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The Racial Impact of Breed Discriminatory Laws WRITTEN BY: KELSEY GILMORE-FUTERAL, Esq, Best Friends Animal Society
What is a Breed Discriminatory Law? The media sensationalism of pit bull terrier-type dogs and laws that regulate them began in the 1980s after a Sports Illustrated issue featured a snarling pit bull terrier on its cover. Since then, cities across the country have passed, amended, and repealed regulations on certain dog breeds. Oftentimes, these laws are a misguided attempt to make a community safer or to reduce dog bite liability. A law that regulates a certain breed or breeds of dog or dogs who look like those breeds is called Breed Discriminatory Legislation (BDL) or sometimes Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). These laws can target one breed, or they can cast a wider net to a variety of breeds (like German Shepherd Dogs, Rottweilers, or Doberman Pinschers), mixes of those breeds, or dogs with appearances similar to those breeds. For example, South Carolina House Bill 4094 aims to define a “pit bull dog” as: an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, a dog displaying the physical traits of one or more of the above breeds, or a dog exhibiting the distinguishing characteristics that conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club for any of the above breeds. Distinguishing characteristics include a broad or flat head with high set attentive ears and wide jaw, whip like tail that is thick at the base and tapered at the tip, strong and muscular shoulders with blades wide and sloping, well-muscled hind quarters, and almond shaped eyes.
BDL ranges from outright bans (Overland Park, KS) to mandatory sterilization (Beaufort County, SC) to public housing restrictions. Negative stigma surrounding certain breeds of dogs is also to blame for most major insurance companies discriminating against various breeds of dogs in homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies. While these laws apply to a small segment of pets and pet owners, they have devastating consequences for dogs and their owners, particularly minority populations. How Does BDL Impact Minorities? BDL is more likely to negatively impact minorities and people of lesser financial means than white wealthy people. In November 2020, seven national organizations collaborated to publish a white paper discussing the insurance industry’s breed restrictions’ discriminatory impact on
