South Florida Veterinary Medical Association supports repeal of Miami-Dade County pit bull ban

MIAMI – The South Florida Veterinary Medical Association, Inc. (SFVMA), the leading voice of veterinarians in the community and one of the largest associations of veterinarians in the State of Florida, urges citizens of Miami-Dade County to put an end to Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) by voting YES to repeal the County's breed ban in the August 14th primary elections.

"BSL is based on the idea that breed restrictions of any kind will result in increased community safety, which they have never done, wherever they have been implemented," the SFVMA reported. 

The SFMVA cites an April 2012 study by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), based upon an analysis of 40 years of dog bite studies from Europe and North America, which affirms that Breed Specific Legislation does not increase community safety.  In addition to the AVMA study, "many other studies have shown that these ‘dangerous' breeds behave no different from any other dog breed when it comes to behaviors that lead to biting," says the SFVMA.

The SFVMA cites two additional reasons for lifting the County's 23-year discriminatory breed ban: enforcing the ban is costly to taxpayers, and the ban increases the "already-exorbitant euthanasia rate in our county shelter, because the banned breeds are unable to be adopted by Miami-Dade residents.  The pit bulls are sent to the far corners of the shelter, away from the primary traffic flow where they are isolated and doomed to euthanasia." 

"The evidence shows that the 23-year ban has not made Miami-Dade County a safer place and is a burden on the community," said Dahlia Canes, Founder of the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation Political Action Committee, Inc. (MCABSL PAC). "We look forward to the day when all dogs in Miami-Dade County are treated equally and are judged based on their behavior and not on the way they look.  "The citizens of Miami-Dade County should consider the advice of the SFVMA, who are trusted experts in our community and Vote YES on August 14th to put an end to 23 years of injustice."