Staffordshire Terrier Club of America - Legislative Committee

An Italian newspaper recently announced that Italian officials intend to remove the last seventeen dogs from their list of banned breeds in April.  The Italian breed ban list once included ninety-two breeds, but was whittled down to the following: American Bulldog; Yugoslavian Shepherd Dog (Cane da pastore di Charplanina), Anatolian Shepherd (Cane da pastore dell’Anatolia), Central Asian Shepherd Dog (Cane da pastore dell’Asia centrale), Shepherd Dog of the Caucasus (Cane da pastore del Caucaso), Estrela Mountain Dog (Cane da Serra da Estreilla), Dogo Argentino, Fila brazileiro, Perro da Canapo Majoero, Presa Canario, Perro de Presa Mallorquin, Pit bull, Pit bull Mastiff, Pit bull terrier, Portuguese Mastiff (Rafeiro do alentejo), Rottweiler, Tosa inu.

According to Italian Health Undersecretary Francesca Martini, “This is a historic day because we have established for the first time the responsibility of the owner or the person who is momentarily in charge of the animal…The measures adopted in the previous laws had no scientific foundation. Dangerous breeds do not exist. With this law we have overcome the black list, which was just a fig leaf (over the larger problem), and we have increased the level of guarantees for citizens.”

The new Italian laws will emphasize owner responsibility, such as the use of leashes, education, and the owner’s awareness of their individual dog’s behavior.

Following on the heels of the overturned Dutch breed bans, this is a major step forward for the defeat of international breed bans.

In Ohio, Representative Barbara Sears, (R-Sylvania) has introduced a bill that would no longer define pit bulls as a vicious breed. Sears stated, “All we’re saying it that a pit bull by its very nature is not a vicious dog…”In the 1970s, it was the German shepherd. In the 1980s, it was the Doberman. In the 1990s, it was the Rottweiler. We shouldn’t put something in permanent law that is a moving target. It begs the question that whether we should really be looking at the owners of the pit bulls.”

The Ohio Dangerous Dog law currently in place defines a dangerous dog as “one that has killed or injured a person, killed another dog, or “belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog.” Ms. Sears’ bill would strike the last phrase, along with the language stating that the “ownership, keeping, or harboring of such a breed of dog shall be prima facie evidence of the ownership, keeping, or harboring of a vicious dog.”

Ms Sears will offer testimony to support her bill on 4/29/09; however, Sears’ bill faces opposition from local officials, as well as long-time BSL supporter, Tom Skeldon.

Please email Ms. Sears and let her know that you support her efforts to remove BSL from Ohio state law,

district46@ohr.state.oh.us

and contact the STCA Region 5 Legislative Liaison, Heidi McClure

hlmmclure@earthlink.net

to find out how you can help.