Breed Ban in Ireland
Working with dogs is a privilege. They're not just animals; they're sentient, smart, and wonderful beings.
There are weeks where it's incredibly tough but it’s not the long hours, it's not the emotional cases, it's not the risk of being injured at work nor is it the frustration convincing others that “behavioural” is not a diagnosis and that dogs are not just psychopaths in a fur coat. I was disappointed to learn that the government has decided to implement a breed ban.
- Behaviour is influenced by training, environment, and individual temperament rather than by breed. Banning specific breeds does not address the underlying issues of bad breeding practices, irresponsible ownership, lack of training, or improper socialisation.
- Breed identification based on appearance can be inaccurate, leading to the unjust targeting of mixed-breed dogs that resemble banned breeds.
- Breed bans unfairly penalise responsible owners who have well-trained, well-behaved dogs of the targeted breeds.
- Breed bans reinforce negative stereotypes about certain breeds, often based on misconceptions and media sensationalism rather than scientific evidence.
- Forcing the removal or euthanasia of dogs based solely on breed raises significant ethical concerns for veterinary teams who prioritise the well-being of all dogs.
- Breed bans can limit the ability of behaviourists, groomers, walkers and trainers to work with all breeds, preventing them from helping dogs and owners who might benefit from their services due to insufficient insurance available.
- Research shows that breed bans are ineffective in reducing dog bites or improving public safety.
- Breed bans lead to the euthanasia of healthy, well-behaved dogs simply because of their breed, which is deeply upsetting for those who work to save and rehabilitate dogs.
- Breed bans are incredibly expensive to even attempt to put in place and impossible to enforce successfully.
The Netherlands is a notable example of a country that revoked a breed ban. In 2008, the Dutch government repealed a 15-year ban on pit bulls. The decision to revoke the ban came after studies concluded that the legislation was ineffective in improving public safety. The evidence showed that breed-specific legislation did not reduce the incidence of dog bites or attacks, leading to the realisation that such bans were not the solution to managing dangerous dog behaviour.
Similarly, Italy had a comprehensive list of 92 banned dog breeds until 2007. However, this legislation was revised, and the list was significantly reduced to 17 breeds considered dangerous. In 2009, Italy further changed its approach by revoking the dangerous dog legislation and introducing new laws that focus on owner responsibility rather than breed-specific restrictions. This shift emphasises the importance of proper training and management of dogs by their owners.
The UK has been unsuccessful in implementing a breed ban on pit bulls since 1991. It has not been an effective measure to reduce bite statistics.
So if all that is true then why despite being an educated country are Ireland implementing a breed ban. We are ignoring all research on this topic and failing in animal welfare.