1904: ‘Pit’ Bulldog Muzzle Ordinance, Richmond VA

Would Muzzle All Bull Dogs
The Times Dispatch
December 1, 1904
Richmond, Virginia
Library of Congress

Would Muzzle All Bull Dogs
Committee on Police Recommend Sweeping Ordinance to the Council
The bull dog ordinance is as follows:
1. That no person shall allow a bull dog, whether male or female, licensed, owned or controlled by him, to go upon any street, alley, park or other public place of the city of Richmond without being chained and so muzzled as to prevent such dog from inflicted injury upon any person or animal.
2. Any person violating the provisions of the foregoing section shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than ten nor more than twenty dollars for each offense, the same to be recoverably before police justice of the city of Richmond. – The Times Dispatch

The bulldog of the late 1800s and early 1900s is the same dog as today’s pit bull terrier. The only thing that has changed about this dog breed in the last century are the different names it goes by: bulldog, pit dog, bull pit, bull terrier — pit bull terrier. Modern dogfighters still call their fighting pit bulls “100% bulldog.” (See: Disguise breed name)
pit bull attack This entry was posted in Historic Breed-Specific Ordinance and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.