Today is a dismal day as it marks twenty years since the introduction of breed specific legislation in the UK contained in section one of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 - please visit our web site for details.
We're running some posts through twitter during the day, in memory of those dogs and families which have suffered so much under this law over the past twenty years of mayhem.
It is terribly tragic that we currently have a law so outdated it is literally like something out of the dark ages - we actually measure a dog and score points based on these measurements to determine life or death! One dog can score less points to a litter mate and as a result of having a different shaped tail or longer leg bone be allowed to live whist its brother is put to death as a 'dangerous dog'.
It is staggering how after twenty years we are still stuck with it and yet what has it achieved - absolutely nothing positive.
Dogs; family companions, rescue dogs, those used & abused, injured, neglected, oldies, adults and puppies all continue to die via trial by tape measure. Responsible owners continue to be stigmatised and put through legal proceedings even though their dogs have never put a paw wrong.
The national animal charities and enforcement agencies continue to debate, bills come and go - indeed Scotland has made a major change in dog law but tragically it kept BSl and so on it goes.
They say that the wheels of change move slowly - well we're sure that for BSL those wheels fell off some time ago, just how bad does it need to get before this situation is a priority on the agenda?
Defra wants 'better enforcement' of bad stupid law; it's easy isn't it to sit in an office and order more death and destruction or make life even more difficult for responsible dog owners and carers who have been put in impossible positions they never wanted to be in whilst the real problem of dangerous owners and breeders surges past ignored.
Breed identification 'experts' appear to pop up everywhere-everyone is an expert, low-lifes continue to use and abuse dogs for their own illegal purposes, if the bull breeds aren't being bred to death in massive numbers across the country they're being measured up to be put to death. It's often a no win situation for man's best friend.
The number of people reported to have been bitten by a dog is reported to be rising but no one knows for sure as no national statistics are kept-the statistics we do have refer to being 'bitten or struck' by a dog and obviously being struck as in knocked over is a lot different to a bite.
'Devil dogs' become headline news following a serious or fatal dog attack, intense debate follows, increase the ban, add more breeds, jaw strength, dangerous dogs, it goes on but there is too little in the way of positive news or ideas to get to grips and actually try and work out what could be done to prevent dog attacks.
Education is always overlooked, yet explaining to people that there are too many dogs being bred, that the bull breeds are being churned out at an alarming rate by back yard breeders and killed daily as there are not enough homes, or how to prevent dog bites and keep children and dogs safe is not the priority for Government-this message is left down to the charities, national and smaller groups to tirelessly try and bang home as they go about picking up the pieces of failed BSL, irresponsible owners, breeders and a situation in dog world which has spiralled out of all control.
Other countries followed the UK BSL example and thousands of dogs have suffered and been put to death. We humans always look for a quick fix to a complex problem - a problem which is entirely down to us.
And so here we are in August 2011.
Well, we're keep spreading the message that BSL does not protect people or dogs and we'll keep answering the phone calls and the emails to advise and help those affected by it, now on a daily basis.
We have to continue, in memory of those dogs we lost and the ones we couldn't help, justice does indeed cry out from their unmarked graves.
We all have to continue to do what we can for those people and their dogs caught up in today's madness and to help bring about an end, once and for all, to the cruelty that is breed specific legislation.
We all have to stand united to spread the word, information and education to try and gain back control of an intolerable situation for many dogs, especially the bull breeds, they wouldn't abandon us is our hour of need and we have to keep going to defend them, it's the very least they deserve.
In Memory of all those who have suffered and died under twenty years of UK BSL - now at Rainbow Bridge.
With hopes for a Brighter Tomorrow.
