132 J Maher et al natural characteristics and behaviours These dogs are harmed by an increase in breeding deformities, inherited disorders and behavioural abnormalities, being forced to live an unnatural existence, and the needless destruction of countless lives (due to over-breeding and/or a decline in popularity) Central to the harms experienced by these dogs is the fact that they are replaceable Their value is linked to external, often changing factors Recent use in the UK of the term ‘status dogs’ has specifically referred to a trend amongst young people to own types of bull, illegal or other perceived to be aggressive breeds of dog These dogs are used to confer an image of toughness, an air of aggression, and their use as an extension of UK youth gang violence (for example as weapons and in turf wars) has been documented (Harding 2012; Hughes et al 2011) However, by treating these dogs as a commodity, status symbol, bodyguard or weapon, their owners subject them to behaviour frequently resulting in the torture and death of the dog and occasionally the injury and even death of a person Additionally, the contributing factors to dog attacks—according to the experts—namely the history and temperament of the dog and the circumstances of how it is kept, including the welfare standards and type of training it is subjected to, appear irrelevant in media reports Conversely, aggression is deemed to be entirely a derivative of breed—a conclusion that is thoroughly at odds with the findings of the scientific community (Newman 20122) A US study (Duffy et al 2008) of 6,000 dogs and their owners found that the most aggressive breed—that is, the dog most likely to bite strangers and their owners—was the Dachshund (the pit bull was eight on this list) In light of this it is encouraging to see in more recent times some evidence that dog owners are more aware that any dog is potentially dangerous (Oxley and Cheng 2014) Given the high levels of irresponsible dog ownership in the UK, as evidenced in Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [RSPCA] and police statistics surrounding cruelty and dangerous dogs (see below), in addition to the high numbers of stray dogs (see below) and dog fouling (Keep Britain Tidy n/d), the connection between the way in which dogs are treated and the potential for this—albeit very rarely—to result in dog aggression, may not be widely understood However, because of the implied risk to people, the official response further victimises these breeds and has unhelpfully placed other controversial labels onto them (for example, ‘devil dogs’) See also ongoing research which aims to evaluate this issue further: www.liverpool.ac.uk/dog-aggres sion/about-the-project/