http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-28191702 I know BSL (breed specific legislation) is a contentious subject, and I don't want to start an argument or debate about it here. I just want to highlight how outdated it is when my local police force has now lost a valuable police asset because of a peice of legislation that so clearly doesn't work. You might recognise Tyson if you have been following the channel 5 program 'the dog rescuers'. He was featured a couple of weeks ago being tested and subsequently adopted to be trained as a police sniffer dog. Then he was identified by the DLO (dog legislation officer) as being of 'type' (pit bull type) and returned to the rescue centre to be euthanised. Being identified as of 'type' means that he fit a set of numerical measurements on a peice of paper that are set out to recognise dangerous dogs. No temperament testing or behavioural assessment is carried out. It doesn't even have to be done by a DLO - I was offered the training as a animal carer at the kennels, but I refused. Even if DNA testing had been carried out to prove that a dogs parents are legal breeds (for example a Labrador and a boxer, using one example that I personally know about) a dog can still be identified as a 'put bull type' if they fit the measurements from a tape measure. I am angry and saddened. Worst of all - channel 5 won't be showing the follow up to Tysons story on their program so the injustice of this law will not be highlighted. Thanks for taking the time to read.
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL I read about this yesterday Lauren , with a heavy heart too I had seen Tyson on the programme and marvelled at his totally natural talent,his eagerness to please and the joy he expressed , what a crying shame that this has happened and even more of a shame that the programme makers are not following it through .
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL I couldn't bear to read it, cowardly I know, but it upsets me that innocent animals can be killed so easily by man who is supposed to know better.
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL I didnt know about this, how very sad, thanks for drawing our attention to it x
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL I assume that Tyson was assessed for temperament, aptitude etc by an experienced professional before being selected for training course. In the hands of an experienced professional the very best in him would have been brought out and undesirable traits brought under control. To be condemned to death because of a tape measure is obscene.
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL I know Tina, it's horrendous. He went thought a lot of testing to get to the stage of being accepted as a trainee and then it's all gone. Some DLO's don't even take the measurements, they just look at them and if they think they look right (or wrong!) that's it. Condemned.
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL Ive mentioned before about my sisters friend a police woman who recently took on a retired police dog. A Belgian Shepherd who had been attacked by a pit bull while defending his handler. The police dog handler said if it hadn't been for his dog he would have been seriously attacked. Unfortunately due to its injuries the dog had to be retired so my sisters friend offered to have it. While she was lying on the couch the Belgian Shepherd attacked her. Took a chunk from her cheek, removed half her bottom lip and slit her throat !!!!! She is still in hospital and has already had a number of operations. Obviously the dog was put down. My point is this dog was a highly trained animal but a lethal animal. Yet this breed is not included in BSL. I know there are reasons why breeds are and breeds aren't on the list but all dogs have the potential to be dangerous even highly trained ones. The shape and size of a dog should not be the determining factor but the temperament. The legislation should be to control who owns these 'dangerous' dogs and how they are trained not whether they live or die.
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL :'( :'( :'( I hope your sisters friend recovers soon Jen xx
Re: Trainee police dog put to sleep because of BSL Thank you Naya. My sister went to visit her at the weekend. They took skin from her hip to fix her cheek and some how stretched what was left of her bottom lip to cover the missing bit. :-\ My sister said they'd done an amazing job. Hopefully she will recover very well.
