Pennsylvania Representative John T. Galloway (D-140) has proposed H671; an Act which will amend the current dog law and allow individual local governments to classify ANY breed of dog as dangerous. This amendment will put ALL breeds at risk. Most commonly affected by such laws are Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type dogs, but many other breeds have suffered due to breed-discriminatory laws such as: American Bulldogs, Siberian Huskies, Great Danes, St. Bernards, Shar Peis, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and German Shepards. More information can be found here: BSL Breed Information.
Please sign this petition telling PA Representatives and Senators that you oppose breed profiling and H671. Breed profiling and breed-discriminatory laws otherwise known as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) are not a remedy and do not protect the public. These laws punish responsible owners and their innocent family pets that are most often unjustly euthanized. BSL bans restrict dogs based solely on appearance and fail to take into account the action, behavior or history of the dog. In addition to being ineffective, these laws are costly to enforce thus increasing the burden on you the taxpayer who will be paying for: animal control officers, kennel fees, veterinary care and court costs.
One of the most obvious BSL flaws is breed identification which is subjective, difficult and often results in misidentification. Shelter strain is another factor that needs to be addressed since shelters are currently at maximum capacity and cannot afford to lose any more space. Not only will the targeted dogs suffer, but other non-targeted dogs will, as well, due to lack of shelter space and the opportunity to find a home. In a time when foreclosure rates are at their peak, shelters are also closing down all over the US. Due to lack of funding these laws would become more burdensome than ever.
BSL fails to address irresponsible owners, but rather punishes the type of owners that communities need to keep like homeowners and tax-paying citizens. Communities that have instituted such bans have found that the irresponsible owners and criminals simply hide the targeted breed or switch to another breed.
One of the most harmful consequences of BSL is its tendency to compromise public safety. Resources are shifted away from routine, effective enforcement of laws that keep our communities safe, such as: leash laws, dog license laws, spay/neuter laws and animal fighting laws.
Please sign this petition in opposition to H671.
Since BSL often targets Pit Bulls, here is a short list of Pit Bull facts that everyone should know.
-Pit Bulls scored 83.4% passing rate with the American Temperament Test Society. That's better than Collies who scored 79.4%. You can find more information at www.atts.org
-Pit Bulls are commonly used as therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs and narcotic and bomb sniffing dogs.
-Pit Bulls are not human aggressive. In fact, quite the opposite is true; they are gentle and loving dogs. They are also great with children and have been given the nickname %u201Cnanny dog%u201D for that reason.
-In the early part of the 20th Century, Pit Bulls were the most popular dogs.
Pennsylvania Representative John T. Galloway (D-140) has proposed H671; an Act which will amend the current dog law and allow individual local governments to classify ANY breed of dog as dangerous. This amendment will put ALL breeds at risk. Most commonly affected by such laws are Pit Bulls and Pit Bull type dogs, but many other breeds have suffered due to breed-discriminatory laws such as: American Bulldogs, Siberian Huskies, Great Danes, St. Bernards, Shar Peis, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and German Shepards. More information can be found here: BSL Breed Information.
Please sign this petition telling PA Representatives and Senators that you oppose breed profiling and H671. Breed profiling and breed-discriminatory laws otherwise known as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) are not a remedy and do not protect the public. These laws punish responsible owners and their innocent family pets that are most often unjustly euthanized. BSL bans restrict dogs based solely on appearance and fail to take into account the action, behavior or history of the dog. In addition to being ineffective, these laws are costly to enforce thus increasing the burden on you the taxpayer who will be paying for: animal control officers, kennel fees, veterinary care and court costs.
One of the most obvious BSL flaws is breed identification which is subjective, difficult and often results in misidentification. Shelter strain is another factor that needs to be addressed since shelters are currently at maximum capacity and cannot afford to lose any more space. Not only will the targeted dogs suffer, but other non-targeted dogs will, as well, due to lack of shelter space and the opportunity to find a home. In a time when foreclosure rates are at their peak, shelters are also closing down all over the US. Due to lack of funding these laws would become more burdensome than ever.
BSL fails to address irresponsible owners, but rather punishes the type of owners that communities need to keep like homeowners and tax-paying citizens. Communities that have instituted such bans have found that the irresponsible owners and criminals simply hide the targeted breed or switch to another breed.
One of the most harmful consequences of BSL is its tendency to compromise public safety. Resources are shifted away from routine, effective enforcement of laws that keep our communities safe, such as: leash laws, dog license laws, spay/neuter laws and animal fighting laws.
Please sign this petition in opposition to H671.
Since BSL often targets Pit Bulls, here is a short list of Pit Bull facts that everyone should know.
-Pit Bulls scored 83.4% passing rate with the American Temperament Test Society. That's better than Collies who scored 79.4%. You can find more information at www.atts.org
-Pit Bulls are commonly used as therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs and narcotic and bomb sniffing dogs.
-Pit Bulls are not human aggressive. In fact, quite the opposite is true; they are gentle and loving dogs. They are also great with children and have been given the nickname %u201Cnanny dog%u201D for that reason.
-In the early part of the 20th Century, Pit Bulls were the most popular dogs.
