Should Barrhead residents be allowed to own a breed of dog considered to be dangerous? If so, then what breeds should be included on such a list?
Those are just two questions Barrhead town councillors may have to face if one Barrhead couple has their say.
In the Jan. 19 issue of the Barrhead Leader, Fred and Sharan Setterington, in a letter to the editor, asked residents to ask town councillors to consider enacting a bylaw which would restrict the ownership of ‘big and ferocious’ dog breeds within town limits.
The Setterington’s request stems from an incident which happened to them earlier this month when their dog was attacked by a young pit bull.
In the Town of Barrhead, the animal control bylaw (01-2013) states residents, must licence any cat or dog over six months of age and they must be under control, i.e. a leash, whenever the pet(s) are off the property.
A fact the Setteringtons say many dog owners in Barrhead are not obeying. Fred said there are at least four dogs in his neighbourhood which regularly roam the streets freely.
Nor does it seem to be an issue that just affects the Setteringtons’ neighbourhood. In an informal poll, Leader employees reported similar numbers of dogs roaming freely.
But the question remains, is there anything the town can do to make it safer for people and their pets from potential dog attacks? The Setteringtons’ believe a dangerous dog bylaw may be the way to go and it is an opinion shared by others, including many Canadian municipalities who have enacted dangerous breed restrictions. For example, in Ontario the Pit Bull, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier are banned.
Unfortunately, the evidence is inconclusive. In a 2010 survey by the Toronto Humane Society the number of dog attacks remained static in the first five years after the province enacted its legislation.
The question of which breeds should be considered for such a ban also seems highly debateable. The Setteringtons are recommending that breeds such as the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Doberman, Blue Heeler, and other breeds considered to be attack dogs be included. Which breeds are considered to be attack dogs? The Canadian Kennel Club breaks dog breeds into seven categories, none of which are attack dogs. Nor is the list of breeds which are considered to be aggressive straight forward. According to the American Temperament Test Society, 86.8 per cent of American pit bull terriers passed their temperament test, ranking higher than many popular breeds, including a family favourite, the Golden Retriever.
The one thing that is clear is that if and when, the issue comes in front of town council they will have a difficult decision to make. One that perhaps they wouldn’t have to make if more Barrhead residents were responsible pet owners.
