I know everyone is tired of pit bull questions but i have one. Being an owner of 2 american red nose pits (who are the sweetest things ever) am worried of them getting banned. I know in some cities they already are. But do you think the Michael Vick case could be a final red flag for pit bulls? And another question, if mostly everyone likes pit bulls (according to another question i asked some months ago) why are they still "beasts"?
2007-10-24 06:37:59 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Most Breed Specific Legislation has a 'grandfather' clause in place....meaning that if you had the dogs before the legislation is passed, you are allowed to keep them, usually under the condition that you muzzle them in public. Other states confiscate animals and euthanize them if they are a banned breed, and still others limit the number of "dangerous' animals you can own. You will have to check out the stipulations in your area.
Pit Bulls are not beasts....they're just the monsters-of-the-moment....like GSDs in the 70s and 80s and Dobermans in the 90s. Soon attention will turn to another breed and pit bulls will once again be known for what they truly are...loving and loyal companion animals.
EDIT: I do agree with the poster above....the subculture of drug dealers and gang members that these dogs tend to appeal to do nothing but further the stereotype...if you need a dog to make yourself look 'macho' you have much bigger problems.
2007-10-24 06:44:55 · answer #1 · answered by Rachel-Pit Police-DSMG 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would have to say that the Michael Vick thing should not reflect badly on the animal. It is a person thing. We cannot punish animals for doing what they were taught to do. We can however blame the people who took these sweet puppy's and abused them. It's not the dog at the end of the leash its the other end we should blame.
The reason so many people think these dogs are "Beast" is that the media portrays them that way. Most people will not give a Pit bull a chance. They just see them and automatically think that dog is a beast or a killer. Which I have found to be the completely untrue. I had a pit when I was growing up and he was the best dog I have ever had. Now as a responsible adult I have one now. She is an amazing dog. I hope that one day the media will stop blaming a pit bull for every dog attack that happens in this country. Most of the time it is not even a pit. They just say that so it gets the ratings they were hoping for. Sad but true!
2007-10-24 15:41:37 · answer #2 · answered by Meadows Momma 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two myself & I worry about this, too. One is a red-nose & the other a blue tick. They are both really sweet with people & other dogs because they are house pets. They are licensed, well-fed, fixed, & have all their shots. I also have a one-eyed German Shepherd mix who is the dominant dog (alpha male). I live in Broward County, FL, where they are still legal, but Dade county, which is 7 blocks away from my house, they are illegal. Ironically (or not) that is where we have a lot of Hispanic people who fight them because they think it's part of their heritage. (no offense intended to Hispanics who are animal-lovers, just the ones who think watching dogs or roosters tear each other apart is entertainment)
People who have never "met" a pit bull in person get their info from the news. The only ones who appear there are the ones which are running loose & attacking people or other pets. Mine are in the house, sometimes on the bed with us, on a leash, or in a fenced-in back yard. I frequently take the blue tick to festivals where there are children & other dogs. One day a toddler wanted to pet him & his mother asked if it was OK. He had a little bit of sandwich in his hand. I told her that he might take the sandwich, but he wouldn't bite him. He didn't even do that. He licked his face.......Later on the little boy was crying (fussy because he was tired) & my dog licked his face & made him laugh. That doesn't make the news. I'm hoping if they are banned in Broward County, mine will be "grandfathered in, since they are licensed & have never caused any trouble.
I think the people like Michael Vick should be banned & anyone else who abuses animals, children, anyone who can't defend themselves.
In answer to the second part of your question, people are afraid of the unknown. Dobermans, Rottweilers, German Shepherds & other dogs are also feared. People also fear people of other cultures, etc. Ignorance breeds fear. Education is the key.
2007-10-24 14:10:43 · answer #3 · answered by shermynewstart 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You just have to keep fighting it. Don't just wait for the law to get passed, try to get one passed that makes BSL illegal in your area.
You can get help for that in terms of information from the aspca, hsus and www.stopbsl.com ...
BSL is bad for dog owners everywhere. If you have a dog, you should fight BSL. Banning pit bulls just sets the precedents for more bans later. If there weren't pit bulls, people would be training other dogs to be nasty.
Eventually, there won't be any dogs left that are legal to own. That would make the animal rights group funding a lot of these bans very happy.
2007-10-24 14:05:32 · answer #4 · answered by Unknown.... 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Michael Vick case has nothing to do with the pit bulls. Most of the ones confiscated from him, aced their personality evaluation tests and were able to be put up for adoption.
2007-10-24 13:49:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because they are mostly owned by the worst of the worst!! Clueless people that know nothing about dogs and dog behavior and just got them to be macho. They want a dog that is aggressive!!!!
Never a good combination!!!!
2007-10-24 13:41:59 · answer #6 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋