URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED - DUBLIN DOG BAN

I have just read the article in Saturdays Irish Times on Dublin City councils decision to ban certain breeds of dogs from council properties. This decision causes me great concern for a number of reasons. How did the Council reach the decision about dangerous breeds? What criteria were applied and who advised them on this decision? Did the Council consult with any of the animal welfare organisations that are now going to have deal with a huge increase in abandoned and unwanted dogs as a result of this decision? Were they consulted as to the wisdom or otherwise of such a decision. How many other options were explored before this decision was reached?

I find it quite upsetting as for one it is irresponsible people that have led to the ban of these dogs, I work as one of Jan Fennell's dog listeners  where we do our best to educate people as to why (all breeds) of dogs display certain behaviour. To put certain dogs on a dangerous dog list just does not make sense, that's like saying all the Irish drink and all the English are footy hooligans, and all French were berets and all Russians drink vodka. No two dogs are the same they have their own personalities and the outcome on the dog view to life depends entirely on how the human educates the dog for life.

I am glad to say that I have indeed helped clients to manage their aggressive dogs, none of which are on the dangerous dog list, and I have dealt with dogs on the list too, It would make far more sense if owners were to do a dog owning course, after all if you buy a car you cant just go out on the road and drive you need to pass a test. Surely the council could have explored the option of ANY dog owner applying for a license for their dog should have to prove that they have had advice and training for themselves and their dog. The Council, before reaching their decision, should have sought the advice of people who deal with animal welfare on a daily basis. Such organisations are by and large lobbying for responsible legislation that states that it should be dealt with by ¡deed not breed¢. Any dog can have the capacity to be aggressive depending on how it has been treated by human beings. Such legislation would also allow for degrees of offences and remedies required by the owners as opposed to wholesale destruction of dogs by virtue of the fact that they have a specific breed name.

Such draconian actions and legislation that supports such actions has proven in other areas to be a resounding failure. This decision will result in a number of things:

Distraught families and children who have to hand over beloved family pets either for re-homing or destruction with no responsible assessment of the individual dog and its owners.
Irresponsible owners, particularly those who use their dogs for fighting and who breed dogs for the same purpose will most certainly not hand their dogs over and will instead put them into hiding and carry on with their cruel practices even further from the public eye.
Amnesties will be offered by councils to those owners to hand their dogs over and this will fail also.
Many dogs will now be abandoned or thrown on to the streets for animal welfare organisations to pick up and take responsibility for. These organisations are generally under resourced anyway and this will result in the needless cull of many dogs.

The whole area of fighting dogs is a very lucrative one and it will now be driven further underground and people will make even more money out of this cruelty to animals.
In short the Council has been very irresponsible and rash in taking this decision with very little thought for the consequences. The focus should be on the behaviour of the owners and not the dogs and this issue can be addressed with responsible ownership not destruction.

The breeds are: English Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, German Shepherd (Alsatian), Doberman, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Japanese Akita, Bull Mastiff, Japanese Tosa and Bandog. Cross-breeds of these dogs or crosses of these dogs with any other breed are also banned.

PLEASE FOLLOW LINK TO SIGN OUR PETITION TO STOP

SUCH AN IGNORANT AND IRRESPONSIBLE BAN......

 ►http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dublincitycouncildogban/index.html

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