Research Nutshell

Survey Shows BSL Doesn't Work

Five years after severe restrictions on "pit bulls" were enacted in Ontario, Canada, a survey by the Toronto Humane Society reports that the legislation did not decrease dog bite cases in that region.

Study Summary:

In 2005 the province of Ontario enacted legislation that required owners of "pit bull" dogs (including Staffordshire terriers) to have them spayed or neutered and muzzled in public. The Toronto Humane Society surveyed municipalities in Ontario regarding dog bite cases from 2005 to 2009. Although reported cases dropped 10 percent the year after the ban was enacted, the number went back up to pre-ban levels by 2009. None of the 11 dog bite fatalities reported in Ontario from 2002-2005 was from a pit bull-type dog.

The THS said its survey results show that breed-specific legislation "targets the wrong source of the problem" and resulted in large numbers of dogs being destroyed unnecessarily.

Policy Implications:

The results of the THS survey reflect those of other studies showing similar statistics as well as problems related to properly identifying the breeds of dogs implicated in bite cases. "Pit bull" is not an official breed and is often used as a catch-all term for any type of mixed-breed dog with certain physical characteristics. As such, breed bans cast a wide net. Efforts are currently under way to try to repeal the Ontario legislation.

As noted in the ASI's policy paper about dog bites, there are multiple factors related to dog guardianship, behavior, control and public safety.  By taking a more comprehensive approach to the issue from a behavioral rather than breed perspective, a more suitable solution to dog bite rates might be found.

Posted on June 17, 2010 at 09:20 pm -- Author's Site

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