Pit Bull Prejudice Part One: The Problem

By: TwitckNCB.

A healthy relationship with animals demands that we are informed with reliable information so we can make valid decisions that are beneficial to both humans and other animals. Highly charged, hot-button topics abound, especially those that affect animal governing laws. Breed-specific legislation (BSL) is one such issue.

BSL seeks to ban specific dog breeds that are assumed to be dangerous to society. Currently, the dog most often subject to bans is known as the pit bull. Technically, “pit bull” is not a breed but rather a generic term categorizing a strong and athletic class of terriers that most popularly includes the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier.

These breeds are subjected to bans because there is widespread prejudice based on the common misunderstanding of the temperament of these dogs. Pit bulls are used for fighting and other nefarious activity because of their determined and courageous nature; yet, the very same tenacity can make pit bulls outstanding members of family, community, police and military groups. The typically resourceful pit bull cheerfully assumes the duties that life requires of him. Human guardians are responsible for positively directing the focus of the dog’s spirit and not taking advantage of it for unethical purposes. It is the negative manipulation of the pit bull nature that has given birth to the unfair reputation of the breeds.

Several years ago in Washington D.C., I participated in a heart-wrenching episode that highlights pit bull prejudice and eventually revealed the purity of a child’s wisdom. The saga began at dusk when a man in his house heard a noise behind his car parked in the street. He glimpsed movement and demanded that the person come forward, threatening to send his pit bull to attack if they failed to surrender. The hidden figure stayed frozen to the spot, so the man incited his dog to leave his property to attack. The man heard the screams of a child and followed his dog only to discover him mauling a 10-year-old girl. He called off the dog, but the little girl was bleeding profusely and critically injured.

I was called to the scene to take control of the dog while the girl was being rushed away in an ambulance and the man was being arrested. The dog, who was impounded and restricted from human contact for more than a year, was named Face.  As his caregiver, I came to know him well prior to the hearing that would decide his fate. Face was the coolest and sweetest dog you’d ever hope to meet but his eagerness to please was manipulated and taken advantage of. He had been obeying his guardian’s urgent command to protect him by attacking the perceived danger. I was so saddened for the little girl who had been injured and for the dog who would be killed for doing what the person he trusted most asked of him; both victims of a human who had abused his power.

The Little Rascals with Petey

I visited the child in the hospital, trying to ease her emotional upheaval. I told her honestly that the courts were going to make a decision about whether Face would be deemed a “dangerous dog” and lose his life.  This insightful child, who required plastic surgery because of her injuries, told me to ask the court not to punish Face and said, “It isn’t the dog’s fault. It’s the man’s fault for teaching his dog bad things and using him that way.”

She got it exactly right. It is the nature of the pit bull to persevere and endure. This drive is not related to innate aggression but rather related to learned behaviors born of their loyalty and the drive to successfully complete assigned tasks despite adversity. Conversely, single-minded aggression is a sign of incomplete development in a dog who lacks confidence.

Historically pit bull breeds enjoyed a positive public image. They were trusted as beloved family companions – nursemaids to children and friends to adults. They worked beside farmers at home and soldiers abroad. Their sentimental place in society inspired the character Petey in The Little Rascals, Tige in the Buster Brown comic strip and more. Helen Keller and Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed the company of a pit bull companion and a pit bull named Sergeant Stubby still bears the honor as the most decorated service dog in U.S. military history.

Unfortunately, pit bulls have also historically been abused. The term “pit bull” comes from their ancestral use in pits for bull-baiting or fights with other dogs in “pits”. Despite the long history of mistreatment, the good-natured dog managed to retain the image of a loyal and amiable companion. The media began to propel pit bull negative perceptions to the forefront with articles like the extensive July 1987 Sports Illustrated story entitled “The Pit Bull Friend And Killer”, complete with a sensationalist cover photo depicting a snarling pit bull captioned “BEWARE OF THIS DOG”.

Recently, a Labrador mix dog attacked an elderly gentleman, requiring him to seek emergency treatment. The incident was reported in one article in the local paper. Soon thereafter, a mixed-breed dog bit a child, sending him to the hospital. Again, one article was printed in the local newspaper. A few days later, two pit bulls attacked a woman and her dog. The dog was uninjured but the woman was hospitalized. This incident was reported in 230 news articles as well as on multiple cable news networks.

Extensive misrepresentation of the nature of pit bulls is not merely unfair but also has regrettable consequences. This hype has led to their desirability among individuals seeking personal status or financial gain. The criminal use of pit bulls in professional and amateur dogfights and other illegal activity has ensured the proliferation of the negative stereotype against these dogs. The public is now conditioned to judge the breeds once considered quintessential American dogs as dangerous and pit bulls are subjected to bans.

Some municipalities and even entire countries are initiating and imposing dog breed bans while other are repealing them and forbidding future breed bans. Proposed legislation banning pit bulls in the entire state of Texas is being vehemently contested. “Justin’s Law”, written after a 10-year-old boy was tragically killed by two pit bulls, maintains that pit bulls need to be banned in order to protect children.  If the legislation is passed, having a pit bull anywhere in Texas would become a third-degree felony. Pit bull protectors have organized their opposition and the bill currently has no sponsors within the Texas legislature.

Keeping people and other animals safe from danger must be addressed based on facts rather than emotion. Dog bites can cause serious injuries and even death and are costly in terms of dollars, community resources and emotional well-being. Yet, safety isn’t achieved by clumsy, blanket restrictions on broad classes of dogs. Reasoning and evidence show that non-specific restrictions affecting enormous numbers of dogs and people are ineffective and inhumane.

A child’s wisdom identified the root of the problem and allow us to ascertain the solution: “It isn’t the dog’s fault. It’s the man’s fault for teaching his dog bad things and using him that way.” The problem is irresponsible guardians. The solution must address this to be effective.

Dogs like Face are subjected to manipulative abuse, resulting in extremely distressing outcomes for dogs and humans, and then are blamed and punished for acting on behalf of their guardian. Entire breeds that need our understanding and protection most are condemned. May we honor the lesson of their suffering by returning their spent devotion with the human loyalty they deserve and taking proactive stances on how to handle the problems that abused dogs present to society and the problems society presents to them.

Breed-specific legislation is reactive and ineffective but there are proactive and effective ways to keep humans and dogs safe..

Writing effective letters to officials regarding BSL:

Writing effective letters to officials:

One of the most difficult things for those new to fighting BSL is expressing your feelings to the legislators and/or other officials who have proposed it.  There are some very important things to remember when communicating with officials:

First and foremost, ALWAYS BE POLITE AND REPECTFUL in all your communications with officials.  Don’t be combative or argumentative regardless of the difference between your point of view and theirs.  Our dogs are worth putting your personal feelings of anger aside in order to communicate effectively.

Stick to the facts.   Try to avoid being emotional.  It is a given that you love your dogs or you wouldn’t be fighting for them.  The simple truth is, the officials do not care how much we love our dogs — they care about the safety of their constituents and their community.  To that end, the facts related to the inefficiency of breed specific legislation and the integral part that irresponsible owners play in dog attacks are important facts to get across to them.

Below are some talking points that you can use in conjunction with your own words when writing letters to officials.  The talking points hit on important flaws of breed specific legislation, and should give you good groundwork to customize and build your own letter.

General letter writing tips:

• It is not necessary to type your letter. In fact, a handwritten letter has a tremendous impact. (As long as its legible!) Even a postcard is fine, as long as it’s nott the pre-printed “form” card.
• Be brief and to the point. Try to limit your letter to one or two subjects. Include all bill titles and numbers whenever possible.
• Send your letter as soon as you hear about an issue or bill. If it comes up again later in the session, you can always write again or make a phone call.
• During the legislative session, send letters to the State Capitol building. During the interim, send letters to the legislators’ home addresses.
• 

Responsible owners do not breed

1) Responsible owners understand the breed is in a “fad” population crisis. They understand the shelters are full of purebred pit bulls dying every day.

2) Responsible owners do not breed puppies for resale. They do NOT breed without a full waiting list. They do not advertise in newspapers or the internet to sell their puppies.

3) Responsible owners do not breed animals which have not been health tested and have correct temperament and conformation. No responsible breeder produces more than one litter a year. Period.

4) Responsible owners will faithfully steward the breed, leaving it in the same condition it was handed to them. They do not change the breed to fit fads such as larger size, overdone bodies or to fit show ring criteria. The do not mix American Staffordshire and American pit bull bloodlines. They understand the purpose and physical requirements of their breed’s uses.

5) Responsible owners NEVER let their dog roam. Notice I did not say “allow” – I said “let”. This means they are careful and do not allow “accidents” to happen. They take precautions and spend the time and money to contain their dog appropriately. They are smarter than their dog…

6) They do NOT tolerate unsound behavior in the breed. If their dog is unsound, and shows unwarranted human aggression, they euthanize the dog. They do not make excuses for their dog.

7) They manage their dogs appropriately. They do not keep their dogs in inappropriate situations which do not allow the dogs sufficient exercise, nor do they put their dogs in inappropriate situations, such as taking them to an off-lead dog park. They understand and respect their dog’s heritage. They socialize and train their dogs to be good citizens.

Pit bull overpopulation is REAL.(If you don’t think it is, go checkoutwww.petfinder.com) Only YOU can stop it. 

Severely Burned Fire Survivor Needs Our Help

We’re very sorry to have to share such a graphic image with you, but there isn’t another one to be found.  This isn’t an abuse case – Gracie suffered terrible burns when her home caught on fire.  She is currently being treated at the Weston Lakes Animal Hospital in Florida, but her family lost everything, and cannot afford the medical expenses on their own.  Can you help?

From the WLAH:

“Gracie is being treated at Weston Lakes Animal Hospital. She is currently receiving help from the hospital. She had most of her body burned when her house caught on fire. Her parents lost everything in the fire and now Gracie needs help to continue her long road to recovery.”

Matt Pelton and his family lost everything in this devastating house fire in Davie, Florida.  The insurance only covered his landlord’s belongings, so now he must start from scratch.  The single father has been living from job to job, so paying for the soaring vet bills while trying to recover his losses is going to be difficult.

“Considering all this, Gracie is doing well, but the treatment is very expensive,” Matt said.  “Thank God the hospital was working with us – I highly recommend anybody to take their animals there.  They take such good care of us and her.”

In addition to seeing his poor Gracie suffer these horrific burns, Matt is now facing another hardship:  his mother, back home in Ohio, is currently battling a cancerous tumor that is causing liver and pancreas failure.  All of this is overwhelming.

“If at all possible, please help with Gracie and the gofunds for the house,” Matt pleaded.  “I’m currently on my way to Ohio to see my mom before she passes away.  It’s been a rough couple of months.”

TO HELP CLICK THE LINK BELOW

https://fundly.com/help-gracie-recover-from-her-burns

Finding Hope in a Dog Fighter

November 5^th, 2014 –

This morning a man confessed to me that until recently, he fought his dogs for money. I have so many emotions swirling around the interaction, but I want to share the story because it is important that people know this is still an issue in Chicago and in many other cities. Dog fighting is still happening and is much more common than people think. Perform a Google news search on “dog fighting” and see how many stories result just from the last few weeks. Beyond awareness, people should realize that ending dog fighting and cruelty will come through compassion and understanding for people, not just the animals. At times when we find ourselves most appalled and disgusted by the actions of people, we must muster our inner strength and resist the urge to judge and condemn for it only creates resistance. Change and education comes through compassionate understanding.

Why should people care about dog fighting? Dog fighting is used by gangs as a tool to desensitize communities (including children) to violence. In 2009 I was at a Chicago Park District summer camp for six and seven-year-old girls to present a fun animal game to teach the kids about pet care. It was like getting punched in the stomach when every little girl in the room started telling stories of dog fights they had attended. Yes, six and seven-year-old little girls. One was brought to a dog fight by her older cousin, a teenager and expectant mother. The little girl, whose eyes were wide with agitated excitement as she recounted the experience, said that one of the dogs had its ear and a lot of skin pulled off and was bleeding very badly. She went on to say that the dog tried to escape and get away from the fight and in doing so, had brushed past her cousin’s belly. The little girl stopped in her story, stared blankly at the floor and repeated, “Blood on the baby belly. Blood on the baby belly.”

For anyone that wonders why people should care about dog fighting, I ask them what hope that child has for seeing something wrong with violence in her community. Children that witness this barbaric event of two living beings forced to literally tear each other limb from limb are not only learning that violence and bloodshed is okay; they are learning that it is entertainment.

The felony classification level rises if minors are present at fights, so when older siblings, cousins, or someone a kid looks up to brings the child to a fight; it inducts the child into a gang’s culture of secrets. Don’t tell anyone where you were or who was there. Then the children witness horror and feel they can only turn to the others that were at the fight, who simply reinforce it as entertainment. Where is hope for those children to feel safe and retain innocence? It doesn’t seem like such a big deal to the kids if they are later asked to carry items for the gang.

The man today explained his past participation in dog fighting with the same excuse I’ve heard before, “I did it for money to feed my family.” The first time I heard that excuse was from a young man in 2010. I was presenting at a “Peace Day” event for a high school in Englewood when a young man interrupted with an outburst, “I fight dogs and sell drugs to feed myself. You think an animal’s life is worth more than mine!” I calmly explained to the young man that as an educator, I always put people first. I assured him that I did not value animals over people, but then I also pointed out the “help wanted” sign that was on the restaurant a block from the school and told him that there were ways he could feed himself without hurting others. I addressed the whole class again by stating that the decisions in life that keep you on a “good” and “right” path are usually not the easy ones; they won’t involve fast money, but making the right decisions are what make you a better person and a “real man.”

Although a part of me was sickened today to hear first-hand from yet another dog fighter in Chicago, I also saw hope. This is a man who now sees it better to help youth in our community through work at nonprofits instead of “bumping dogs” for quick money. He is someone that kids can look up to for his actions today and he can encourage teens that are on the brink of bad choices because he knows first-hand where those choices lead (charges were filed against him when one of his dogs killed a neighborhood dog). His experiences give him a power to connect with youth that many teachers don’t have.

I know I have a lot of devout animal lovers that follow my column. If any of you are disgusted, I understand. People with compassion can’t help but feel that knee-numbing punch in the gut when we hear about suffering. I just encourage all of the animal lovers to try and remember that to truly enact change for the animals; we must reach the people that are committing these acts. Locking everyone up is not an answer. Animal advocates understand that negative reinforcement is not an effective teaching tool for animals and it is not for people either.

The point of this article is not to shame or judge the man I spoke to this morning. What is important is that people continue to raise awareness about the violence epidemic that is in our midst. What matters is that people work to connect with one another to spread hope and empathy while encouraging positive work to spread like wildfire.

“It is not the violence of the few that scares me. It is the silence of the many.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By– Tatiana’s Tails

http://www.chicagonow.com/tatianas-tails/2014/11/finding-hope-in-a-dog-fighter

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS! TY~Twitch

The owner of this loving, bonded pair has asked for our help. She is In fear for their safety as they have been being severely abused by a physically abusive boyfriend! The owner wants her babies to be safe so we are working with her to find them the loving home they both need and deserve — home where they will experience nothing but gentle hands and hearts can be found.

So everyone — PLEASE share — and please hold all negative comments!!!!!!

Brutus is the handsome boy on left, and beside him is Honest — his BFF. Ideally, we would like to keep them together, but please email bunn772@gmail.com with any suggestions at all. They are located in CT and references will be required and checked!

This needs to happen quickly!!!!!!!!!! So please share these puppers NOW! Thanks y’all!

https://www.facebook.com/ShelterConnecticut/photos/a.254405468019834.58183.252379744889073/602423123218065/?type=1&theater

Pit Bulls: Dog Breed Discrimination With Breed Specific Laws

(DOGS/DOG BREED DISCRIMINATION) Pit bulls have been the target of breed-specific legislation for years despite evidence claiming such laws do not diminish the number of overall dog attacks. Support for these laws is based on the misconception that pit bulls are more dangerous and prone to aggression than other dog breeds.

However, the seemingly high numbers of pit bull attacks are, in fact, a result of the high population of pit bulls in the United States. When considering the frequency of attacks by percentage, the number is actually low.

Due to inaccurate perceptions of the pit bull, many shelters around the country even put down the animals before giving anyone the opportunity to adopt them.

With more and more evidence proving pit bulls are no more dangerous than any other dog breed, education for the public is needed to ensure these animals are not treated unfairly. Read the full article below for more information on the treatment of “America’s dog.” — Global Animal
http://www.globalanimal.org/2014/03/17/pit-bull-discrimination-a-people-problem/

Nature Coast Bullies — I love your blog! I don’t understand how people can be so terrified of pitbulls. I was waiting outside a shop before with my American pitbull terrier and everyone walking by purposely dodged her (mainly teenagers). The only one that didn’t was a small 5 year old boy who walked up to me with his dad and asked if he could pet her. I said of course, and him petting her made his and Tia’s (my dog) day.

Nature Coast Bullies — I love your blog! I don’t understand how people can be so terrified of pitbulls. I was waiting outside a shop before with my American pitbull terrier and everyone walking by purposely dodged her (mainly teenagers). The only one that didn’t was a small 5 year old boy who walked up to me with his dad and asked if he could pet her. I said of course, and him petting her made his and Tia’s (my dog) day..

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Some times, you just have to say “why?”

    

Please give what you can. No amount is too small and every donation will be greatly appreciated. You can donate via her YouCaring page or by Paypal to pibblesrus33@gmail.com
https://www.youcaring.com/TinyPuppyCerce

Some times, you just have to say “why?”.

Cerce is a 3 week old puppy that was dropped off at the Philly ACC by her owner to be euthanized because she got “hurt” and the owner could not afford vet care.

https://www.youcaring.com/TinyPuppyCerce

“Hurt” in this case is two prominent bite wounds on her lower back. The vets at ACCT treated her wounds and called us asking if we could take her as she required a level of attention and care that was beyond what they could do at the shelter.

We immediately said yes and one of our local volunteers picked her up, took her home and attended to her every 2 hours last night and this morning until we could move her to one of our experienced medical/puppy fosters.

And sadly, that is just the beginning of her Cerce’s sad story. Upon arrival, her foster mom was concerned that she did not look well and immediately took her to the vet where they determined that the bite wounds are infected and will require a drain for them to heal properly.

Also, the vet did x-rays to try to determine why Cerce was not putting any weight on her back legs. The initial diagnosis is a spinal injury that is usually seen in falls. The vet is guessing that Cerce was dropped and is recommending that she be seen by a specialist.

And, she has an upper respiratory infection that is making hard for her to breathe. And, she is horribly constipated because the owners apparently fed this tiny little puppy things that her little body could not handle.

And if that is not enough, the vet also noticed that she is missing a toe on her front left foot, which to all appearances looks like it was cut off!

It’s impossible to understand how anyone could treat a tiny puppy this badly. But our main concern is to give Cerce what she needs. We are prepared to provide her with the love and attention she needs and we need your assistance to help pay the medical bills to give her the chance to lead the normal healthy life she deserves.

Please give what you can. No amount is too small and every donation will be greatly appreciated. You can donate via her YouCaring page or by Paypal to pibblesrus33@gmail.com

https://www.youcaring.com/TinyPuppyCerce

By

Pibbles & More Animal Rescue, Inc – PMAR