Monitor Legislation

How do I know if BSL is going to be proposed in my city/county/state?

Usually, the earliest hint comes from a newspaper article about a serious dog attack or dog-related death, especially if a commonly-targeted breed or type of dog is involved. This is typically followed by Letters to the Editor or editorial columns proposing a breed ban.

From there, BSL discussions are put on the city council agenda. These discussions may or may not make the news. The smaller the town, the faster the discussions take place. The BSL may be passed quickly, especially if there is no public objection (which may or may not be due to the lack of public awareness that the topic has even been proposed).

Occasionally, BSL is introduced at the start of a state legislative session. This may or may not make the news.

To watch for potential BSL, you can monitor:

  • your local newspapers
  • your city council agendas—these are usually posted several days before the council meeting, and all but the smallest towns now post their agendas online
  • your state legislature’s introduced bills—go online to your legislature’s website and see if they have a bill tracking service; for instance, you can enter keyword “dog” and it will e-mail you whenever a bill with that keyword is introduced. Alternatively, you can do a bill keyword search by hand periodically throughout the legislative session.

There are also two very good mailing lists you can join, though these lists depend on members like you to send out a notice if you become aware of any BSL rumblings in your area.

Join BSL-Updates Mailing List - Announcements only regarding proposed BSL

Join BSL-Workshop Mailing List – Announcements and discussions regarding BSL

Canine welfare groups, kennel clubs, and breeders’ groups (usually of the typically targeted breeds) also watch for BSL and make announcements. BSL isn’t the only thing they’re involved in, so please be aware that you will have to weed through the non-BSL issues.

Note: When contacting your officials, please do not use the form letters that some of these organizations may provide. They are quick and easy to use, but they annoy the heck out of elected officials and are counterproductive. Write your own letter using your own words and you will have done a very good deed.

BSL alerts may also circulate within various dog-related discussion groups.

Yahoo! Groups – Search for groups with keywords such as “dog law,” “dog legislation,” or “breed-specific legislation”

Dog Laws Meetup Groups – Discuss BSL and other dog laws with people who live near you

Meetup Groups for Typically Targeted Breeds – Meetup groups for owners of targeted breeds often keep an eye on BSL in the area, and since they all live nearby, they can get together to strategize and/or attend city council meetings.

I confirmed BSL is being proposed, but I don’t think anyone knows about it yet—now what?

Important: Before spreading the word, make sure you have confirmed the proposed BSL through a reliable source such as a newspaper, a post on a government website, or personal contact with legislators. Please do not rely on chain e-mails and other “friend of a friend” communications; these may be inaccurate or out of date.

Once you have confirmed that the alert is legitimate, it is critical to tell every major BSL alert list. In particular, contact the BSL-Updates Mailing List, the ASPCA, and the AKC.

Contact as many of the above groups as you think necessary (provided they serve the area where BSL threatens—don’t send a California alert to a Texas mailing list). Send them a link or a cut-and-paste copy of the newspaper article, the city council agenda, the proposed legislation, or whatever official material you can get your hands on.

After you are sure that the news has started to circulate, you can start fighting the proposed BSL: join a group, contact lawmakers, and make your opinion heard.

Next Page: Contact Your Lawmakers