This is Wolfie. He was found on the side of the road last year, bald from puppy mange, itchy, with secondary skin infections and underweight. Despite this rough past, he is an awesome dog with a great personality. It didn’t take long before he was looking his best with a shiny coat and he went off to a loving family home where he sleeps in bed with the kids at night.

Under the proposed new laws, we would not be allowed to rehome dogs who are judged to be similar in type to a “menacing” breed. Under these laws, we and so many other shelters would likely not be allowed to adopt out dogs just like Wolfie, simply because of their appearance.

We have a strict temperament policy here at DC Rescue Dogs, and require all dogs over the age of 4 months old to have been assessed by either one of our experienced team members, council pound staff or other trusted trainers, regardless of breed. Any dogs whose behaviour we perceive to be a threat to human life (regardless of breed) are humanely euthanised and not put up for adoption. We also do both property and background checks of all prospective adopters to ensure that none of our dogs, regardless of breed, fall into the wrong hands. We also offer life long support for dogs that we have rehomed, keeping in touch with dogs who we have rehomed, offering support, advice and assistance with retraining and/or rehoming should they ever need it.

Dogs from shelters, just like Wolfie, are not the dogs behind the dog attacks which these new laws are supposed to be preventing. Stopping innocent dogs like Wolfie from getting a chance at a happy life with a loving family will not make the community any safer. It will however mean that hundreds and thousands of innocent dogs just like Wolfie will be put to sleep, simply because of their appearance.

Would you be able to look these dogs in the eye and tell them that they have to die because of their appearance?Meanwhile, the dangerous owners who are creating truly dangerous dogs will either ignore the new laws or choose another type of dog to continue the cycle. Until people are educated on proper care and training for their dogs, existing welfare laws enforced and the dangerous owners prevented from owning dogs, these attacks will continue whether BSL laws exist or not – this has been proven time and time again overseas.

The SPCA is making a stand against this part of the proposed new laws, and we would love you to join us in signing this petition so that we can continue to give dogs like Wolfie a second chance.