{"id":1092,"date":"2021-06-25T21:17:30","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T21:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/?p=1092"},"modified":"2023-11-11T20:51:05","modified_gmt":"2023-11-11T20:51:05","slug":"why-are-pitbulls-banned-in-some-places","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/why-are-pitbulls-banned-in-some-places\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are Pitbulls Banned In Some Places?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve spent any amount of time around Pitbulls, you\u2019ve probably encountered a bunch of wiggly, <a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/why-do-pit-bulls-have-big-heads\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">big-headed goofballs<\/a> who just want to play and snuggle. You may also have had one or two experiences that made you a little bit uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of places, from individual cities in the U.S. to entire countries abroad, have entirely banned Pitbulls along with <a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/why-are-rottweilers-banned-in-some-places\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">other popular dog breeds like Rottweilers<\/a>, German Shepherds, and Dobermans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why are Pitbulls banned in some places? <\/span><b>Mostly because Pitbulls have garnered a reputation for being aggressive and governments would rather remove Pitbulls from the population than work to educate the public on how to responsibly care for and coexist with this wonderful, powerful, breed.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a difficult subject to unpack in only a few words. Making sweeping generalizations like \u201caggressive\u201d or \u201cnot aggressive\u201d when referring to breeds of dogs is, in my opinion, counterproductive, overly judgmental, and dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, because governing bodies in cities like <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/nlr.ar.gov\/government\/a_z_department_list\/neighborhood_services\/news\/pit_bull_dogs_are_illegal_in_north_little_rock\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Little Rock, Arkansas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/se.ambafrance.org\/Importation-of-animals-into-France#:~:text=Dangerous%20dogs%20%3A%20French%20classification&amp;text=%2D%20Category%201%20%3A%20attack%20dogs%20%2D,introduce%20these%20dogs%20into%20France.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">entire country of France<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have decided to completely ban Pitbulls, it seems as though we\u2019re going to have to acknowledge some generalizations in order to get to the bottom of why Pitbulls are banned in so many places.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Before I get started potentially making enemies of you, dear readers, full disclosure: I love Pitbulls. They are what they are, and once you acknowledge the whole package, the good and the bad, you&#8217;ll come to love them all the more for their uniqueness among dog breeds.<\/p>\n<p>Since Pitbulls often get a bad wrap, let&#8217;s start by smoothing things over with something we can all agree on: any dog that saves a baby girl from a housefire can&#8217;t be all bad!<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BXRLH7BmjdY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are Pitbulls Dangerous?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pitbulls, like all dogs, are potentially \u201cdangerous.\u201d After all, grandma could trip over her Corgi and hurt herself, but that doesn\u2019t make Corgis dangerous. Or does it?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Is A Dangerous Dog?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legally, the terms \u201cdangerous\u201d and \u201cvicious\u201d dogs are often used interchangeably, but they are referring to the same classification of dogs. This is a legal classification of dogs and any breed can earn this label.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not think, though, that because it is a legal classification that it\u2019s well defined or not subjective. These laws function at the state, county, and municipal levels, so the interpretations and implementations of this label vary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, at its core, a dog is deemed \u201cdangerous\u201d when it has done something unprovoked and violent, and will no face some consequences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I know that sounds vague, but it does vary so much from place to place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.animallaw.info\/statute\/la-dangerous-louisiana-dangerous-dog-dog-bite-laws\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Louisana<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a \u201cdangerous\u201d dog is any dog that<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes any defensive action by a person,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes any injury to a person, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes any serious injury to or kills any domestic animal.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.animallaw.info\/statute\/oh-dog-chapter-955-dogs-consolidated-dog-laws#s11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ohio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a \u201cdangerous\u201d dog is any dog that<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kills another dog.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, as you can see these definitions are extremely broad, leaving a lot of room for subjective interpretation. Depending on the nature of the incident, even an otherwise sweet family dog could get itself on the dangerous dog list.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are Some Dog Breeds \u201cDangerous?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some dog breeds are considered \u201cdangerous,\u201d like in the legal definition of the word \u201cdangerous dog\u201d that I outlined above.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The legal classification \u201cdangerous dog\u201d can be applied to any breed of dog after there is an incident. Typically, the only dogs excluded from the rules are police dogs who cause injury during the line of duty or dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A term you\u2019ll encounter if you look into this yourself is \u201cBSL,\u201d which stands for breed-specific legislation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s the snappy term some folks use when referring to the laws that governing bodies have enacted to ban certain breeds of dogs. Pitbulls, like many other breeds of dog, are frequently grouped into the \u201cvicious\u201d dog category, regardless of their personality or history.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Dog Breeds Have Bans?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once more, this varies from place to place. But below is a list of the dog\u2019s breeds that are commonly deemed \u201cdangerous\u201d and thus have BSL against them:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pitbulls<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rottweilers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dobermans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chow chows<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American bulldogs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">German Shepherds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cane Corsos<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Akitas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mastiffs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Huskies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bull terriers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malamutes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rhodesian ridgebacks<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t an all-inclusive list, and not all breeds are banned everywhere. And keep in mind too that in many locations, this list is growing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately for the Pitbull though, they are typically the most often banned breed of dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where Are Pitbulls Banned?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many city and county-level regulations on Pitbulls, and not all of them are \u201cbans.\u201d Some locations simply require that you register your Pitbull while others limit you to 1 or 2 per household<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check with local authorities about the specific rules about the legality of Pitbulls if you live in or plan on bringing your Pitbull to visit one of the following U.S. states:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Washington<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oregon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Idaho<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Montana<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Dakota<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wyoming<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nebraska<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kansas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iowa<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Missouri<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arkansas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Mexico<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Louisiana<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wisconsin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Michigan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indiana<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ohio<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Virginia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kentucky<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tennessee<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mississippi<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alabama<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Georgia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Carolina<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Carolina<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maryland\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delaware\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vermont<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Puerto Rico (technically a territory but we\u2019ll count it)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pretty long list. Similarly, if you\u2019re traveling abroad, the following countries have some regulations or bans on Pitbulls:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Belgium<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brazil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Denmark<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finland<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canda (certain provinces)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Netherlands<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Zealand<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Norway<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poland<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sweden<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, these aren\u2019t necessarily locations that 100% ban Pitbulls, but you need to be aware of the laws regulating Pitties if you plan on adopting or traveling in these areas.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are Pitbulls More Dangerous Than Other Dogs?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a word: yes, Pitbulls are more dangerous than other breeds of dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I really hate to say it because I love Pitbulls and, as I said, I hate sweeping generalizations like this. But looking just at the stats, Pitbulls really <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more dangerous than other breeds of dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we dive in, this is different than the \u201cDangerous Dog\u201d legal classification that we have been discussing. That is a category; dogs cannot be <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in that category than other dogs in that category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pitbulls are \u201cmore dangerous\u201d than other dogs based on 1) the frequency of aggressive behavior shown to other dogs and 2) the severity of the encounters when aggressive behavior did occur.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a fascinating study conducted by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/233995885_Breed_differences_in_canine_aggression\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">University of Pennsylvania<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it was discovered that Pitbulls, along with Akitas and Jack Russel Terriers, were the three breeds of dogs most likely to show aggression towards other dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than 20% of the Pitbulls studied showed aggressive behavior towards other dogs. However, their aggressiveness towards strangers and their owners was found to be average to below average.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it can&#8217;t be argued that Pitbulls were not bred to bite. According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspca.org\/about-us\/aspca-policy-and-position-statements\/position-statement-pit-bulls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ASPCA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Pitbull that we know today was bred from the English bull-baiting dog, which was bred to (omg) bite and hold bulls, bears, and <a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/are-pitbulls-good-hunting-dogs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">other large animals around the face and head for hunting<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>While this breeding has resulted in a powerful bite, the <a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/how-strong-is-a-pitbulls-bite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pitbull&#8217;s bite force isn&#8217;t actually that exceptional compared to dogs of a similar size<\/a> and they&#8217;ve got <a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/what-is-a-rottweilers-bite-force\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nothing on Rottweilers in the bite force department<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of their powerful jaws and the fact that they were bred to bite and hold, Pitbull bites on people, while less common than Dachsunds and Chihuahuas, are typically far more dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So they bite people an average amount and cause an above-average amount of damage, and they bite other dogs more frequently than other breeds and again, cause an above-average amount of damage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anecdotes aside, the simple fact is that Pitbulls are statistically more dangerous than other breeds of dogs. But does that mean that they should be banned?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No! Despite the fact that BSL aims to control the populations of dangerous breeds in communities, there is no evidence that these laws improved public safety and they do nothing to address the social problem that is irresponsible dog ownership.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One location that has long-standing BSL against Pitbulls is Prince George County, Maryland.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to their own <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.marylanddogfederation.com\/uploads\/1\/6\/6\/0\/16605940\/pg_fact_sheet_cost.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Viscious Animal Task Force<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the county spends up to $500,000 annually enforcing their BSL but the percentage of dog-related incidents related to the banned breeds, including Pitbulls, did not significantly drop after enacting the ban.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s because 90% of the reported dog bites occurred in breeds that were not part of the banned group of dogs, probably because these banned breeds did not make up a high percentage of the county\u2019s dog population in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, BSL does nothing to address the social issues that cause dogs to bite. Most dogs bite because of the way they are raised. People raise dogs. Punishing the dog and leaving the person to raise another biter is not going to cause fewer bites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Happens If You Own A Pitbull Where They Are Banned?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This varies from location to location, but it\u2019s always best to be in compliance with your local laws.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some places will slap you with a fine for every day that you keep your dog. The consequences can be much more dire than having to write a check.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One family in North Little Rock, AK, who I mentioned earlier as having strict BSL, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox16.com\/news\/nlr-family-surrenders-pit-bull-mix-believed-to-be-put-down-then-found-alive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">narrowly dodged tragedy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When they were confronted by the city for owning their pitbull, Iris, they were told they either needed to 1) send Iris to a rescue organization outside of the city immediately or 2) surrender her to animal services to be spayed, tattooed, vaccinated, and \u201crehomed outside of the city.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What they did not realize when they signed over their beloved family dog was that many dogs who enter that county\u2019s \u201crehoming\u201d program often end up euthanized. Luckily that wasn\u2019t the case for poor Iris.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But still, she had to lose her home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping a banned breed of dog leaves you subject to local punishments, and it\u2019ll be your dog who has to pay the price if they are harshest.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can You Change Breed-Specific Legislation?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All laws, including BSL, can be changed if you\u2019re willing to work with your local governments to refine or eliminate them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting in 2021, Denver, Colorado has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.9news.com\/article\/news\/local\/local-politics\/steps-to-permit-pit-bulls-in-denver\/73-704c7b4f-14ff-4845-845c-98d6acef7d6e#:~:text=DENVER%20%E2%80%94%20Starting%20in%202021%2C%20it,in%20the%20city%20and%20county.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lifted their 30-year ban<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on Pitbulls. Activists rallied citizens to sign a petition that got a measure to repeal the law on their November 2020 ballots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The repeal passed with 65% of voters in favor of allowing Pitbulls and 35% voting to uphold the ban.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it may seem like a daunting task, if you are interested in getting BSL repealed in your area or supporting organizations to help change these laws there are resources available to you, like the aptly named <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.repealbsl.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repeal BSL Organization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are Pitbulls A Safe Breed?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite all of the negativity surrounding Pitbulls, I can say with assurance that Pitbulls are a safe breed if you acknowledge the reality of the animal you are dealing with and are willing to put in the work to raise a well socialized and nonviolent dog.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acknowledging that you have a powerful dog that is more prone to causing serious injuries than other breeds of dog is the first step to approaching this entire issue with clarity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many well-meaning Pitbull fans seem to think the best way to change hearts and minds is to ignore this fact and claim that all breeds are the same and Pitbulls are all just big babies. They may point to dogs that they\u2019ve known to be gentle dogs or claim that it\u2019s all about how they are raised.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To some degree, I agree with this last point. Pitbulls can be great dogs if you raise them correctly, but you will need to work harder to ensure that they are safe and well socialized than if you got a pug.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow to raise a well-socialized Pitbull\u201d is far more than I can bite off in this article. If you\u2019re looking for tips on how to raise your pitbull, want to help out a friend, or simply want to come to a better understanding of the relationships between people and dogs, I highly recommend Dr. Patricia McConnell\u2019s book, <a class=\"aawp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000SEFCD8?tag=nab07-20&amp;linkCode=ogi&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1\" title=\"The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\" data-aawp-product-id=\"B000SEFCD8\" data-aawp-product-title=\"The Other End of the Leash  Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs\">The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pitbull Bans<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a lot of information on either side of this argument. If you just look at the facts, though, you\u2019ll see that yes, Pitbulls bite people just as much as other breeds and other dogs more frequently than other breeds. And because of their powerful jaws, when they bite, they bite hard, which makes them more likely to cause injury than other dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But again, just looking at the facts, banning Pitbulls and other \u201cdangerous\u201d dog breeds is an expensive and ineffective way of improving public safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately for Pitbulls, bans, and limitations are still popular quick-fixes that governments take to attempt to address aggressive dog issues in their communities rather than taking more active steps to address the root cause of these issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nonetheless, Pitbulls can be fantastic family pets for anyone who wants a big, powerful, silly, loyal dog who just may take a bit more TLC than another breed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering why Pitbulls are banned in some places? We&#8217;ve got an in-depth explanation for this complicated and sensitive subject. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places.jpg",1000,667,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places.jpg",1000,667,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places.jpg",1000,667,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Why-Are-Pitbulls-Banned-In-Some-Places.jpg",1000,667,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable":"<p>Wondering why Pitbulls are banned in some places? We&#8217;ve got an in-depth explanation for this complicated and sensitive subject. <\/p>\n","category_list":"<a href=\"https:\/\/notabully.org\/category\/pitbull\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Pitbull<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Justin S.","url":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/author\/justin\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1092"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6212,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions\/6212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notabully.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}