Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent

Putting an end to breed specific legislation

Home » Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent

Do We Have A Dangerous Dog Breed Problem, or Dangerous Laws Targeting Dogs?

“Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent” is a documentary film examining laws called breed specific legislation (BSL), which ban or restrict the ownership of certain breeds or types of dogs – namely pit bull terriers.

During the mid-1980s, pit bull dogs became the target of legislation sweeping across the United States in the name of public safety after attacks became leading headlines in the national mainstream news media.

Using the state of Ohio as the backdrop, the film takes place in a suburb of Cleveland in the spring of 2008 after Lakewood City Council proposes a ban on pit bull dogs. GTPI guides the viewer through the entire process of proposal and passage of the law, the enforcement, and its subsequent repeal a decade later.