melzawelza

I've been thinking about this all afternoon and I think we need to get a plan of attack absolutely. There's so many of us that are willing to stand up and fight but don't know how. I think we need to contact people in other countries like the US that have successfully stood up against and beaten BSL. Even contacting Karen Delise to talk on what she knows can work would maybe help give us some direction. Looking at the approach the greyhound people took to get their dogs unmuzzled... yes it's a completely different situation but also similar. There has to be good that can come out of that. Personally I've felt for a long time that the approach shouldn't be about the dogs or the breed - too many people either don't care about the breed or dogs in general - the approach needs to be about PEOPLE. We need to focus on why BSL does not protect PEOPLE from dogs - any breed of dog -, and then we also need to show them the alternative... i.e what DOES work (Calgary?). What people want is to not be attacked, so we need to convince them that the government are screwing all of us by taking the easy option.

I'm telling you now, there is a big push from NSW Animal Control Officers for the dogs to be automatically restricted unless pedigree papers are provided. They're pushing the DLG hard and the DLG will likely listen. We need to be very careful in NSW because I truly believe we aren't far behind.

Where does it say that?? From http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/pets/dog-care/restricted-breed-dogs/frequently-asked-questions-restricted-breed-dogs "Dogs that were in Victoria prior to 1 September 2010 that are registered prior to 30 September 2011 will be able to be registered and so you should ensure your dog is registered as soon as possible. After, the registration amnesty ends on 30 September 2011, if your dog is a restricted breed and is not registered and was not in Victoria prior to 1 September 2010 then it is not able to be registered and council will be entitled to seize and destroy the dog." It's quite simple really - if you have a restricted breed dog or even suspect you do, REGISTER IT NOW and register it honestly as the breed/mixed breed you suspect it is, and it will be safe from complaining neighbours. Remember that it's the law that ALL dogs should be registered. People who are complaining about the fact that bully breeds must be registered or risk being seized and and destroyed have forgotten this basic fact. I misread slightly on reading again, but we were both wrong. They aren't automatically dead but they also aren't automatically safe. "17) My dog was introduced to Victoria after the 1 Sep 2010 and was registered with the Council prior to 30 Sep 2011, but as another breed, what is its status? As the council has accepted the registration application and the statement of breed at registration it can be kept. If detected and declared as a restricted breed dog before the registration amnesty ends, or after it, you have a right to VCAT appeal on the breed issue. If the appeal confirms the restricted breed declaration made by the council then the dog is restricted and at expiry of registration the Council can decide whether to re-register it." So the dog at the very least will have to adhere to the RB requirements, but they're only safe for a year until their rego runs out. Once the rego runs out Council can refuse to register them so unless they can find another Council that will and move there then the dog would be destroyed.

I must be the only person in the world because even my non doggy friends told me to watch it - but I really really didn't like it!! I found it so corny, the acting was wooden, the ending was horribly cliche and it just had this all round feeling of a crappy aussie film! The only good thing was the dog IMO!

Oh she is so beautiful!!! Lovely story thank you!

Greytmate they only get to live if they were in Vic before September 2010. If they were born or arrived after then and fit the standard it's a death sentence whether they are registered or not. PLENTY of responsible owners will suffer. Ones who have rescued or bought bull breeds and those that move into the state after that date will have their dogs euthanized whether they've registered them or not, even if they've never put a foot wrong.

Ah thanks Sez! You are correct!

Check it out guys - a fundraiser for Petey, the rescue pup who was brutally attacked in his foster carers yard The prizes are fantastic not to mention it's going towards such a worthy little man. http://www.ruthlessthings.com/blog/2011/09/fundraiser-for-petey/

So so sad

Yay China!!!

Why? It scares me to see dogs obviously bred & trained to rip into people. Also, I find the cropped-ear thing hideous - it's obviously done to make the dogs looks even more frightening. Did you read it? The dogs on the website you linked, including those pictured on the sleeve, were trained in Schutzhund (which has nothing to do with ripping into people). The author also spoke of the importance of breeding only from stable, balanced animals and selling them into appropriate working homes. Ear cropping is a matter of opinion, but cropped ears don't make a vicious dog. I'm with you, SK. After reading the reactions to it I read the whole article, and was very very impressed with the ethics of the breeder and what he is trying to achieve with his dogs. Nothing scary at all in that page.

I always knew the Rotty would be next but I didn't think it would be this quickly.... brace yourself Rotty owners for what the rest of us have been so angry about for so long

What a brilliant segment, you were fantastic sumosmum! You should be very proud of what you have done for responsible owners and bull breeds everywhere!

Fuzzy - the dog was a pit bull X mastiff, but the media can't bring themselves to add in the cross bit and since about two days in have left it out. I really feel like these two attacks that has happened since Ayen that have been labelled as rotties will be having the attention turned on them now. This is why we all need to stick together no matter what our breed.

Well from one 'bleating' dog owner to another "bleating" dog owner ;) .....no point in "bleating" on and on about it here is there MelsieWelzie. I'm off to write my thoughts on the matter to the Premier himself. Not that he woany notice of any dog owner,but its worth a try. Just to clarify there have been no fatalities In Australia by an APBT Yup exactly right - you'll see I wrote 'in the states'.

I suggest you look at the history of your beloved breed and you will see that a huge percentage of the fatal and serious attacks in the 60s-70s in the states were by GSD's. Want to know why? Because the media huped them up as 'killers' so all the arseholes went and got one. There was ONE fatality from a pit bull in that time. Different breeds throughout history have been targeted by the media and shitty owners. You seem to understand this and were bleating about the horror of dogs being seized by the stormtroopers so to be honest I'm not sure what your argument is or whether you think breed bans are good or not. Or maybe you just want the AmBull banned but nothing else?

Umm... NO dogs need to be added to the restricted breeds list. I fail to understand how in one thread you can lament BSL and compare it to the nazi's and in the next thread talk about adding breeds?

Looks just like a bunch of Rotty x Shepherds ive met.

Great survey. Linda Watson also wrote the article just posted in the news section in relation to breed bans. Brilliant subject for a PhD and I think the survey is great in highlighting how hard it is to identify breeds when looking at a cross or mixed bred dog.

Poor Axle RIP

Ah. I see what you mean. Would absolutely love to see it if you could PM me the link pretty please?

Damn, I wanted to watch that! Why take away Aidan?

No it doesn't. Average Joe had no idea about dog breeds and unless they hear the word cross would have no idea. This sort of thin has bad ramifications for pure pit bulls and pure bullmastiffs. Because people just hear this repeated over and over again until it sticks in their head.

Sandgrubber I would refute that most rangers like dogs - that hasn't been my experience. And I've found a lot of the ones that do like dogs still hate pits. I've seen a whole room cheer at the deaths of 18 supposed pits that had done nothing wrong apart from exist and be the wrong colour. Don't trust them. There are some great ones out there that are in it for the dogs, but there's even more that just didn't make it into the cops and wanted something else to make them feel powerful.

The media just cannot bring themselves to write 'cross' can they??? I will be writing some letters tonight.