Meet the dogs that are banned around the world

When you're thinking about what kind of dog to get, most people go for the more obvious breeds, but some go for the ones with the reputation as "violent," and they often find out that it's actually restricted or banned in their home country.

In fact, 52 countries have some form of breed-specific legislation, which is a type of law that prohibits or restricts particular breeds or types of dog. They range from outright banning the possession of these dogs (with threat of putting them down), to restrictions and conditions on ownership, including things like what age a person can be to own one, and the requirement of a short leash, a muzzle, registration, insurance, sterilization, microchip implants, or even tattoo.

These laws were born out of a number of fatalities or maulings, and so they presume specific breeds to be dangerous or vicious. Naturally, there has been some backlash, but nonetheless the restrictions remain in place.

Click through to see the most commonly banned or restricted dogs around the world.

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