Legislative Updates
(Last Update 2-19-05)

HAGA Opposes House Bill 78

A bill introduced in the Georgia General Assembly on January 24, 2005 would make it illegal for any person to import, sell, transport, carry, own, keep, or otherwise possess any live pit bull dog in Georgia.  A "pit bull" would be defined as "any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds."  If the bill is passed and enacted into law, Georgia residents who own a pit bull as of July 1, 2005 would be forced to sterilize the animal and either keep it fully confined so as to have no contact whatsoever with the public, or have the animal leashed and muzzled and accompanied by an adult if it is taken out in public.

The Humane Association of Georgia adamantly opposes breed-specific legislation such as House Bill 78.
 

Why is HB 78 a Bad Idea?

While breed is one factor which may contribute to a dog's temperament, it alone cannot be used to predict whether a dog may pose a danger to his or her community. A September 2000 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (VetMed Today: Special Report) illustrates this point. The report detailed dog-bite-related fatalities in the U.S. from 1979 through 1998, and revealed that, over that 19-year period, at least 25 different breeds or crossbreeds of dogs had been involved in fatally wounding a human being. The breeds cited ranged from the often-maligned pit bulls and rottweilers to the legendary "forever loyal" breed of St. Bernards. The main conclusion of the study was that breed-specific legislation doesn't work for several reasons, including the fact that the inherent problem in trying to determine and prove a dog's breed makes actual enforcement of breed-specific legislation almost impossible.

Although breed-specific legislation has been tried in a few states and municipalities throughout the country, communities that have banned specific breeds have discovered that it has not been the easy answer they thought it would be. In some areas, media hype has actually increased the demand for dogs whose breeds are in danger of being banned. Animal control agencies, even those that are well-funded and well-equipped, have found the such laws to be an enforcement nightmare.

Restrictions placed on specific breeds fail to address the larger problems of abuse, aggression training, poor socialization, lack of obedience training, failure to spay/neuter, and lack of proper containment and control by irresponsible dog owners.  Breed-neutral legislation regulating all dangerous dogs and placing responsibility for their behavior on their owners, as well as adequate enforcement of Georgia's current dog-fighting statute, are more reasoned approachs to community safety than breed-specific legislation such as House Bill 78.
 

What is the Status of HB 78?

House Bill 78 is currently assigned to the House Non-Civil Judicial Committee.  Public hearings on the issue were held on 2-17-05.  Check our Action Alerts page for the most up-to-date information on HB 78.
 

I Want to Join HAGA in Opposing HB 78!  What Can I Do?

1.  Become educated about HB 78 and the issues surrounding breed-specific legislation.

• To read the full text of HB 78, click here.

• To read the Humane Society of the United States' position on HB 78, click here.

• To read the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' position on breed-specific legislation and HB 78, including an excellent printable article on effective dangerous dog legislation, click here.

• To read a thoughtful editorial concerning HB 78 published in The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, click here.

2.  Contact state senators and representatives from your own district, as well as members of the House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee, and oppose passage of House Bill 78.

• Identify elected officials from your district by entering your five or nine digit zip code on the HSUS Find Your Elected Officials Webpage or by calling your county voter registration office. Contact us if you need help.

• Members of the House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee are listed below.

• Let these elected officials know that breed-specific legislation fails to address the larger problem of irresponsible dog ownership.

• E-mail is a convenient way to reach your legislators, but personal letters and phone calls have much more impact. After editing and sending your e-mail, you can download your message to print and mail. You can also make a brief and polite phone call to your legislators' offices.