Attack Dog Ban Scrutinized

Eighty-five dog breeders and owners have begun pleading their case to Germany's highest court to overturn a ban on four breeds of attack dogs. The 2001 law deemed pit bull terriers, American staffordshire terriers, staffordshire bull terriers and bull terriers too aggressive to be bred or imported to Germany. The plaintiffs allege that the ban violates their constitutional right to practice whichever profession they wish and that breed does not determine whether a dog is dangerous. Dog owners who violate the law risk being sentenced to up to two years in jail.