Breed-specific legislation is the blanket term for laws that either regulate or ban certain dog breeds in an effort to decrease dog attacks on humans and other animals. Proponents of such laws argue that some specific breeds of dogs are more likely to attack than others, and that regulating or banning these breeds can prevent dangerous dogs from entering a community and causing harm.
Opponents of BSL argue that punishing a particular breed of dog instead of attacking its inherent problem (ie, aggression) will only lead to increased animosity and anger between different dog owners, and might do little to actually stop attacks from happening. They also argue that many different types of dogs can be aggressive in some cases, and that focusing on particular breeds ignores the fact that training, socialization, and responsible ownership are key components to preventing dog attacks.