that government officials are considering placing a ban on the type of dog a person can own?

“Why Is It…?” was designed by Dr. Steiner to address readers’ questions about human behavior from a social psychological perspective in order to inform and stimulate dialogue about the ways in which our thoughts, feelings and behaviors are influenced by the presence of other people. Dr. Steiner holds a Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology. In addition to working as a university professor over the last 15 years, she conducts individual and group consultations in matters of social relationships and behavior. Readers are invited to submit their questions anonymously in one paragraph or less to Dr. Steiner at [email protected].

Q: Why is it that government officials are considering placing a ban on the type of dog a person can own?

A: There appears to be a national trend toward legislating which types of dogs people are permitted to own. Known as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), these laws dictate that it is illegal to own certain breeds that are “believed” to be vicious or may place human safety at risk. In the past, breeds considered “risky” included Doberman Pinchers, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and most recently, Pit Bulls. At face value, these laws appear to be altruistic – with the intent of ensuring the safety of community residents. However, a closer look reveals that BSL contains many inconsistencies, flaws and erroneous judgments.

Mass media (television/movies), law enforcement agencies and military establishments have “taught” us that certain breeds of dogs are naturally aggressive, and are therefore, bred as attack dogs. The systematic presentation of these images has fostered a wide-scale stereotype of certain breeds as “killers” – spawning fear and dread whenever one encounters one of these types. While it may appear reasonable to deny ownership of a “deadly” dog, we must be cautious about making sweeping generalizations that cast an unfavorable light on an entire breed!

At issue is the process and function of prejudice. When it comes to rendering conclusions about others (humans or dogs), we rely on either Target or Category based judgments. Target-based judgments are impressions based on actual, specific information about the individual in question. The idea being that we can’t judge a book by its cover. Category based judgments occur when we draw conclusions on the basis of stereotypes – in the absence of details – about what a specific individual may be like. Research has shown that category based judgments are seriously error prone and result in erroneous conclusions and decisions.

Dogs, just like humans, are individuals. They each have individual qualities and experiences that culminate in their own, specific personalities. If a dog is loved, respected, cared-for and well trained, it will grow into a loving, well-adjusted, safe companion. However, if abused, neglected, teased, isolated or otherwise mistreated – just like any human enduring a tortured existence – it will become defensive, frightened and mistrustful. Therefore, it’s not that the “breed” is unsafe, but rather, the way in which the individual dog was raised or kept by humans that led to the establishment of an unsafe personality.

The American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS) is a group of professionals charged with rating the specific personality traits of individual dogs, in order to determine its safety and compatibility as a household pet. These measures are evaluated by Humane Societies prior to finding adoptive homes. Data reported by the ATTS showed that not only did 95 percent of Pit Bulls pass these temperament tests but that their scores exceeded the most popular “family dog” in America – the Golden Retriever.

In cases where statistics show that Pit Bulls are responsible for attacks, these data did not include measures of the personality traits of their owners or the conditions in which these dogs were kept. Because Pits are the contemporary breed that media promotes as “vicious,” would-be owners often include those exposed to or engaged in criminal elements. Therefore, in cases where Pit-Bulls have attacked, it is likely that they were ill-trained, abused or neglected – in order to maximize their aggressiveness.

Ultimately, it’s the owner who is responsible for most incidents of ill-temperament in dogs. A quote from the American Veterinary Medical Associations states, “Banning Pit-Bulls would be like banning cars because people get killed in car accidents! Who’s responsible – the car or the driver? Any car can be deadly in the wrong hands – the same with dogs.”

We must be mindful about what lessons we are teaching future generations. BSL validates sweeping acts of discrimination on the basis of group membership. So, if an individual belongs to a given group that is perceived as “dangerous,” it sanctions excluding that individual (regardless of his/her personal conduct or character). By this reasoning, shall we ban all males from our community because statistically one in three are likely to be perpetrators of domestic abuse?

Animals cannot choose their owners or living conditions. They are defenseless and helplessly dependent upon human conduct and treatment. If laws are needed to ensure human safety, let’s place the responsibility and punishment where it belongs by strengthening laws that require and enforce the humane treatment of animals.