Denver, Colorado, has issued a ban against all pit bulls. Any pit bulls within city limits are being (or have been) immediately confiscated and put to sleep. Pit bull owners are unhappy about that, of course. They are arranging to send their dogs to friends or family outside of Denver, if they can.
The state Supreme Court has upheld Denver's decision and so the roundup continues. Personally, I don't understand why pit bulls are even allowed to be legal pets. We ban people from keeping tigers and other dangerous animals as pets. I don't want to hear "Because it's always been done that way." That argument doesn't work. Denver is right, and I believe that all other governments should follow their lead.
P.S. Thanks, everyone, for the name suggestions. For some reason, 'Pie' stuck. She is going to the vets first thing this morning but seems to be doing well. She shows a great fondness for Leroy Selmon's Chopped Salad (Leroy Selmon's is a great restaurant in the Tampa Bay area).
She seems to like us, and enjoys cuddling. But she's easily spooked, and then she reacts by opening up her mouth. It's the only thing she does. We even tried putting our fingers in front of her mouth and she won't snap. She's very gentle. After doing some research, I estimate she's about 2 months old.
68 comments:
I fully agree with what Denver did; I'm surprised it held up in the courts.
I also agree with you about Selmon's. We go there every so often and love the food!
I never understood the mindset for keeping a viscious breed around. A woman in Orange County CA lost both arms to "harmless pet" a few years ago. You never know when their breeding will play out.
Regarding "Pie" that name would have nothing to do with your eventual plans for her by chance? *G*
For some reason, and I can't put my finger on it, this "ban" makes me feel awkward. Maybe it's because I'm jewish and I feel it is Holocaust-ish. A ban is extreme. Maybe first try intensive regulatory measures (i.e. pit bulls must be kept in ...blah blah blah). It just perturbs me that this is a ban them, collect them, kill most of them tactic. There have to be less extensive measures to accomplish the same purpose.
Dan, thank you so much for this topic idea, by the way. I can understand where you're coming from, but pit bulls are only an animal, and were bred to be aggressive. So I see them as of lesser importance than people (firstly) and secondly I think that, although it's man's fault that they've been bred to be killers, we are still stuck cleaning up the mess.
For instance, if we were being overrun by black widow spiders the size of Rottweilers, we wouldn't be worried about anything except how to get them dead quick enough. I'm sure we'd have black widow pet owners who'd be unhappy about it, but you always will run into someone who chooses a particular pet just because it's different. I think that is the real motivation behind pit bull owners: they either want a 'different' sort of pet, or they're openly honest about wanting an aggressive one.
Mallory, Nope, Pie isn't destined for the pie pan. Everyone has fallen in love with her, including the vet who has pronounced her healthy and the tamest baby possum he's run across (and he's seen many, believe it or not!)
Fred, Selmon's chicken with the maple syrup, sour cream, corn, etc. sounds really funky but it's awesome! So's their bread pudding. Mmmm.
YESS! Their bread pudding is wonderful. I used to love it when living in Atlanta; I didn't see it much down here until Selmon's came along.
Pie is definately a good name for her, Saur. Glad to hear she's OK! Pit Bulls & Rottweilers: It's easy. Starve them for a week and lock them up with their owners, and see if their owners re-think the whole problem.
Dan: I can understand your concern. I had to struggle with that at first glance. But, I have seen too much damage (sometimes fatal) being done by this breed. The sad thing is that these dogs get out and terrorize neighborhoods and have attacked children playing outside in their yards. We have enough reasons to worry about our children being outside without adding another potentially fatal encounter. Yes, we have leash laws, etc., but they are not easy to enforce and many owners do not take it seriously until there is a tragedy. I think I recall a case of an adult woman killed by two pit bulls in the hallway to her apartment. The owners were there (I think they were attorneys) and they could not save her life. I think they are both in prison now. Does anyone remember this case?
Recently, I have heard that insurance companies will not insure a property if the owners have certain breeds of dogs.
TC: BREAD PUDDING! OMG, what a comfort food. What about a quest to find the BEST bread pudding?
My mothers generation let very little go to waste. Stale bread to a decadent delight.
Actually, I have an excellent bread pudding recipe and it's a microwave recipe from the book "The Microwave Gourmet." I'll put it in TC's blog.
I wish they would ban pit bulls in California. I hate them. In fact, my sister in law's, sister in law was just visciously attacked in the face on Saturday night at a party. She was getting up out of a chair when the dog lunged at her and bite almost her whole face off. She's now in the hospital awaiting a plastic surgery consult and probably a psych consult as well. I am not sure if it was a pit but it was obviously a viscious dog but an even dumber owner for bringing a dog to a party. (the dog had recently attacked someone else too!) Pie is a good one!
Pie sounds SO cute, and I love the name! We call Anex Snoopy Pez "Pie" sometimes as one of her many nicknames.
As for the pitbull thing... confiscated and put to sleep? ALL pitbulls? I'm sorry, but I think that's completely wrong. They are NOT all vicious! I had an ex-girlfriend who had a pitbull, and he was a SMART, very loyal and loving dog. I'd sooner see the ex-girlfriend put away than the pitbull! (Okay, that's mean... but you get my point.)
I really have trouble with this concept. If a dog shows signs of viciousness, that's one thing. But putting dogs to sleep just because of the BREED they are? That's really horrible.
Seriously, not all pitbulls are vicious!
I’m with you on this dog issue. Euthanize the dog and torture the owner slowly until death.
I use to live close to TC in Largo where the rule is a dog has to be under voice command. Basically dogs can wander around as they please. I had a dog in the neighborhood that would get spooked and turn violent. My kids Halloween costumes set him off, one of scariest things I’ve ever experienced. The police would never take action because the owner always claimed the dog was under voice command. To be fair to the police the laws didn’t protect the residents from violent dogs. Luckily it was right after the Police Explorer Brouhaha and I was able to hire the strong arm of the law to take care of the problem, but the dog is still out there as far as I know.
I can’t wait to tell the New River guides that you have an opossum as a pet. They’ll say is she fattening him up for Thanksgiving.
Dont eat her!
I hope your family really enjoys Pie. How neat for you!
Yay Denver!!!
Next they ought to consider Rottweilers, which were bred to kill lions. Honestly, I seriously question the intent and purpose of dog owners who own pit bulls or rottweilers. Do they compensate for weakness in the dog owner's life? I can see a family owning a German Shepherd, which I think are great dogs. Loyal, smart, very protective, and not vicious unless the owners seriously mistreat them. But pit bulls? Dangerous!
Darn! Too late to suggest you name your new pet "Posse."
Jules, it seems that we always hear about attacks like that here. Recently one of my friend's neighbors was outside with her little dog when a couple roaming pit bulls ran up to them and attacked the dog. The old lady got into the middle of it, trying to save her little dog. She ended up saving the dog (who had to have a leg amputated) but ended up in the hospital because the pit bulls turned on her. The pit bulls were put to sleep later, and she has a lawsuit against the owner.
Aral, I know that there are some sweet pit bulls. There are exceptions to every breed. But in general I would say that most pit bulls are loose cannons.
Mr. Gator, It is terrifying to see your kids put in a situation like that. I knew of someone who poisoned a pit bull after a similar encounter, though I don't know who actually did it.
Jamie Dawn, *LOL* I won't eat her. Pie is continuing to calm down and ate another plate of salad last night. I've sent away for a book on possums to find out what she will need in her diet. The vet tells us they're amazingly sturdy, and very affectionate pets.
Underground, I didn't know Rotts were lion dogs. Wow!
Bill, funny! I had thought of that one too. But my son (Saurkid) ruled that one out, telling me it sounded too 'gagsta'.
I do not agree with euthanizing a dog based solely on its breed. I live in Denver and I find this to very upsetting. A dog is only as good as its owner and a dog that cannot be controlled should be put down. However, in most cases pit bulls can make excellent companions and many of these dogs, who have never harmed anyone and are a loving member of someone's family, are being put to sleep solely based on chance of birth. I have never been attacked by a pit bull, but I have been attacked by a rottweiller and I don't think the behavior of one dog should condemn and entire breed. I agree that pit bulls have a higher than normal tendency towards aggressive behavior, but so do miniature pinschers.
Nice firestorm. Glad it is on your blog and not mine!
I'd have named the possum, "opie" or if female, "opette"...
I hate violent dogs...
They just have no reason to live.
Hanna, well...actually, it's not that easy. The pit bulls were bred to be violent, you see. So it's not like some city picked out a particular breed and said "Poodles. We just don't like those sissy haircuts. Let's put them all to sleep." It's like have pet cobras running about. Sure it's not the cobra's fault that it's aggressive and lethally poisonous. But they still don't need to be running about.
As for Pit Bulls being as aggressive as mini pinschers, I need to point out that mini pinschers don't have the ability to kill someone. Well, perhaps a very small someone? I've never heard of a death by mini pinscher, though.
Dan, yeah, look what you started! *g* Opal, she could've been named Opal! Ah well, Pie it is. She's sitting here on my shoulder as I type, calmly laying there. She smells like cereal (not at all stinky).
Alex, I haven't been able to find a real reason to disagree with you! I think you're right.
Domesticated animals behave as a natural reaction to their upbringing. I've got a pitlab who was a rescue at 4 weeks old. Marshall, is now 18 months old and a real joy. He's super sooky, mostly because he's spoiled rotten... and nobody cuddles like he does.
Poodles and Dalmations can be nasty little dogs too, what's needed is less banning, and stronger, better enforced, regulations on dog owners. Today it's pitbulls, tomorrow it's dobermans again.
But, Dumas, poodles and dalmations haven't been specifically bred to be aggressive attack dogs. If a dog has specific inbred traits (such as temperment, hair color, size) no amount of human intervention will change what they're already predisposed to!
Well said, hanna.
I understand the "concern"... it sounds so simple, just wipe out the breed (which I think is a ridiculous notion)... but if society were to remove everything that it deemed dangerous... we'd be left with nothing. There will ALWAYS be something to be feared. Logic has to override fear.
I'm not usually an outspoken blogger, I like to let people have their opinions and I will have mine. But the pitbull debate pulls at my heart strings. Responsible owners are the answer to the pitbull "situation". And you can say that Dalamations and Poodles haven't been breed to be vicious, but have you ever been bit by a Poodle? I have, and it was completely unprovoked, I was simply walking down the street. The problem wasn't that a Poodle bit me, the problem was an irresponsible owner who allowed their "he's never bitten anyone before" dog run around loose.
I just felt the need to balance out the comments on this one, as a supporter of responsible dog ownership.
I believe that they should be banned everywhere! I too have a friend that has a very well mannered pit, she has never hurt anyone or anything, but this friend won't allow the dog to be alone in the same room with her two small children. This has to say something. An owner of a very well behaved pit still won't allow the animal to be unsupervised with her children.
They are bad news.
Like I said, some of the dogs are family pets, well-trained, faithful, and loving companions who have never harmed anyone. No matter what traits they were bred for, there are few that are bred for those purposes now. And many of the dogs that have been rescued from dog fighting rings have found happy lives with loving families. Other rescue dogs that were not fit for human cohabitation have been put down. Responsible pet ownership is the real issue, not the dog. A human that keeps a pet that is known to be violent and aggressive, is criminally negligent. A owner that does not train or have the ability to control their pet should be treated as a violent offender and the pet in question should be and is (in Denver County) put down.
What is "not that easy" is creating and enforcing legislation to control negligent pet owners. What is ridiculously easy is the preemptive killing of an entire breed. I realize that the City and County of Denver did not just "pick out a particular breed", but once the precedent is set, where does one draw the line? German Shepards, Rottweilers, and Dobermans? Poodles? Chows? Huskies?
I appreciate the fact that you have and opinion on this, but living in Tampa, you don't have to witness people agonizing about whether to move from their homes or give away their pets to save their lives. Your thinking is lazy. Just because and animal was bred to be vicious, you think that means they all are. That is not the case. The vast majority of these dogs has never and will never be a danger.
Also, in case you were wondering, Denver has leash and licensing laws so we don't have aggressive and lethal pit bulls just "running about." Here is a link to the Humane Society of the United States featuring an article about their position on breed specific legislation http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html
A sweeping, all-encompassing death sentence is not the answer. Have a little compassion for the people whose dogs are being unfairly killed.
Hannah, but you see, when you breed for a trait, you can't easily eliminate it. Perhaps some owners are 'good' owners that control their pit bulls, but I know of 'good' owners that haven't been able to. Their pits were fine until one day when they unexpectedly snapped. That's the problem with the breed; they're unstable.
You ask where does one draw the line. You draw it at the dangerous pets. You shouldn't allow pit bulls any more than you should allow cobras as pets.
I would assume Denver has a licensing and leash law, we do too. And I don't have any sympathy whatsoever (I freely admit it). But we have the same problem here (we're a major metropolitan area) and that's why I have no sympathy. I think we should have the ban here, too.
Of course people get attached to their dogs, no matter how dangerous they could be. I knew someone who kept wild cats (tigers, lions, etc.) but they also knew that they were potentially dangerous. These pit bull owners knew their animals were potentially dangerous too. They just never thought they'd get them taken away from them. But, if I got attached to my pet cobra and had it taken away, I doubt many people would have much sympathy with my tears and hysterics.
I'm not really sure what problems you have with pitbulls in Tampa. I'm also not certain what problems you seem to think Denver has with pitbulls. So, I rounded up some interesting facts for you.
An average of 3 pitbulls are euthanized in Denver every day. They've been killed because of what they might do, not what they have done. The American Temperament Testing Society evaluated 122 breeds for panic, strong avoidance without recovery and unprovoked aggression. The group found that pitbulls passed 83.3 percent of the time, just behind the golden retriever (83.6 percent). And did you know that German Shepards actually bite more people than any other breed? I bet you didn't.
There are approximately 20 deaths resulting from dog attacks every year accross the United States. That is really 20 too many. I'll give you that. Oddly enough though, almost 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year. While I find this extremely amusing, I won't fight the current trend, I'm currently proposing a bill to have them banned in the United States. 210 people will die in auto vs. animal accidents each year. I'm working on this bill now, but I can't make up my mind whether to propose the ban of automobiles or animals.
On a more serious note, there are 23 murders committed in the US per second. Tampa has, on average, 41 murders per year. That's 1 in every 7800 people based on population. Tampa also has 222 forcible rapes (1 in 1445 people) and 3,701 aggravated assaults (1 in 86 people).
You can yammer on and on about what pitbulls were bred for and not being able eliminate certain traits, but considering the fact that Tampa has not had a fatal dog attack since 2004, I wonder that your fears are not misdirected. Shouldn't you be more worried about violent person on person crime? Since humans can be so violent, aggressive, and unstable and since Tampa's crime rate is 3 times the National Average perhaps we should round-up and put everyone in Tampa "to sleep" (such a gentle euphamism). You can never tell when one of them might snap. And as we all know, in America, you're guilty until proven innocent.
Wishing you would change your mind, but knowing you won't...
Hanna (with just the one "H")
Hanna, Thanks so much for your interest and your persistance. I truly appreciate the interraction. I also really am interested in your statistics. However, just because an attack doesn't result in a fatality doesn't mean that it doesn't count. There are many 'near' fatalities that are reported regularly here (I personally know of one recently, myself). Since an animal isn't the same as a human, I have no problem wishing that they weren't bred at all. I also think it's perfectly OK to put an animal to sleep if it has the potential to inflict serious injury or death on humans.
But, if we're going to discuss statistics, here are some that disagree with yours.
Wow...I'm amazed at the rampant ignorance about pit bulls in this blog. I have owned pit bulls for my entire life, have raised my children around them, entertain guests with them around and have never once had a problem.
The problem is not the breed, it is with the owner. Any dog can "turn", even your friendly golden retriever.
Pit bulls were trained to be dog agressive and not people agressive. People agression was considered adverse since the handlers would have to pull their dog off the other - so they wouldn't want to dog to bite them.
Many attacks aren't even by pit bulls, but by dogs people *think* look like pit bulls. Since pits descend from bulldog types, everything from jack russells to dogo do argentino can *look* like pits.
Pit bull owners aren't compensating for anything and I think that argument is bunk. What if I argued you bought cosmetics to compensate for your ugliness?
As is typical for most of this country, people remain ignorant because it's too much work to go out and become informed. To deny people their choice of pet and confiscate an animal akin to their child is ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
Pit Bulls *are* pets. They're not vicious, evil, man-eating, satanic, uncontrollable, loose cannons, etc. If the dog is bad you can look at the owner. Why don't we confiscate all the evil, vicious, uncontrollable, aggressive children and adults in this world and have them put to sleep, too?
OK...I found your blog while Google-ing pit bull images. I know this entry is old, but I just had to add my two cents.
I do not support a full ban on pit bulls. I would rather have stricter laws regarding them.
Why not pass a law saying that all pit bulls should wear muzzles when in public and should be on a secure leash when outside the home.
Another good law to pass would be a mandatory spay/neuter on all pit bulls. This would ensure that there are no more pit bulls born in that area.
Also good would be that all pit bulls and their perspective owners need to pass obedience training. The pit bull would also be required to take a good canine citizen test.
Oh, and potential pit bull owners need to be screened. We don't need dangerous humans owning pit bulls, unless we also want dangerous pit bulls.
Instead of euthanizing every pit bull in the city, maybe they should just focus on the aggressive pit bulls that have a record of attacking other dogs and/or humans. Leave the friendly, well-behaved pits alone.
In regard of euthanasia…any pit bull that attacks another dog or human unprovoked should be put down. If the pit bull owner wants to protest, then they would need to show that their dog was provoked. Otherwise, the dog gets put down.
All this can be said of the Rottweiler as well. Don’t label a whole breed as being dangerous, just because some of them are not properly trained or socialized. If anything, you should look at the dog’s owner. Plus, you need to give respectable breeders time to improve the breed’s temperament.
This is just a touchy subject for me. I know I can’t change your mind, no matter how much I wish I could.
Anyway,
Take Care!
~Christine
Like Christine, I came across this blog while doing some research to address my city's Safety Council this afternoon. I'm not a Pit Bull owner, but am a responsible dog owner and am against the banning of any breed of dog. It would be so nice to see people that support bans back up their arguments with statistics. You know why they don't, because they can't. There are more loving, gentle Pit Bulls in this country than ones that are msitreated and vicious. Children are more likely to be killed by a parent than a Pit Bull--you want to ban parenting too?
An attack by a dog is an awful thing. Instead of banning dogs, politicans and communities need to crack down on irresponsible dog ownership and follow Illinois' lead and ban felons from owning breeds that are often mistreated and turned vicious.
Worlwide there are about 150 different dog breeds that are banned, these breeds include Corgis and Collies. Imgaine Lassie being a vicious bite dog? This madness is not just a fight for Pit Bull owners, it is a fight for every reponsible dog owner in the world who does not want to see their breed of choice or the mix they fell in love with at the shelter taken from them because a few bad people can't obey the law.
I'd strongly suggest that you or anyone that has agreed with your stance on this issue do some serious research before speaking out against Pits. I'd venture to guess that most of you, if not all, wouldn't even know a Pit if you had one living next door. America has a long history of discrimination and this is just one notch in that dirty little belt.
Let me first just say that I can't believe how blissfully ignorant some people are. And how, even in their ignorance they choose to spout off opinions on a subject they are not qualified to be commenting on. By saying that all pit bulls are vicious is just dumb, if you know anything about animal behavior and genetics. That's like saying, "there are more minorities in prison that white folks, that must mean that minorities are more dangerous, we should ban them." Give me a break - and quit judging a group by its lowest common denominator. The Jewist guy who commented earlier in the blog was right, this is damn near a holocaust of a breed of dogs - for no good reason, except that Denver officials don't like the way a particular dog looks. Because that is all it's based on, the way the dog looks. Did you know that there is no objective way to prove a dog's breed? There is no genetic test or other scientific method to determine a dog's breed - so it is based entirely on looks.
Did you also know there is not a single expert opinion in support of pit bull bans?
Breed ban proponents often tout CDC statistics on dog bites and attacks, but they always fail to mention the part of those SAME studies where the CDC itself explains that the numbers don't really mean anything and cannot be used to determine which dogs are dangerous and which are not.
All dogs are capable of biting and causing severe injury - and to say that pit bulls are somehow more dangerous or are capable of inflicting worse injury than any other big dog is just plain bad science. Anatomy-wise, among larger breeds of dogs there is nothing strikingly different or unique about pit bulls - and there is certainly nothing to explain how they often get lumped into a dangerous animal category with lions, tigers, gorillas and bears (oh my!).
I am a biologist who has worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of shelter animals of all breeds, and each dog is unique unto itself.
I have also been attacked by dogs twice. When I was 8 I was walking home from the park and was attacked by the neighbor's Australian Shepherd that jumped the fence, chased me down and sank its teeth into my calf - I managed to kick it in the head and then run into my garage.
Two years later I was laying on the couch at my best friend's house eating some popcorn, watching a movie when the family cocker spaniel came running into the living room, jumped onto the couch and started attacking me in the face. I had to get over 50 stitches had to undergo two plastic surgeries to "fix" all of the scarring. The dog later attacked my best friend and had to be put down.
So I guess I feel that unlike most people, I am entirely "qualified" to be commenting on this subject.
If you've never met a pit bull, keep your opinions to yourself.
You know... Helen Keller, Theodoor Roosevelt and Jimmy Carter all have been Pit Bull owners. It's Pretty sad that ignorance is still so rampid in the country. It's gotten us in so much trouble in the past, let's grow up as a nation
You know what? You're a moron. I own a pitbull and it is by far the sweetest dog I have ever owned. My pitbull was adopted from a shelter near my home. She was taken away from her old home because she was beaten. I'm sorry you don't think she deserves another chance. Yes, they have the ability to kill, but then again, doesn't everything? If one dog's bite is stronger than the other, it doesn't give us the right to discriminate the animal of what it COULD do. It's never the animal, the the human behind the animal. Nothing is born wanting to kill a human, we just need to make sure they're not brought up to. Ban the deed, not the breed.
~Amy
more people get injured and die from the human race then all animal species put together, but i dont hear yall hatin ass bitches sayin lats ban the human race.
Go to the web page to learn more please
Perhaps in Texas all Mexicans or African Americans should be "euthanized" because they account for the greatest percentage of violent crimes? If we grab them at birth and kill them then we won't have to worry about them hurting someone eventually. And hey, all men should be killed because rape and sexual abuse is most often done by men right? Therefore let's get rid of them too. With a mindset like this I can see why Hitler and Hussain was so worshipped by some people. Hie Denver!
then and your mama is illegal because she has taken every one in the dever
i think its absoulutely rediculous. My close friends own a pit bull, and my own dog who was abandoned near my home is a pitbull shepard mix and my other is a rott/doberman mix. Pit bulls were bred as fighters, yes, but they were also trianed as fighters. They are naturally protective of the people they care about and if they are not well trained, yes, they will attack for bad reasons but jsut because some pit bulls ahve attacked people does not mean that every pit is evil and dangerous.
As for Rottweilers, when I was young two neglected rottweilers got out of their yard and chaised me and a friend down the street. For a few years I ahted the dogs but as I got older it just seemed rediculous to dislike a whole breed. To me it jsut seems liek saying "once in 2nd grade a girl with blond hair hit me, so I'm never going to make friends with blond haired girls ever again."
I love my pit mutt, I love my rott mutt they are the best dogs I've ever had, their well trained, smart, sweet, people friendly and dog friendly. And it makes me feel sick that people think all pittbulls should be exterminated. Do some research, they make great dogs.
The pit bull ban is very upsetting to me.. If you want to wipe something violent out start with the VICIOUS HUMANS that train these so called vicious dogs. I own a pit bull-he has NEVER been aggressive nor has he EVER hurt or attempted to hurt another person or animlal. Sure you have to socialize pit bulls but people should be doing this with every dog not just pit bulls.
Someone telling me they were going to take away my dog who is like my child, would devistate me as I'm sure it did Denver pit bull owners.
People supporting this are just as bad as the people who are training there dogs.. not just pit bulls to be killers.. as they are killing SOME of these animals for no reason.
Would you put your child to sleep b/c he/she had a behavior problem I'm sure your answer is no. Does the government always "put to sleep" vicious murderers.. not as many as they should.
This is not meant to offend or upset anyone. just simply voicing my opinion like the rest of you.
if anyone who reads this filth would like the real truth about "pitbulls" please visit;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull#Urban_myths
How would you like it if you were to be snatched from your home and loved ones then put to death because the state of Florida put a legal ban on the people who were bred to be mentally retarted?
its really sick that you support rounding up pit bulls and murdering the,. there are so many pit bulls in the world that have never hurt anything. other dogs bite people all the time and nobody tries to ban them. some people raise their dogs cruelly and then those dogs are mean. if you take carfe of a pit bull it will not be a dangerous animal. almost ANY dog can be made into a vicious killer. i don't see how you can own and love a pet while supporting other people's pets being rounded up and murdered.
BITCH YOU ARE VERY IMMATURE ANY DOG HAS THE TEETH TO BITE SOMEONE IT DEPENDS ON HOW THEY ARE RAISED...YOU CLAIM TO KNOW ANIMALS BUT YOUR A FUCKEN IDIOT...
this comming form the laidy with the rabies infested possum.....
that is ridiculous only actual owners of pit bulls should even be allowed to comment on this subject
P.S. your gay
F*** THAT I'VE HAD 3 PIT'S IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.YOUR A B**** THAT TALKS ABOUT SOMETINGH YOU DONT KNOW ANY THING ABOUT.AND SOMEONE SHOULD PUT A DICK IN YOUR MOUTH TO STOP IT
I really love the fact that you and your readers pass judgement on issues with clearly little to no research. Yes, pit bulls (which are not a distinct breed but a grouping that included boxers) can posess negative traits because they have been bred to exhibit these traits by unethical breeders. However, any dog can become dangerous. Dog attacks happen frequently by all types of breeds, only pit bull attacks make the headlines. I was mauled by a neighbor's golden retriever, but you don't hear of cities passing legislation against them. Chow Chows, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Dalmations, Akitas and "Pit Bulls" all have reputations for being dangerous. Where do we draw the line? If an individual wants to have a visious dog, they are going to have a visious dog whether that dog is a pit bull or a labrador. Based on my personal experience working at the humane society, a veterinary technician, and now as a vet student, pit bulls aren't the most dangerous dog. More often than not, small toy breed dogs are the most likely to bits. I admit that pit bulls can be dangerous because they are predisposed to have aggressive tendencies, but as long as the dog has been properly socialized and cared for it isn't an issue. However this is true of all dogs, even the most benign breed of dog will become unpredictable if they aren't socialized. Based again on my experience, the ban will cause a lot more trouble than it's worth; some animal control officers will call any mastiff-type dog a "pit bull" because there is not clear cut breed. I have seen purebred mastiffs and boxers euthanized for this reason. Hopefully this argument is presented well enough to counter some of the other pro-pitt bull comments made by the less tactful, such as the previous entry...Please take the time to examine this situation rather than making snap judgements about these animals based upon media exposure.
man f%ck that ban i got a pit and he is a lovely pet its all about the owner how he trains him its just a dog any dog can get angry and bite or kill its just an instict of them if you so i think they should not banned them i and how can u put them to sleep people have paid money for them if they came to my house to get the dog i shoot the officers and put them to sleep thank alot F%ck the police peace
That is totally crazy, pit bull's are less dangerous than labs. They are usually very friendly towards people, and any dog attack is never the dogs fault(this goes for any breed). The fact is, is that more children are killed by there parents than they would be by a dog. So should we ban all parents? I think not. But for anyone that wants to see some true info about American Pit Bull Terriers, please go to this site. www.pitbullcorner.com
BTW, you are really smart(including sarcasm), that picture of a "pit bull," you have at the top of your blog is not a true pit bull, so get your facts straight, have a nice day, I hope any of your pets are put to sleep, along with you, because your ignorant.
Prejudice and racial profiling is just that, wether directed at a "type" of dog or "type" of person. Pit bulls are often owned by idiots - but no one wants to address that issue - much easier to simply blame the dog.
Yeah, they are ALL so vicious, that is why the Washington State Patrol has MORE pit bulls than any other breed now working as bomb and narcotics detection dogs... Because, hey, you can't trust a dog "like that"... Set your ignorance and prejudice aside and get some facts at: www.LawDogsUSA.org
have any of you people ever owned a pit bull? they are wonderful loyal dogs, and most of the time they would never harm anyone, its how the owner raises the animal, to many red neck jackasses want big bad gaurd dogs so they get pit bulls to train them to be mean, if you get rid of them they are just going to get another type of dog, the ban is rediculous and i dont see how anyone in there right mind would agree with it, the dogs are not naturally dangerous at all, they are one of the most intellegent breed of dogs i have ever owned, and my pit bull pancake has never even barked at anyone, she just loves everyone.
im dissipointed in everyone, not for the way you feel, but because you feel that way with absolutly no knowledge on the subject.
you guys are seriously off.
I'm a medic, I work in a level 1 trauma center outside of chicago, and you wouldn't believe how many pit bites we take care of! ....
wait for it....
almost none. I've been there for three years we've taken in ONE.
We have, however, treated probably (since i've been there) hundreds of dog bites from labs, retreivers, and shepards. Although, you guys might be delusional to think that those dogs can't do any damage. I could refer you to some plastic surgeons, hand specialists, and trauma docs that'll show you otherwise though ;)
Dogs are dogs. We can teach our dogs to sit, play dead, roll over, catch a frisbee. Don't you think we can teach our dogs to attack, to fight, to be aggressive?
Are you guys that dumb to think that these dogs are born aggressive and mean? Well - that was a stupid question. If i were to take a sample set based on ER patients, most of you guys are barely able to function - thats why i will always have a job :)
I hope you guys are content with your lives run by the media. You sit at home, checking in everyday to see the changes in the Terror Level alert thing-a-majig. You are terrified of lettuce now, and you're kids are all winners all the time.
America's society has grown utterly pathetic becuase of willful ignorance and the laziness that rules your lives. It's like a nation of zombies.
Pick up a book, read something now and then. Go outside, stop being afraid of everything.
-or sit on your ass and watch another episode of Dancing With Celebrities. But, at night when you've got nothing to do and you're done masterbating to whatever internet porn you've just gotten off to, check out this website.
http://atts.org/stats1.html
that test doesn't lie. Eat that 84% up instead of that Big Mac.
you are a total jackass.
my pit was found on the side of the road. he was dying because someone had repeatedly cut him with a knife or razor. he had new, open wounds and old scars. it had been going on for a long time. he spent four months at the vet. they were certain he was die. and guess what---he is not the least bit aggressive. he loves everyone. he is a loving, trusting and gentle dog, despite years of abuse that almost killed him.
some dogs have good temperments and some don't. dogs with bad temperments should be destroyed. it is an INDIVIDUAL thing.
any beast with teeth could inflict ugly, disfiguring wounds. i think that most people don't have a bit of respect for the sharp teeth of our domesticated pets. and they really really should.
again, you are a jackass. you just eat up what you hear on the news, dontcha?
o and opossums just make FABULOUS PETS! riiiighhhtttt. dumbass.
pit bulls were not bred for aggression, you myopic, inhumane speciesist. they were bred originally for their unrelenting loyalty & devotion. they were, in fact, the american mascot during the first AND second world wars, featured on every propaganda poster & in such old shows as howdy doody & the little rascals. know your facts. it was only recently, in the 90s that pit bulls earned their bad name thanks to judgemental assholes, like you & irresponsible owners. i hope your darling "pie" bites someone & has to be put down.
-proud pit owner & possum hater
i think thats bull shit...and the supreme court should go to hell for doing that...cause pit bulls only do wut they are taught to do..
p.s maybe they shud give every pit bull one chance and if they fuck up then they can put em to sleep...dont ban them all just because a couple hav some bad fuckin moments... and fuck all u cunts that are with the BSL!!!
I'm a proud owner Of sweet, gentle, loyal pit bull. IT ALL DEPENDS OF THE OWNER. If a child is raised with violence and abusive don't you think he/she is likely to commit crimes. But you don't hear about abusive kids being put down do you???? I have a 5 year old who plays with my pit (TRITON) and he has so much patience with her. He will never dare to bit her. I'ver also heard that small breed are also "dangerous" Anyways if a person hits another person don't you believe that he'll strike back. So what makes you think that a dog, person, animal, etc... will just sit there and take the abuse???
that's just bull crap, pitbulls only attack when they are taunted or teased! they don't attack just because they're bred to do it! they do it for the same reason u and i do, for self defense! so what now??!!!! how do ya like them apples BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!
ps...i hate possoms too!!!!
I think it all depends on the family - No one should qualify to own a pit bull if they aren't going to train it. Pit Bulls are still dogs! Every dog can bite (unless it has no teeth, bad owner), scratch or bark (Unless Mute.) but it's all in the owners!
I would love a pit bull. Sadly, my parents both share your view.
Yes, I'm 11. I know of this sweet American Pit Bull called Jasmine, she's adorable! She doesn't bite, bark or scratch, just to show that it's the owners. I hope they don't ban pit bulls in the UK. I want my dream pet..
i think this is just gay...like saur bitch over there...
First off, Pit Bulls aren't all that mean. it's how the people raise them. And what Denver is doing is cruel. Because a dog is a pitbull they have to put them to sleep. how is that fair to the dog? I've owned 3 pits in my life and not one of them have turned on me. So you need to realize that it's how they raise the dog. People are immature little assholes and train them to fight, still not their fault it's what they were trained to do. You need to grow up and realize that a pitbull is just a dog. Us Humans make them into what they are. whether they are trained to be kind or fight.
Here read this dumbass. I hope you get rabies from your fucking possom
LawDogsUSA offers a variety of breeds for detection work, but we prefer and specialize in the American pit bull due to their superior work ethic, trustworthy nature and ability. We work with malinois, German shepherds and others and we find no breed matches the American pit bull for stability, human friendliness, work drive and most importantly, their record in the field. As well, they have clean, short hair (very little shedding) and are medium in size. They are far more agile and better able to search confined, multilevel areas like offices than the larger breeds.
With Homeland Security concerns elevated, the need for explosives and narcotics detection dogs for law enforcement is increasing. We see the LAWDOGS program as a way to connect outstanding cops with outstanding working dogs. The sudden need for dogs has, unfortunately, also caused a boom in dog venders who are importing Europe's rejected patrol dogs and selling them as detection dogs for thousands of dollars to unsuspecting police departments. Departments buying vendor dogs have no way of knowing what has been done to those dogs to see if they can get them to bite - biting dogs are sold for much more money.
LawDogsUSA animals come from two sources. We give first priority to animals in shelters. The energy, determination and drive that makes an outstanding detection dog often makes the animal challenging as a household pet. For this reason, dogs which will excel at detection work often end up in shelters. LawDogsUSA partners with shelters nationwide to search these dogs out. These animals are put through an extensive battery of tests to ascertain their stability toward children and adults.
As well, LawDogs has developed a very small, very specific breeding program to produce purpose bred dogs specifically for detection work. We have found that early age imprinting (we start at 6 weeks of age) of purpose bred puppies produces a superior animal for this important job. This also allows us to custom train the dog of your choice for your agencies specific needs.
We understand that some agencies will question the use of a dog breed often abused by criminals and a staple of "fear-based" journalism. The fact is, many breeds, including the German shepherd, have taken (and will take) their turn as the "bad boy" breed, and objective and experienced trainers understand that media hype and ownership fads has nothing to do with a breed's real worth.
We encourage any law enforcement officer or administrator with concerns regarding the use an American pit bull as a detection dog to contact us. We will put you in touch with LEO and LE trainers currently using and training the breed. We also encourage you to CLICK HERE to see our most recent graduate who is now one of the best explosives detection dog in the USA.
What Is A Pit Bull?
The purebred American pit bull is America's greatest working dog. Mainland Europe has several noted working breeds - sheep dogs - whose main reason for being in the past 100 years has been "man work" or the ability and desire to attack humans. America's working dog - a bull dog - has its roots in "Olde England", where butchers specifically bred "gripping dogs" for use in controlling bulls and cattle. No other breed had (or has) the courage, grit and determination to stick to the dangerous task of controlling a mad bull. The dog's gameness, or desire to complete the task of holding the bull often saved his master and other humans. In the middle ages, there were no guns or easy means to control a bull - these dogs were highly prized and carefully bred heroes.
These bull dogs (not to be confused with the modern AKC show version "bulldog" who is a recently created show ring breed) were used in exhibition contests against bulls called "bull baiting". When bull baiting was outlawed in the 1800's, bulldogs were contested against each other, to determine which dog had the determination and drive to keep at the task in the face of pain, fatigue and even death.
Because two handlers and a referee were in the pit with the dogs, the breed was selected for amazing stability; a calm, friendly manner with people - even under extreme pressure. Dogs which lashed out at humans, even strangers, while fighting or in pain were not tolerated. Amicability is the well bred American pit bull's heritage.
The pit bulldog's athletic build and legendary determination to get the job done makes him a perfect candidate for detection work. Nothing deters him - not heat or cold, not fatigue, not the things that make lesser dogs quit. Drugs or explosives - if they are there, the pit bull will find them. It is his nature.
Todays American Pit Bull
In America, the pit bulldog of the British Isles has been perfected into a medium sized, athletic and physically tough animal possessing a very compliant nature (they are not "handler hard") endless energy, extreme toy drive and, when bred correctly, a boundlessly friendly nature with all people.
The pit bull enjoyed wide popularity during the period of 1840 - 1950 as a family pet and farm dog. At the turn of the last century, the pit bull was one of the most popular of dogs. A trusted "nanny dog", favorite with soldiers, and common mascot. Pete the Pup on the Little Rascals Our Gang comedies was a purebred, registered American pit bull.
Like the German shepherd in the 1950's - 1960's and the Doberman in the 1970's, the pit bull is currently taking its turn as the "fad breed" with macho, high risk owners. Like the shepherd and the Doberman, the pit bull is being exploited by back yard breeders, criminals, dog fighters and others who abuse the breed's amazing strengths for their own selfish gain. The press encourages fear and hysteria - fear sells.
Independent thinkers who don't fall for "media hysteria", people whose mind set does not include prejudicial tendencies, professional dog trainers and those who know the breed, understand that the true American pit bull is one of the sweetest of dogs with people - though most will not back down from a challenge from another dog.
Today's American pit bull, when properly bred and raised, possesses heart, drive and a work ethic unlike ANY other breed. What man wouldn't want the term "he's a bulldog" associated with his nature? Unlike breeds bred specifically for "man work", the true American pit bull loves people. He is a silly, happy dog. Each person is a "new best friend"! This makes them ideal for those situations where a non-threatening dog is required.
good God, how can people with your level of intelligence be allowed to reach physical adulthood?LawDog guy is right on the money. All you idiots with your opinions should STFU if you dont own a pit bull, you certainly don't deserve the love they give.If you can't understand pitbull love you are a truly sad and pathetic example of what a human being should NOT be.
i'm just wondering if after 2 years, saurly yours is still active in this blog and is willing to read up on information shown to her. as a pit mix owner, if my dog becomes too agressive (yes she is animal agro now) i WILL put her down immediately, court order or not. i adopted her from my sister 4 years ago. since then my sister has adopted an abused pit and had to put him down (he bit me on two separate occasions, when i broke up fights between him and my dog) when he mauled a roommates cat. i myself suggested she have him euthanized before that happened, because he was overly agressive. animal agression HAS been bred into them and human agression has been bred out...by some breeders. backyard breeders who want to make a quick buck selling pitbull puppies don't care about genetic history (be it personality or medical) and those breeders are largely responsible for the more agressive pitbulls who have irresponsible owners who aren't willing to take the time and commitment to properly care for such an energetic and willing breed. on a side note, NASA hand picked rescue dogs to search the challenger wreck...i believe at least two were Pit Bulls. also, someone mentioned an incident involving two "pit bulls" and an elderly woman. i remember the incident and even where i was when i saw it on the news....the breed was Presa Canario. pit bulls are roughly 30-60 lbs in weight. presas are 80-130 lbs. the dogs in that attack were around 110 if i remember right. a good working dog is lean, long legged (for agility), and not too big (for endurance and agility). many dogs fit this body stature and look similar to pit bulls. please do not stereotype.
a little unsure if my above post made my stance clear: i love pit bulls, and hate irresponsible owners. but there are some dogs that do need to be put down. it sucks.
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