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Hold owners to account, not an entire breed of dogs
TweetHold owners to account, not an entire breed of dogs
EDITOR
In response to Sunday’s letter regarding the Mahoning County Dog Pound and pit bull dog adoptions, let me say that I was shocked to see that a person as educated about animals as a veterinarian could make such unwarranted claims about pit bull dogs. While I do not agree with the pound’s policy restricting pit bull adoptions, since I do not have the power to change the rule I have to accept it. As a volunteer who occasionally walks dogs at the pound, I have heard first-hand the howls from the “unadoptable” garage area of the pound where “pit bulls” are kept. They are the howls and cries of beautiful pit bulls and pit bull mixes waiting to be euthanized by an inhumane heart stick. They cry because they are good dogs who are terrified and only want somebody to love them. They are victims of a stereotype perpetrated by the media — which last Sunday’s writer has fueled.
The so-called pit bull is a dog bred to be loyal to a human. Pits do have the potential to be same-sex-dog aggressive by nature, although this has been shown to be greatly reduced by spay or neuter and placing the dog in a home with a pet of the opposite sex. It is also irresponsible to say that dog aggressive equals people aggressive. Pit bulls that are raised properly are extremely loyal, eager to please their human and are wonderfully gentle with children of all ages.
It was unmentioned that several other breeds make the list with insurance companies requiring the $100,000 rider on top of existing homeowner’s insurance policies: Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds, to name a few. Those breeds, or crosses of those breeds, I am certain make up a far higher percentage of dogs adopted from the pound than any “significant percentage” of pit bulls and pit bull crosses.
The idea of an unpredictable dog being a ticking time bomb has been around for decades. In the 1970s it was the Doberman, in the 1980s it was the German Shepherd, in the 1990s it was the Rottweiler and today it is the pit bull. A very small percentage of dog owners who own pit bulls for status and illegal purposes, drug dealers and other criminals, have destroyed the image of wonderful pit bulls raised by responsible owners and caused millions of amazing dogs to be senselessly killed each year.
If a pit bull mix is mislabeled, and only DNA can verify this with certainty, then I consider the dog lucky to have made it out of the pound. Additionally, I wish all new responsible owners of pit bulls and pit bull crosses a lifetime of happiness with their new loyal and thankful friend.
CINDY DelSIGNORE
Struthers
Comments
Good response Cindy.
(BTW,they`re working on DNA but it`s for entertainment purposes now.Long way from certainty)
Ohio Info
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil....
You`re right that 'pit bulls' are simply today`s "ticking time bomb"
Need to blame something rather than take responsibility.
People need to read Pit Bull Placebo:The Media,Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression
An Overview of the Book here
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil....
The Book has been put online by the Author
Click below the picture of the book
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil....
The hype and hysteria promoted by the Media and people who should know better needs to stop.
Some Countries have come to their senses
Netherlands has repealed a decades long ban
Italy has followed suit
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/node/4229
[quote]``The measures adopted in the previous laws had no
scientific foundation. Dangerous breeds do not exist. With
this law we have overcome the black list, which was just a
fig leaf (over the larger problem),[/quote]
Breed Specific laws don`t work.
Denver Colorado is a perfect example of that
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil....
[quote]...The only county in Colorado with a breed ban, Denver has the highest rate of dog-related hospitalizations in the state!..[/quote]
As you say millions of wonderful dogs are being killed simply due to Breed/type look.
It needs to stop.
It`s dogs just like these below that aren`t being evaluated(by qualified people) and put up for adoption.
SAR Pits
http://www.forpitssake.org/sar.html
K9 Pits
http://www.lawdogsusa.org/lawdogs.html
http://www.lawdogsusa.org/k9neville.html
Therapy Pits
http://ourpack.org/leo.html
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanag...
National Champion Pit
http://www.pitbullunited.com/wallacet...
Wallace in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQYC5Z...
Rescued Pits
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mult...
Pits with kids
http://www.maxtheshelterdog.com/kidsf...
Pits with Families
http://server.inalbum.com/show/jodipr...
Do they really deserve to die?
Demand better.
Tell the Media to STOP the hype and tell Humane Societies to give them the same chance as every other dog.
They may not be the right dog for your family but they are the right dog for many families.
People are kidding themselves about the pit bull breed. Our son had a mixed dog that included some pit bull.. Nicest dog you'd ever want to have. Very loving ------ except we found, around kids. He bit two kids and we had to put her down. These dogs have mouths that invite a disaster and we were very lucky our grandchild wasn't severely deformed. Anyone that decides on owning a pit bull or mixed should know they are inviting possible disaster.
How would you know the genetic makeup of a mix breed dog and if it was a cross Breed how would you know which of the Breeds was responsible for biting?
There are at least 25 Pure Breed dogs that look like and are commonly mistaken for the 'Pit Bull' Breeds
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Find...
and many.many cross breeds and mutts that people mistake for 'pit bulls'
[quote]These dogs have mouths that invite a disaster[..../quote]
???
That myth has been debunked for quite some time.
http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/doc...
[quote]Dr. Brisbin, as well as the other experts, testified that pit bulls do not have
locking jaws. Based on actual dog dissections and measurement of their skulls, the
evidence demonstrated that pit bull jaw muscles and bone structure are the same as other
similarly sized dogs.
*****No evidence was presented to demonstrate that a pit bull's bite is
any stronger than other dogs of its size and build. He stated that, contrary to information
relied upon and perpetuated by earlier case law2 and law review articles,3 assertions that a
pit bull can bite with a "force of 2,000 pounds per square inch" have absolutely no basis
in fact or scientific proof.[/quote]
'Pit Bulls' do not cause injuries unlike other dogs
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil....
[quote]No breed or type of dog has a particular method of attack or inflicts an exclusive type of injury.
***** Claims that one breed of dog inflicts injuries unlike other breeds have no merit.[/quote]
So much easier for humans to blame "certain" dogs than to accept responsibility.
In the beginning, human aggressive dogs were slaughtered or abandoned, they didn't develop within the fold of domesticates. Human friendliness was a necessary trait for all dogs, regardless of type. This wasn’t hard because early canines were pack animals, they had to work and get along with others. Humans were a simple adaptation for this social trait; broadening the definition of a pack member or leader was not a colossal leap.
Pit bulls never benefited from special selection for human friendliness; this potential characteristic already existed and was passed to them from their genetic predecessors. The only feature of their character that needed to be maintained was a modicum of pack loyalty and subservience to a pack leader (owner/handler.)
The myth of any special human friendliness by pit bulls is merely that – a myth. As in all animals bred and developed for competition, many faults are acceptable… so long as they can win. Winning is job one.
A parallel example of performance selection exists in the equine world. Anybody familiar with the race world knows that Thoroughbred horses rule the track. There is no other breed in contention beyond 2 furlongs. So you would think, if you subscribe to the so called “logic” within the mythology put forth by pit bull advocates, Thoroughbred horses must be the most tractable, gentle saddle horses ever created. After all, their purpose is to carry a rider; they don’t run these races by themselves! And Thoroughbreds have been in development for over 300 years – surely they are the most rider friendly of all horse breeds, aren’t they?
No one in the horse world would ever make such a claim about Thoroughbreds! The original stallions from the Mediterranean and Middle East were crossed with native horses to make them more manageable, but speed under saddle was and continues to be paramount. Many character faults are forgiven, so long as the horse can run!
And so it is in the TRUE history of pit bulls. Winning pit bulls that could be managed, even marginally, were always – ALWAYS – bred. No dogfighters ever forsake a winning lineage because of manageable human aggression. A winning pit dog need not be a family dog, anymore than a Thoroughbred needs the gentleness and versatility required for Junior 4-H horse shows.
The pit bull advocates have attempted to rewrite the history of pit dog selection. Their version is a fairy tale – a complete lie. Pit dogs were selected for strength, stamina, and aggression. If they happened to be tractable for their handlers, it was a fortunate happenstance carried over from their predecessor canines – definitely NOT a primary consideration in the development of winning pit dogs.
This pit advocate lie is a failed absurdity. The frequency and severity of attacks on humans make the truth self evident, regardless of how many times the lie is repeated.
http://www.dogsbite.org/blog/2009/05/...
Back in my youth I had a cocker spaniel. When I applied for renters insurance, the agent told me this breed was very likely to bite based upon the insurance claims.
Although they are really adorable dogs, cocker spaniels have had a problem with their temperment. However, this breed has not gotten a bad rap from the press over it. Is it because they are cute looking?
What is more inviting to a child than a sweet looking dog like a cocker spaniel. I had to tell hundereds of children over the years when they asked to pet my dog "She growls but she wont bite." The dog was excellent with kids but she growled constantly. It was like her way of purring or something.
My brother had a pitbull and it was a great dog. Dont judge breeds by the reputation alone. Any dog can bite and a dog bite can cause a lot of damage.
BTW, cats bite too. I had to file an insurance claim because my cat bit the neighbor.
Silversage, do you have something to say for YOURSELF, or do you just want to bring over an article from another website, with the link to said website but without any credible statistics or facts?
The author's point about why pit dogs were selected is only running the course of dogs actively being bred for fighting, which was not the breeds' purposes when it was being "cultivated". Bull terrier type dogs were often used as butcher's assistants, and developed the immense pulling ability during that time.
Dog fighting exists around the world, just like any other kind of ritual animal torture for the entertainment of sick men(i.e. cock-fighting.) To say that these dogs are bred specifically for the fighting anymore than mastiffs, boxers, rotts, and just any general mix of these breed types is absurd. Plenty of other types of dogs get thrown in as well, any animal can be vicious as we all know(or should by now.)
I think a dog that shows traits of adoptability across the board as much as any other should be given a chance, regardless of its' breed. It should just be demanded that people have a good idea of what type of dog is good for them, and education supplied maybe? To have the information available would help keep people for only ever going for the aesthetic appeal of an animal. It's important to have congruent needs, ya know?
I think I see the tides turning against breed specific legislation, thankfully and not a moment too soon.
The facts are undeniable, in favor of the Pit Bull dog.
Pit Bulls have been bred to bite. They have that in them all the time. There is no way to change it now. They should be outlawed and the breed discarded forever. They scare the heck out of everybody.
It is very sad to see Cindy writing a letter that is filled with propaganda and falsehood about pit bulls that was produced by PIT BULL BREEDERS AND DOG FIGHTERS so they could keep breeding, torturing, and making money from these dogs without regulation.
Cindy, you are just helping the pit bull abusers abuse more by spreading their lies.
As you can see, some of them are here with many of their pit bull breeder propaganda websites helping you out.
PIt bulls are number one on the list for killing and mauling people and other pets, and the pit bull breeders don't care.
All they care about is breeding more and hurting more pit bulls, and they get people like you to help them oppose regulation and spread their propaganda.
Maybe someday you will have sympathy both for pit bulls and the children and adults that have paid the price in attacks.
And lawdogsusa was shut down because the dogs were too aggressive to handle the training.
(And as for "butcher's assistants?" THAT IS A COMPLETE FABRICATION, just as the "nanny dogs" fabrication is. Never happened.
But the breeders figure if they can get naive people to swallow this stuff, they can fend off regulation.
Forpitssake web site (cited by K9) is run by a woman convicted of embezzlement and with a lengthy history of issues that are public record.
http://www.10news.com/investigations/...
Cindy, these are the people you are helping!
(and national canine research council is run by a vet tech with no professional experience with faulty cooked up "stats." It's not a group, it's not an organization. It's just some person who came up with a name designed to suggest authority. Authority it has none. It is a group whose "statistics" have been debunked on many occasions, and that has used propaganda from pit bull breeders. Who got a book published by a vanity publisher that publishes comic books. That is the problem- anyone can claim they are an expert and present whatever statistics they care to make up, no matter how flawed or empty. And also fail to reveal their biases and hidden agendas)
I'm sorry, but no matter how much BS some of you people try to feed me and everyone else, I still believe that pit bulls, like any dog or person, are [to an extent] a product of their environment.
I have a pit bull who is the most loving dog ever, not to mention the biggest baby. I don't look at her and see a mean, ferocious animal. Maybe that's because I love her and don't subject her to fighting and aggression. If only everyone else who owns a pit bull would do the same, because those people that encourage dog fighting and neglect are the people that give pit bulls a bad name.
AMEN Aeparish!! I have 2 pitts, they are loving dogs and would rather lick you to death then bite you! If you show something love it returns love 10 fold, AGAIN it is how they are raised, any dog will bite you if raised to do that, I had a dashound that bite me and I didnt kill it! BUT they would rather put all the pitts in a gararge and kill them instead of adopting them out, makes me very sad, so many animals can be "vicious" not just pitts. Open your eyes, quit killing dogs just because its easier.
UnionForever, not everyone is afraid of a pit bull. Also, they were not bred to bite. The ignorance of some fuels the stupidity in others.
Punish the Deed, Not the Breed
Remember "Petey" of the Little Rascals? How vicious was Petey? Did you know Helen Keller's dog was a pitbull? How about "Nipper" who proudly represented the RCA brand? or "Tige" who was shown inside of every Buster Brown shoe? and let's not forget "Popsicle" the U.S. Customs Pit Bull dog that sniffed out one of the largest cocaine busts in history.
I know some of the sweetest Pits, much sweeter than a few Poodles I know. They most certainly don't deserve to die because of their breed.
Poodles are biters, but every dog that bites is labled a Pitt Bull, which is a bunch of crap. But like I said before, Lets blame everything on Pitts!
"In the 1970s it was the Doberman, in the 1980s it was the German Shepherd, in the 1990s it was the Rottweiler and today it is the pit bull. "
I have heard this line before. So let's take a breed count in the pit bull bible, Fatal Attacks by Karen Delise.
Fatalities from 1970-1979
13 deaths attributed to german shepherds and GSD mixes
1 deaths attributed to dobermans and dobie mixes
1 death attributed to rottweilers and rott mixes
6 deaths attributed to pit bulls and pit mixes
Fatalities from 1980-1989
15 deaths attributed to german shepherds and GSD mixes
7 death attributed to dobermans and dobie mixes
6 deaths attributed to rottweilers and rotts mixes
47 deaths attributed to pit bulls and pit mixes
Fatalities from 1990-1999
12 deaths attributed to german shepherds and GSD mixes
3 deaths attributed to dobermans and dobie mixes
48 deaths attributed to rottweilers and rotts mixes
37 deaths attributed to pit bulls and pit mixes
Looks like the decade of the doberman was really the decade of the pit bull to me. And the decade of the rottweiler was followed closely by the pit bull. But I know why you liars always present your argument this way. First, your TRENDS argument actually sounds more convincing and hardly anyone owns Delise's rag to check your "facts".
Directly from the National Canine Research Council Website..
"In the overwhelming majority of the cases Delise has studied, cases extending as far back as the 1960's, the dogs
involved were not family dogs, that is, dogs that lived in the home with the family. Rather, they were maintained
outside the home, in pens, yards, or on chains, and/or were obtained for the negative functions of protection,
fighting or guarding. Many resident dogs are also victims, to varying degrees, of human neglect or abuse."
Therefore the title of the letter,
"Hold owners to account, not an entire breed of dogs" is accurate and dogs, no matter what the breed are a product of their environment. It just so happens that irresponsible owners choose these specific breeds because they are believed to stand for status, protection, or power.
Pitt mixes could be any type of dog! It looks like a pitt bull, lets assume thats what it is, not fair!
I showed Westies for years, and let me tell you, the American Staffordshire Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers (both Pit Bull type breeds) were so much mellower and better behaved than the Scotties, Westies, Welsh, Fox Terriers, etc... I never saw them squabble while waiting to go into the ring. They always sat around smiling and chilling out. The other terrier breeds would spar with one another.
I feel it is definitely in how you raise them. I think the bad owners should be euthanized instead.
dogs are like kids. they only know what is taught to them. and pit bulls are not bad. answer this question. if you only had 20 dog bites and out of the 20 dog bites 3 were from pit bulls and the other 17 dog bites were from lets say a poodle. what breed would be more harmfull? thats right the poodle. i believe that anyone who wants to own a pitt bull must take classes so they can learn how to treat them correctly.
I AM THE OWNER OF A WONDERFUL 4 YEAR OLD FEMALE PIT! PEOPLE GET DOGS OF ANY BREED AND DON'T REALIZE THE TIME & ENERGY THAT IS NEEDED TO PROPERLY RAISE A DOG! PIT BULLS NEED A LOT OF EXERCEISE & MENTAL STIMULATION. BEFORE PEOPLE GO OUT & GET ANY ANIMAL BE WILLING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME PROPERLY TRAINING THEM AND GIVING THEM THE ATTENTION THEY NEED TO DEVELOPE INTO A LOVING PET! SHE WAS ALSO RAISED AROUND KIDS & LOVES THEM! NEVER BIT....ANYONE....EVER!
well if we are putting down dogs for biting...then lets start with poodles...(mean little fluffy ugly dogs) and labs.... and german shepards...and chow chows....shi tzus...and those rat looking dogs.....cocker spainels....the list can go on and on and on.....i have 2 pit bulls along with a mastiff and a boxer...and my kids (10, 8,6, and 4) climb all over all the dogs......and the dogs let them.....oh and if were talking about putting animals down for biting..then rabbits, and ferrits, and horses, and pigs, and cows etc....cant pin point one animal......
Our pit bull is a family dog, loyal, loving, and eager to please. The laws passed by our city council banning this breed, except those that already are lving within the city limits, are knee-jerk at best because it is based on a false premise: that these dogs are born mean. Some very irresponsible, heartless owners make them mean, but rather than going after the owners, they target the breed.
We need to elect officials who will reverse these laws and restore our basic freedom to choose the breed that I want to own--not the one I am allowed to own.
Punish the Deed, Not the Breed
Remember "Petey" of the Little Rascals? How vicious was Petey? Did you know Helen Keller's dog was a pitbull? How about "Nipper" who proudly represented the RCA brand? or "Tige" who was shown inside of every Buster Brown shoe? and let's not forget "Popsicle" the U.S. Customs Pit Bull dog that sniffed out one of the largest cocaine busts in history.
I know some of the sweetest Pits, much sweeter than a few Poodles I know. They most certainly don't deserve to die because of their breed.
----------------------------------------
Great post!
All dogs have the potential to bite. They have teeth! I have been bitten by a Yorkshire terrier when delivering the paper as a young girl.
A border collie bit me when at a friend’s house.
My yellow lab was almost killed by a neighbor’s German Sheppard. MY STRAY OFF THE STREETS WHICH IS A PIT MIX IS A WUSS!
anyone who punishes the breed is uneducated. its that simple!
I can't believe some have posted opinions based on confusion or misinformation. Any freshman science text will tell you that viciousness is a trait that is learned not inherited. How stupid!
Vote people out of office who support the ban against pit bulls. They have based their decision on bad information. I don't want them to represent me. They can't even read or analyze for themselves.