The Basics

In recent history, the image of certain dog breeds has become increasingly shadowed by perceptions of inherent aggression and volatility. As a result, many places have created policies restricting the ability for these dogs to live in certain residences and within certain jurisdictions. However, most of the literature in the field of canine behavioral studies and humane law has shown that it is not a dog’s breed that results in aggression, but rather a number of contributing factors, most of them having to do with the human-canine dynamic.

Additionally, the resulting public policies, widely known as breed-specific legislation (BSL), garner very little support from empirical research; in some cases, it seems these policies have the opposite intended effect. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association , having these policies in place can actually increase risk violent dog-human interactions.

Not only do these policies have shaky scientific backing, but they also are viewed by many legal scholars, including those at the American Bar Association, as potentially unconstitutional as a violation of owners’ 14th amendment right to due process. This is because of the methods of enforcement primarily relying on breed identification solely on physical appearance which is highly arbitrary and incredibly inaccurate. All this to say that the stigmatization of so-called “bully breed” dogs and the misinformed policies that stemmed from it continue to cause serious issues for both the dogs and people involved.