THE DANGERS OF LABELLING A DOG A "PIT BULL"
Over the past few weeks, we have noticed the number of comments made by individuals referring to dogs in discussions or posts in various forums as "pit bulls".
It is concerning that so many people are willing to label a dog a pit bull, without knowing the dog(s) or factoring in genetics. There is no one in Australia that has the qualifications to say with 100% certainty that a dog is an American Pit Bull Terrier or any other breed (or mix) of bull breed, based on a photo alone. Without papers, details of parentage or DNA, it becomes purely a guessing game. A guessing game, in which even local government authorities and vets struggle with to the extent, that a visual identification has been proven in the court of law to be impossible.
In the United States of America, the term "pit bull" is used to cover the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier, but there is only one "true" pit bull, which is the American Pit Bull Terrier. However, in Australia the legislation covers American Pit Bull Terriers, pit bull terriers, pit bull types and their crosses (depending on which state you live in), but it does not extend to cover the formally recognised breeds Staffordshire Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier....and so it shouldn't, we already have five too many prescribed breeds listed.
For the purpose of restricted breed legislation, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers are two different breeds to the American Pit Bull Terrier. Sure the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier came down the same lines, but they went in two different directions and although no new blood was intoduced, they have now evolved to have inherent differences. It's like saying the Tenterfield Terrier and the Miniature Fox Terrier are one in the same breed. Lineage shows they have common ancestors, but so did many breeds of dogs at one stage or another, this does not mean they are the same breed.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is not formally recognised as a breed here in Australia, although it has been banned from importation, under the Commonwealth Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 and subjected to breed specific legislation in 6 states for some years. For legislative reasons the generic term "pit bull" and "pit bull type" has been included purposely, so that any dog of unknown origin that fits the standard, can be subject to restrictions. Basically the government is covering their butt by being vague, to ensure no "dangerous" dogs of a certain appearance which have similar characteristics, slip through their "system". This is where the legislation confuses many owners and where dogs without papers, can fall victim to it's harsh regulations.
Does this mean dog that fit into this category of being a "pit bull type" should be caught up by restricted breed legislation? The simple answer is no. Why? Because two dogs that are not subject to breed restrictions can produce a dog that can be deemed a pit bull type. For example if a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is crossed with a Bull Mastiff, they may produce a dog that fits the standard. However because that pup does not have papers, it now becomes a pit bull type and owners can be forced to comply with the legislation. Unsuspecting owners may do the right thing, register and microchip their dog as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross but the council decides otherwise. So does this mean owners should give in and register their dogs as pit bulls. Well ask yourself this - would you go to the police station and hand yourself in for a crime you didn't do, in order to get a more lenient sentence, because the police suspect you were involved? No you wouldn't.
So with that said, why are owners continuing to call their dog's pit bulls? Well it's hard to understand why anyone would want to label their dog a pit bull, unless atleast one of the parents or grandparents of that dog is a papered American Pit Bull Terrier and/or they are prepared to inflict the harsh legislative requirements of a owning a prescribed breed on their dog. It's all good and well to call your dog a pit bull, until you have a ranger rock up on your doorstep threatening to take your dog away and destroy it. Would you then be claiming your dog is a pit bull...highly unlikely.
There are many dogs that fit the "standard" set out by state governments, however in more cases than not, these dogs are mixed breeds of unknown parentage, not "pit bulls" as claimed by the media or authorities. They are simply back yard bred dogs that happen to fit a standard and look a particular way. The media and authorities play on this by referring to them as pit bulls in order to drum up support for their own agendas. It is therefore inappropriate for individuals to do the same and label a dog a pit bull based on a photo alone. Stating a dog is a pit bull in a public forum, adds pressure to cases for owners/legal representatives of dogs already under scrutiny, and places other dogs, at unnecessarily at risk of being declared a prescribed breed and subject to stringent regulations or worse case scenario, giving that dog a death sentence.
There was a prime example of this recently. An owner was fined because an individual(s) decided to start a group for the sole purpose of selling and buying pit bulls here in Australia. The owner chose to advertise their pups for sale in this group without any thought for the consequences. However it happened, it was this blatant disregard for the law by the person(s) who started the group and naive belief that people are above being caught, which resulted in an owner being fined. For one owner in the UK, "bragging rights" led to a dog being seized.
For dogs that are impounded, needing to be rehomed (either by rescue groups or privately), dogs going through the appeal processes or in the media, we are asking people to think before labelling or referring to a dog as a pit bull. It may just mean the difference between a second chance or an early trip to the rainbow bridge. We are also suggesting that owners, seriously considered the consequences before using the term to describe their dog, and when registering or having their dog chipped, unless they can say without doubt they are willing to comply with the legislation in their state, both current and future. Simple changes in the way we refer to bull breeds, just might have a flow on effect and see a change in attitude by the media and authorities, including governments.
We hope this post has given everyone something to think about and provided you with a perspective, which may not have been considered before.