History of Racism and Breed-Specific Legislation
In medieval France, people classified animals according to function and nobility. The dogs of the French nobility were considered by many to be the "highest race." However, the common guard dog was the "lowest race," and for hundreds of years, writers throughout Europe referred to "races" rather than dog breeds. "All breed-specific laws and policies can be linked to racism," according to The Animal Farm Foundation. Sometimes it's discrimination against the homeless or people of lower socioeconomic status. Other times it is ableism, that implies denying those with disabilities access to services or amenities, and in other instances times it exists as racial profiling and stereotypes."
The evidence of racial bias is unequivocal, as the below examples show:
In New York City, Former Mayor Ed Koch sought similar measures, not because the dogs were really dangerous, but because of the identity of their owners."
The pit bull ban in Miami-Dade County stemmed from growing anxiety and social tensions over Cuban immigration.
When Aurora, Colorado, enacted a Pit Bull ban, a commissioner at the time said that she did not want "those sorts of people" (the supposed Pit Bull owners) moving into her community.
When Denver, CO banned Pit Bulls after whites moved out and Latinos moved in, it "dramatically changed the city's population.
Others believe likening Breed-Specific Legislation to Racism is a bit of a stretch!
Attorney Kenneth Phillips, a specialist in dog bite law, opines that “Invoking the fight against racism is irrational and a slap in the faces of those who oppose discrimination against people based on their skin color. Such comparisons display the extreme extent that the dog lobbyists go to divert attention away from proper regulation of killer dogs and their vicious owners.” At first glance, this appears to be reasonable. In many ways, breed discrimination is incomparable to the problem of racism among humans. Dogs are unable to identify with marginalized people's social and emotional struggles.”
However, the philosophical tipping point in this passage comes at the tail end of that statement: "killer dogs and their dangerous owners." This perspective of referencing killer dogs and their dangerous owners prompts us to share popular insight by Vicki Hearne, who was a popular animal trainer in the 1980s and 1990s. So, what is Vicki Hearne’s perspective?
Many other people, such as Vicki Hearne, have unapologetically linked Breed-Specific Legislation to Racism.
Hearne wrote several books (such as The White German Shepherd, Animal Happiness, and Adam’s Task: Calling Animals by Name) about the complexities of animals. She captured her ideas in writings celebrating domestic animals' spiritual history.
Immy Humes' 1991 documentary A Little Vicious is a companion piece to Hearne's book, “Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog," released the same year. Both tell how Hearne rehabilitated and eventually adopted a bulldog who had been sentenced to death for biting two people. Underlying the events of this story are lessons about race, myths, misconceptions, and the hyperopia that makes us pass judgment on some beings without knowing much about them.
One such assumption is that Bandit, the dog in the documentary, is a pit bull. However, the media frenzy surrounding the story embraced the pit bull's burgeoning reputation for being more vicious than other breeds. Notice that Bandit's reputation, are intricately tied to another factor: the dogs’ owners or at least those we believe are the owners.
Dog fighting became popular in the United States in the 1980s. Pit bulls and other "bully breeds" resembling them became the sport's face. The downside? They were linked to back-alley ghetto culture and thugs-aspects that are closely and mistakenly associated with African-Americans.
Breed-Specific restrictions' underlying goal is to regulate people!
They are motivated by racist hysteria, not by public health concerns. You can trace this misplaced notion back to the 1970s and 1980s when the media sensationalized dogfighting. It was also a time when the war on drugs was sensationalized, and others demonized Black and underserved communities. These factors converged to form the stereotype of dangerous people and their vicious dogs residing in urban communities.
This hysteria made it simple for people to use breed restrictions to enforce existing systemic and institutionalized oppression. More should be done to address how subjective and unscientific breed labels influence people's perceptions of shelter dogs inside and outside the shelter system. These labels resulted in adoption restrictions that were perpetuated by savior complexes based on racism.
It's good that people openly discuss how these breed-specific restrictions in the housing insurance industry are nothing more than a cover for redlining. There is no evidence to support targeting dog owners who have never filed a dog bite claim. Legislators in several states have banned these restrictions because they directly contribute to housing inequality.
The “Black Man’s Dog” Notion Is Indeed a Thing!
Breed-specific bans have been enacted in more than 1,000 communities across the United States, prohibiting citizens from owning certain types of dogs, known as "banned breeds." Concerns about these bans are less about dogs and more about the people who own them because most people, particularly those from minority communities, see these laws as a new form of redlining designed to keep minorities out of majority-white neighborhoods. Pit bull dogs and the Black community have strong cultural ties. People of color are perceived to be the most likely owners of this breed of dog, which fuels the long-held belief that "vicious pit bulls" are a black man's dog.
Final Thoughts
So, what can we do to change this perception? The answer is simple—education. We need to educate people about the history of racism and breed-specific legislation, about the loving families who own these dogs, and about the importance of responsible pet ownership. And when it comes to pit bulls, in particular, we need to continue fighting for their right to be loved and respected just like any other dog. If you're looking for pit bull and bully breed specialized dog training and care services, book a free consultation with us at AtlPitBullTraining.com/book. We'd love to help you create a more positive future for pit bulls in your community!
