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IRELAND’S APPROACH TO targeting and legislating for specific dog breeds as being ‘dangerous’ has no scientific basis, and may in fact be making the situation here worse, a new study has claimed.
The study, titled A Comparison of Bites from Legislated and Non-Legislated Dog Breeds and published in the Irish Veterinary Journal, involved surveying the Irish victims of 140 separate dog-bite incidents, and the opinions of 17 dog control officers.
The main aim of the study was to see if there were any differences in biting characteristics between breeds that are legislated for in Ireland and ones that are stereotyped as being ‘friendly’.
“No significant difference was observed between legislated and non-legislated groups for medical treatment required following the bite,” the study concludes.
As regards perception, “legislated breeds were significantly more likely to be perceived as aggressive and less fearful as triggers for biting compared to non-legislated breeds”.
Non-legislated breeds, meanwhile, are more likely to inflict a bite with their owner present on their own property than breeds which have been targeted.
“Generally speaking, non-legislated dogs would bite more often, because there are more of them,” says the study’s co-author Páraic Ó’Súilleabháin of NUI Galway.
Another significant finding of course is that non-legislated breeds are much, much less likely to be reported before they bite, which is a pretty big finding.
Of the 140 biting incidents involved in the new study, almost a third involved border collies and labradors – two breeds notably absent from the restricted breeds list.
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Best practice
Ó’Súilleabháin says that focusing on specific breeds rather than individual animals and their owners is out of sync with international best practice.
“Veterinary Ireland have done a year-long review and set up a task force to assess all the available literature, and their conclusion is that the law needs to change – it shouldn’t be focussed on breed at all,” he says.
From what all the literature tells us, how we do things in Ireland isn’t going to protect anyone, it’s at least 20 years out of date, and the restrictions that are in place for dangerous animals are nowhere near enough.
“What other countries do is basically that if a dog is acting aggressively that dog and its owner needs to be targeted.”
By targeting in this instance, Ó’Súilleabháin means that such owners need to be made take training classes with their animal.
“Once you make them go to training and operate under strict restrictions, the number of bites, and the number of fatal incidents, radically decreases.
As regards how to make such a system preemptive, Ó’Súilleabháin says that “ideally you have to be dealing with a reporting system which carries a number that people can call if they’re worried.
“Then a warden can investigate.
Because as things stand, some dog shelters won’t even accept the restricted breeds for rehoming – they’re often euthanised on arrival, which isn’t right.
Fatal attack
The study’s findings chime with a call for change from the Social Democrats, who said in June that Ireland’s “dog control laws are not working” in the aftermath of a fatal attack on a woman in her 60s in Moycullen, Co Galway.
That attack was carried out by two Italian bull mastiffs, a breed that is on the restricted list, albeit with no special provisions made for controlling such dogs on private property.
“The evidence says that you need to educate owners and place restrictions on any dog that shows signs of aggressive behaviour, rather than just controlling certain breeds and only in public places,” local representative Niall Ó Tuathail said at the time.
Ireland has almost four times the rate of dog bite hospitalisations compared to the Netherlands where they take this wider approach.
“The international scientific consensus on this is to target individuals, not breeds. Because, apart from anything else, in doing so you’ll unify responsible dog owners, which makes the outliers easier to target,” agrees Ó’Súilleabháin.
At present, Irish law imposes restrictions on 11 different breeds of dog, including pitbulls, alsatians, rottweilers, and dobermann pinschers.
The Department of Community and Rural Affairs, which governs dog control at present in Ireland, could not be reached for comment on this story prior to publication, or as to the likelihood of the restricted list being removed in future.
Last year, a Fine Gael councillor in Co Meath created an online rumpus when he called for, and established the installation of, public safety notices reminding the owners of restricted breeds as to the regulations in place that they must adhere to.
At present, those regulations include a requirement that an animal be muzzled in public and kept on a short strong lead by a person aged 16 years or over.
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I really don’t get this drive to loosen up the restricted dog breed list. It’s as if some anti-discrimination agenda has gotten into the dog world.
There is a clear theme – lots of the restricted breeds are really really strong. If they do bite the bite can be a lot worse than one from a smaller or weaker dog.
I’ve also got a huge issue with a statistical list of bites supplied that isn’t normalised for the number of each dogs owned.A reader is still left trying to guess the bite rate per dog in presume for each breed – less than useless.
If responsible ownership is the key maybe the list should be expanded and a licence needed to own a restricted dog. A licence people wouldn’t get automatically unless they could show history of responsible dog ownership or undertake a training course.
@the phantom: that is an excellent idea a licence to prove you are a responsible owner of a restricted dog. We are supposed to be paying for a dog licence still so surely the system would be in place? Use along side microchip? If everyone sugestered to their local vets and Garda station?
German Shepherds, one of the best dogs in the world, ruined by irresponsible humans.
@Paul Culligan: Also ruined by irresponsible breeding. Have a look at the state of today’s breed in comparison to what they used to be, before the show pony brigade starting breeding out certain physical characteristics. Magnificent dog once.
“The international scientific consensus on this is to target individuals, not breeds”
Yeah right, Breeds such as American Pitbulls and American Bulldogs, once their instinct kicks in and the get “keyed up” no owner, responsible or not, can control that dog; if that fully grown dog decides to attack another Dog, Cat or small child and it manages to lock it’s jaws on, the only way it’s letting go before it does serious damage is to kill it.
There is a reason such dogs are not used as Police dogs for example, they can’t be trusted 100%.
The sick part is that these dog breeds are here in Ireland.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/the-dogs-baby-chilling-cry-13002516
@Remy: I am not sure if you are correct. Bull dog type with the more shorter and snoutier noses are not able to breathe or smell as well as other dogs sometimes due to breeding. Bull type dogs are very strong and were supposedly bred for the control of bulls? So not best choice for other type work as assistance or police. Great dogs with right owners though.
@Gillian Weir Scully:
Apologies, I meant XL & XXL American Bulldogs as they are known.
Here is an example, not far off the size of an American Pit as you can see…
http://www.bigmommasbullies.com/uploads/6/8/2/8/68284317/img-9574_orig.jpg
@Gillian Weir Scully:
Police dogs are used for crowd control also, so why don’t they use the most powerful and strongest dogs? The reason is Pits and Bulls breeds instinct to fight and lock on, as I said once it gets “keyed up” even the right owner can’t control it.
@Remy: I think ‘pit’ dogs were bred for fighting in pits so would need the right owner. Another commentator said about a licence restriction for owners that proved they were best owner for restricted dog. I thought this a great idea. Read that to see what you think?
@Remy: I did once hear from someone that with Boxers they find it difficulty to let go once teeth clamped but to help release you have to put fingers behind back teeth to get them to release. Which would take a brave person! However I am not sure if it is accurate to say certain dogs cannot release once teeth clamped OR if there is a method to get them to release? Perhaps a person like a vet might know?
@Gillian Weir Scully: Jesus you talk some amount of shite.
@TheHeathen: thank you but generally only my family and friends call me Jesus….. you thank goodness are neither.
@Gillian Weir Scully: A effective way to release a dog from biting is to put a finger in their rectum. I have as yet had need to try this, so cannot speak to the veracity of the method.
Worked in a pet store before. The most aggressive dogs by far were chihuahua’s, west highland terriers and yorkies. Didnt see any if them on the list.
@Tomás Barrett: probably because they’d be highly unlikely to inflict serious damage on someone.
@Tomás Barrett: What about the Dreaded JRT? Nastiest breed in the world.
@Conor Egan: Yea I agree 100%, the worst they will do is break your skin while the dogs on the list can do serious harm. But my point is that the dogs on the list arent as aggressive. They become a problem because they are not socialised and trained properly. Its the owners that do the damage. I never hesitated to rub a any of the dogs on the list but wasn’t as confident with the above breeds.
@Mary Fitzsimons: weren’t too bad overall but when there nasty there nasty.
@Tomás Barrett: I don’t think a chi chi would last long against a Pitbull. I hate to use a somewhat over used saying but size does matter in the canine world.
As an owner of a bull breed – it annoys me that all of these dogs are just lumped in together as being bad.
Dogs are like humans – in that you have good and bad. Not all of these breeds are bad and not all of the, so-called, good breeds are good.
Over the last fifteen years we have rescued two Rotties and a Staffie. All beautiful dogs that deserve a decent life.
One of our Rotties passed away and the other one is very old. Therefore, Its only the Staffie that I walk in public – he’s a beautiful dog but because of all the negativity we walk very early in the morning and keep ourselves to ourselves.
It’s not only up to the owners of these listed dogs to act responsibly – owners of all dogs should act responsibly and their dogs run free in public.
@Anita R: not let their dogs run free even!
Can’t believe the amount of misinformation about dogs in the comments! First thing is that restricting breeds does not work. It hasn’t worked in Ireland, it hasn’t worked in the UK. Other countries have repealed BSL ( Breed Specific Legislation) for that reason. There is no scientific evidence that you are more at risk from this entirely arbitrary list of breeds. This study confirms this. Nor are bites from.restricted breeds more serious – no bite is good! Most bites occur in the home, often to children. So the safety issue is largely in the home, not on the street. All bites from dogs are a reaction to specific circumstances – each incident needs to be looked at in context. Restricted breeds of Dogs do not “lock on” – no more than any other dog! Restricted breeds are used for police work, pitbulls are restricted, so are staffies, rottweilers and alsations. No breed is defined by what it was originally bred for – dogs are far smarter than being a sum of their genetics! The focus on dog behaviour must always be on the owners – the only method of dog control that works is the “Calgary Model” where the emphasis is on owner responsibility. The list of restriced dogs is totally arbitrary – most of the breeds restricted here are not restricted in the north which shows just how daft this law is. The Control of Dogs Act needs to be updated in line with scientific evidence and not influenced by publicity hungry politicians scare mongering with no knowledge of the facts.
Opening the door to these restricted breeds will not, unfortunately, guarantee that they go to responsible owners. We have an underground breeding market in Ireland. And how will you restrict owners. Give them a personality test? Ban the dogs to any Northsiders? How will you enforce mandatory training? Take back the dog and euthanise at one year if not trained? It also becomes classist with pricey requirements. The most effective safeguard appears to be restrict the breed to control for bad owners.
There are no bad dogs…just bad owners.
I never trust any dog, dogs bite, they dont need a reason, its bred in them, but these restricted dogs are different, when they bite ur in trouble, they wont let go and the outcome of such an attack is not good, so here we are going to change the laws because of a book, its reacting to books that has the world so fxxked up, the bible, Koran etc, dogs are a decedent of the wolf and u wudnt leave to mind ur chickens wud ya.
@Slim Browne: except. Dogs can live without humans but we cannot live without them.
@Slim Browne: This is a scientific STUDY, using verifiable facts and based on international best practice not a ‘book’
You are just showing your ignorance Slim
@Slim Browne: so! what are you suggesting?
@Slim Browne: oh.. go to bed would ya…and shut up
@Dave Harris: so Dave ud leave ur kid alone in the same room as one of these restricted dogs because a scientific STUDY says its ok, I gave my opinion on what I think which is what people do here, nothing at all to do with ignorance Scientific studies are iffy at best, eat this its good for u, !! No do not eat this its bad for u!!! Btw arent all studies published?? Book form !!!
@Terry O’Callaghan: nice one Terry, if u dont want to read other opinions maybe u shud SHUT UP. U have a nice day.
@Gillian Weir Scully: yep they can live without us because theres the wild gene in them, btw ive nowt against these or any other breeds, I have 3 dogs myself, I take great care of them but do I trust them?? NO, and that goes for any dog
@Slim Browne: you could do with trying to read a few books yourself
@Gillian Weir Scully: Actually, im very happy living without dogs.
@paddy: I read many books Paddy
@Slim Browne: Except for the simple fact of your original comment about wolves. Wolves don’t attack humans, ever
What about getting rid of the people who own these poor animals…no animal is born vicious..there made that way..either by training them..or subjecting them to terrible conditions like beating.. torturing or starving them.. but it’s easier to get rid of the animal….!!
Ignorance is bliss.
@John Campbell: restrict the owners not the dogs. Some people have the wrong dogs for their life style.
@John Campbell: or maybe ignorance is panic, hysteria and fear in this case. This method seems to work to keep us ‘in our boxes’ in other areas so why not use it to control the type of dog we’re allowed. The media tells us these dogs are dangerous so they MUST be, sod what the evidence tells us.
Is it not because there are more of those dogs owned here? Surely that’s why there are more incidents with those breeds.
I didn’t think the list was to do with how the dogs behave, I always thought he was how powerful they could potentially be if they are to attack.
This is a rubbish report. Saying that over a third of biting incidents are caused by border collies and labrador retreivers and are noticably absent from the restricted breeds list is bull of the highest order. Those figures are not an indication of the breed, but of the quantity of those breeds in the country. Nearly every farmyard in the country has a border collie and labradors are in nearly every second home. They outnumber every other dog breed in the country as far as I can see, so of course they will have more biting incidents attributed to them.
It would help if those with certain types of criminal record, (violence, drug dealing etc) were prohibited from owning any dogs.
I see them running around feral all the time and owners seem to ignore the bad behavior these are the most dangerous type that cause more injuries and damage in our society the are not trained and thought how to behave so before people are allowed to get one they should go through rigorous training and make sure the owners is licensed to have such a potential dangerous harm causing one but turns out they let anybody have kids
I’m currently fostering a German shepherd and she is the most placid and obedient dog I have ever fostered (been fostering around ten years). I have never heard as much as growl. Dog warden in Cavan keeps pestering me saying she needs to be muzzled but she is such a sensitive dog that its borderline animal abuse to force a muzzle on her. She just lies down and refuses to walk and sulks for hours after. Honestly I believe its inhumane to force this rule on a dog just because she was born in the wrong furr. In the Netherlands the restricted breed law has been gone for years after it was proven not to work. Put in more effort regarding responsible dog ownership instead of pestering responsible dog owners that have their dogs licensed, chipped, leashed and under control and cleaning up after the dogs about muzzles… Its ridiculous… And then not do a thing about little terriers running free, shitting everywhere, attacking or raping dogs that are leashed and controlled and biting kids that try to pet them and no owner anywhere to be seen. That seems to be OK cause the dog is small and not a restricted breed. Lol. Ireland is so backwards.
@Sisa Astaroth Belial: I get what your saying about the personality of your dog and it would appear to be inhumane to muzzle them, however if I’m toodling along minding my own business pushing a toddler in a pram, who do I trust, the dog or the owner? I don’t know you or your dog from Adam, even though you sound like a responsible owner.
I would have no issue with any dog being out and about but if it’s a large powerful animal, i think it should be muzzled. Why should I have to second guess my child’s welfare, when I know nothing of either dog or owner. I would however get rid of the banned list as it serves no purpose other that marginalising certain breeds.
@Paul Culligan: its the irresponsible owners. Jack Russell’s are the most aggressive dog and they can do a serious amount of harm. I know a lot of rottweilers that r so soppy.
@Carol Daly:
Agree ,
Strange there’s no mention about severity of dogs bites. Nothing about the lady that almost lost the arm in cork to her own mastiff or and the old lady that died in Galway to her son’s bulmastifs!
It is irresponsible to ignore genetics, to say that a jack Russell is as dangerous as a pitbull. Keep telling that all breeds are the same and another fatality will come sooner.
One doesn’t have to look to much to find gruesome cases where a loved and looked after dog (dare I say pet), for some unknown reason turned and caused damage beyond repair, often to a known member of the family, frequently a child.
Data from USA says Pitbulls and Rottweiler where responsible for 80% of human fatalities. Over 500 recorded, about 30 a year. Not to mention mauled limbs of all the victims that survived. Refer to article about plastic surgery in a Philadelphia hospital and the clear change in the type of wounds when pitbulls became more popular.
I yawn ,my dog yawns,and she didn’t read the article.
What a silly survey, it doesn’t take account of the fact that there is a huge difference in the type of dog breed that attacks and the strength or viciousness of what a particular breed can do.
Nonsensical justification of something that even the dogs on the Streets know,
Different dogs are capable of more vicious Attacks.
I walk on dollymount strand most days winter and summer and have been attacked on a number of times by dogs let run wild by there owners if I had my way I would ban all dogs from public places my sun was attacked by an Alsatian and ended up in temple street hospital fighting for his life he was only eight years old the reply from the woman owner was he never did that before it cost her big time and the dog was put down no dog should be off the lead in all public places all dogs found off the leash should be rounded up and put down and the owners find at least a 1000 euro and never allowed have a dog again
Is this an Ireland island idea?
Obviously bullshit,ask anyone with a kid who’s been attacked?
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