The Legislation

Summary of Initiative to Ban Fighting Breed Dogs

Introduction

In the early 90s, the U.K. adopted a dangerous dog act known as the 1991 U.K. Dangerous Dog Act, which banned several fighting breeds, the American pit bull terrier and Japanese Tosa, as well as dogs appearing to be “bred for fighting or to have the characteristics of a type bred for that purpose.” The goal was to significantly reduce the population of existing Fighting Breeds and prohibit the future importation of these breeds. A compromise was reached whereby the existing Fighting Breeds were placed under stringent restrictions with mandatory sterilization.

Summary of Key Points

• No new Fighting Breeds. No one can obtain a new Fighting Breed dog after the passing of this legislation
• Sterilization. All existing Fighting Breeds must be spayed and neutered.
• Mandatory muzzling. All remaining Fighting Breeds must be muzzled when outside of the owner’s house or apartment (an unmuzzled Fighting Breed cannot be in the hallway of an apt. building).
• Visible licenses. Visible licenses on vests and harness leashes must be used on all Fighting Breeds when walked in public
• Notification of restraints. All owners of Fighting Breeds must make a written declaration that they understand the laws.
• Age restriction. No one under 18 can own a Fighting Breed dog.
• Criminals cannot own Fighting Breed dogs. No persons convicted of violence, drug-trafficking or a crime in which a dog has been used can own a Fighting Breed dog, nor can they share the same household.
• Identification. All Fighting Breeds must be microchipped.
• Fences. All Fighting Breeds must be in a fenced yard with proper signage (currently under Seattle law, a dog does not have to be in a fenced yard).
• Liability insurance. $250,000 liability surety bond is required for each Fighting Breed dog.
• Obedience training. Mandatory successful completion of dog obedience training is required for owners of Fighting Breeds
• Prohibition to park access. Fighting Breeds’s are prohibited from using off-leash areas and public parks.
• Age requirement. A person must be 16 years old to walk a muzzled Fighting Breed dog.
• Children protected from Fighting Breeds. Children under 14 years of age cannot be left alone with a Fighting Breed without the dog muzzled.
• Transportation. No Fighting Breed dog that lives outside the city can bring them into the city except while passing through in an automobile.
• Tethering. No tethering of Fighting Breed dogs in public places.
• Entering a home. No one may enter the house of a Fighting Breed dog unless the owner is present. (This refers to real estate agents trying to show a house without the owner and being attacked by the family’s Fighting Breed dog)
• Automatic surrender of Fighting Breed dogs if any of these laws are violated.

List of Fighting Breeds

American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Japanese Akita, Presa Canario and Tosa Inu.