INTRODUCTION
In the summer of 2000, a small boy was mutilated on a school playground in Hamburg, Germany by a pitbull and an American Staffordshire Terrier. It was later learned, through autopsies of the dogs, that they had not eaten in 3 days, were on drugs, and had been trained to fight on the school property each weekend.
The owner of these 2 dogs was a former inmate and had been in trouble with the police several times concerning his animals. He had been issued a court statement that his dogs were not allowed out of the house without a leash and muzzle. On this tragic June morning, his girlfriend was walking both dogs without muzzles, unleased them and off the dogs ran to the crowded school playground.
It was a scene played by major news channels throughout Europe, even as far away as South Africa. Two dogs lying dead on the ground, after being shot by the police, one close to the body of the dead child and the girlfriend in the background being treated as she was also attacked.
Though Germany
has had a normal dog law in place for many years (if a dog bites he must be
leashed and muzzled), it was never enforced. After this tragedy the
country was searching for answers on how to protect themeselves from killer
dogs and the politicians, with the help of the media, found a quick and easy
solution...BAN THEM ALL.
What led the politicians to react so swiftly to this childs death? I
have summarized the history of BSL in Germany from 1980 to present.
HISTORY
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Our Case