staffilover Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Dutch government to lift 25-year ban on pit bulls The Dutch government says it will lift a long-standing ban on pit bulls because it did not lead to any decrease in bite incidents. Agriculture Minister Gerda Verburg has informed parliament of the decision, which follows the advice of a commission of experts appointed to review the policy. Instead, the country will focus on enforcing local leashing laws and owner education programs. Spokesman Koen Geelink said Monday the ministry hopes to have a new policy in place by year-end, in which dogs that have displayed aggression will be tested by an expert. The country banned the breeding and possession of pit bulls in 1993, after three children were killed by the dogs. http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080609/ap/d916m6uo2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelpirate Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Why can't they get the idea in this country? Surely eduction programmes etc are going to be more use than banning a random type of dog... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melp Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 This is brilliant news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 For once I'm proud to be Dutch! :biggrin: Not sure how they managed to make 1993 - 2008 into 25 years in the above article, thank doG it was 10 years less. Below is a translation of a national Dutch newspaper aricle - the "Volkskrant" is the Dutch equivalent of the Guardian here: ‘PIT BULL KILLING REGULATION’ OUTDATED Pitbulls bite slightly more often than other dogs. However this does not justify their merciless killing, a a government appointed commission has judged today. As a result of this message, DEFRA Minister Verburg repeals the Regeling Agressieve Honden (= Agressive Dogs Regulation, i.e DDA) . ‘Pitbull type’ dogs will no longer be seized and ‘killed’. (The Minister has written this in a letter to de ‘Kamer’, which I understand to be similar to ‘Commons’ – different governmental system, so not entirely sure as to how this would translate). The regulation dates back to 1993, the year in which 3 children were bitten to death by pitbulls. Ever since, pit bull types have been illegal and can be seized through the judicial as well as the civil courts. Once established that the dog is a pitbull, it will be killed (happens in about 85 percent of cases). Last year 526 dogs were seized in the Netherlands through the controversial regulation. The regulation is controversial because (as stated by the commission) the number of dog bites has stayed the same since the inception of the regulation. Moreover, researchers have concluded that a bite from a pitbull does not do more damage than a bite of another dog. With this conclusion the commission has refuted a longstanding, persistent claim. Besides, the experts often disagree whether a seized dog is a pitbull and should be killed. They are required to work with definitions such as ‘athletic but not skinny’ or ‘comes across as powerful’. The regulation is outdated, says Verburg. She now wants new regulations which judge dogs by aggressive behaviour rather than breed. The Public Prosecutor will now look into current dossiers of seized dogs. If they have been found not to be aggressive they will be returned to their owner. Source: De Volkskrant, 10 June 2008-06-10 http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/articl..._is_achterhaald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 Wow! Some very interesting comments about bites not having decreased and the difficulty involving identification of dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumpole Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 fab news thanks billy for you being dutch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaos Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Good news indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMagic Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 Excellent news, lets hope our government types take some notice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts