Scrap law that restricts pit bulls: Advocacy group asks West Van

Target the behaviour, not the looks.

That’s what the president of dog advocacy group is asking West Vancouver. April Fahr, the president of HugABull Advocacy and Rescue Society, wants West Vancouver to scrap antiquated bylaws that discriminate against pit bulls and any dog that looks like a pit bull.

West Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond are the only three municipalities in Metro Vancouver that still have breed-specific bylaws that place restrictions on pit bulls and dogs with similar looks.

“We are policing dogs based solely on their visual appearance,” says Fahr.

There are two ways the West Vancouver bylaws define an aggressive dog, If the dog shows aggressive tendencies, and if “a dog, that in the opinion of a veterinarian licensed to practice in British Columbia, is or is substantially similar in appearance to either a Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or a cross of any of the aforementioned breeds.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer that Animal Control Officers in your community were answering calls about dogs that are chasing, nipping, or threatening others, rather than a neighbour complaining about a dog that *looks* like a pit bull?,” she says.

Under this designation, the owner of a dog identified as a “pit bull” must design a special enclosure in the yard for the dog. This means the dog can’t freely roam its own yard even if the yard is fully fenced. The owner also must post signs on the property warning about the aggressive dog, keep the dog on a leash at all times, even in designated off-leash areas, and pay a $200 licensing fee instead of the regular fee of $30.

Fahr says the second definition of aggression and the onerous restrictions are based solely on looks, rather than other factors, such as lack of early socialisation, poor genetics and health standards and whether the dog came from a puppy mill. “A breed is not a predictor of aggression. There are other risk factors for aggression. This approach just perpetuates outdated, fear-based stereotypes and diverts resources away from real problems in the community,” she says.

Fahr says such legislation was common in the 80s and the 90s, driven by excessive media attention on attacks by pit bulls and their perceived link with criminality. But now more local governments, she says, are realising these bylaws only target certain breeds based on looks rather than evidence or science.

Fahr points out that dogs that look the breeds mentioned in the bylaw are extremely common and any enforcement of the bylaw could target people whose dogs pose no particular risk to the community. The ‘Pit Bull Terrier’ isn’t even a breed, and veterinarians are not breed experts, she says.

Fahr says West Vancouver should follow the lead of other communities in moving towards breed-neutral legislation that targets risk factors for dog bites and hold the owner — not the looks of the dog — responsible for the dog’s behaviour. Legislation based on behaviour, not breed, is a more sensible and more effective approach and a better use of tax dollars, she says.

“Wouldn’t you prefer that Animal Control Officers in your community were answering calls about dogs that are chasing, nipping, or threatening others, rather than a neighbour complaining about a dog that *looks* like a pit bull?,” she says.

Fahr says there is a broad consensus among veterinarians, academic experts and organisations such as SPCA that breed-specific bylaws are not evidence-based and shouldn’t be on the books. Poor breeding practices, poor early socialisation, lack of training, health issues, and low standards of care and control should be considered for any legislation she says. Along with public education, local bylaws should also outline standards for responsible ownership, and there should be strong enforcement through fines.

Vancouver, Delta, New Westminster and White Rock have all amended their bylaws, Fahr says, adding that West Vancouver officials have shown willingness to discuss the issue. She is hopeful West Vancouver will realise that community safety is important, but people shouldn’t be targeted just based on what their dog looks like.

“We need to move away from laws based on appearance to laws based on science and best practices,” she says.