Caroline Zambrano examines the influence of the media when it comes to reporting on Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).
In the headline news…
“Pit Bull Attacks Mourners” BBC News Online, 15 January, 1998.
“Pit Bull Attacks Oakland Woman” San Francisco Chronicle, United States, 12 March, 2001
“Three Pit Bulls attack two-year-old Ottawa boy” CTV.ca (Canada), 2 February, 2005.
“Pit Bulls in three attacks” The Courier-Mail, Queensland, 3 May, 2005
As Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) began to spread more than a decade ago from Europe to the rest of the world, so did stories of dog attacks in the international media.
Dogs Life wonders if the media had refrained from publishing news of only Pit Bull attacks and disseminated pictures of children playing amongst these breeds, would Australia be targeting specific breeds in controlling dangerous dogs today?
In Australia, breeds banned from importation are the American Pit Bull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
Many organisations and individual dog owners in the country argue that the media plays a big role in creating a misconception about breeds. International animal behaviour experts encourage the public to educate themselves better on the facts behind dog attacks.
Endangered Dog Breeds Association (EDBA) president Linda Watson said the media is not reporting the truth about dog attacks so dog lovers need to do their own research about certain breeds.
Since it started in 2001, the EDBA works with more than 200 members to provide the public with evidence, advice and alternatives to BSL and also to counter misinformation and hysteria about dog breeds and dog attacks promoted by the media and other anti-animal welfare organisations and governments.
“The media sensationalise dog attacks and at the moment seem only to publicise those involving Pit Bull type dogs or dogs they can convert into Pit Bulls,” Watson said. “Dog lovers need to educate themselves and understand particular breeds. Targeting breeds is unfair and irrational.”
