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150 J Maher et al intervention is most commonly dog control notices and out-of-court disposals, rather than programmes responding to the causes of the problem through education, training and awareness Conclusion Data from the RSPCA and others demonstrates that all dogs can experience abuse at the hands of their owners However, those dogs labelled as status dogs are victims of acute and specific abuses relating to their breeding, training and sometimes their roles (for example, fighting), all of which can lead to abandonment and even destruction The data on the extent of the ownership of status dogs does not exist per se, but there are a number of indicators of the existence of this problem and the associated harms In addition to qualitative academic research, there are substantial numbers of dangerous dog seizures, of dogs on the index of exempt dogs and of bull breeds taken in by local authorities and shelters Status dogs are routinely abused by owners, breeders and government agencies The form this abuse takes can be legal and illegal, with legislation and its enforcement being a key driver in the creation of the phenomenon as well as the dogs’ suffering Consequently, to explain the phenomenon it is crucial to explore both motivations for ownership and related abuses and the impact of societal reactions to these dogs Status dogs have become an extension of youths’ reputation within hypermasculine street subculture, wherein status is fragile and constantly challenged and in flux Earning and maintaining status is a constant burden for youths, and requires harsh treatment of their dogs to ensure they perform their allocated role as a weapon, protection, a symbol of toughness, a badge of honour and social and economic capital By labelling these dogs as dangerous, society unwittingly reinforces their value to these youths, endangering these animals by corralling them into a vicious cycle of violence Contrary to the evidence available from the scientific community which contests the aims and efficacy of BSL, many status dogs are killed under the guise of being dangerous, when it is their conformity to a breed standard and association with interpersonal violence that determines their fate Societal reactions (from the media, government and public), arguably, have generated more problems than they have solved Both formal and informal responses are documented as exacerbating the cultural norm to label and punish animals more than their irresponsible and abusive owners In response, we the authors feel compelled to question the motivation behind these responses—are they a sincere response to legitimate
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