Breed Specific Legislation Had No Resultant On Canis Familiaris Bites Inward Odense, Denmark

In 2010, Kingdom of Denmark banned thirteen breeds of dog. It made no divergence to hospitalizations for domestic dog bites.

Photo: sanjagrujic/Shutterstock

By Zazie Todd, PhD

One approach that some countries or municipalities conduct maintain to test to trim down injuries from domestic dog bites is to ban for certain breeds, known every bit Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 novel report past times Dr. Finn Nilson  (Karlstad University) et al investigates the effects of BSL inwards Denmark’s third-largest city, Odense. The results demo that it had no final result on hospitalizations for domestic dog bites.

In 2010, Kingdom of Denmark banned the ownership, breeding too import of thirteen breeds of dog, including the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasiliero too American Bulldog.

Two of those breeds, the Pitbull Terrier too the Tosa Inu, had to live on euthanized.

Any existing pets of the remaining eleven breeds could live on kept, but they had to live on muzzled too leashed inwards public.

physician Finn Nilson told me inwards an email,

“The findings inwards our article largely back upward previous studies on the dependent area of whether banning for certain breeds of domestic dog volition Pb to less individuals requiring emergency attention for domestic dog bites. In similarity to other studies nosotros tin demo that banning for certain breeds inwards Kingdom of Denmark did non trim down the number of domestic dog bites beingness seen at a large regional hospital. Due to the Danish ban beingness slightly dissimilar to previous bans, nosotros could purpose considerably to a greater extent than advanced methods. Put simply, nosotros could exam both the long-term final result of banning for certain breeds every bit good every bit the short-term legislation on muzzles inwards world spaces on the same breeds. Neither seem to conduct maintain an effect. The results reiterate the occupation of identifying so-called unsafe breeds inwards the attempts to trim down domestic dog bites.”

The report looked at information on people visiting the emergency portion inwards Odense from 1st Jan 2002 too 31st June 2015. During this time, at that topographic point were 2622 domestic dog seize amongst teeth injuries.

There are some problems amongst only looking at the number of domestic dog bites earlier too afterward a ban. For 1 thing, inwards cases similar this where some breeds are euthanized, the full number of dogs has gone down, which agency whatever alter could only live on because at that topographic point are fewer dogs overall.

As well, it is possible at that topographic point would live on other changes over the fourth dimension period. One such alter mentioned inwards the newspaper is that the number of injuries tends to become downward anyway (although I complaint that this is non ever the illustration – inwards the UK, which likewise has BSL, hospitalizations for domestic dog bites conduct maintain gone up).

The scientists used some sophisticated statistical techniques, called Monte Carlo models, to teach circular these issues.

And they paid attending to whether domestic dog bites happened inwards world or private spaces.

Photo: Grigorita Ko/Shutterstock

Since eleven of the banned breeds had to live on muzzled too leashed inwards public, you lot would aspect an immediate divergence inwards world domestic dog bites if BSL was effective. Whereas you lot would aspect a to a greater extent than gradual divergence inwards domestic dog bites inwards private spaces every bit the number of pet dogs of these breeds slow went down.

But that’s non what happened.

The results showed no final result of Breed Specific Legislation on hospitalizations for domestic dog bites.

They did demo something else really interesting: Of the 2622 domestic dog bites, 874 occurred inwards world spaces. In other words, the bulk of domestic dog seize amongst teeth injuries (67%) occurred inwards a private infinite such every bit someone’s home.

This shows that programs to trim down domestic dog bites remove to target private places, non exactly focus on what happens inwards public.

"Put simply, nosotros could exam both the long-term final result of banning for certain breeds every bit good every bit the short-term legislation on muzzles inwards world spaces on the same breeds. Neither seem to conduct maintain an effect."

One limitation to the query is that it solely considers information for 4.5 years afterward the introduction of BSL. However, the legislation would conduct maintain been expected to conduct maintain an final result inwards this time, which was non found.

This report joins a number of others inwards finding that Breed Specific Legislation does non work. If you lot desire to know more, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has a summary of the available query on BSL.

Unfortunately BSL agency that well-behaved dogs conduct maintain to live on muzzled or euthanized when they conduct maintain non done anything wrong.

The choice to BSL is to encourage responsible domestic dog ownership too enforce it amongst rigid laws or bylaws.

Dog bites are a complex problem, too this report adds to the bear witness that breed specific legislation is non the solution. As well, it shows that nosotros remove to pay attending to the context inwards which bites occur.


The newspaper is opened upward access too you lot tin read it via the link below.

This page contains affiliate links.

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the writer of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. She is the founder of the pop spider web log , where she writes nearly everything from preparation methods to the human-canine relationship. She likewise writes a column for Psychology Today too has received the prestigious Captain Haggerty Award for Best Training Article inwards 2017. Todd lives inwards Maple Ridge, BC, amongst her husband, 1 dog, too 2 cats.

Useful links:

• Check out what the Animal Book Club is reading this month
• Get merch  
• Support me on Ko-fi
• Visit my Amazon store

You mightiness likewise like: Stereotypes too breeds of dog and the effects of possessor sense too housing on Argentine Dogos.

Reference
Nilson, F., Damsager, J., Lauritsen, J., & Bonander, C. (2018). The final result of breed-specific domestic dog legislation on infirmary treated domestic dog bites inwards Odense, Denmark—A fourth dimension serial intervention study. PLoS one, 13(12), e0208393. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208393

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.