Clash over stance on pit bull terriers

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 31

Clash over stance on pit bull terriers

PA Wellington The national office of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has clashed with its organisations in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland over its stance on American pit bull terriers.

The Wellington president of the society, Mr Ross McLauchlan, said the Government’s decision not to ban importation of the dogs was “foolhardy.” It was tantamount to giving people “carte blanche to import and own lions.” He said he was speaking for his counterparts in Auckland and Christchurch, who also sought an import ban. But the organisation’s national president, Mr Neil Wells, said he welcomed the Government’s decision. A ban would be ridiculous as it would also outlaw other similar breeds.

It’s not an animal

problem, but a people problem,” he said. Mr Wells advocated sterner laws to clamp down on breeders and owners of “attack dogs.” Mr McLauchlan said his perspective was different from Mr Wells’s because he would have to deal with the effects of the decision.

"The dogs are going to end up in the S.P.C.A. to be put down, or in dog shelters,” he said. By allowing the dogs the Government was adding to the problem of “attack dogs” and was also creating a new demand for another attack breed.

He disagreed with the Minister of Customs, Mr de Cleene, who said it would be impossible to tell the difference between an American pit bull terrier and other common breeds.

A dog arriving in New Zealand for import would be accompanied by a vet-

erinary certificate stating its breed.

Mr McLauchlan said it was asking for trouble to let the dogs in because they were the strongest dogs in the world. Motivations of anyone wanting to own such a dog would be dubious.

“Anyone who owned one for a pet would have to be nuts,” he said. The pit bull terrier, which made up about 2 per cent of the dog population in the United States, was responsible for 60 per cent of attacks on people. The dogs had killed 16 people in the United States in 30 months. Mr McLauchlan said the only solution was to put a total ban on ownership of the dogs, a move advocated by the S.P.C.A. in all Australian states.

“In Australia, insurance companies will not accept personal insurance policies for owners of pit bull terriers,” he said.