Breed Discrimination Essay

Specific Purpose: To bring attention to the issue of dog breed discrimination through Breed Selective Legislation (BSL) and inform the audience how they can change it.

Introduction

I. Open with Impact: Raise your hand if you own or have ever owned a dog.

A. Now raise your hand if they come to mind when you hear the word “discrimination”.

B. They most likely won’t because human social interaction is often considered while a whole system for structured discrimination amongst dogs exists.

II. Thesis: “Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is the banning or restriction of specific breeds of dogs considered “dangerous”, such as pit bull breeds, Rottweilers, Mastiffs, and German shepherds amongst many others” according to the American Humane Association (2013). It is an inaccurate and unfair attempt at regulating dog attacks by restricting ownership of certain breeds categorized as aggressive.

III. Audience Connection: Here in Chico, pit bull breeds are extremely popular and seem to be a favored dog. However, most apartments don’t allow any type of pit bull, making it difficult to find housing. Apartment hunting is stressful for everyone and owning a certain breed can make it nearly impossible.

IV. Preview: There are several factors that should be considered when analyzing BSL and its effects.

A. I will explain the history of aggressive stigmas in certain breeds and how people are responsible.

B. It is difficult to correctly identify each dog by breed- some are mixed and tests are expensive.

C. We must observe the effectiveness of BSL where it is currently implemented.

Body

I. Main Point: People are responsible for creating the problem with certain breeds as well as the social stigmas placed against them.

A. Along with English immigran...

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... -- research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources.” Recognized on a federal level, the injustice of Breed Specific Legislation is still misunderstood by states and counties in America. Something you can do to help is be aware of your own considerations of dogs based on their breed and spread the word. We all know dogs are naturally gentle creatures and no group should have a negative stigma attached to them. The easiest way to make a change is to inform those around you- you can go to www.facebook.com and like the page “STOP Breed Specific Legislation” to become involved and aware of the policy’s status across the nation. If these discriminatory laws don’t change, we might not be able to walk our poodles and beagles down the street either. Remember that dogs cannot speak, so we must be their voice.