UK Breed Ban One Step Closer to being repealed

In 1991, the United Kingdom passed a ban on 4 breeds of dogs: American Pit Bull Terriers, Fila Brasilerio, Dogo Argentino and Japanese Tosas under its Dangerous Dogs Act.

However, the law has been failing -- costing them millions of dollars to enforce and seen the number of major dog bites rise throughout the UK.

About 18 months ago, Scotland passed a bill to repeal its Breed Ban.  Now, it looks like the rest of the UK is ready to follow suit. 

Yesterday, a new law that would repeal the ban on these four breeds of dogs passed the final stage through the House of Lords.

This sounds positive, but what's next?

The bill now goes to the House of Commons -- where it will also have 3 readings -- and if it passes the House of Commons, it will, essentially repeal the law.  This handy little chart will help explain this.

Now, here is the important distinction. Most bills in the UK start in the House of Commons and then progress to the House of Lords (where bills are more likely to be killed). The House of Commons' (the parliament) members are voted in, where as the Lords are not. So unless there was strong constituency to oppose the bill, it would seem unlikely that the Commons would override the desire of the Lords (although it could happen). So this DEFINITELY speaks well of the progress of the bill.

This is a great  step, and a good sign of another failed law that is moving toward repeal. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Editor's Note:  Thanks to Ryan O'Meara of K9 Magazine for the help on my now limited understanding of British Law, since there was no convenient School House Rock Video to help me out, like the US version. Ryan has been a very vocal supporter of the BSL repeal. 

Comments

[Tegan]

We can only hope that an appeal goes through!

I find it interesting that the UK have targeted similar breeds to Australia. I hope that we may see an appeal, too, but I am not optimistic considering new laws have recently been passed in Victoria (a state) making dogs that simply appear to be a pit bull at risk. Very concerning, and we are yet to see the full repercussions of this.

[Okuhou]

If this bill goes through before they get the chance to kill Lennox I wonder if it'll mean he will be set free?

[kmk]

Is Lennox in Northern Ireland or Ireland? I can't remember.

[Karen F]

Belfast, Northern Ireland.

[Moving to New Zealand]

nice blog...

[Insurance Broker Wellington]

I hope that we may see an appeal, too, but I am not optimistic considering new laws have recently been passed in Victoria (a state) making dogs that simply appear to be a pit bull at risk.

[Dianne R.]

Interesting. I was watching an episode of Law & Order: UK. The copper was invoking the Dangerous Dog Act to try to get some information from a chap who had a Staffie type dog, threatening to fine him and put him in jail if he didn't come up with the information he was looking for. Definitely racism by proxy.

[Donna]

thanks for this, Brent.

[rspca victim]

the ban will remain,with a few tweaks to it! the banned breeds will remain banned.those making the laws aint interested in hearing the pro-pitbull types.

[Bandit Queen]

We need to protect people from individual dangerous dogs, not destroy an entire breed. If this were human beings and it was a member of one race or one area, age group, sex, etc; you would not kill everyone in that group, so why do so with animals. Many of these so called dangerous animals are not dangerous at all, but because they cannot be re-housed when rescued from the terrible conditions that they were kept in, they have been as their breed is a target breed. The number of attacks has risen because owners are not being checked out, animals are kept in poor conditions, animals are being exposed to violence, owners do not train or socialize their so called pets, children are allowed to be alone with large dogs without a parent present to ensure they act correctly with the animal, and animals are released by shelters and breeders to owners without them being checked out more. The main problem is stupid owners, not dangerous dogs! It is tragic when a child is exposed to an animal and is savaged or killed, but most attacks can be prevented with the right training, education, socialisation, common sense and people finding out more about the breed that they have as a 'family pet' before taking the animal on in the first place. Follow ups to make sure that owners are taking care of the dogs and teaching children how to act around them, and the animal is not being miss treated should be made. Again, sad as it is when a child is hurt by an animal, that does not mean the entire breed is to blame; and most dogs are not dangerous.

[Flex petz]

I am amazed that a country could discriminate against one particular type of breed merely because of a few isolated incidents. We own a pet rental service and Pitt bulls as therapy dogs for elderly people, I have also owned a pitt bull who grew up with both my infants and have never had an incident.

[Mia]

Any news on this? Enquiring from Montreal... I keep hearing the UK is repealing it but am not finding that information.

[Brent]

Unfortunately Mia - the attempt to repeal stalled in the UK. I'm so sorry for all you all are going through in Montreal.