Please take a minute to help all those dogs that are or could become victims of BSL.

Here is the link to DDA Watch and the email address, postal address and a template to let the Prime Minister know the Dangerous Dogs Act is failing so many innocent dogs.

http://dangerousdogsact.blogspot.com...-campaign.html

Hey, what's bsl?

Breed Specific Legislation. Basically condemning a dog because of his looks rather than his actual temperament. A dog that is deemed to be 'type', a wholly ambiguous title, can be seized, impounded and possibly destroyed whether he has shown any form of aggression or not. Many innocent dogs are currently being held in kennels, some in solitary confinement, across the country. There is photographic evidence of neglect and abuse that has taken place to some of these dogs during their time in kennels.

That's awful, thanks for letting me know.

If they "look" like a so-called Pit Bull, they get impounded. Seized. Dogs are taken from people's front doors or on the street.... just like that!

Nothing the owners can do will change that regardless of any proof they might have to the contrary. DNA tests are not accepted. Paperwork, pedigrees etc are not accepted. If the dog fits the bill according to the police 'experts' even if it has never so much as harmed a fly, then it's up to the owners to go through the courts, which isn't cheap, and reclaim it. Many are put down because the owners cannot afford the legal representation and the court fees involved.

Just imagine how you'd feel if one of your boys was impounded for not looking 'right'... and you were just an ordinary pet owner with not a lot of disposable income (if any).

There but for the grace of God go many of us, if suddenly our pets are deemed 'dangerous'.

Its time the laws were changed. This legislation was rushed through because of a few tragic incidents. Something as important as this should have been thought through better. For every one agressive pit, staffie, rottie etc, there are thousands with completley safe temperements and they shouldnt all be judged by their breed. I hope the DDA is soon changed and all this poor innocent dogs that have never done a thing wrong are released to join their families again.

BSL is the flawed notion that we can protect ourselves by labeling certain breeds as 'dangerous' while ignoring the role played by the owner/handler in safe dog ownership.

BSL is this.


DDAWatch is holding a 'Not Guilty!' vigil for all the victims of BSL in Richmond Terrace, London, SW2 at 4 -7pm on Sat 24th July. All are welcome to attend.

At 5pm two DDAWatch representatives will be personally delivering letters calling for repeal of BSL to 10, Downing Street.

We still need letters!

Please take a moment to add your name and address to the letter template in the link below and return it to DDAWatch by email before the 23rd July!


http://dangerousdogsact.blogspot.com...-campaign.html

When you look at the figures and actually more deaths occur through other means, this whole thing is so unfair and prejudiced. It absolutely breaks my heart to see the treatment of the dogs that are siezed and the media hatred towards breeds that are actually the most loyal dogs on the planet.

Come on people! More emails need to be sent!!!!

http://petbookpublications.com/2010/...-the-underdog/

Just a few days left to send in letters (Email only now, please. No snail mail).

Please write.

There's a lot of discussion about repeal currently going on at government level so, please, give this event a big push.

ETA

Can't post the link so I've copied the interview over.

*Celebrities stand up for the underdogs.Charlotte Dutton former model, World Cup Snowboarder and now fashion designer knows all about challenges and 2010 sees her take on a new challenge as she speaks up for the Underdog and demands that owners and not dogs should be targeted under “dangerous dogs” legislation.

Charlotte, owner of rescue Staffordshire Bull Terrier Meatball, says ”The law right now is ridiculous and must be changed, all dogs have the potential to be dangerous but also all dogs have a much greater potential to change and fulfil the lives of their owners. Punishing people’s pets that have done nothing wrong on the basis of their appearance is terrible; they are family members who are loved. The truth is dogs bring more joy to people than they bring harm – but that doesn’t make headlines”

The current legislation has come under fire again recently with major organisations demanding the legislation is scrapped and a new bill proceeding through Parliament that removes the emphasis off the type of dog and places it firmly on the owners. The Metropolitan police expect to spend a staggering £10,000,000 of taxpayer’s money on enforcement of the current failed legislation over the next four years with the vast majority of dogs held having never shown any sign of aggression.

Meanwhile dogs can be held for years in almost solitary confinement while cases drag on. Welfare of seized dogs has also caused uproar as more than one hundred dogs have died of illness or unknown reason while in the care of the authorities, while others have been returned cut, bleeding and emaciated.

And Charlotte isn’t all talk and no action. On 24th July Charlotte and Meatball will be joining Anti B.S.L group DDAWatch and members of the public at a Vigil entitled ‘Not Guilty!’ in Richmond Terrace, London. DDAWatch members hope the event will send a strong message to the Government that the current legislation is flawed and must be replaced.

One attendee, Sarah Anderson said “I watched my dogs as they died because I believed I had no choice. They had never hurt anyone and I would never have put them in a position that they felt they would have to. The Vigil will be a time for me to remember my girls and I hope that with Charlottes help, the Government will heed our call and stop punishing the Breed rather than the Deed.”

Charlotte believes now is the time to speak up and protect friendly pet dogs whose only crime is in their appearance.

At 5pm during the vigil Charlotte will accompany representatives of DDAWatch to Downing Street where they will hand in letters from members of the public requesting a repeal of section one of the Dangerous Dogs Act. They will also hand over a scroll in memory of some canine victims of BSL.*