Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) prohibits or restricts certain dog breeds based on appearance. Evidence suggests BSL is ineffective and causes significant welfare harm to dogs.
Breed Specific Legislation causes direct welfare harm to dogs that are seized, kennelled for extended periods, and in some cases euthanised based on appearance rather than behaviour. Extended kennelling is itself welfare-compromising — kennels cause significant psychological stress in social animals accustomed to human contact. The evidence base against BSL is strong: dog bite incidents are not reduced by it, breed identification is unreliable, and the resources spent on BSL enforcement would be better directed at owner education, responsible breeding, and evidence-based dangerous dog management. The welfare argument and the public safety argument align in opposing ineffective BSL.