Why are some dog breeds perceived as “man’s best friend” and others as man’s worst enemy?
The most commonly banned dogs are American Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers.
Breed Specific Legislation
Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is the blanket term for laws that either regulate or ban certain dog breeds in an effort to decrease dog attacks on humans and other animals.
Dog attacks have, for a long time now, become a real concern across the country. As dog attacks seem to be on the rise in Texas, it would be very easy to lay blame on specific breeds of dogs and outlaw their existence altogether and some US states have come up with legislation surrounding dog ownership. But breed specific bans are not the way to handle these cases. Instead of eliminating the allowance of the breed altogether, it should be done on a case-by-case basis.
Does Texas have breed-specific legislation?
- More than 700 U.S. cities have enacted breed-specific laws.
- Many states, including Texas, favor laws that identify, track, and regulate dangerous dogs individually—regardless of breed—and prohibit BSL.
- There is no evidence that breed-specific laws make communities safer for people or companion animals.
Following a thorough study of human fatalities resulting from dog bites, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decided to strongly oppose BSL. The CDC cited, among other problems, the inaccuracy of dog bite data and the difficulty in identifying dog breeds (especially true of mixed-breed dogs). Breed-specific laws are also costly and difficult to enforce.
The state of Texas has state-wide legislation preventing cities and counties from creating breed specific laws. Specifically, 822.047, entitled Local Regulation of Dangerous Dogs in the Texas Health and Safety Code, states, “A county or municipality may place additional requirements or restrictions on dangerous dogs if the requirements or restrictions: (1) are not specific to one breed or several breeds of dogs; and (2) are more stringent than restrictions provided by this subchapter.”
In other words, no city or county in the state is allowed to create bans surrounding the ownership of specific breeds. The state only allows municipalities the liberty of making legislation that restricts dangerous dogs if need be. However, the laws shouldn’t be specific to certain breeds or a group of breeds. Also, the legislation can be stricter than those provided by the state provided they apply to every party equally.
If your city has passed a BSL ordinance in their city, please contact us at outreach@texashumanenetwork.org so we can assist you in repealing the ordinance.
Looking for more resources and information?
Contact us via email at outreach@texashumanenetwork.org
Texas Humane Network is a 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting the Humane Treatment of Animals Through Education, Training and Outreach. We aid in the enforcement of animal cruelty laws by spreading awareness to agencies and providing education, resources, and training.
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*Last Updated: July 31, 2023
