A LOCAL COUNCILLOR in Co Meath has caused a huge rumpus online with a Facebook post regarding restricted dog breeds.
A photo of a sign, which local Fine Gael councillor Alan Tobin had called for, reminding owners of certain dog breeds of the regulations they must adhere to accompanies the post.
The sign in question is a public safety notice reminding owners of certain breeds, such as bull mastiffs and rottweilers, that their animals must be leashed and muzzled in public among other things.
“As a dog owner I’m absolutely delighted that signs I’ve asked for, with pictures, showing the dangerous breeds of dogs have been erected over the past week,” Tobin says in his post.
It still amazes me that some people think these dogs are ideal family pets.
The issue of such dog breeds is a contentious one for many. This is reflected in the post which has been shared an astonishing 33,000 times with more than 70,000 comments made in the 12 hours since it was first posted.
The vast majority of the comments on the piece itself seem to be of the negative variety with many people posting photos of their own restricted breed animals as evidence that not all animals mentioned on the list are dangerous.
Reaction on Twitter has likewise not been especially kind to the Meath councillor:
One such person to voice his disapproval online was PhD researcher in dog bites at NUI Galway Páraic Ó Súilleabháin:
“All peer-reviewed academic research in this area shows that targeting breeds in this manner is a method at least 20 years out of date,” Ó Súilleabháin told TheJournal.ie.
Other countries identify dangerous animals by their behaviour or that of their owners, and those owners then have restrictions put upon them.
To identify a breed as dangerous is akin to testing drivers for drink driving by checking their eye colour rather than their alcohol levels.
Rather than helping, Ó Súilleabháin says that targeting individual breeds is “highly dangerous”.
“So a person thinks that a golden retriever is safe and a rottweiler isn’t. That is not necessarily the case. You’re just as likely to be harmed by any breed, regardless of stereotyping, breed doesn’t predict risk at all” he said.
While acknowledging that Tobin’s concern for public safety is “commendable”, Ó Súilleabháin says it is a case of ‘right issue, wrong question’.
This post is contributing to a stereotype and is negatively impacting safety. Expert opinion on the issue is overwhelming. You may as well argue that the earth is flat as argue that breed targeting is effective.
TheJournal.ie has contacted Alan Tobin for comment on this matter.
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