End dog-breed bias

Ohio is the only state with a law that assumes certain dogs are inherently vicious because of their breed, not their behavior. Singled out by this dubious stereotype are several breeds of short-haired, muscular dogs carelessly lumped together and called "pit bulls."

The Ohio Senate voted last week to approve a modified version of canine anti-discrimination legislation previously passed by the state House. The House should promptly concur in these changes and send the measure to Gov. John Kasich for his signature.

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Dogs that have been raised and trained properly by responsible owners, and that have behaved well, should not be penalized merely because of how they look. The Senate-approved measure would remove references to "pit bulls." It also would eliminate mandates for liability insurance and restraint requirements related solely to a dog's breed.

If the bill becomes law, it could promote local efforts to raise adoption rates for rescue dogs. The Lucas County Dog Warden Advisory Committee reported last week that the "live release" figure for dogs that came under the warden's control last year was suppressed by the state's generalization about "pit bulls" as automatically vicious dogs.

There was nearly a 47 percent increase in "pit bulls" at the county pound last year over previous years, Dog Warden Julie Lyle said. That helps explain why the adoption rate at the pound grew in 2011 by just 3 percent. Except for a few dogs accepted by the Toledo Area Humane Society, most of the "pit bulls" were killed.

The state bill, which is supported by the Ohio County Dog Wardens Association, would create new categories of offending canines. "Nuisance dogs" are those that menace or try to bite a person without provocation while they are away from their owners' property.

The bill's most serious classification, "vicious dog," would still allow dogs that have injured people to be seized and killed. The median classification of "dangerous dog" would increase restrictions on dogs that injure a person, kill another dog, or are three-time offenders as nuisance dogs.

Again, the focus is on behavior rather than breed. Ms. Lyle says such changes would help her office prepare well-behaved pit bull-type dogs to be adopted.

The proposed measure won't change inaccurate notions and stereotypes about "pit bulls" overnight. But it will permit authorities to continue to crack down on dogs of any breed whose attacks amount to serious violations.

At the same time, the legislation will spare properly trained dogs from euthanasia, and enhance the prospects that they will be placed in loving homes. It deserves to become law.