Danish dog breed law takes first innocent victim - a Boerboel

Pet News 101: Danish dog breed law takes first innocent victim - a Boerboel

July 2, 2:25 PM · Libbii Armstrong-Brown - Salt Lake City Pet Products Examiner  

Commencing on 1 July 2010, new breed ban laws were set in place in Denmark. Denmark's new Dog Act bans the following 13 breeds, although dogs said to be pit bull terriers and Tosas were banned in 1991:

• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Central Asian Ovtcharka
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Caucasian Ovtcharka
• Sarplaninac
• South Russian Ovtcharka
• Tornjak
• Tosa (banned in 1991)
• American Bulldog
• Boerboel - South African Mastiff
• Kangal
• Pit bull terrier (banned in 1991)

Under Denmark's law, these dog breeds, as well as dogs that contain the genes of these breeds, are prohibited from being bred, purchased, sold, imported, exported or transferred in Denmark, though there is a long phase in period for breeders, up to June 30, 2015.

Those dogs that are banned dogs in Denmark as of July 1, 2010 may only stay during a phase-in period. However, they have to be kept on a short leash less than 7 feet long, and wear a closed muzzle when off their owner's property.

Interestingly, it lies on the owners to prove to authorities, upon request, that their dog is not one of the banned breeds or even a mix.

Anasha Boerboels, one of Denmark's most prestigious Boerboel breeding kennel, was forced to euthanize the first Boerboel victim of Denmark's cruel breed ban. The reason? Because she was a spayed female for which a home couldn't be found in time.

One of the owners of Anasha Boerboels made the following statement:

"The first Boerboel has to be put to sleep today because of the new dog laws that came into effect yesterday. In about an hour we will take her to the vets and she will be euthanized. She is neutered and therefore cannot be used for breeding, therefore she would have to be placed as a pet. This is now illegal in Denmark and therefore she has to pay the price.

We are a professional kennel, we have vet inspections and the vet noted that she was here. We are not allowed to own pet dogs, only breeding dogs. This is a rule that the tax authorities have enforced so that kennels have to account for all the dog food etc used in their kennel business."

According to the Animal Law Coalition website:

'Denmark is moving in the opposite direction from other European Union countries that have discovered breed discrimination does not work to prevent or reduce dog bite incidents.

In fact, UK's Dangerous Dogs Act was declared a failure in 2007 when it was found that the numbers of dog bites had risen 10% in a year and 50% since 1998-1999. According to the BBC, hospitalizations due to dog bites increased by 25% after 'pit bulls' were banned in Britain.

It was also determined that the Act did not result in any decline in dog bite incidents with 73.9% before and 73.1% after enactment of the law.'

Breed ban laws have considerable, long term effects, as outlined in this article.

Last year Ogden proposed regulations against pit bulls; the same time that Orem was considering banning pit bulls; Springville has had regulations against the breed for years; South Jordan has banned them altogether, including Staffordshire Terriers.

But pit bulls are not the only dog breed being banned.

Did you know that North Salt Lake has banned Shar-Peis and Rottweilers?
Or that Smithfield has stated the following: Declared as vicious and require a special permit; Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Pit Bull, Husky, Alaskan malamute, Doberman Pinscher, and Wolf Hybird?

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This article particularly saddened me because there was NO GOOD reason for this female dog to be euthanized, other than to satisfy a ridiculous law. She wasn’t aggressive and had no history of hurting anyone. She was spayed, which was her death sentence.

BSL is BS!