Banning specific dog breeds is a bad idea. It is difficult to enforce, inherently unfair, and doesn’t solve the problem of dog bites.
It’s hard to enforce because it’s difficult or to prove a particular dog is a specific breed. How many people here know the difference between a Pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier? What about pit bull crosses? 50% pit bull? 10% pit bull? What happens when the animal control officer says your Bull Terrier is a pit bull, confiscates and kills him?
It’s unfair because it punishes responsible owners of pit bulls, while not addressing irresponsible owners of other breeds.
It’s ineffective because if a specific breed is banned, these irresponsible owners will switch to a different breed, like rottweilers. Of course you could ban rottweilers …and they switch to some other breed, etc. There have been over 25 breeds involved in dog bite fatalities.
Much better are non-breed-specific, dangerous-dog laws with an emphasis on chronically irresponsible owners. Also consistent enforcement of animal control ordinances such as leash laws and fencing requirements, prohibition of dog fighting, and neutering.
The focus should be on reducing dangerous behavior of dogs and dog owners, regardless of the dog's breed, instead of on banning specific breeds.
