FriendBurst Blog

But before we get to the list – the question I have is WHY is there a list to begin with?

And just who is pouring gasoline onto the fire, whipping up
the flames of pit bull hysteria? Who or what is driving the onslaught
of anti-dog legislation?

The answer? Your local paper, TV or radio station is – by
publishing, posting or airing innacurate reports than use inflammatory
language (“vicious” Rottweiler, “marauding” pitbulls, etc.)

Your local TV station is deliberately showing UNRELATED
footage of dogfights supplied by the Humane Society of the United
States, which seems to be to be pitching “aggressive breed” stories to
network affiliates in Las Vegas, New York and other markets.

Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and is a totally
separate issue from dog-on-human aggression. Yet – we have the HSUS
deliberately mixing visual imagery and video of underground dogfights
with the issue of dangerous dogs or dog bite prevention AND providing
this footage to your local TV station, Nancy Grace, etc.

This is not journalisim – this is sensationalism. The
question you all need to ask is WHY is HSUS pushing this footage out to
media outlets????

Across the country – and indeed around the world – cities,
counties and local town councils are busy banning or restricting breeds
instead of punishing irresponsible behavior.

Here’s what is happening:

Breed bans – an outright ban on owning a specific breed of dog

Breed-specific sterilization – owners are forced to spay or neuter animal

Breed-specific measures that include mandatory registration in a
database similar to a sex offender database, forced microchipping,
forced containment or signage

Breed-specific insurance requirements – forces owners to obtain the
unobtainable “vicious” breed insurance – in reality this forces owners
to surrender dogs or move

Weight or size restrictions – banning dogs over an arbitrarily
determined weight or size – as in Fairfield, Iowa where all dogs over
100 lbs are banned (St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, etc.)

BTW – your insurance company is happily waiting in the background too
– waiting to exclude coverage of your dog, waiting to drop your policy,
or waiting to outrageously raise your rates.

OK, dog lovers, here’s what you need to know about this
list. The dogs on the list have been banned or restricted by one of TWO
ways:

This list means that SOMEWHERE in the US. , dogs on this
list have been either banned or have had restrictions placed on owning
such dogs, such as mandatory spay/neuter 0r mandatory microchipping,
etc.

For anone reading this from OUTSIDE the U.S., the dogs
listed below are not NOT UNIFORMLY banned/restricted across the entire
U.S. This means that the breeds listed below are banned or restricted
in different places around the U.S. , and that individual states,
cities, counties or towns all make their own LOCAL LAWS – and those laws
differ according to individual communities.

Also – it’s important to note that the list includes even MIXES of these breeds.

If you have any questions about why these breeds are on the list, please contact Responsible Dog Owners Of The Western States (RDOWS) . So – without further ado, courtesy of the RDOWS, here is the list of 75 – count ’em – SEVENTY FIVE – banned or restricted breeds …………………

1. AIREDALE TERRIER
2. AKBASH
3. AKITA
4. ALAPAHA BLUE BLOOD BULLDOG
5. ALASKAN MALAMUTE
6. ALSATIAN SHEPHERD
7. AMERICAN BULLDOG
8. AMERICAN HUSKY
9. AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
10. AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER
11. AMERICAN WOLFDOG
12. ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD
13. ARIKARA DOG
14. AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
15. AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD
16. BELGIAN MALINOIS
17. BELGIAN SHEEPDOG
18. BELGIAN TURVUREN
19. BLUE HEELER
20. BOERBUL
21. BORZOI
22. BOSTON TERRIER
23. BOUVIER DES FLANDRES
24. BOXER
25. BULLDOG
26. BULL TERRIER
27. BULL MASTIFF
28. CANE CORSO
29. CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG
30. CAUCASIAN SHEPHERD
31. CHINESE SHAR PEI
32. CHOW-CHOW
33. COLORADO DOG
34. DOBERMAN PINSCHER
35. DOGO DE ARGENTINO
36. DOGUE DE BORDEAUX
37. ENGLISH MASTIFFS
38. ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL
39. ESKIMO DOG
40. ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG
41. FILA BRASILIERO
42. FOX TERRIER
43. FRENCH BULLDOG
44. GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
45. GOLDEN RETRIEVER
46. GREENLAND HUSKY
47. GREAT DANE
48. GREAT PYRANEES
49. ITALIAN MASTIFF
50. KANGAL DOG
51. KEESHOND
52. KOMONDOR
53. KOTEZEBUE HUSKY
54. KUVAZ
55. LABRADOR RETRIEVER
56. LEONBERGER
57. MASTIFF
58. NEOPOLITAN MASTIFF
59. NEWFOUNDLAND
60. OTTERHOUND
61. PRESA DE CANARIO
62. PRESA DE MALLORQUIN
63. PUG
64. ROTTWEILER
65. SAARLOOS WOLFHOND
66. SAINT BERNARD
67. SAMOYED
68. SCOTTISH DEERHOUND
69. SIBERIAN HUSKY
70. SPANISH MASTIFF
71. STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
72. TIMBER SHEPHERD
73. TOSA INU
74. TUNDRA SHEPHERD
75. WOLF SPITZ

How’s that for scary? You’re wide awake now, I bet.

What’s a dog owner to do? For starters – BEFORE you move, buy or
rent a home, wherever you are – be sure to check with the local city
hall – NOT THE REALTOR – to find out about local dog laws and if any
breed-specific measures are in place or are being considered.

But don’t take city hall’s word, either. Ask for a COPY of the local
ordinance, and then ask your local city council rep if they support
breed-specific laws or measures.

So, dog lovers – now that you know that much of dogdom is on the line, what are you going do do about it?

I say it’s time to make the donuts. It’s time for dog lovers of
every dog, every breed, shape or size to come together to stop this Dog
Holocaust.

We need to stand together, pull together – for united we stand,
divided we fall – And if we fall, we may see the very dogs we love
disappear forever from the face of the earth.

What can just one person do – how can you help?

Here’s a simple, 3-step plan to help stop breed bans and other anti-dog legislation:

We all know its Deed, Not Breed, yet our politicians continue to ban dogs instead of focusing on responsible ownership.

Get out and VOTE in your next local or state election for the
dog-friendly candidate of your choice.(Hint – candidates that support or
voted for or breed-specific measures are NOT dog-friendly!) Tell your
candidate that MY DOG VOTES! (That’ll wake them up 🙂

BTW – You can download a free copy of the My Dog Votes DOG-FRIENDLY CANDIDATE CHECKLIST HERE: Download MDV.DogFriendlyCandidateChecklist.pdf

Give your hard-earned dollars to your LOCAL shelter, your LOCAL
rescue. These are the people who do the real work and they don’t get a
dime from the Big Four.

While you’re at it, STOP DONATING to the so-called “animal
protection” organizations that directly or overtly support breed bans or
other BSL, like PETA, or that covertly support BSL by deliberately
misinforming and yes- scaring! the public by manipulating the media.