosing a Pet Dog? (podcast) The Dog and Its Genome by Elaine Ostrander
Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog by Scott and Fuller
The Relevance of Breed in Selecting a Companion Dog by Janis Bradley
What Dogs Tell Us, the ABCs of DNA, National Geographic
There were only 38 dog bite related fatalities in the U.S. in 2018 From the National Canine Research Council
Sources and more information (pdf)
“The discrepancy between breed identifications based on opinion and DNA analysis, as well as concerns about the reliability of data collected based on media reports, draws into question the validity and enforcement of public and private policies pertaining to dog breeds.”
– Dr. Victoria Voith
Read summary and see further citations
“The genetic program that results in a large thick skull, like that of a Labrador Retriever, is not the same genetic program that builds the brain.”
– Dr. Kristopher Irizarry
Download and read the white paper
Inconsistent Identification of Pit Bull-Type Dogs by Shelter Staff
Canine Identity Crisis: Genetic breed heritage testing of shelter dogs
Get advocacy information mailed to your front door! Fill out the form and we’ll send you information tailored to what matters to you.
Help us collect data about the personal impact of breed restrictions, including BSL, by taking our survey.
Donate to help fund our outreach campagins and our grantee programs.
As an organization that evolves to meet the needs of people and pets, Animal Farm Foundation is currently focused on ending dog breed restrictions, whether they exist in policies or laws.
Animal Farm Foundation
P.O. Box 624
Bangall, NY 12506