A 5-month-old baby was killed yesterday in Vercelli by a pit bull. “I am of the opinion that to have certain types of dogs it should be introduced a sort of compulsory license” Marco Melosi, president of the National Association of Italian Veterinary Doctors (Anmvi), tells Adnkronos Salute. “We need a tool that can certify responsible possession: do you decide to get a certain type of dog? Good, but you have to know its characteristicsyou must know how to behave to guarantee as much as possible a safe coexistence between the animal and humans, especially children, especially if they are very young”. The last case has, in fact, several recent precedents: pitbull the aggressor, children victims injured or killed.
“It’s true – admits the specialist – lately pit bulls are the type of dog (in Italy it is not recognized as a breed) that is most in the news. But in reality there are also other dogs with similar characteristics”, he points out specify Melosi. “Dogs that, in addition to having an important physical structure, have also been selected for particular tasks, attack or defense dogs“. How to avoid further tragedies? “If you look around Europe – observes the vet – there are many nations that have adopted the most drastic solution, that is they banned the ownership of certain breeds; for example, France, Germany and England have done it. Other countries, however, have focused on a sort of license: if you want to get a certain dog you have to take a route, get insurance, meet particular requirements”. This is the path that Melosi also proposes for Italy.
“However, there is a problem that remains – he underlines – and that is the black list. Is it possible to make a list of so-called dangerous breeds? It is certainly possible to identify some of them, but even by doing so it would not be completely excluded that the risk could come from other breeds, or from mixed breeds who in any case have a certain power, a certain physical structure and certain characteristics. Many times, among other things, there is confusion between aggression (even a Chihuahua can chase you and bite you) and actual “dangerousness”, risk of damage or death. “The issue is also debated at European level – the expert points out – multiple solutions have been proposed and many paths taken do not seem to have been very successful. But I would focus on responsible ownership certified by a mandatory license“. For which dogs? “Let’s not call it a black list, let’s not point the finger at any breed because it’s not the animals’ fault. But let’s sit down – suggests the Anmvi president – and define useful criteria for identifying certain types of dogs which, due to particular physical and selection characteristics, may present risks and whose possession requires a licence”.
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