Michele was in the courtyard with his grandmother. Suddenly the family dog, Nero, an eight-year-old pit bull, attacked him several times in the back of the neck and on the skull. The parents were out shopping and when they returned to their home in Palazzolo they found their newborn, just 5 months old, dying. The rush to the sports field where the rescue helicopter had landed was useless. The Vercelli prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the little boy’s death to assess possible responsibilities, checking whether the dog had already shown a dangerous nature.
The pit bull is now in a kennel in the area, under seizure, while two other dogs owned by the family were apparently taken away from the house in Via Marconi.
The tragedy sparked a strong emotional wave in the wake of other unfortunately similar cases in which pit bull or molosser dogs were always the protagonists. “An immediate reflection is required on the ability to own and know how to manage dogs that can potentially kill” announced Giorgio Mulé, vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies, deputy of Forza Italia, effectively reopening the debate on the possibility of introducing a sort of license for owners of some dog breeds.
“In the last few weeks alone, the news has told of a one-year-old boy bitten to death at Eboli, of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl hospitalized in serious condition in Milan, of a seven-year-old girl bitten to death with a 15-year-old girl nearby Foggia, of an elderly man attacked in San Giorgio a Cremano, of a 10-year-old boy who ended up in hospital in Milan, of an elderly woman mauled at home by dogs near Padua, there is always one or more as the protagonist Pitbull. And, unfortunately, it is a partial bulletin” adds Mulé.
“Like Pitbulls, other dogs have the same ability to turn into potential killers”
Giorgio Mulé, Forza Italia deputy
“It’s not a question of ‘criminalizing’ this or that breed – explains Mulè – but we certainly need to question ourselves about the tools and awareness that every owner of potentially ‘dangerous’ dogs must have when he decides to own one. For this reason I will start an immediate discussion with the Ministry of Health to verify which new corrective measures can be introduced to develop on the one hand adequate preparation for the owners and on the other real control over time for those who decide to live with these dogs”, he explains.
This is echoed by Mariastella Gelmini, senator and spokesperson for Action which supports the requirement of a license for dogs of “at risk” breeds: “Often those who own a dog do not always know how to recognize the animal’s signs of stress or fear and a license that certifies, after a specific training course, the ability to know how to care for and manage dogs like these can save lives. A joint commitment between institutions, animal rights associations and individual citizens is needed to take care of a dog in a responsible way safe, for himself and for others” comments Gelmini.
From environmentalist associations comes a strong openness from Oipa, the International Organization for the Protection of Animals which has long stigmatized the current trend of buying or adopting Molosser or Molossoid breed dogs without having the necessary skills.
“Those who recklessly sell catch dogs are morally responsible”
International animal protection organization
Oipa – recalling how at a local level, some Municipalities, such as that of Milan, have regulated the matter – returns to ask the national legislator to urgently regulate the detention of certain breeds or similar breeds. “We need a national law to force all municipalities to regulate the issue.”
At the same time, citing cases of recent attacks by pit bulls, Amstaffs and American bullies, the Oipa observes that those who carelessly give away or sell ‘catch dogs’ are morally responsible for these serious facts. Very often, these animals come from home litters, if not from illicit trafficking. “Certain dogs are too often chosen by people who are not able to handle them correctly.”
But how to handle a so-called dangerous dog and what does the law say? In 2006 the Ministry of Health issued an ordinance regarding the “protection of public safety from dog aggression”, which included a list of dog breeds considered dangerous. Subsequent ordinances then abolished this list due to the relative uncertainty and, above all, discrimination between races.
“Currently the dangerousness of a dog is determined depending on specific facts”, explains the lawyer Claudia Taccani, head of the Oipa Legal Office. “In the event of a bite or fight between dogs, in fact, the dog and its owner are reported to the ASL veterinary service, which keeps a register of dogs declared aggressive, and are obliged to follow a training course. The course is organized by the Municipality, together to the veterinary service of the local health authority, making use of the collaboration of the professional associations of veterinary doctors and animal protection associations. The costs are borne by the owner of the demanding dog”.
In case of serious danger, the obligation to take out an insurance policy is triggered and the obligation to use a leash and muzzle on the streets and in places open to the public. However, now, given the latest news events featuring pitbulls, Amstaffs and American bullies, it is likely that we will soon see a legislative intervention by the Government.
Aggressive dogs, what the law says
Currently in Italy the rule dictated by the ordinance of 6 August 2013 is in force which has attributed a fundamental role to the responsibility of the owner called upon to take care of the animal’s well-being and its control, being liable both civilly and criminally for any damage or injury. In urban areas and places open to the public it is mandatory to use a short leash, no longer than 1.50 meters (obviously excluding dog areas identified by the Municipalities), the muzzle must be applied in case of potential danger, and the dog it should only be entrusted to people capable of managing it. Furthermore, as specified on the Ministry of Health website, the rule also prohibits:
- the training of dogs that enhances their aggression;
- any selection or cross-breeding operation of dogs with the aim of developing their aggressiveness;
- subjecting dogs to doping;
- surgeries such as ear cropping and tail docking.
What happens in the event of an attack
Killing a dangerous animal can only be considered in some specific cases. Aggressive animals are normally registered in the “Register of biting dogs and dogs with behavior problems” and entrusted to the veterinary services of the local health authorities. The owners of dogs registered in the register must take out a civil liability insurance policy and at the same time apply a leash and muzzle to their animal when they are in urban areas and in places open to the public. Finally, it is necessary to demonstrate the start of a re-education program with a veterinary behaviourist.
What to do if you are attacked by a pack of angry dogs
In Italy there is no longer a breed of aggressive dog as exists in other countries: just by way of example, recently the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced his intention to ban American XL Bully dogs because they are too dangerous, adding them to the list in which they are already present pitbulls, Tosa Inu, Dogo argentino and fila brasileiro.
