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American Kennel Club Highlights Concerns Over Breed-Specific Legislation in Wake of Westminster Win

The American Kennel Club (AKC) congratulates "Rufus," the Colored Bull Terrier, for taking home the coveted Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show trophy and is confident that this win will help bring attention to the issue of breed-specific legislation (BSL) which aims to place unfair restrictions -- or ban outright -- dogs like Rufus.

The Bull Terrier, along with the American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are breeds that are often incorrectly lumped together and characterized as "pit bulls" under breed-specific laws. BSL aims to restrict or completely ban certain breeds, regardless of whether the dog is well-mannered and has a highly responsible owner.

"Rufus' win will help us communicate to all dog owners about the ever-increasing threat of breed specific legislation," says AKC's Vice President of Communications Noreen Baxter. "Unfortunately when there is a dog-related incident in a community, many legislators think this is the answer. What they don't realize is that BSL unfairly punishes responsible dog owners, is difficult to enforce and targets people who are not likely to obey the law in the first place or who will simply switch to a new breed."

Five-year old Rufus, a seasoned show dog, travels the country and has taken home many other top honors, including winning the Terrier group at the recent AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Tampa, Fla. But regardless of how many ribbons he wins, this dog and his owner, Barbara Bishop of Holmdel, N.J., are restricted as to where they can travel or possibly live due to breed-specific or breed-type bans. Bishop reports that Rufus is a fun-loving pet who regularly plays with her grandchildren.

Dozens of municipalities around the U.S. have either enacted or are trying to enact BSL despite the fact that the AKC, and many other organizations with extensive understanding of the issue, are opposed to these laws. The AKC suggests other solutions such as strongly enforced animal control laws, clear and effective guidelines on dealing with dangerous dogs and severe penalties for those who do not comply. Enforceable, non- discriminatory measures such as this will do far more to protect animals and communities than BSL, the group says.

"We know it is imperative for communities to be safe but believe that a dog should be judged on its deed, not its breed. We want to see more well-enforced animal care and control laws that put responsibility for a dog's behavior at the right end of the leash -- with the owner," continued Baxter. "Rufus is a perfect example of why breed-stereotyping is ineffective and it's unreasonable not to welcome this well-mannered canine in any community across the country."

To learn more about whether breed specific legislation is being proposed in your area visit http://www.akc.org/news/sections/legislative_alerts.cfm

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