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AKC Press Releases |
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Date:
February 21, 2006
Contact: Daisy Okas
Phone: 212-696-8343
-- Bull Terrier Often Included in Broad-Based Ban on "Pit Bulls"
--
New York, NY - The American Kennel Club congratulates "Rufus," the
Colored Bull Terrier, for taking home the coveted
Westminster Kennel
Club Best in Show trophy and is confident that this
win will help bring attention to the issue of breed-specific
legislation (BSL) which aims to place unfair
restrictions--or ban outright--dogs like Rufus.
The Bull Terrier, along with the American Staffordshire Terrier and
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are breeds that are often incorrectly
lumped
together and characterized as "pit bulls" under breed-specific laws.
BSL
aims to restrict or completely ban certain breeds, regardless of
whether
the dog is well-mannered and has a highly responsible owner.
"Rufus' win will help us communicate to all dog owners about the
ever-increasing threat of breed specific legislation," says AKC's VP
of
Communications Noreen Baxter. "Unfortunately when there is a
dog-related
incident in a community, many legislators think this is the answer.
What
they don't realize is that BSL unfairly punishes responsible dog
owners,
is difficult to enforce and targets people who are not likely to
obey
the law in the first place or who will simply switch to a new
breed."
Five-year old Rufus, a seasoned show dog, travels the country and
has
taken home many other top honors, including winning the Terrier
group at
the recent
AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
in Tampa, FL. But
regardless of how many ribbons he wins, this dog and his owner,
Barbara
Bishop of Holmdel, N.J., are restricted as to where they can travel
or
possibly live due to breed-specific or breed-type bans. Bishop
reports
that Rufus is a fun-loving pet who regularly plays with her
grandchildren.
Dozens of municipalities around the U.S. have either enacted or are
trying to enact BSL despite the fact that the AKC, and many other
organizations with extensive understanding of the issue, are opposed
to
these laws. The AKC suggests other solutions such as strongly
enforced
animal control laws, clear and effective guidelines on dealing with
dangerous dogs and severe penalties for those who do not comply.
Enforceable, non-discriminatory measures such as this will do far
more
to protect animals and communities than BSL.
"We know it is imperative for communities to be safe but believe
that a
dog should be judged on its deed, not its breed. We want to see more
well-enforced animal care and control laws that put responsibility
for a
dog's behavior at the right end of the leash - with the owner,"
continued Baxter. "Rufus is a perfect example of why
breed-stereotyping
is ineffective and it's unreasonable not to welcome this
well-mannered
canine in any community across the country."
To learn more whether breed specific legislation is being proposed
in
your area visit
http://www.akc.org/news/sections/legislative_alerts.cfm,
or contact the AKC's Canine Legislation department at
doglaw@akc.org
###
The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit
organization dedicated to the advancement of purebred dogs. The AKC
maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world,
oversees
the sport of purebred dogs in the United States, and along with its
nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs, educates the general public
about responsible dog ownership. More than 18,000 competitions for
AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules each year
including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking,
herding,
lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog
trials.
Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Canine Health
Foundation,
AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For
more
information, visit
www.akc.org
American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club logo and AKC are
registered trademarks of the American Kennel Club
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