About

Objective

As students in the American University School of Public Affairs Leadership Program, we are afforded the opportunity to create a social action project addressing a public affairs problem of our choosing. I have chosen to address the issue of breed-specific legislation (BSL), a practice that is not against my personal values but one that impacts my best friend, my dog Major.

Why BSL?

When I was 16, I adopted Major, my best friend and partner in crime, from a local rescue. While searching for him, I encountered many other sheltered dogs. As I continued looking, I noticed that most of them labeled as “pit bulls”. This piqued my curiosity as I couldn’t help but wonder why so many of these dogs of this breed specifically needed homes. What I came to discover was the pervasive stigma surrounding dogs categorized as “bully breeds,” including American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers, and many more. As my exploration continued, it became clear to me that this image of bully breeds as violent, dangerous beasts and the resulting policies, in both the public and private sectors, in different areas across the country were both unfounded and critically damaging to both the dogs and people. My belief in the power of knowledge and evidence-based practices inspired me to approach the issue by making knowledge about these breeds and the unfounded claims these policies are based on as well as best practices both available and easily accessible.