*** DECEMBER 23, 1998) SEE UPDATE BELOW
+++++ JANUARY 8, 1999) SEE UPDATE BELOW
JULY 6, 1999) SEE UPDATE BELOW


The country of France has banned 'pit bull terriers', Rottweilers, Dobermans and other 'attack dogs' from all French public housing as of July 1997. Owners of these dogs had only until June 23, 1997 to get 'rid' of their pets or be evicted.


July 6, 1999
Now additional restrictions are in place....Thanks to Dirk, here is updated information...

İ

France had indeed announced a large list of breeds that would be regarded as potentially dangerous and subject to certain security measures, incl.

german shepherd,
malinois,
doberman,
etc .
.. but reality proves different.

The law ofİ 06 january 1999, talks about 2 categories that are now specified by the ministerial decree published onİ30 April 1999.İ


The first category areİ"chiens d'attaque" or attackdogs These are supposed to beİall dogs without a pedigreeİ that are because of their morphology alike toİ: (what breed they look like)

- Staffordshire terrier
- American Staffordshire terrierİ (according to the minister : called "pittbull"
- Mastiff (according to the minister : called "boerbull"
- Tosa
İ
The ministerial decree contains a description of what these dogs look like

All these dogs must be castrated.İİİ No such dogs are allowed to be bred or imported in France.
 Dogs currently in France from the first category are not allowedİ

- to use publicİtransport
- to stand still or wait in communityİparts of public buildings.İ
- in public places other than the public road andİrooms open for the public.

The second category are the defense and guarddogs :
İ
- Staffordshire terrier
- american Staffordshire terrier
- Tosa
- Rottweiler
- dogsİalike to theİRottweiler (a description of the Rottweilerİis added but if one has to learn that by heart and recognise a dog on the basis of it
All dogs of the second category (except the Rottweiler) without a pedigree, belong to the 1 category.
Keeping these dogs is forbidden toİ :
-
persons less than 18 yearsİ
- peopleİunder guardianship
- persons who were once condemed to a jail-sentenceİ
- persons who are denied the right to own or keep a dogİbecause the animal proved to be dangerous.İ Only after 10 years of good behaviour, can an
exeption be allowed.

All dogs of 1 and 2 categories must be leashed and muzzled on the public road and in community-parts of public buildings and the leash must be
held by somebody of age.İİİİ This also goes for dogs of the 2 category onİpublic places,İrooms openİfor the public and public transport.

I hear that nobody obeys this law and that nobody has started to take measures to see to it that is is obeyed.
İ
However ... the law is there !!!!!!
İ
This is only a very short summary of the law.İİİİ İ IF anyone has any further information of this, please let me know. jan cooper