Breed-specific legislation (BSL) targeting specific dog breeds has been shown to be ineffective at reducing bites while causing significant welfare harm to affected dogs.
Breed-specific legislation represents a policy approach that fails on both efficacy and welfare grounds. The welfare cost — mass euthanasia and relinquishment of dogs based on appearance — is substantial, while the safety benefit is not demonstrated by evidence. Individual dog assessment based on actual behavior and risk history, combined with owner accountability measures and community education programs, achieves better public safety outcomes with dramatically lower welfare costs. BSL repeal, combined with behavior-based dangerous dog law alternatives, is both the welfare-positive and evidence-based policy direction.