Today I would like to share some information that makes my
puppies and I very sad!
Three little ol’ letters… BSL. Such small letters, but they
mean BIG problems!
BSL (technically) means Breed-Specific Legislation.
But what does it really
mean, exactly?
Basically, BSL is bigotry... for dogs.
BSL means you can’t buy a house in certain cities if your
dog looks a certain way… unless you’re willing to get rid of her.
BSL means if you get caught with a dog that looks a certain
way in a certain city, animal control can take him from you…and kill him. THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. <----- (click me)
BSL means you could be held to higher standards, have to spend
more money on higher fences, and pay higher insurance deductibles if your dog
looks a certain way.
When I bought my first house, I had not fallen in love with
pit bulls yet. I looked at many, many houses in Waterford, MI, as I was drawn
to the lakes. I ended up choosing a home in a neighboring city, not knowing it
would be one of the best choices I ever made! You see, a few months later I
started looking to adopt my first dog, and I fell in love with pitties. During
the adoption process, I had to promise I would take my dog to the vet, keep up
with his license, and preferably fence my yard. No problem! Keeping my dog safe
and healthy was a no-brainer.
But then they asked me… “What city do you live in?”
“Auburn Hills,” I said… “why?”
“Well, because you can’t have a pit bull in certain cities,
like Waterford.”
“Why not?”
“Well…”
WHY NOT? Honestly, I don’t even know where to start with
this. It’s infuriating. BSL exists because some people believe everything that
is shared on the internet. It exists because people hear of one bad experience
and assume every dog will behave the same way. Do you know what we call people
who make those types of assumptions about humans?
Bigots.
Check out the puppy’s photo in the beginning of the article below. Looks evil, doesn’t she?
Unfortunately, some people believe that this dog will grow up to be a vicious killer regardless of how she is raised. (If you're interested in reading the ASPCA's entire position statement on BSL, you can find it here.)
Now, I will admit that this is an emotional topic because it's very personal. I have two pit bull mixes (by the way, "pit bull" is not even a recognized breed of dog, but a general term used to include multiple breeds) who are the sweetest, most loving and fun dogs on the planet. It makes me terribly sad that people who have never met them are afraid of them, and that I am prohibited from living in certain areas unless I am willing to give them up.
Well, this is what my dogs and I have to say about that:
I focus mainly on pit bulls because they are the most common
target of bad publicity and BSL, and because I have two. However, if you're
considering a move and have ANY of the following breeds, you might want to do a
quick internet search before you put your deposit down (from this
site):
"American Bulldogs, Mastiffs, Dalmatians, Chow Chows, German
Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers … even Chihuahuas and Shar Peis (or dogs that just look like any of the
above)." <----- which, in many cities,
can be determined by an animal control officer!!
This is just a small sample list from one site and is by no
means all-inclusive.
I could go on about this for days, but I'm a student and I
need to sleep sometimes! I know this is a highly controversial topic, so I will
just close by saying if you are unfamiliar with BSL, please take a few minutes
to read about how it affects families around you. And if you are afraid of
pitties or have any questions, drop me a note and
I will be happy to arrange a meet and greet with my adorable puppies :) or answer anything I can!
