BSL Virus

Published on November 1, 2007 in Vet Rants.

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has infected the minds of legislators and insurance companies all across our country. This deadly dog virus targets lazy lawmakers and greedy insurance companies.

To protect your dog, watch for these fatal symptoms:

• a rush to copycat other policy makers infected with BSL
• a fear of dogs who look like other dogs
• a damning ignorance surrounding dog behavior

This whopping combo makes logical thinking impossible and has paved the road for breed bans - forcing innocent dogs to run for their lives!

Dog owners have watched in total disbelief as legislators affected with the BSL virus are voting in favor of making dog ownership illegal, if you own a dog breed they fear to be "dangerous." And insurance companies will hike your rates or turn you down completely. Distraught owners have been forced with the decision to either move out of their cities or give up the family dog. What would you do?

But we can stop this deadly virus in its tracks - Do you remember how to vote in elections and fire service care providers? You must take immediate action today in an effort to save your dog and other innocent family dogs from suffering under the dictatorship of these mindless legislators and the insurance companies who also blindly discriminate against dogs based solely on breed and not behavior.

Start by interviewing each of your city council representatives. Attend city council meetings and make yourself known as a responsible dog owner. Provide information on how your city can effectively promote public safety without making your dog an outlaw!

Oregon put the brakes on a state bill calling for Breed Specific Legislation when they passed SB 844. This bill echoes provisions in the NAIA Guide to Constructing Successful Pet-friendly Ordinances, a booklet available on National Animal Interest Alliance website: http://www.naiaonli ne.org/. SB 844 is a model dangerous dog bill that in a nutshell holds irresponsible dog owners accountable for loss or injury. Putting the blame and the punishment where it belongs, on the dog owner.

To find out if your city officials are infected by the BSL virus, ask them the following questions:

• Do you believe that all dogs of a particular breed are inherently dangerous?
• How would you vote on legislation that seeks to restrict dog ownership based on the breed of the dog?
• Are you in favor of passing tougher legislation against the owners of dogs that have caused injuries?

Now, who will you campaign for in the next election?

Next, find out if your homeowner's insurance has a clause that would cause your insurance to be canceled if you own a particular breed of dog or would deny a claim. If you're shopping around for a new policy, do NOT buy until these two questions are answered and read the fine print!

If you think this is a joke, it is not. Breed Specific Legislation has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent dogs all across the county!

Here are just a few cities:

• Denver, Colorado
• Independence, Missouri
• Kansas City, Kansas

These cities have passed breed bans that allow authorities to confiscate family dogs based solely on physical appearance. Any dog looking to match the general description of a "pit bull" can be confiscated. Many mixed breeds have been caught in this cross fire, making breed bans all the more irrational and tragic.

How can this atrocity against dogs happen? Ignorance and its best friend, apathy. We are allowing ourselves to be governed by legislators who vote before they think and greedy insurance companies anxious to deny claims. And if you would rather entertain yourself with the latest stupid reality TV show-then soon you will be watching a new show, Lost America.

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