Pit bull policy treads fine line

When is a pit bull not a pit bull? When it's only a type of dog and not a recognised breed.
"Breed specific legislation can be fraught with difficulties, as seen in other countries," says Masterton's senior animal control officer, Marie Johnston.
A pit bull is not a breed but a type of dog, she said, and these have been crossed with a myriad of other dog types. They can vary incredibly in looks and size.
Pit bulls are not recognised by the New Zealand Kennel Association as a dog breed.
Mrs Johnston was replying to the question as to why Masterton had not required pit bulls to be compulsorily neutered, as they must be in Carterton.
New law requires all dogs classified as menacing by breed or deed to wear a muzzle when in public. But the law does not require all menacing dogs to be neutered or spayed ? that was left as an option available for each council to exercise, either by way of the Dog Control Act or through the creation of a bylaw.
Mrs Johnston said the Government seemed to recognise it would be unfair to force owners into the expense of neutering if their dogs were well behaved.
"If a dog was causing problems, irrespective of its breed or type, then it would be reasonable for the council to exercise all powers or options to minimise any risk presented to the public," she said.
Registered breeders and owners of American Staffordshire Terriers have made great efforts to avoid confusion between their breed and the American Pit Bull Terrier.
"This means trying to establish if a dog is a pit bull or not is one helluva job, as opposed to establishing if it is a threat," Mrs Johnston said.
Then there is the matter of enforcing the law. If a person fails to neuter the animal within one month of notice, they can receive a $300 infringement fine or be prosecuted to a maximum penalty of a $3000 fine and have the dog seized.
She said Masterton District Council has complied with the Dog Control Act's requirement that four types of dog classified as "menacing" ? Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino and American Pit Bull Terrier ? must be muzzled in public places.
"We chose in Masterton not to require the compulsory neutering of dogs classified as menacing by breed alone because the new laws are equally as enforceable if we classify them as menacing by deed.
If any dog ? not just pit bulls ? displays any aggression or nuisance, dog control officers can class them as "menacing" by deed and require them to be neutered.
"It seems too discriminatory to state just one breed, or type of dog against another, as all dogs have the capacity to be a problem", Mrs Johnston said.
Carterton has 16 pit bull or crosses registered that will have to be neutered under its new bylaw. Masterton district has 80 dogs registered by their owners as pit bull or crosses and a further 28 dogs classified as "menacing".