A new bill is being proposed that would put strict regulations on, and in some cases ban altogether, certain breeds of dogs within participating cities and counties within Florida.

The bill, which has come about as a result of increased public fear of breeds such as pit bulls, would give cities the authority to ban dogs deemed to be dangerous –pit bulls in particular– from public areas.

Critics of the proposed legislation say such regulations would be difficult to enforce, and put the blame on dogs and not on irresponsible owners. They contend that any breed of dog can attack and cause injury.The bill has met with large amounts of opposition and currently has little chance of becoming law.

An online petition with more than 1,000 signatures to stop the bill is circulating. Proponents of the bill point out that breeds such as pit bulls have a much stronger, deadlier bite that can cause deadly injuries.

Source: Tallahassee Bureau

K9 Commentary:

This isn’t the find time a bill like this has been introduced in the United States, and it won’t be the last. I understand that the aim of such bills is to protect the public, but it’s not the answer to putting a stop to dog attacks on humans. Law or no law, people will still own pit bulls and other breeds considered to be dangerous and attacks will still happen.

Harsher punishment on owners of dogs who attack would be a better solution. Hopefully highly publicized cases of animal abuse, such as the Michael Vick case, will discourage more owners from teaching dogs to attack.