Saturday, October 22 · 11:00am - 2:00pm

Parliament House (To be confirmed)

(Join the Facebook event)

Rally against Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) - Melbourne

A rally calling for the repeal of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in favour of a world class, science based animal management strategy in Victoria.

Recent media attention on the issue of canine aggression and dog bite incidents in the community has once again brought issues such as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) and companion animal management practices to the forefront. 

A rally is being held on October 22 at a time to be confirmed in the near future. 

Who is this rally for?

Anyone not just dog owners, who are interested in the issues regarding dogs in the community. In particular, matters of:

• Community Safety - The current measures taken by government categorically fail to make the community safer, continuing to put the general public at risk, despite proven solutions being available.

• Breed Specific Legislation - All available scientific literature proves BSL ineffective, and academics and Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) universally acknowledge that BSL does not make communities safer from dog bite incidents.

• Animal Welfare - World class, science-driven animal management strategies are in use in many areas of the world. These areas enjoy not only extremely low incidences of dog bites, but animal destruction rates that are considered ‘No Kill’ (<10%).

• Social Progress – Policies such as BSL are 25 years behind other countries in terms of providing a solution that most advantages the community.

• Responsible Guardianship - How do we encourage and ensure responsible dog guardianship?

• Tax Payers - Citizens who want their taxes spent efficiently and effectively, in the best interests of their communities, ought to be alarmed at the current state of affairs. Proven self-funded models are available to make the public safer while simultaneously improving animal welfare.

Our keynote speakers will address these topics in detail from various perspectives. 

Can I bring my dog to the rally?

Dogs who serve the community, such as assistance dogs and police dogs, undergo extensive training in order to be behaviourally reliable in crowded situations. A rally is an unfamiliar, potentially challenging/stressful environment for many dogs, which could lead to unexpected behaviours. Therefore, whilst we all love our dogs and would like them to attend, ONLY dogs who have been invited by the organisers prior to the event are to attend. These dogs will act as representatives of all dogs in the community.
Your support of, and compliance with, this decision is sincerely appreciated by all who will attend the rally. 

This is a Peaceful Rally!

It is important that the majority of Australians are given the opportunity to identify with our messages as non-threatening and in the best interests of Australian society. This rally is based on peaceful protest and intelligent debate. It is an alcohol-free event and the organisers ask all participants to refrain from disruptive behaviour, including abusive language. 

We understand why some owners of particular breeds/types of dogs that are being targeted by the media feel frustration and anger, however, we also understand that the general public – who have been fed a diet of misinformation, media hysteria and political rhetoric – cannot be expected to join us in a call for change unless we engage with them in a positive and productive fashion. 

Banners and Signs are encouraged, however the language and phrases used must be chosen carefully (spelling is important!). Slogans such as “Ban Stupid People, Not Dogs” have the potential to create division rather than cooperation. Slogans along the lines of those in the list below are welcome:

“Consult the Experts”
“Deed Not Breed”
“Breed Specific Legislation - Science Disagrees”
“Breeds Don’t Make Bad Dogs, People Make Bad Dogs”
“Education Not Discrimination”
“Breed Specific Policy Fails the Public”
“BSL = Epic Fail”
“Honour Ayen’s Memory – Protection Through Good Policy”
“Media Driven Policy = Failure”
“Dogs: Science + Education = Public Safety”
“Scientists Agree: Abolish Poor Policy”
“Our Kids Deserve Better”
“End BSL, Save Human Lives”
“Science + Research = No BSL”

How can you get involved?

As well as attending on the day, if you wish to donate time or resources to the rally, please email us briefly, outlining how you wish to contribute. Please include in the subject line of your email: your state, followed by ‘HELP AVAILABLE’ and your name, e.g. “VIC, HELP AVAILABLE John Jones”

Please send email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About NDTF

NDTF - National Dog Trainers Federation (Australia)

The NDTF are proud to announce that they have agreed for their Operations Manager, Brad Griggs, to take on the running of a Melbourne based rally in response to the latest legislative changes pushed through the Victorian parliament.

Brad has been very active in the canine community regarding these changes, and is passionate about the issues associated with dog bites in the community, and also BSL....

The NDTF recognises the need to show industry leadership on this matter, and has donated a month of Brad's time and NDTF resources to enable the event to be as successful as possible.

The NDTF are proud of this announcement, and we sincerely hope the community can come together in the quest for a world class, science-driven animal management policy.