Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Advoca'ng*for* Pit*Bull*Terriers* *A6orney*Fred*Kray,*Pit$Bulle)n$Legal$ News,*presen'ng*the*Wallace*Award* to*Lori*Weise,*Downtown*Dog*Rescue* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 1 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Ledy%VanKavage,%Esq.% Sr.*Legisla've*A6orney* Past*Chair*of*American*Bar* Associa'on’s*TIPS’*Animal* Law*Commi6ee* [email protected]* Karma*at*Fight*Bust*BunKer*before*adop'on** * (photo*by*Lynn*Terry)* * No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 2 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Join%Voices%for%No%More%Homeless%Pets% * % * capwiz.com/besJriends* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 3 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage *“Pit*bull*terriers*have* been*trained*to*be* successful*therapy*dogs* with*developmentally* disabled*children.”* Jonny*Jus'ce,*a*former*VicK*dog,*is*now*a* model*for*a*Gund*stuffed*toy.* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 4 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage “Pit*bull*terriers*are*extremely* intelligent,*making*it*possible*for* them*to*serve*in*law*enforcement* and*drug*interdic'on,*as*therapy* dogs,*as*search*and*rescue*dogs,* and*in*the*military.”* Sniffer*dogs*for*IEDs* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 5 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 6 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Paradigm%shi?% Thomas*Kuhn*argued*that*scien'fic*advancement* is*not*evolu'onary,*but*rather*is*a*“series*of* peaceful*interludes*punctuated*by*intellectually* violent*revolu'ons,”*and*in*those*revolu'ons* “one*conceptual*world*view*is*replaced*by* another.”** * The%simple%truth%is% that%breed%is%NOT%% a%factor%in%bites.% Photo*by*Lynn*Terry* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 7 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage AVMA%Task%Force%Report% JAVMA:*June*1,*2001* “Sta's'cs*on*fatali'es*and*injuries* caused*by*dogs*cannot*be*responsibly* used*to*document*the*‘dangerousness’* of*a*par'cular*breed*…”*(p.*1736)* * ABA%House%of%Delegates%ResoluKon%100N2012% RESOLVED,*That*the*American*Bar* Associa'on*urges*all*state,*territorial,*and* local*legisla've*bodies*and*governmental* agencies*to*adopt*comprehensive*breede neutral*dangerous*dog/recKless*owner* laws*that*ensure*due*process*protec'ons** for*owners,*encourage*responsible*pet* ownership*and*focus*on*the*behavior** of*both*dog*owners*and*dogs,*and*to* repeal*any*breedediscriminatory*or** breedespecific*provisions.* % * No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 8 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage No%organizaKon%is%credible%without%facts.% *Studies*done*in*countries*with*breedediscriminatory*laws,*such*as*the* United*Kingdom,*Spain*and*Germany,*found*that*these*laws*didn’t* reduce*the*number*of*dog*bites*or*improve*public*safety.** *Based*on*these*studies,*and*concerns*about*due*process*and*property* rights*infringement,%the%American%Bar%AssociaKon,%the%NaKonal% Animal%Control%AssociaKon,%and%the%American%Veterinary%Medical% AssociaKon%don’t%support%breed%discriminaKon.*They*support*laws* that*go*ager*the*real*problem:*the*behavior*of*the*individual*dog*and* the*behavior*of*the*recKless*owner.** BreedNdiscriminatory%law%fiscal%impact% % guerrillaeconomics.net/besJriends* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 9 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage 28*CFR*Part*35* * *U.S.%Dept%of%JusKce,%% Civil%Rights%Division% *Dept.*does*not*believe*it*is* either*appropriate*or*consistent* with*the*ADA*to*defer*to*local* laws*that*prohibit*certain*breeds* of*dogs*based*on*local*concerns* that*these*breeds*may*have*a* history*of*unprovoked* aggression*or*a6acKs.* * * * Trends% Trend*is*to*prohibit*breed* discrimina'on:* • 17*U.S.*states*now*prohibit*it** • The*White*House*came*out* against*breed*discrimina'on*on* its**“We*the*People”*website* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 10 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Ohio%repealed%its%breedNdiscriminatory%law* February%21,%2012% No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 11 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage There*is*nothing* “specific”*about* breedespecific* legisla'on* Pit Bull Rescue Central Find*the*Pit*Bull* www.pbrc.net No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 12 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Pit Bull Rescue Central Find*the*Pit*Bull* www.pbrc.net Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog Doberman Catahoula Leopard Dog Viszla Patterdale Terrier Rottweiler Pinscher Dogue de Bordeaux English Bulldog Olde English Bulldogge Bull Terrier Cane Corso Black Mouth Cur Boxer American Bulldog American Pit Bull Terrier Bullmastiff Fila Brasileiro Tosa Inu Greater Swiss Dogo Argentino Mountain Dog Ca De Bou Boerboel Thai Ridgeback Jack Russell Terrier No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 13 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Doggie%DNA%% Shelter%Medicine:%% A%Comparison%of%Visual%% and%DNA%IdenKficaKon%% of%Breeds%of%Dogs% Victoria$L.$Voith,$DVM,$PhD,$ DACVB,$College$of$Veterinary$ Medicine,$Western$University$of$ Health$Sciences$ In%87.5%%of%the%adopted% dogs,%breeds%were% idenKfied%by%DNA%analyses% that%were%not%proposed%by% the%adopKon%agencies.% Whippet* * Dalma'on* * Boxer* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 14 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage ** No%gene'c*trait*of*American*Staffordshire*terrier** or*Staffordshire*bull*terrier* Pit%bull%terrier%mixes* Intermediate*amount*of* American*Staffordshire*terrier* or*Staffordshire*bull*terrier* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 15 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Programs% Communica'on*is*everything!* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 16 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage * The*best*defense*is*a*good*offense* • Blogs* • Le6ers*to*the*editor* • Public*editor* • Radio*talK*shows* • FacebooK* • MySpace* • Second*Life* • WiKipedia* • Twi6er* • Change.org* * Calls*ma6er* * February%13,%2010* * New%ordinance%allows%pit%bulls,%bans%'vicious%pets'* $ By$Ramelle$Bintz$ [email protected]** * • Pit*bulls*will*not*be*banned*in*Sturgeon*Bay.* • The*Community,*Protec'on*and*Services*Commi6ee* voted*unanimously*Thursday*to*remove*language*that* would*ban*a*specific*breed*of*dog*from*a*proposed* animal*regula'on*ordinance.* • The*new*14epage*ordinance*is*being*rewri6en*to* replace*a*halfepage*ordinance*currently*on*the*booKs.*At* the*Feb.*2*Common*Council*mee'ng,*Alderman*James* Abeyta,*a*member*of*the*commi6ee,*objected*to*the* outright*ban*of*pit*bulls*and*asKed*that*the*ordinance* be*returned*to*the*commi6ee*to*review.* • Since*then,*aldermen*have*been*bombarded*with* opinions.*Alderman*Ron*Vander'e,*who*spoKe*ager*the* commi6ee*vote,%said%he%received%more%calls%on%this% issue%in%one%week%than%he%had%regarding%the%proposed% Walmart%Supercenter.% No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 17 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage History of Language Research Project with No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 18 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage The%most%important%finding% Securing*community*safety* through*comprehensive*dog* laws*isn’t*an*emo'onal*issue*…* So%don’t%make%it%one% * Incorporate%safety% • Pet*owners*will*always*priori'ze*the** safety*of*humans*over*the*sympathy** of*dogs.* • Voters*agree*that*the*BEST*laws*focus** on*behavior*—*both*owners’*behavior** and*dogs’*behavior.* • They*agree*that*SAFE*pit*bull*terriers*shouldn’t*be*singled*out* at*the*expense*of*other*dogs*with*a*worse*rap*sheet.* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 19 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Reckless%or%negligent%owners% *The*general*public*wants* to*see*recKless*or* negligent*owners*held* accountable.* * *Bad*owners*lead*to** bad*dogs*and*that*puts* everyone*at*risK.* The%general%public%wants%free%communiKes% This%is%America:% Property%rights%maaer.% “If*I*follow*all*the*right*rules,*I*should* be*able*to*own*whatever*dog*I*want.”** –*Bal'more*par'cipant** No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 20 Advocating for Pit Bull