Great news: Another Pit Bull ban is about to bite the dust, this time in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
On June 16, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation that as of midnight on Oct. 1, 2023, will end the breed-specific legislation (BSL) that’s been enforced in the county for nearly 30 years.
BSL are unfair laws, including breed bans, that single out dogs only because of how they look. These laws have proven to be ineffective in increasing public safety. They are also very expensive to enforce. Because of this, the trend in recent years has been to remove BSL. Voters in Denver, which had banned Pit Bulls for 31 years, voted to remove BSL in November 2020.
For decades, Pit Bull advocates like the nonprofit Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL) have been working hard to end BSL in Miami-Dade County. Like Denver and some other places, the Pit Bull ban was enacted by the county commission back in 1989 based on just one incident, in which an 8-year-old girl was bitten in the face by a dog identified as a Pit Bull. Instead of blaming the deed (and irresponsible dog owners), BSL blames an entire breed.
Senate Bill 942, the legislation signed by DeSantis, was sponsored by Sen. Alexis Calatayud. SB 942 replaced the identical House Bill 941 sponsored by Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera.
SB 942 states, “Local governments may adopt ordinances to address safety and welfare concerns stemming from dog attacks on people or domestic animals, placing restrictions and additional requirements on owners of dangerous dogs, provided that no regulations may be breed-specific. The bill adds size and weight to the prohibited dog characteristics a local government may not use to regulate dogs in its jurisdiction, and places the same restrictions on public housing authorities.
“The bill also removes the provision in statute allowing local governments to enforce dog breed-specific regulations if such regulation was enacted by ordinance before October 1, 1990. Local governments known to be affected by this change include Miami-Dade County and the City of Sunrise.”
The end of BSL in Miami-Dade County means that the lives of more beautiful shelter puppies like that lucky girl in Calatayud’s arms may be spared. According to the Best Friends Animal Society, over 20,600 dogs and cats were euthanized in Florida animal shelters last year. One of the most common reasons why people surrender their beloved pets to shelters is housing issues. These include insurance restrictions — it’s a sad fact that most U.S. insurance companies refuse to provide homeowner’s insurance to the owners of Pit Bulls and other “dangerous” breeds — as well as rental limitations.
“No more hiding. No more fear,” MCABSL wrote on its Facebook page. “Today marks the end of an era of discrimination and cruelty. Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation dedicates June 16th to all the pitties we’ve lost along the way. Today and every day, we will remember you and honor you. We promised we’d fight for you, even after you crossed the rainbow bridge, and today, your brothers and sisters can finally look forward to a life of peace, love, and respect.”
Photo: PxHere