Pit bulls to be destroyed

18 July 2005

ROTTERDAM – Judge I Buchner had to explain it several times: owning a pit bull is illegal unless you can prove the dog is a purebred Staffordshire bull terrier.

None of the fourteen dog owners summoned to appear at a special court session in Rotterdam on Monday were able to do that.

The judge ruled that all 29 of their dogs be euthanised. The owners faced fines between EUR 250 and 750, even those who had acquired the dogs as pets with good intentions.

‘However sweet your dog may be, it is illegal, and you will not get the animal back,’ Buchner replied to owners who requested their dogs be returned.

Most dog owners summoned to Monday’s session did not bother coming to court.

Those who did had not been aware of the complicated requirements for proving a dog’s breed – a pedigree and a microchip.

A law made it illegal in 1993 to breed pit bulls and similar dogs. People who had such dogs before then must keep their dogs leashed and muzzled in public.

Subject: Dutch news