Missouri State Senator Jolie Justus has introduced legislation that would make breed discrimination illegal in Missouri. Yes, Missouri where pit bull type dogs are banned or strictly regulated in a number of cities and towns.

S.B. 886 is simple and while counties and cities could regulate dangerous dogs, they could not ban or single out a particular breed. 

The bill is pending in the Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government Committee. Click here to find and contact members of this commitee and urge them to vote yes on H.B. 886. See below for Talking Points.

If you live in  Missouri, click here to find your Missouri legislators. Write or call and urge them to support this bill.

Click here for a copy of the bill.

Talking Points in opposing BSL: Dogs don't bite because of their breed and communities are not safer unless responsible leaders address the real reasons dogs bite which in addition to the problem of dog fighting, include:

• failure to spay/neuter (over 90% of fatal dog attacks are by dogs that have not been spayed/neutered; there is not a single case of a fatal dog attack by a spayed/neutered pit bull type dog (National Canine Research Council); and research cited in a 2000 Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association  study indicated unsterilized dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite.)
• tethering or chaining dogs (also a popular technique by dog fighters to make the dogs more aggressive; the CDC has found tethered or chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite and see Why You Should Take Action to Get Dogs Off Chains) 
• failure to enforce leash laws (82% of dog bites occur as a result of dogs that are running loose (JAVMA, September 15, 2000))
• cruelty (well over half (61%) of fatal dog attacks are by dogs who were not humanely controlled, or who had in some way been abused or neglected (Delise, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics))
• failure to train, socialize and make dogs part of the family (81% of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks were isolated and not part of the family (Delise, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics))