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Veterinarians label new
dog laws unworkable
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Staffordshire bull terrier
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American pit bull terrier
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English bull terrier
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American Staffordshire terrier
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American pit bull terrier
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THE Dog Control Amendment Bill reported back to Parliament by the Internal Affairs and Local Government Select Committee late last year is unworkable, according to Dr Murray Gibb, chief executive of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA).
"It is unfortunate that the select committee chose to ignore the weight of evidence presented to it, as well as advice from Government officials." Under the Bill, American pit bull terriers will become a restricted class of dog and will have to be fenced in, muzzled when in public places and neutered. "The American pit bull terrier closely resembles related breeds, namely the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier and the English bull terrier. Cross breeding within and outside these breeds has created a real mixture of types that are impossible to accurately identify on a visual basis," said Dr Gibb.
"On top of this, there is no proven correlation between genetic makeup and behaviour. The Bill reaches absurd levels by requiring advisory panels to determine whether embryo or semen imported into New Zealand comes from pit bull terriers. This takes a simplistic approach to a complex problem," said Dr Gibb. "Educating current and new owners to be responsible, facilitating appropriate pet selection for different lifestyles and educating the non-dog-owning public to behave responsibly with dogs is more likely to achieve the desirable outcome that both Parliament and the public want," said Dr Gibb.
The fact of the matter is that all dogs are potentially dangerous. The NZVA believes the 1996 Dog Control Act is sound and working effectively. Since the Act's implementation, dog bite statistics have dropped significantly.
Illustrations right: The American pit bull terrier has been singled out for huge restrictions on movement and lifestyle. However, the American Staffordshire terrier is not restricted, and neither is the English bull terrier or the Staffordshire bull terrier. Do you think you could clearly identify any of these breeds or their many crosses? Authorities need to make sure what it really is that they are restricting and have a long contemplation about whether they are able to clearly identify the 'breeds' they want to put into law.
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