Why does Oklahoma hate PITS?

Question

I just recently moved to Ok. because I am in the army. It took me 2 months to find a house to rent because of my 2 pits. They are very loving pits. I eventually found a housee to rent only because I lied about the breed of my dogs. This isn't just my opinion, it has happened with numerous pit owners here. It makes me sick to see the dog prejudice people here. Rumor has it they are passing some law here to eventually have all pits non existent in Ok, by outlawing breeding and you wount be able to buy a pit out of state as a pet and bring it here.

opinions please!!

These are my 2 pits!!

myspace.com/blockheadpit

I also have a 5 yr old daughter, in which they love her very much and has never bit her let alone growl at her.

Answer 1

I know what you mean, and I feel the same way. I recently had to lie about my dogs (a pit-lab mix and a pit-mastiff mix) in order to get homeowners insurance. It's not only Oklahoma, though. Pits are already illegal in at least one other state, and in some towns and cities.

People breed and use pits for fighting. Gangbangers keep pits that they deliberately encourage to be mean. The problem is not the breed - it is what people do with them.

Granted, pits are territorial and protective, and they do have superior jaw strength and that tendency to hang on when they bite. But many other breeds are also territorial and protective, and can do just as much damage even if they don't do it in quite the same manner.

Media hype doesn't help and tends to prey on people's fears. Some time back 2 pits went after a group of children and a small terrier intervened, losing its life in the process. These 2 dogs were owned by a drug dealer who had given them methamphetamines to make them more aggressive. But did the headlines say "drug dealer's drugged dogs attack children? Nope. Did they say "Terrier saves children from Meth dogs?" Nope. It said "Terrier saves children from being mauled by PITS" or something to that effect. You had to go read the entire article to find out that the dogs were hyped on Meth. That's just one example of the negatively slanted publicity that pits get.

Yes, my dogs bark. Yes, they scare the mailman, and anyone else who approaches my yard uninvited. That's what they're SUPPOSED to do! But if I LET you into my yard, they are fine! Everyone who is properly introduced to my dogs thinks they are wonderful dogs. They are well trained and disciplined, and also much loved and loving. The younger one in particular is the most devoted and loyal dog I've ever owned. But for many people, they don't hear anything once they hear the word "pit."

In the larger view it's a symptom of larger troubles in this country. Many of our freedoms besides the right to choose what kind of dog we own are being taken away. And once there are no more pits, what then? The drug dealers and the gangbangers will pick another dog, the Rottweiler or German Shepherd or some other dog, and then that breed will become illegal. Then will it happen again and again, until finally only wimpy little dogs are legal?

Pits are not inherently bad dogs; the irresponsible people who own some of them make them 'bad.' Your average cocker spaniel is more likely to bite its owner than the average pit, but we don't hear about that because cocker spaniels are too 'cute' to be used for fighting or protecting drug dealers.

Just my opinion, of course.

Answer 2

I have two pit mixes and I understand your pain. STUPID people (like the first post) have no idea about the history of pit bulls. They used to be called "nanny dogs" because they were left at home to "watch" the children while parents went out into the fields. Pits were also our mastcots for WWI and WWII. People are stupid. Years ago it was dobies, then it was rotties, the "new" terrible breed is the pit bull. The funny thing is, most people can't pick an ACTUAL pit bull out of a doggie line-up. People have a lot of misconceptions about what a pit bull is. They do NOT have locking jaws, their bite is NO WORSE than any other breed of dog of comparable size. The only different is, these dogs seems to have a higher pain tolerance than other breeds, so when they are attacked, they are able to "ignore" that.

BSL (breed specific legislation) is the racism of the doggie world. It's just as bad as segregation, when white people thought that all black people were evil, criminals, murderers, rapists.

More people are bitten, attacked, and mauled by golden retreivers and labrador retrievers than by pit bulls every single day of the year. The ONLY reason pit bulls make the news (and most of the time they aren't actually pit bulls!!!!) is because of their use in dogfighting.

The funny thing is, the pits that are used in dog fighting never ever ever ever attack people. In fact, pits in the dog fighting world that do attack people are shot and killed by the owner/handler/trainer because aggression towards humans is not tolerated. But the media doesn't report that - that fighting pit bulls would not attack a human because that goes against what they want to report.

It makes me ill. My labrador mix would bite you before my pit bull would, I guarantee it. That's the funny thing in all this.


I do have something to add: I don't like the fact that you are wanting to breed your pit bull. What qualifications do you have to be a breeder? Backyard breeding is one of the BIG problems with this breed of dog - people not knowing what they are doing and breeding dogs that shouldn't be bred together. You are advertising on MySpace to breed your pit bull and I have to say, that is NOT a way to help this breed.

Answer 3

I live in a state that is banning pits left and right! I do not understand these people either. They claim to be dog lovers but plan on extinguishing pits all together. All I can say is we have to stand up and fight for these misunderstood breeds of dogs. We have to show responsibility and teach those who own bully breeds the same.(not just bully breed owners).
They are loyal fun loving animals if trained.and socialized( as all dogs).
I will own a pit bull for always I love their goofy special way.
I hope people will see them as we do loyal loving family pets!!!!

Answer 4

I think it's horrible. I don't agree with breeding pits because they are a mixed breed and it's irresponsible but someone has to raise them properly. So many people base their opionions off sterotypes and media. They don't take the time to research and find out that 80% of pit attacks claims turn out to be a different breed that what is claimed. I would suggest you write to your congressman and ask that a law be put in place to prevent breed discrimination. I tried doing this here but I have yet to hear back on that particular issue.

Answer 5

I'm sure this won't make you feel any better but it's not just where you're living...here in Indianapolis there's talk about banning pits here too. My opinion is that there are people out there who breed pits because of that reputation and make them fierce and tough...and those people should be banned...not the dogs.

Answer 6

well if people would stop letting the media think for them then we probably wouldn't have all the heat on apbts. for all the people who say "i have kids i don't want a pit bull living next to me" , why don't you take the time to look up how many pedophiles live in your area and worry about that. hate the deed not the breed people. even if you get rid of apbts in your area they morons who want to act tough will just find bigger dogs to ruin the reputations of. ban ALL aggressive dogs not just one specific breed or your not doing much to protect your families. just changing the threat that will come at them later.

work with people in your area, shelters, humane society/ASPCA, etc, to fight breed specific legislation.

Answer 7

I also have a pit he's like one of the family he even eats dinner with us, he's the best dog we've ever had...I've been hearing about these states that want to ban pits,thats just bull.............Many things you can do but will it change anything? Call all animal rights places,your congressman,etc...

Answer 8

They are ignorant. And anyone who believes that "pits are baby murderers" garbage is a genuine idiot.


Whats ironic is the people who say pits are monsters cant even accurately pick one out in a crowd of look alike dogs.

Try this and see what I mean. http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Answer 9

Isn't it sad ?
Pits and Staffies are good dogs !
Punish the Deed ,Not the Breed!!!!
EDIT
I hope you don't get deployed to Germany.
Germany don't allows APBT at all.They would take them and destroy them . So watch out .
I wish you the best
HERE ARE LINKS SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE( USA) THEY ARE BANNED
http://www.pbrc.net/breedspecific.html
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Locations/USLocations.htm

Answer 10

I don't know, but Kansas hates pitts too. Isn't it awful