Staffordshire Bull Terriers

[Hev&Jon]

We have two Staffordshire Bull Terriers.  They are pedigree, but do not have KC papers.  We are planning on moving to France and we've heard rumours that we will not be able to take them with us.  If anyone has any information on this matter it would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

[Guest CFrost]

Hi, try speaking with DEFRA, they may be able to help with your query.

Kimberley

chadeniers 17

[Deimos]

My understanding is that there are two “classes” of dogs with constraints relating to “dangerous dogs” (or what some may call “dangerous dogs”).

A Attack dogs

Include: Pitbull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boerbull, Tosa Inu

To keep/own an attack dog, same constraints as a Guard dog (see below) plus

You can only have one if you already have one. You cannot get, buy or sell one.

Must be castrated/spayed.

Cannot go in public places.

B Guard dogs

Include Pitbull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boerbull, Tosa Inu, Rottweiler, Mastiff (must have a recognised pedigree (recognised by French authorities)

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier included in Guard dogs probably by mistake so check with French authorities if this applies to you.

In the case of a guard dog:

Must be adult to own one.

Convicted people cannot own one

Must register with local Marie (you can do this on behalf of the dog !!)

Must be vaccinated against rabies

You must take out 3rd party insurance

Must be muzzled and on a lead in public places.

The full (and up-to-date) regs are probably in the SCC site http://www.scc.asso.fr/.

This is my understanding but I am not an expert. Use the above for guidance but double check with authorities, etc. as I may be out-of-date (plain wrong) or whatever.

Sorry I cannot do the formatting to make the above readable.

If you are unsure I would contact the SCC (France). Other cases, DEFRA are mainly concerned about what can and cannot enter the UK and are not too familiar with regulations about what can and cannot enter France (similarly they are not too concerned about leaving the UK). I think you would need to communicate with the SCC in French. There are some dog transport specialists operating in France who would probably be able to advise.

Depending on how good your French is, you may find http://maclinux.atmedia.fr/scc/home.php?num_niv_1=1&num_niv_2=18&num_niv_3=54&num_niv_4=159&num_niv_5= useful (as it actually deals with the case/regs. for Staff. Bull Terriers (Category 1 are Attack dogs, Category 2 are Guard dogs)

Sorry I cannot be more help.

Regards

Ian

[Woodchurchzoo]

We came over 2 1/2 years ago with our staffie and had no problems.

After talking to our vet here he said that it is mainly in big cities where they have the problems with staffies as a lot of drug users have them.  They are supposed to be muzzled in public places, but we only take ours with us locally in the village or to local beaches or forests and have never had any complaints.

As far as I know there are no restrictions to bringing them into france

[Christine Animal]

I think I have finally found the answer.  The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not classed as a dangerous dog and therefore is considered as other breeds, at least that is what I understand from the site below, where you can also see the letter from the Ministère by clicking on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

It seems there has been confusion between the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Terrier which was the name of the American Staffordshire Terrier until 1972

http://clubcaninrochois.free.fr/Reglementation/loi(resume).html

Christine

[cary]

staffordshire bull terrier is not classed as a dangerous dog here and will not need to be muzzled.  We have an english bull terrier and was told by our childrens teacher that if he wasn't muzzled he would be put down and he was not welcome around the school.  After sheer panic and a trip to our vet she showed us the dangerous dogs list and neither are on it.  Later got an apology from the teacher as he thought he was a pit bull!!  They don;t often see these dogs in rural france and sometimes panic a bit when they see a scary looking dog, although half their little fluffy dogs take your ankles off when you ride past on your bike and chase you for miles!!

[Christine Animal]

This can be a problem as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, to someone who doesn't know, could be taken for a Pit Bull, etc.  On top of this, apparently many refuges and vets still have the chart showing dangerous dogs with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the second category.  They do not know their chart is out of date, since the letter (January 2002)  of the Ministère de l'Intérieur, below.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for anyone in France with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to print this letter and put it with their dog's papers so if they are controlled by the police or queried by a vet, they can "nip it in the bud" by proving that their dog is not classed in either of the categories of dangerous dogs.

http://clubcaninrochois.free.fr/Reglementation/staffordshire.html

 

[Woodchurchzoo]

Have just taken my staffie to the vets this morning for his rabies booster.  It is the same vet that I always use but they informed me today of what he needs to be able to live in France.

He must be covered by insurance, registered at your local marie as he is classed as a category I dangerous dog and muzzled when in public.

He must also be chipped, castrated and have had his rabies vaccinations - which he has.

They told me that if the police stop you and you cannot produce the necessary insurance and vaccination papers that they will take him away from you.

Hope this helps

 

[Christine Animal]

Have you a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or an American Staffordshire Terrier?

If it is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier then your vet is wrong, according to the letter from the Ministère above.  Perhaps you might like to print the letter and take it to your vet wherever he is and see what he says after that, because a Stafforshir Bull Terrier is not a first category, nor a second category dog.

Do you think you could ask him to give the documents which he bases this on as there still seems to be the wrong information given.  It is important.

Thanks, Christine 

[cary]

apparently according to our vet here in france a "bull terrier" is on the list of dangerous dogs but as this dog does not officially exist without a prefix before it, ie engllish bull terrier, staffordshire bull terrier etc, then these dogs cannot be classed as dangerous here.  It was apparently a misprint as i just said a bull terrier is not a breed without the prefix of the dog.  Agree with Christine a staffordshire bull terrier is not on the dangerous dogs list here and does not need  to be muzzled etc!!  Our english bull terrier has been confused at school with a pitt bull and is not welcome around the children there even though they now know he is not a pitt bull, alot of french people are very wary of frightening looking dogs and presume the worse!

[Christine Animal]

Cary, that is why this thing has to be cleared up.  There are more and more dogs coming from England such as the "Staffie" as you call them and the French don't know them enough, the same goes for your English Bull Terrier.  When you don't know what something is, panic, it must be dangerous...

This is why we have been trying to find out exactly the law.  It is no good saying "according to my vet, according to this, according to that".  There must be an official text for everyone and even the French vets and refuges, etc. are not sure.  That is why it is so important as innocent dogs of no category whatsoever, except being a pet dog, risk being put down by ignorance.  The above letter from the Ministère de l'Intérieur says that a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not concerned by the categories of dangerous dogs.

I can't see the name while typing this, but if the person above who took his "staffie" to the vet this morning would like to give me offline the name and phone number of his vet, I am willing to call him.

Thanks, Christine

http://animalaidsaintaubin.monsite.wanadoo.fr

 

[Deimos]

I have today received the commune magazine (an annual or so event) and one excerpt from it regarding dogs:

[Starts]

DÉCLARATION EN MARIE DES CHIENS SUSCEPTIBLES D’ETRE DANGEREUX

Les proprietaires de Pitbull, Boer Bulls (chiens de 1’ere categorie), Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiller et Tosainu (chiens de 2e categorie) doivent declarer leur animal a la marie de leur domicile en presentant les pieces suivantes :

Certificat de sterilisation (obligatoir pour les chiens de 1ere categorie)

Certificat de vaccination antirabique

Certificat d’identification du chien

Une attestation d’assurance garantissant la responsabilite civile du proprietaire ou du detenteur de l’animal.

Also, in another bit

…(la detention de chiens de 1ere et 2e categories est interdite aux mineurs).

[Ends]

Apologies for missing accepts and typos.

Ian

[Christine Animal]

Thanks Ian.  Well, here we go again, it's the wrong information.  The above letter from the Ministère de l'intérieur, 7th January 2002, states :

Chiens de race "Staffordshire bull terrier".  Il doit être précisé que ce type de chien ne relève pas des catégories énumérées par l'arrêté des Ministres de l'Intérieur et de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche du 27 avril 1999....... De plus les chiens dits "Staffordshire Bull terrier" n'entrent pas dans le champ d'application du dispositif juridique en vigueur.

Perhaps the only solution is to write to the Ministère de l'Intérieur to obtain an official renewed answer.

I'm going back to the site I referred to above and ask them the question again.

Christine

 

I edit : I've just sent an email to the site I mentioned on the previous page.