2012/07/25 Council Agenda Packet

insurance because you own a [dog of a] certain breed." Inevitably, he says, owners who have trained, well-behaved dogs become affected by the small percentage of owners whose dogs have been involved in aggressive incidents. "All the responsible owners of the breed are put to financial hardship," Duffy said. "Their insurance is likely to go right out the window." Duffy would prefer to see communities adopt a law that takes all breeds of dog into consideration and is focused on penalizing the owner of the dog with the objectionable behavior. Dr. Golab agrees. She favors consistent enforcement of generic, non-breed-specific, dangerous-dog laws with an emphasis on chronically irresponsible owners. She recommends increased enforcement of animal control ordinances such as leash laws and fencing requirements, prohibition of dog fighting, and neutering. Dr. Golab also emphasizes the value of educational programs for adults and children that teach pet selection strategies, pet care and responsibility, and bite prevention. Pediatrician and medical epidemiologist Dr. Julie Gilchrist from the CDC also promotes the idea of responsible pet ownership. "Dog bite reduction strategies are more likely to be effective if they focus on reducing inappropriate dog and dog owner behaviors, regardless of the dog's breed, instead of on banning specific breeds." The AVMA's dog bite prevention campaign continues to inform the public about techniques for avoiding dog bites, and to promote responsible pet ownership. Breeds don't need to be banned, but dog owners' irresponsible behavior should be. Sharon Granskog, AVMA public information assistant, contributed to this report.