GERMANY'S BSL

      This piece was written by my partner in BREED, Scott Andrade. Please read on and see what is being done overseas as well as what can possibly be done here in the states. As always, comments are always appreciated.




The laws:

Laws differ in Germany’s 16 states, but in Hesse, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine – Westphalia, they contain some version of the following provisions:

Category I dogs  - dangerous breeds that cannot be imported, bred or sold  includes the American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, Neapolitan Mastiff, Spanish Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasiliero, Roman Fighting Dog (what they have that labeled as beats me?), Chinese Fighting Dog, Bandog and Tosa Inu. These dogs must be registered and sterilized.

Category II dogs – potentially dangerous dogs that can be owned, imported, bred and sold if they pass a temperament test and are free of aggressive actions for three years – include Akbash, Briard, Beauceron, Bullmastiff, Doberman, Komondor, Kuvasz, Maremma, Pyrenean Mountain Dog (otherwise known as Great Pyrenees), Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Tibetan Mastiff, and 15 other breeds that are virtually unknown in the US.

Category III dogs – Those dogs that weigh more than 20 kilos (44 pounds) or are taller than 40 centimeters (15.75 inches). These dogs must be on a leash in developed areas and will be moved to Category II if they show aggression.

According to some stories, owners of banned breeds are required to place a red banner on their doors to identify their premises as harboring one of these breeds; dogs are being abandoned in the streets and killed by the dozens in animal shelters; and licenses to keep banned breeds cost $600-1000 in US dollars.

The temperament test given to the dogs lasts about three hours According to an eye-witness report posted on the Internet. [2] It includes an assessment of the dog’s attitude towards other dogs and people and to stimuli that startle (an umbrella opening, a mock attack), and about an hour of instruction to dog owners.

Opposition

Germany’s VDH – the German Kennel Club – will conduct the temperament evaluations of the dogs in some areas and The Kennel Club in Britain has written to FCI and to German Chancellor Schroeder in opposition to the sweeping bans and controls on these breeds.

“We have now spoken to dozens of worried parties, including German dog owners, who feel that this situation is spiraling out of control, largely due to media hysteria and the determination of Government Ministers to ensure these breeds are effectively phased out,” wrote Roger French, chief executive of The Kennel Club.

“Our External Affaires Department has been contacted on a number of occasions over the past week by German television companies, who would appear to be of the view that these dogs are a liability and should be destroyed as quickly as possible.”

Dog owners have started world-wide protests promoted on mailing lists and websites on the Internet that range from boycotts on products made by German companies and German tourism to a campaign to display red and black ribbons in sympathy with the banned dogs and their owners and to draw attention to the situation in that country.

Potential

France has recently restricted pit bull dogs and is considering further breed controls, and there is also talk of expanding Germany’s breed bans and restrictions to all the countries of the European Union.

The original ban in Germany was proposed by a member of the Green Party, an organization with strong ties to animal rights and environmental causes. The 12-point platform commonly called the animal rights agenda was originally drafted for inclusion into the 1987 US Green platform. The Greens are gaining notice in the US; Ralph Nader is getting some press coverage as the party candidate for President this year.

NAIA deplores actions taken against dogs simply because of their breed or mix. Communities do have a responsibility to enact and enforce laws that protect residents from dangerous or vicious animals. On the other hand dog owners have a right to own and enjoy dogs as pets when they raise, train and socialize their dogs appropriately and comply with all public safety laws.

Breed Foundation believes that responsible dog ownership is the key: Experience has shown that when laws are reasonable and dog owners take their obligations seriously, fear subsides, confrontations diminish and the rights of both dog owners and their neighbors remain protected.