Criminology Lecturer Lisa Sparkes - and proud owner of one Cockapoos and two French Mastiff- argues the approach stigmatises particular breeds without addressing the real drivers of dog attacks.
Lisa was drawn to the subject after experiencing stigma herself as an owner of a large-breed dog.
"When the XL Bully ban was first introduced, I was the guardian of Buster, he was a Dogue de Bordeaux. While walking him, I experienced several unpleasant encounters with complete strangers who made assumptions based solely on his size and appearance. These experiences made me recognise the potential for guardians of large canine breeds to face stigma, judgement and hostility from members of the public."
Her analysis finds that BSL disproportionately targets certain breeds, reinforcing negative stereotypes rather than tackling irresponsible ownership and inadequate training and socialisation. She argues that better education - for both children and adults - on how to approach and interact with dogs would do more to improve public safety.
"Effective dog legislation should focus on deed, not breed, holding irresponsible guardians accountable rather than punishing canines because of their appearance.”
The study points to a growing body of evidence showing that a dog's behaviour is shaped far more by its owner's responsibility, training and environment than by its breed alone. Sparkes also believes every dog owner should hold a licence.
"In the past, guardians were required to hold a licence. This placed a clear responsibility on the guardian and reinforced the expectation that they were accountable for their canines care, welfare and behaviour, " said Lisa.
The paper reflects growing public and academic criticism of breed bans, with rising support for alternatives such as mandatory dog registration, owner education programmes, and stricter penalties for irresponsible ownership - shifting the emphasis from prohibition to responsibility and prevention.
Sparkes concludes that BSL should be reformed and replaced with an evidence-based, preventative framework built on responsible ownership, education and regulation - moving policy away from breed discrimination and towards a more comprehensive approach to public safety.
