FDC,
I truly do see your side of the argument. Truly I do.
I have two questions and please know that I am not trying to argue. I am just curious.
First, I am not sure what your point is by repeatedly saying there is no such thing as a Pit Bull breed. I am sure that you are correct. I consider you an expert on the subject. But what does it matter if there is a scientific classification or "breed" called pit bull? My contention is that if you showed 100 people a picture of several dogs I am sure they all would agree on which ones were pit bulls. Could you clarify your point?
My second question is about the statistics of bites by dog type. I am assuming by what you've said that several more people are bitten by labs and golden retrievers each year. Is that because there are more of them? Or is it because they are more prone to biting humans? Said another way, how does the number of pit bull bites compare to other dogs as a percentage of their population?
I might not have explained it properly. Let me know if that second question isn't clear.
For the record, I truly do agree with you that the media is way more vocal when it comes to pit bulls. Golden retriever, bites simply don't get national attention.
But is it possible that where there is smoke there is fire and that pit bulls simply are more prone to violence than most dogs?
Again, please don't read a negative tone in this post my friend.
I know you're not being negative brother, no worries about that at all. I know that Gary isn't trying to anything other than bolster his point of view as well.
The term pit bull is a generalization that encompasses several breeds and has been dramatically expanded in recent years due to the high number of mixed breeds and breeding mutations. It used to be specific to the American Staffordshire terrier, bull mastiff breeds and their mixes which breeders exploited for dog fighting. Over time the term has grown to include any dog that has certain physical attributes regardless of how diluted. Now Boxer, bulldog, Catahoula, all the mastiff breeds Staffordshire, American terriers, etc..., and more importantly their mixes, are included in the generalization. What makes that so important is it is the only "dog breed" that has breed specific legislation in place in the country that makes ownership illegal. The actual breed identity is left to the officer or investigator which is not trained in breed identification. This has resulted in thousands of deaths among family pets, even mass euthanasia all because a dog had a large looking head or whatever. As a matter of fact it's happening to a guy right now who rescued a mutt from the shelter and after some time and unaware of any BSL he posted a picture of he and his best friend lying on the ground both smiling at the camera. The dog's smile was so obvious and awesome that the picture went viral. Consequently, local police saw the photo, removed the dog without warrant and are to euthanize it. The owner was able to provide DNA evidence that the dog was majority retreiver/boxer and not a mastiff or Staffordshire at all. Authorities simply ignored the DNA findings of the veterinary hospital that performed the testing. Unfortunately, unless this poor guy can somehow gain enough public momentum to sway the authorities that have already shown a clear prejudice against the animal, his pet, his beloved dog will be killed without so much as an afterthought.
That's what irresponsible propaganda such as the above news story has resulted in. It's not just happening to adult men, kids have seen the only family pets they've ever known ripped from their homes and killed.
If a human being doesn't see how harmful this is and the brutality of ignorance it brings with it than I don't know what to say.
There are several studies, many more so in the last few years, that provide plenty of evidence and data to show that the bully breeds are far less likely to bite or be aggressive than more than 70% of all the other popular breeds. The American Staffordshire terrier is the only breed that was made in America and used to be termed the nanny dog due to its temperament and kindness especially around children. It was the dog in the little rascals, the RCA dog, bud light dog and on and on. It wasn't until dog fighters illegally bred them and interbred them and taught them to be aggressive through mistreatment and abuse, that they became the focus of media reports and the bane of society through misinformation and propaganda. The dog responsible for the most attacks is a German Shepherd according to media reports which is our only official database on record which is not maintained with any accuracy or by design. Just like sex sells so does sensationalism. We already know that the majority of our population chooses to remain ignorant as to the factual side of their "opinions" and would much rather just agree with whatever they saw or heard on their favorite news program or show. It's much easier to insist you're right when you've heard someone else do it first. My problem is not with the informed dissenter. It's the breeding of ignorance and misinformation. People insist that it's a natural instinct of a Shar-pei mix to kill a baby without cause, well when you label it a pit bull I mean. Doesn't matter how much science and how many experts you march out, they saw it on tv, it must be true. It's a true battle between good and evil because real lives are involved, human and canine. I don't tolerate avoidable ignorance well which is why I get so heated at times on this subject. This thread is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. The story although sad, is obviously prejudicial against "pit bull" breeds to the casual reader. A "shar-pei" has obvious physical traits that the uninformed observer would easily accept as "pit bull". The reporter has zero reason to even mention pit bull other than it sells and people eat that shit up. Consequently, we see the ever present, ignorant, apathetic, and uninformed call for further discrimination against an innocent animal. Not because it's the right thing to do, but because they don't fucking care what's right or humane. It hasn't touched them yet, it hasn't had an affect on their lives......yet.
So that is the battle brother and that is where the passion comes from. Maybe my ire is misplaced at times or sometimes I over react and bite people's heads off, oddly enough, that's doesn't mean I was born that way and that I, or any like me, should be destroyed, because another is too fucking lazy to ask why.
Hope this helps,
FDC
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