Breed Specific Legislation in Massachusetts

This potential legislation really makes my blood boil. This is a blatant case of "breedism" and should be taken very seriously.

When I was a kid, I was attacked by a Husky. Worse yet, it wasn't a strangers dog, it was our own. I still have the scars that run up and down the length of my right arm from where I was trying to protect my throat at age 6. My 4 year old brother saved my life. I could have easily walked away with a fear of all dogs, or specifically Huskies, but I didn't. Even as a child, I understood that in no way did this affect how the next dog would react, and we ended up with another 10 dogs the following year.

On the other hand, a woman I worked with rescued a fighting Pitbull that was scared to death of cats, and loved all humans/other dogs. Their Christmas card was this dog curled up with her two nephews asleep on top of the "bully breed".

I've been called into more appointments with vicious Chihuahuas and Maltese's than I have with Pit-bulls, Staffordshire Terriers, or Bulldogs. I used to babysit for a woman who had a Rottweiler that was the best friend of her 1 year old daughter, and have met countless dogs that have been given up because the usually friendly breed couldn't handle being in a house with children.

Breed specific legislation is absolutely not the correct way to address these issues. It's not helping the dogs that we so desperately love and adore ---- who love us back.