I’ve been reading about Texas’ new Lillian Law, which allows prosecutors to push for the steepest penalties in the nation against owners of dogs that bite and severely injury or kill someone.
The law was named after Lillian Stiles, a 76 year old woman that was killed by a pack of mixed breed dogs. The owner was found not guilty because it could not be proven that these dogs had previously attacked anyone before. This is referred to as the “free bite” defense.
While many cities, states and countries have pushed for breed specific restrictions which attempt to ban dogs belonging to breeds that are thought to be dangerous, it seems that the Texas legislature is heading in the right direction. You cannot put the blame on the breed. The best defense against breed specific legislation is to put the blame on the owner. If your dog bites, you should be held accountable.
I’m not sure if this law goes far enough (or too far), I’m not a lawyer or politician. But it is time for Breed Advocates and Victim Advocates to get on the same page and work together to fight against irresponsible and dangerous owners.
It’s these people that are giving bad names to some of the most loving and loyal dogs. Pushing for stronger legislation against these owners seems like the best way to save the breeds. I’d really like to hear everyone’s opinion.
To read more see: New law on vicious dogs gives officers tools to pursue owners
Robbie
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I agree that the responsibility lies with the dog owner.
Breed specific legislation is a generalized, its nobody’s fault, lets not have the dog around approach. This fits in well with the “we are all victims” crowd. What it does not do is differentiate between good judgement (a loving family pet) and bad judgment (a pack of poorly cared for dogs kept for the sake of “tough image).
What can we do? Watch your States’ legislative agendas. Stay abreast of changes animals rights activists are lobbying for. Keep your Representatives’ and Senators’ email addresses handy.
Breed specific legislation is purely “feel good” reaction intended to pacify the noise at the steps to the Capitol. It ends good “bully breed” relationships and does nothing to prevent stray and feral populations, unless you are a small town in place far from civilization.
IMHO
for example, here is a link to a “California Healthy Pets Act” making its way through the California Assembly. In a nutshell, unlawful to possess an intact dog or cat over six months in age without a permit.
Link to California Assembly Bill 1634
Mandatory spay neuter bills are being pushed into legislation by the animal activists. Be not decieved, their goal is to eliminate all animal ownership by humans.
First they made everyone believe that getting a rescue dog was more noble than getting one from a breeder. We are “saving” the poor unwanted dogs. Even the breeders got behind this idea.
Next it was a short step to the “breeders are evil” concept. Mandatory Spay Neuter attacks the breeder directly. It will make it impossible for the dedicated hobby breeder to continue to have and breed animals. This will leave breeding to large agribusiness breeders & over the border smuggled animals.
By legislating the breeder’s rights over their animals they will accomplish the first stage of eliminating the source of companion animals. Each right that is eliminated brings them closer to their goal and closer to interfering with your right to have and enjoy a companion animal.
Mandatory Spay Neuter in California wanted to make it law that you could only breed your dog/bitch one time, all the pups had to be given away for free, and then the parents had to be immediately spayed/neutered. For this privilege the breeder would have to pay $500 per year per animal to keep them intact. In this bill, the dog catcher had the power to enter your home and seize your animals without your consent and spay/neuter them. Begin to sound like Natzi germany yet? If an animal was to get loose and picked up by animal control it was to be spayed neutered with no recourse in order to get it back again. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
The animal activists show us emotion charged photos of sick and helpless animals and we send them millions. They take this money and put dogs to death at alarming rates while using the money to fund their animal activist activities. We have created the monster that is trying to destroy us. Never donate to an animal organization unless it is your local rescue group that you know is saving animals in your community.
Fight this kind of legislation tooth and nail. They are coming for the breeders now but tomorrow they will be here for you and your companions. If one group falls it brings them one step closer to their goal.
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