Lithuania: Ten breeds will be banned

Lithuania currently classifies the following breeds as “aggressive” or “fighting” breeds, and the government is now working on a law that will ban dogs of these breeds:

  • American Pit Bull Terrier
  • Bandogas (American Mastiff) [ED note: This refers to a bandog type. Not the English Mastiff cross that Americans call an American Mastiff.]
  • American Staffordshire Terrier
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • American Bulldog
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian Mastiff)
  • Kangal (Turkish Shepherd)
  • Caucasian Ovtcharka
  • South Russian Shepherd Dog

Various drafts of the law are being considered, so at this time, it’s not clear how they intend to address the dogs of these breeds that are currently living in the country. It has been suggested that currently-existing “aggressive” breeds will be allowed to live out their lives with their owners, but they may not be bred, and any such dogs that become homeless (i.e. end up in a shelter) would be killed rather than rehomed.

The following links are in Lithuanian. If you don’t know Lithuanian, you can use Google Translate to get the gist of things, but the translation isn’t great.

A group in Lithuania that opposes the breed ban (rough translation “Against Dog Racism”) can be found on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/265365626833937/266727803364386/

An article about the proposed Lithuanian law can be read here. http://www.grynas.lt/gyvenimas/agresyvus-sunys-lietuvoje-drausti-negalima-pasigaileti.d?id=51038443

This is a link to the official Lithuanian government proposal page. I’m afraid I don’t understand it well, due to poor translation: http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=403129

Thank you to Arvydas for this information!

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3 responses to “Lithuania: Ten breeds will be banned

  1. Wow!!!! This Breaks My Heart…. They should ban the OWNERS not the dog!!!!!!

  2. What a sad list. :( So many breeds involved, and so misguided.

  3. With the Cane Corso and American Pit Bull Terrier at the top of my list the Caucasian Ovcharka is my third favorite dog breed in the world. I have never owned one and I am not experienced enough to own one yet but my mother is and she wants two. I feel so sorry for all the responsible people who own those breeds.