“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Mahatma Gandhi
Our hearts go out to the family of Lennox, a family dog who was executed today by the Belfast City Council under the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. This law discriminates against "any dog of the type known as the pit bull terrier," a determination that is made by the court based on the dog's physical characteristics, not his behavior or, more important, the owner's behavior.
Wherever breed discriminatory legislation (BDL) has been tried -- abroad and in the US -- it has consistently failed to enhance public safety and protect the public from reckless owners. This paper from the National Canine Research Council outlines the worldwide failures of BDL: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/tinymce/World-wide%20Failure%20of%20BSL.pdf
BDL not only fails to meet its objective of public safety, it also wastes precious taxpayer dollars and resources that could otherwise be used to build better communities for people and pets alike. Imagine what could have been accomplished in the two years Belfast spent targeting Lennox? Imagine the improvements that could have been made to the Belfast community, had its leaders invested in effective dog laws instead of being guided by fear?
We hope everyone who advocated for Lennox will continue their efforts for dogs here in the US. Every day places like Denver, Miami-Dade County, Prince George's County (Maryland), and small towns across the country execute family pets like Lennox just because of the way they look. Every day US taxpayer dollars are wasted, US families are torn apart, and US communities fail to thrive because of needless hysteria and ineffective legislation. Every day there is a need -- and an opportunity -- to "Save Lennox."
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