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Over the last couple of days we’ve posted about issues in the advocacy community around commonly used terminology. We’ve explored the term “pit bull” but let’s go a little deeper and talk about the red nose/blue nose issue! “Red nose pit bull” and “blue nose pit bull” are terms used by dog owners, irresponsible breeders, and many others. People even use them to refer to dogs who aren’t even red or blue in colour! Dog noses are wet and adorable and leave distinctive artwork on your car windows, but they don’t tell you anything about what type of dog you...

We received a lot of feedback and comments on last week’s #BSLbytes about terminology – we talked about “pit bull”, “blue nose”, and “red nose”. Another one that comes up from time to time is “staffy”. The other day, Justice for Bullies and HugABull asked their members about perceptions around the word “staffy”.  The Justice for Bullies poll showed that about 30% of people thought this was short for American Staffordshire Terrier, and approximately 70% thought that it applied to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.  On the HugABull poll, about 10% of respondents said they associate “staffy” as synonymous with the...

You’re on Facebook. You see news about proposed breed specific legislation. A few minutes later, three different online petitions pop up pleading for your support. Do you sign? Have you ever wondered if these are just a form of “slacktivism” or whether you are making a difference by lending your support? These online petitions are done with the best intentions, and have the capability of reaching hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of hours. They are an amazing tool for bringing awareness to a situation, and for spreading the word at a pace in which live signature collection...

The #BSLbytes reading list includes The Pit bull placebo, written by Karen Delise. It is 10 years old this year but remains extremely relevant, and a required read for anyone wondering how a poorly-defined category of dog became a favourite scapegoat for media and lawmakers. It's written in a clear, accessible style and will change the way you talk to people about breed-specific legislation. Back cover summary:“First it was the Bloodhound, sensationalized in the dramatizations of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Then it was the Doberman, the symbol of Nazi cruelty. Today, it is the Pit Bull that is vilified for the...

Breed specific legislation is not evidence-based and lacks support by reputable academic and professional groups. We will be talking about some of these groups as part of our @BSLbytes campaign. The Canadian and American Veterinary Associations have spoken out against breed specific legislation. These organizations are professional associations for the veterinary profession – a vocation that involves handling animals every day and dealing with complex behaviours in high-stress environment. They are a population worth listening to!“The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) supports dangerous dog legislation provided that it is not discriminatory of a specific breed. This legislation should be directed...