http://www.rspca.org.au/admin/resources/19_restricted_dogs.pdf

INFOSHEET - Restricted dog breeds

The RSPCA supports the compulsory desexing and banning the breeding, gifting or onselling of four particular breeds of dog.

These are the Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasiliero, Dogo Argentina and American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT).

None of these breeds are recognised by the Australia National Kennel Council or any of the various state and territory Canine Councils, and no registered breeders of these dogs exist in Australia.

RSPCA policy does not normally discriminate on the basis of breed, however in the case of these four particular breeds, the RSPCA considers an approach consistent with the Australian Customs Service (import prohibition) is appropriate.

No additional dog breeds have been added to the prohibited imports list since it came into force in 1992.

The RSPCA believes these four particular breeds of dog are not suited to being kept as pets.

The RSPCA does not believe it is in the interests of welfare of these dogs or of other animals and people in the community, which they continue to be kept as pets.

The reason these four breeds are considered dangerous by the RSPCA is they have a very strong ‘bite to hold’ instinct and a tenacious resistance to pain. If they do attack, they are extremely difficult to stop.

Even if the dog has a very responsible owner, there is no way to absolutely control the actions of all other animals, adults and children. The RSPCA considers the risk to the welfare of the dog, and to others in the community, is far too great.

Irrespective of any legislation against these four breeds, the RSPCA supports any efforts to encourage responsible pet ownership. These may include compulsory attendance at obedience classes, compulsory registration of breeders and banning the sale of dogs through pet shops and newspapers etc.

It is also important to note the difference between RSPCA policy and legislation.

RSPCA policy is a set of guidelines that outline the beliefs and principles that govern the animal welfare organisation.

RSPCA policy is not the law and the RSPCA is not responsible for making  the law. If you have concerns or suggestions over legislation in Australia, you should voice your opinion to the Federal Government or to the relevant state or territory government.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Will other breeds of dog be added to the restricted breed list?

Most concerns over breed selective legislation arise from a fear that other breeds will be added to the restricted list in future.

Note these four breeds have been banned from importation by the Australian Customs Service since 1992 and no other breeds have been added in the 13 years since.

The Federal Government is currently considering adding one other breed, the Presa Canario, to the restricted imports list: however this is also not a recognised breed in Australia and in fact, no dogs of this type are known to exist in Australia at this time.

If further breeds were to be declared prohibited under the Customs Act, or under any state or territory legislation, the RSPCA would then need to carefully consider whether such an exception should be made for any additional breeds under its own policy.

• Will dogs be seized from their owners and euthanased?

All restricted breed legislation currently in Australia only requires all animals of these four breeds to be desexed, and bans the breeding, sale or gifting of pure or cross breeds of any of these four breeds of dog as well.

The RSPCA believes all dogs that are not explicitly used for breeding should be desexed anyway.

The RSPCA also believes that if pure breed dogs are to be bred, this should only be done by a properly experienced and registered breeder.

No legislation in Australia currently calls for the routine seizure and euthanasia of dogs, of these four breeds or any other breed.

Any individual dog (of any breed) that is aggressive, menacing and uncontrolled, and that has attacked another human being or animal causing an injury that required  medical or veterinary treatment, may be formally declared a ‘dangerous dog’ by the local government. The government may then have the power to act to take possession of that dog.

• Isn’t it difficult to accurately identify a restricted breed dog?

The RSPCA requires a dog to be identified beyond reasonable doubt as a purebred or crossbreed of one of these four breeds before our policy applies.

It is true that it can be difficult to accurately identify a breed that bears similarity to others, though sound breed identification guidelines do exist.

This is particularly difficult if the dog is a cross breed and especially if the background and parentage of the dog is unknown.

However, if compulsory desexing and a ban on breeding of restricted breeds are implemented, the restricted breeds will eventually cease to exist in Australia (as importation of new specimens is already banned). Identification will then no longer be an issue.

That is to say, that even if a dog is a suspected cross breed of a banned breed but cannot be confirmed, with no other purebred of the type to interbreed with, the restricted breed strain should weaken then eventually disappear.

• But isn’t the APBT one of few breeds specifically bred to not show aggression towards humans?

It’s true that the APBT was originally bred for non-aggression towards humans.

This was so the dog’s owner could step into the pit and safely retrieve the dog from a fight without
risk of injury.

However, over several decades, the popularity of the dog as a pet increased rapidly, while breeding is not checked or monitored by any of the relevant canine councils or kennel clubs in Australia (as they do not currently recognise this breed).

Indiscriminate breeding to meet a sudden rise in demand can result in inconsistent and unpredictable temperament and character traits.

Also, while trained not to show aggression toward adult humans, dogs perceive children very differently and children are more likely to behave improperly around dogs – approaching a strange dog suddenly or irritating the animal etc.

Therefore, this original trait does not reduce the likelihood of the dog attacking children.

• Can dogs of these breeds be considered safe if they have a responsible owner?

The RSPCA supports responsible ownership of all animals and actively educates the community throughout the year on the principles of proper and responsible dog ownership – desexing, properly training and socialising your dog, registration and microchipping, and keeping the dog on a leash at all times when not on your property, to name just a few.

This also includes teaching children how to behave around dogs and other animals.

However, even the most well behaved, well trained and properly socialised dog can be easily provoked, for example, by a sudden approach by a strange animal or child on the street or by an intrusion on its ‘territory’.

Any dog can react this way – it is in the nature of the animal – but not all dogs will attack with the persistence and determination these four particular breeds demonstrate. 

Most dogs, if they do attack, do not cause the same level of damage these four breeds are capable of.

Responsible pet ownership by the dog’s owner cannot discount the capacity of these four particular breeds of dog for inflicting very serious injury if an incident does occur.

• Are these breeds responsible for most dog attacks in Australia?

It’s true that very few dog attacks that occur in Australia are attributable to any of these four breeds.

This may be due to the fact that all four of these breeds exist in relatively low numbers in Australia.

Nevertheless, we are concerned with the seriousness of an attack if one does occur, as well as the frequency with which they occur.

Any dog can bite and cause serious injury and pain – however few dogs have the tenacious ability to bite hard and hang on, even under extreme duress, that these four breeds have.

• Does the RSPCA care about the welfare of these dogs?

The RSPCA is concerned for the welfare of all animals, including the four particular breeds mentioned in this legislation.

The RSPCA does not believe it is in the interests of the welfare of these four particular breeds of dog to keep them in an environment they are not suited to – and we do not believe they are suited to being kept as pets.

These four particular breeds of dog are no more suited to living as a companion animal, than a Chihuahua is suited to cattle herding, or a Kelpie is to apartment life. 

The RSPCA believes it is cruel and inappropriate to keep a dog in the wrong circumstances.

In the past, dogs of these four particular breeds that have attacked with such tenacity that they have been struck with a variety of instruments or sprayed with capsicum spray, to try and get them to let go of the person or animal in their grip. This is painful and distressing for the dog (though obviously understandable under the circumstances). Placing the dog in a situation where this can happen, just because we like having them as pets, is not in the animals interests.

• What happens if a restricted breed dog comes into an RSPCA shelter?

If a dog comes into an RSPCA shelter that is identified beyond reasonable doubt as being a purebred or cross breed of any of the four restricted breeds, it will not be rehomed but euthanased.

The RSPCA believes it is kinder to humanely euthanase the animal than to release it into an environment that it is not suited to, and which places people or animals in the home or in the community at risk.

The RSPCA cannot in good conscience rehome any animal that it does not believe is suitable to be kept as a pet.

This infosheet has been prepared for your information by RSPCA Australia PO Box 165 Deakin West ACT 2600 Phone (02) 6282 8300 Fax (02) 6282 8311. For more information about the RSPCA, visit www.rspca.org.au or e-mail rspca@...