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Norway
extends BSL
NORWAY
IS planning to extend its Breed Specific laws by banning a further
three breeds of dog, following intense media agitation after
a number of attacks on people attributed to ‘bull terrier’
breeds.
The Norwegian Ministry of Justice is considering a ban on The
American Staffordshire terrier, The Staffordshire Bull terrier
and the Bull Terrier.
Norway introduced BSL in the mid 1990s, based on the UK’s
own flawed Dangerous Dogs Act, even going as far as banning
the four breeds named in the DDA, named the American Pit Bull
Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Fila Brasileiro and the Dogo
Agentino.
This time around, the Norwegian Government is studying Germany’s
draconian ‘Fighting Dogs’ laws, conveniently ignoring
the fact that these have been shown to be unconstitutional,
as well as deeply unfair and unjust. The Norwegians are considering
an additional ban on any kind of Wolf Hybrid, which is said
to include Irish Wolfhounds, Sarloos Wolfhond and the Czechoslovakian
Wolfhound, although this may be a simple case of politicians
failing to understand that the word ‘wolf’ in the
breed’s name has nothing to do with the breed’s ancestry.
Although no other breeds are listed in the extended BSL, the
Ministry intends to frame the law in such a way to make it possible
to ban any new breed ‘comparable to fighting dogs’
according to its physical attributes, in much the same way as
the German laws encompass many breeds purely on the basis of
size.
The Norwegian Kennel Club is opposing the new legislation, saying
that the Government should concentrate on punishing irresponsible
dog owners whose digs cause a nuisance, rather than the wholesale
banning of a breed. The term ‘Punish the Deed, Not the
Breed’ is being conveyed strongly to the Norwegian Ministry
of Justice from anti-BSL campaigners across the world
Poul Poulsen, of the European Legislation Department of the
Washington Animal Foundation, which is fighting BSL in the USA
and Europe, urged dog owners to register their protests with
the Norwegian Government, as well as Inge Lorange Backer at
the Norwegian law department. "They must be made to see
that BSL does not work," said Poulson.
Phil Buckley of the Kennel Club told OUR DOGS: "The Kennel
Club is very dismayed to learn that Norway may now be following
Germany's lead and example by attempting to proscribe against
both the Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and it
would appear that Norway are simply looking to copy Germany
and are using the same arguments to do so.
"It continues to astound us that, without any scientific
evidence or statistics, overseas Governments, time and time
again, take it upon themselves to come to the conclusion that
Staffords and Bull Terriers are inherently aggressive to humans,
when we are well aware that this is simply not the case. In
any event, there is scientific evidence that proves conclusively
that Breed Specific Legislation is not the answer and does not
work, so we would reiterate the Domino campaign message of 'Punish
The Deed Not The Breed'!
"We have written to the Norwegian Kennel Club offering
our assistance as we are led to believe that they will be protesting
against this draconian anti-dog legislation, and both myself
and Caroline Kisko, KC Secretary, are travelling to the European
Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday the 1st October for the European
Pet Night to discuss various EU canine issues, so we'll take
the opportunity to discuss this matter further with the MEPs.
Whilst Norway is not part of the EU, it may still be the case
that pressure can be brought to bear. On our return from Brussels,
the Kennel Club and other concerned dog lovers, under the banner
of the Domino campaign - www.dominodogs.org - will be looking
at ways to assist Norwegian dog lovers and request help from
UK dog owners to bring pressure to bear."
To register your protest against the proposed Norwegian BSL,
please fill out the comments form at: http://odin.dep.no/jd/engelsk/dep/spm/e-post_statsraad_a/index-b-n-a.jsp
E-mail Inge Lorange Backer at the Law Department: mailto:inge-lorange.backer@jd.dep.no
- or contact the Norwegian Ambassador, Mr Tarald O Brautaset
at: The Norwegian Embassy, 25 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QD,
tel: 020-7591 5500.
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