New
Zealand BSL alert
BREED
SPECIFIC LEGISLATION is being called for by politicians in
New Zealand following a spate of dog attacks in the past two
weeks. The situation almost exactly mirrors the prevailing
mood at the time when the Dangerous Dogs Act was enacted in
the UK in 1991.
Over the past two weeks New Zealanders have been subjected
to daily accounts, reports and articles via newspapers, radio
and television about the dangerous dogs situation here.
On Sunday, 3rd February the Sunday Star Times newspaper ran
a one and a half page feature on dangerous dogs. It coincided
with the shocking news of a horrendous dog attack on 7year-old
Carolina Anderson while playing in a public park two days
earlier. The dog was eventually wrongfully named as an American
Staffordshire Terrier.
Carolina will require surgery on her face for years to come
and the attack was roundly condemned by all responsible dog
owners.
However, the Sunday Star Times feature was ready to go to
press prior to the attack. In that article the reporter referred
to the ‘dangerous breeds’ being the so-called ‘fighting
breeds’. There was an illustration of three ‘breeds’
of dogs with a short description about them under each photo.
One was of two Pit Bulls, one was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier
and the other was a Bull Terrier. The heading above the picture
was 'THE BREEDS'. There were short descriptions underneath
each photo.
But of great concern to Staffordshire Bull Terrier owners
in New Zealand was the inclusion of the Staffordshire Bull
Terrier in the first place, particularly as there have been
no factual incidents of Staffordshire Bull Terriers biting
anyone.
As was the situation in the UK in 1991, the resulting media
outcry increased to a level of hysteria. The father of the
little girl who had been attacked had a meeting with Prime
Minister Helen Clarke and showed her photos of Carolina's
face straight after the attack. The Prime Minister commented
on TV News after the meeting that "The photos were horrific".
She promised to bring in tighter Dog Control legislation,
mentioning the banning of certain dangerous breeds as one
option and muzzling all dogs when in public. The Prime Minister
has promised to put through legislation quickly. She has called
for all Territorial Authorities (local government authorities)
to put forward submissions by Wednesday 19th February with
regard to the existing Dog Control Act 1996 and its effectiveness.
In the meantime the offending dog's destruction was ordered
and the owners now await sentencing. At this point positive
identification of the dog was made and it was a crossbreed.
It was neither an American Staffordshire Terrier nor, crucially
a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Two weeks later, another child was badly bitten requiring
200 stitches to his face. Angel Daniels was riding his bike
in the backyard when visiting his Aunt. The Aunt's dog was
on a short chain in the backyard. Angel apparently ran into
the dog. The newspapers reported the dog to be a Staffordshire
Terrier. The Manukau City Council Dog control has since identified
the dog as a crossbreed. However, the New Zealand media and
politicians appear extremely reluctant to acknowledge these
facts and appear hell bent on demonising the Staffordshire
Bull terrier as a ‘dangerous breed’.
Marion Harding of the New Zealand Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Club told OUR DOGS that the situation was "a total nightmare".
However, there was a glimmer of hope thanks to the efforts
of the worldwide anti-BSL lobby.
"We have had the most wonderful person drop out of the
sky here by the name of David Hartley," said Marion.
"David offered his services to co-ordinate our efforts
for a united response. A submission on behalf of the two New
Zealand Staffordshire Bull Terrier clubs and breeders and
owners has been sent to the appropriate MPs. David has met
with the Auckland City Council, taking our submission to them
and our concerns. Words cannot say how much David is valued
by us all.
"Those of us who wrote letters for that submission have
taken copies of it to our own district Territorial Authorities,
or at least I hope we all have. We have all done much more
besides, each of us in our own way where ever and when ever
we have been able.
"We have been working very closely with and through David
Levy, our UK Liaison Officer.
David has pulled out all stops to supply us with relevant
material and contacts and has been a tower of strength. Without
you behind us David our task would have been so much slower
and less effective. You have kept me, at least, on track.
Dave Levy. SBT Liaison Officer for the Kennel Club commented:
"The anger of the families of those injured in these
attacks is quite understandable and the vast majority of dog
owners will feel deeply for the injured children but it is
surely the job of the politicians to provide a genuine response
based on the evidence and not merely to pander to the excesses
of the media.
"The usual breeds are under threat immediately in New
Zealand including Pitbulls, American Staffordshire Terriers,
Tosas, Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers,
Dobes, Akitas and many others which appear indiscriminately
in various news articles. Owners have already begun to respond
and a 50-page submission has been prepared by Stafford owners
and presented to the Auckland Council representatives. The
document included letters from the UK from the British Veterinary
Association, Kennel Club and National Canine Defence League
as well as local veterinary and animal welfare organisations.
"Now we urgently need to demonstrate the views of people
around the World to this kind of mindless response to dog
attacks that leave the general public at risk because of the
false basis on which the laws are targeted and leave perfectly
law-abiding citizens marginalized by their own government
and their own neighbours.
"We do not want to attack the New Zealand authorities;
we need to educate them with information about our dogs and
the real value that they bring to our lives. We need to explain
that it is bad owners and bad breeders who cause dog attacks
and we need to support our colleagues in New Zealand at this
very difficult time. Please write to the New Zealand campaign
co-ordinators and support a campaign to protect our dogs.
The New Zealand campaigners will use the information we provide
to demonstrate the level of support Worldwide."
Phil Buckley of the Kennel Club expressed the KC’s concern
at the escalating calls for BSL in New Zealand, commenting:
"The Kennel Club, other organisations and dog lovers
throughout the world are becoming increasingly concerned at
the increase in breed specific legislation.
The Kennel Club has now travelled to the European Parliament
twice to give presentations to the European Parliamentary
Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, as
incidents involving so called ‘dangerous’ dogs in
several EU Member States have sparked severe reactions and
have led some Member States to call for a community initiative
to address this problem. In our opinion, this is not the solution.
"What is clear to us is the fact that Breed Specific
Legislation promotes a false and dangerous perception that
breeds not included will not show aggression. Any dog of any
breed, type or mixed breeding can show aggression. Breed Specific
Legislation does not discriminate between individual dogs
of a breed, many of which would not be predisposed to aggressive
behaviour.
Any new legislation must be a response to evidence as opposed
to hysteria. A war against specific breeds is badly directed
and protects no one. No one wants to see the public unprotected
and savage dogs should be humanely destroyed, but a dog must
not be condemned just for how it looks.
"We would urge the New Zealand Government to postpone
the adoption of Breed Specific Legislation until scientific
evidence is made available that conclusively proves that one
breed is more likely to bite than another. You may be aware
that shortly after the German authorities adopted their draconian
anti-dog laws in 2001, they were asked by the European Commission
to provide scientific evidence to support this legislation.
To date no response has been forthcoming. "
*If you wish to offer your support to the New Zealand anti-BSL
campaigners, please e-mail David Hartley at: nzstafford@ihug.co.nz
or david.hartley@sheffield.co.nz
