No Kill Nation: What Can the Killing of Lennox Teach Miami-Dade about its "Pit Bull" Ban?

MIAMI, July 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A two-year battle to save Lennox, the seven-year-old support dog of a severely disabled little girl, was met with tragedy two days ago when Belfast City Council killed him despite international protests, hundreds of thousands of pleas for amnesty, outspoken outrage from celebrities and politicians alike, and expert testimony that Lennox exhibited no behavioral problems.

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What was Lennox's crime? Nothing. He was simply identified (incorrectly) as a "pit bull-type" dog and condemned to death under Northern Ireland's breed ban. He had no history of aggression. He was a beloved family member. He was well-cared for. And his owners were responsible. Simply based on the measurements of his head, Lennox was taken away from his family and killed.

So, what can the killing of Lennox teach Miami-Dade County about its "pit bull" ban? Simply put, breed discrimination doesn't work. It is bad public policy. It doesn't make the community safer. It punishes responsible, law-abiding families. It fails to address the real issues. It is based on flawed data. It comes with an extraordinary cost to taxpayers. It is impossible to accurately enforce. It taxes limited resources. It is based on myths. It engenders further prejudice. It is responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent dogs like Lennox. It is unsupported. And it is illegal.

While Miami-Dade is the only county in the State of Florida that restricts citizens' property rights to own "pit bull" dogs, the county has failed to enhance public safety and taxpayers continue to incur significant financial costs to enforce the outdated law.

Has the Miami-Dade ban reduced the number of dog bites? Has it averted severe dog bite-related injuries? Has it eliminated dog bite-related fatalities? Can the county even identify which dogs it has banned? The answer to all these questions is: NO.

What can the citizens of Miami-Dade County expect if they do not vote to repeal the "pit bull" ban on August 14th, 2012?

Around 800 "pit bulls" a year will continue to be killed. And dog bite numbers will remain constant, since the limited resources available for animal services are directed at physical appearances, rather than toward programs and policies that hold owners responsible for the humane care, custody and control of their dogs: the approach that experts have consistently identified as contributing to a safer, more humane community.

SOURCE No Kill Nation, Inc.

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