This is awful!

[Miss Z]

I'm not much of a poster on the 'dog side', but I do occasionally read the magazine 'Your dog', and I was horrified to see this report on its news page:

Dublin's ban shocks the Dog World

Dog lovers are horrified at the news that Dublin City council has banned 11 breeds of dog.

The breeds, which are the bull terrier, staffordshire bull terrier, American pit bull terrier, rottweiler, German shepherd, dobermann, Rhodesian ridgeback, akita, bull mastiff, Japanese tosa and bandog, including any crosses of these breeds, are banned from the council's properties, including houses, flats and estates, with immediate effect.

There are also plans to amend its by-laws so the animals will also be banned from public parks, so that anyone who owns one of the banned breeds will not be able to walk them in public parks even if they live in private property.

The council has given tenants time to rehome their pets but if alternative accommodation is not found they will be seized and destroyed.

The council has also written to the Irish Minister for the Environment asking him to ban all breeds of 'fighting dogs' nationally. It says it has introduced the ban due to an increase in the number of complaints from tenants and because of the legal implications associated with any attacks that occur on its properties.

A spokesman from the Irish Kennel Club, which held a meeting with members from the affected breed clubs, said,

"The Irish Kennel Club thinks it is a poorly thought out response to a genuine problem. Attempting to ban these breeds is a complete overreaction. Breed Specific Legislation and breed bans are not effective solutions to the problem of dog attacks.

[theterrierman]

Staffies?

Chit, mang! I thought McGuinty was the only guy stupid enough to ban Staffies. Once again, responsible owners will be the only ones persecuted under the ban.

Andy

[basi]

I have just read on another forum that they are now not banned but existing tenants must register them with the council, microchip them and neuter them. I'm still trying to find concrete evidence of this.

[lisahumphreys882]

That's horrible. It's always the responsible owner that gets in trouble.

[Miss Z]

I have just read on another forum that they are now not banned but existing tenants must register them with the council, microchip them and neuter them. I'm still trying to find concrete evidence of this.

Well at least that is something. This whole thing is so ridiculous, but if neutering becomes a must then that may actually help the plight of these breeds, as it will become harder to breed irresponsibly.

[Alysser]

This is just creating a growing problem! It puts fear or more fear in the public by doing this type of crap. I would like to know their real reason for this. Might as well go and ban all dog breeds while your at it.

[Canis-Lupess]

Ah, I read about this in a mates GSD forum. Sheesh, before we know it, all dogs will be banned from everywhere and PETA will be cheering and celebrating.

They are totally stupid.

[Suki Wingy]

Yes, go ahead and ban the dog breed nicknamed "Nanny dog" That'll really do some good. I'm torn between desperatley wanting to see the UK and the land my relatives came from and wanting to steer clear of anywhere that bans breeds.

[vinjashira]

Yes, go ahead and ban the dog breed nicknamed "Nanny dog" That'll really do some good. I'm torn between desperatley wanting to see the UK and the land my relatives came from and wanting to steer clear of anywhere that bans breeds.

Dublin is not in the UK

[Canis-Lupess]

No, Southern Ireland is not part of the UK. They have their own government and rules. Only Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

It's still too close to home though.

[Muddy4paws]

This really upsets me, It so silly, I can tell you honestly I've been bitten by a staff once and a close call with a rottie, This was due to nerves in both dogs so I dont blame them one bit.

The dogs listed about are some of the dopiest friendly dogs. I get more bites from westies and yorkies etc more than the "agressive" breeds. ( I work with dogs ) I think staffs one of the nicest dogs you can get the temperment is lovely. As for bull terriers being nasty dogs, I grew up with one and I used to be able to sit on his back and have him ride me around like a cowgirl He was such a loving loyal dog and he never had an agressive bone in his body.

There needs to be a law that makes people take a lesson in dog care before they can get a dog. People need to wise up, Its just the same as kids, they learn from the adults. Does this mean asbo teens can be put to sleep?

[Miss Z]

This really upsets me, It so silly, I can tell you honestly I've been bitten by a staff once and a close call with a rottie, This was due to nerves in both dogs so I dont blame them one bit.

The dogs listed about are some of the dopiest friendly dogs. I get more bites from westies and yorkies etc more than the "agressive" breeds. ( I work with dogs ) I think staffs one of the nicest dogs you can get the temperment is lovely. As for bull terriers being nasty dogs, I grew up with one and I used to be able to sit on his back and have him ride me around like a cowgirl He was such a loving loyal dog and he never had an agressive bone in his body.

There needs to be a law that makes people take a lesson in dog care before they can get a dog. People need to wise up, Its just the same as kids, they learn from the adults. Does this mean asbo teens can be put to sleep?

I agree 100%.

At the shelter I volunteer at, we've had all of those breeds save for pitties (as they're already banned ), tosas and bandogs. I can say with hand on heart that these dogs, who really have an excuse to be aggressive due to their turbulent pasts, were some of the sweetest dogs I've ever met. I can only recall 3 agressive dogs from those breeds (who could be worked with and learn to trust people again with the right person) out of a good 50ish, maybe more, that we've had since I began, in January.

We had a rottie in once who was the biggest baby you could imgine, but it took a long time to rehome him, as people just took one look at him and thought 'child-killer'. My favourite dog of all time that we had was a staffie, he had big puppy eyes and would walk up to the kennel bars for nose rubs when I went to see him. I hope he's now in a forever loving home. Ridgeback puppies are probably the most disciplined and least rough pups I have ever come across, and as for GSDs, well we've had so many of those in and only 1 I recall was aggressive (and that was only part GSD), and one of my best friends owns one too, and he is a lovely boy.

At the moment, we have a patterdale terrier who's more likely to attack you than our English mastiff.

But hey, you know if they put down 'asbo teenagers', there'll be idiots who go overboard and say, "All teenagers are aggressive and heartless beings! We must ban them all right away!"

[Canis-Lupess]

You are still more likely to be attacked and killed by another human than you are any of these breeds of dogs...even the ones already banned if they weren't.

Pity they don't address the aggressive humans very well. Too scared of infringing their human rights.