Which Dogs Bite?

[The Straight Story]

114. Hundreds of Dogs Seized and Put Down in the UK

Last year, 800 pit bulls in the UK were taken from their owners by police and put down. In accordance with the Dangerous Dog Act passed by Parliament in 1991, law enforcement officers are obligated to seize and destroy dogs belonging to “fighting dog” breeds such as pit bulls.

“The capability to cause injury is far greater (among pit bulls) than any other domestic dog that I know of,” Peter Tallack, a retired dangerous dogs officer told BBC. The Law was passed in 1991 after several incidents in which pit bulls attacked people. However, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, which cares for of around 10,600 dogs and cats annually, estimates that 92% of the dogs they are forced to hand over for euthanasia would have made good pets.

A dog only needs to be part pit bull to qualify for euthanasia. One family’s rescued mutt, Spud, was seized by police on the grounds that Spud was part pit bull. ”They brought the papers round with them and said that Spud had been typed as a pit bull and that was an illegal dog in this country and we could sign the papers and have him put to sleep,” Beverly Dyer, Spud’s owner told BBC. Dyer took her case to court and, with the assistance of dog behaviorist, Roger Mugford, won Spud’s release.

http://www.bonfireimpact.com/2013/03/03/hundreds-of-dogs-seized-and-put-down-in-the-uk/