About the AuthorGabrielle Allemeier volunteers her free time as an animal rescuer and foster pet parent. As an animal lover, she enjoys sharing the knowledge she has gained from her experience with a variety of animals. Along with being an animal lover, Gabrielle is a globetrotter. She lives in Los Angeles, California with her terrier, Thisbe.
Most states in the USA have Breed Specific Legislation on the books. Referred to as BSL these laws don’t always state “pit bull” in the wording. However, the laws are most often used to target pit bulls. Other breeds often targeted are Rottweilers and Dobermans.
Moving without your pitbull will most likely be a death sentence for him. With the overpopulation of pit bulls they are probably the most often euthanized dog in the shelters. To think an abandoned pit bull will be adopted especially as an adult dog is a pipe dream. A negligible percentage of adult pit bulls will hit the jackpot and get adopted by a loving family. The majority will be condemned to either a lethal injection or a tragic life on the streets.
With enforcers, lawyers, and even the American Bar Association tiring of trying to litigate such confusing and specious laws BSL may slowly be dying out. Still, until dogs as a whole are completely exonerated humans have to be responsible for their charges. This means doing a lot of homework before you move to a new place. Not only do you have to check if your intended municipality is pit bull-friendly, you have to check with the neighborhood, the HOA, or your landlord.
Social media and better awareness have been very effective in chipping away at the aspersions cast by anti-pit bull groups. With the help of celebrities such as Cesar Milan pit bulls are regaining their rightful place as pets. Pit bulls were once loved by Americans until dog fighting became lucrative in the underworld. Now attitudes are changing once again and people are realizing that BSL is only making the problem of dog overpopulation worse.
States that prohibit bans on Pit Bulls and other breeds
According to the Animal Legal and Historical Center, 9 states prohibit local governments from enforcing breed-specific legislation as of 2021:
An additional 12 states prohibit local governments from naming specific breeds in dangerous dog laws:
*Floridas law only applies to ordinances passed after October 1, 1990.
Some other states, like Hawaii, dont prohibit breed-specific legislation. However, no such legislation currently exists within the state.
Kansas
Kansas has breed bans and legislation in 90 of its cities with most of them being full bans (77 in number).
You are not allowed to keep, own, or harbor any dog from this breed.
Other ‘dangerous’ breeds here include the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, and any other canine with the characteristics and appearance of the three terrier dogs above.
The law was put in effect in 1987 and even after the amendment in 2007, not much changed.
why I no longer support pit bull ownership
Pets have become an essential part of most families. The most popular ones are cats and dogs. However, dogs have the highest restrictions among the two.
Most dog breeds get stereotyped as aggressive, vicious, and threatening. And that has led to placing bans or restrictions on them. The most common ones are pit bulls. They have the highest prohibition and limitation in the United States.
If you intend to raise a pit bull, then you have to be sure of the restrictions or ban on it in your state. This article aims to let you know about the pit bull ban and the States that uphold it. Read through to get the full details.
Cities and towns in about 40 states in the US either banned or restricted pit bulls. The prohibition is due to the Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) in such States. It limits or prohibits some breeds of dogs. And it classifies them as vicious or dangerous.
The BSL in towns and cities can range from total bans on owning such dogs to restrictions for ownership. Some states like Iowa have over 90 municipalities that uphold the BSL. Other states like Kentucky have about 30.
It’s best to check the restrictions on pit bulls in any BSL state before you move there. That way, you’ll be able to avoid some municipalities within the state that have banned pit bulls.
However, some states don’t have BSL. They include Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia.