The RSPCA has received dozens of calls from frightened pet owners who fear their dogs will be mistakenly killed under the Victorian government's new law.
The government will on Tuesday introduce the law ending the amnesty on registering restricted dog breeds following the death of four-year-old Ayen Chol, who was mauled to death by a neighbour's pit bull mastiff in her home two weeks ago at St Albans.
The legislation will also make pit bull crosses a restricted breed. Under the new rules, any pit bulls not registered after August 29 can be destroyed.
A standard for identifying pit bull terriers will also be released to prevent dogs escaping because of uncertainty over their breed.
RSPCA Victoria chief executive Maria Mercurio said that while she welcomed the government's move to protect the community from dangerous dogs, it was extremely difficult to identify dog breeds by sight and mistakes could be made.
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"It's a very dangerous way to be going about this," she told AAP.
"Even so-called experts have difficulty determining exact breeds, particularly with cross breeds.
"Unless you do DNA testing, even then it's very difficult if you have a number of breeds that have been crossed." She said the organisation had received dozens of calls from worried pet owners.
"People are frightened that their dogs will be mistaken for a pit bull or for a dangerous breed when in fact they're not," she said. Ms Mercurio said there should be incentives such as registration discounts for people who train and socialise their dogs.
"While legislation is important and we support the government in that, we would like to see an equal emphasis on educating our community so that we have good, responsible pet owners," she said.
A dangerous dog hotline has opened for people to report dogs they believe to be restricted.
