First is classification, meaning people or animals are categorized and then put into an us versus them situation. In people, a good example of this would be the Jewish people during Hitler’s reign. They were considered to be less than human, and perfectly fine to destroy, just because they were different. In comparison to BSL laws, we say that “ pit bulls”, rottweilers, and other so called aggressive breed dogs are dangerous compared to “regular” dogs who are not dangerous. The media makes this worse because they are constantly classifying these dogs as being nasty fighting dogs that are owned by gang members, drug dealers, dog fighters, thugs, and other persona non grata.
The second stage that we can compare to genocide in the human world is symbolization. This means giving the targeted group a name or symbol that creates negative impressions on the group. One of the ways we do this as it regards to dogs is use of the term “ pit bull”. There is actually no such thing as the breed pit bull, that is a slang term given by the media that actually covers many different breeds of dog such as the staffordshire terrier and the cairn terrier.
The third stage is Dehumanization or in dogs you could call it decaninization. This means taking the target group, whether it be people or animals and comparing them to “wild beasts”. This helps to remove any compassion the general public might have toward the selected group. When talking about this in regard to BSL laws, the dogs get classified as being more like wild animals that could turn at any time than other dogs. This targets the owners as well, making them “the kind of people who would own a dog like that”. This breeds vigilantism and hatred, that is then encouraged by the media....
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Fig 1. "Ban on Pit Bulls." Ban on Pit Bulls. 04 May 2014 .
Fig 2. "Many shelter dogs mislabeled 'pit bulls'" Toledo Blade. 04 May 2014. 04 May 2014 .
Fig 3. "Steven Morrissey (stevenmorrissey)." Pinterest. 04 May 2014 .
Fig 4. "Badass of the Week: Sergeant Stubby the War Dog." Badass of the Week: Sergeant Stubby the War Dog. 04 May 2014 .
Fig 5. "The BrikWars Forum:." • View topic. 04 May 2014 .
The poem above speaks volumes about the nature of man’s best friend. Dogs are not inherently created bad, but are rather “a product of its environment”. The same principle applies to the world’s most misunderstood breed of dog. When you hear the phrase “pit bull”, what do you think of? A savage beast, murdering out of cold blood? A menace to society, lurking the streets, just waiting for its next victim? This couldn’t be further from the truth for most pit bulls. These fantasised versions plague the breed, outlawing them in many cities, states, and even some countries entirely. These bans are called Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), and in over 700 American cities these laws are in effect. They are in place to decrease the number of attacks
...ports Illustrated cover photo of a pit bull (Pit Bull Rescue Central, "Breed Information”). Dog fighting made a comeback during the 1980s and the pit bull became the favorite macho dog for dog fighters. The dogs were trained to kill or be killed. Pit bulls were also the preferred guard dog for gangs, thugs and criminals. Since the supporters and detractors of pit bulls hold such disparate opinions regarding the ferocity of the breeds, it is only hoped that further discussion and education will help resolve the sad fate that awaits these unfortunate animals. Simply placing all the blame on the breeds will not solve the problems of dog fighting, overbreeding, aggressive training, and excessive euthanizations. Lastly, the biased, sensationalistic publicity of horrific dog attacks which has destroyed the reputation of the once beloved All American Dog must cease.
Moore, Benjamin. “Here’s Why You See So Many Pit Bulls In Shelters.” Barkpost. Barkpost. 2016. Web. 12 May 2016.
As more people bring dogs into their homes, the rate of dog attacks continue to increase. In an attempt to reduce violent dog attacks on citizens, many U.S. States are turning to a tactic known as Breed Specific Legislation. Breed-specific legislation (also known as BSL), also referred to as breed-discriminatory legislation (also known as BDL), is a law or ordinance that prohibits or restricts the ownership of specific breeds of dogs, and/or dogs presumed to be mixes of one or more of those breeds (Breed-specific legislation (BSL) FAQ, n.d.). The harshest of the BSL laws is a complete ban, which prohibits breeds of dogs to be kept within state borders. Breed specific legislation also includes less absurd limits that include mandatory spay and neutering, muzzling, property posting requirements, special insurance requirements, breed-specific limitations, and various other rules. Breed specific laws cause numerous loving dogs to be put down each year (BSL, n.d.). Some laws and rules that are enforced are logical under circumstances, but others are questionable.
The term “breed-specific legislation” is not one that comes up often in day-to-day discussion for most people. Breed-specific legislation refers to all laws that seek to restrict or eliminate ownership of certain animal breeds, most often dog breeds. It was first conceived as a method of controlling and reducing animal cruelty, as well as mitigating the occurrence of dog-related human injuries and the illegal activities of dog-fighting and related crimes. Breed-specific legislation is distinct from animal control laws that restrict ownership of wild or demonstrably dangerous (those with a past history of unacceptable, aggressive behavior) animals, because breed-specific legislation makes a blanket restriction on all animals of a certain breed regardless of individual history. This means that breed-specific legislation is often promulgated on the basis of breed reputation. In recent years it is the pit bull which has come under the scrutiny of legislative bodies, as their reputation becomes more and more sullied by street crime.
One of the biggest issues with BSL is breed identification. A law that bans a “vicious” being is too broad and can encompass many individuals as it is a personality trait rather than
When most people today see a pitbull they see it as a monster who could snap at any moment. Something that they should protect themselves and their family from; but that is not necessarily true. Is any one man or woman exactly like the last? A human being’s personality along with their capacity for violence is molded by their past and how they were treated growing up; pit bulls are no different. In today’s society pitbulls are unfairly discriminated against because they are favored among street gangs and dog fighting rings, leaving a staggering number of loyal and loving dogs homeless or mistreated.
Enacting and enforcing strong leash laws is another very effective way to help reduce dog attacks and its easy to tell whether or not a dog has a leash on, unlike the difficulty of trying to determine the breed of some dogs. If a dog is on a leash the owner has control of it, even if said dog does lunge at someone. But leash laws can't just say you must have your dog on a leash. They also need to address dogs being tied out and left outside alone. Do...
... middle of paper ... ... These atrocious opinions of reporters distort the views of the public, making them think that one breed is a monstrous threat to society and needs to be banned. Breed specific legislation is unlawful and should be prohibited.
Article #1 is a very effective piece of propaganda in that it captures the reader?s attention successfully by placing a picture of a dog in the focal point of the article. The dog plays a vital role in this piece of propaganda in that it represents a loved one, family and anything cherished. It shows what could be left behind, if a driver chose to ignore safe driving. The breed of dog is also very important. Choosing a sorrowful dogs face, further enhanced the emotions of the reader, as the article wouldn?t have the same effect if a dangerous dog was shown instead
b. “Many people have a difficult time properly identifying a true Pit Bull, so added to the statistics are those dogs that have been misidentified. Considering these factors, the actual number of attacks attributable to American Pit Bull Terriers is considerably lower than represented,” according to the real pit bull. i. Do you think a 4 pound Pomeranian dog would hurt anybody? ii. Stated in the Dog Bite Law, “The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family 's Pomeranian dog.” a. The American Temperament Test is a test that measures a dog strong avoidance, unprovoked aggression, and panic without recovery. “American Pit Bull Terriers passed the test at a rate of 85.3%,” according to Pitbulls.org. They have the highest test scores, and they out beat the golden retriever “family dog” by 7.7%. iii. I identify the justice of my rival’s claim, but I disagree with my rival’s 100 percent about pit bulls having the highest attacks. c. Now you can see how my rival made a mistake because they didn’t evaluate and understood the facts as clearly as they
The strongest argument against the dog meat industry centers on the treatment of the dogs that are often killed by ?beating, strangling, [and] boiling? instead of more humane methods such as electrocution. Unnecessary cruelty against animals is universally considered wrong, and is in many cases illegal, and that is what makes this argument effective. Saletan addresses this argument logically, with the simple fact that in the interest of humane treatment of dogs ?South Korean lawmakers are proposing to legalize, license, and regulate the industry.? This simple fact exposes a fundamental hypocrisy within the opposing viewpoint. Saletan argues that it is the same activists who base their arguments on ending cruelty against dogs who are trying to keep new, more humane methods from being adopted. The activists condemn and deplore cruel ...
...ed by owner or animal that is not covered by another, non-breed specific portion of the Animal Control Code (i.e., vicious animal, nuisance animal, leash laws).”
What do you think of when I say the word pitbull? Do you picture a cute happy dog, wagging its tail happy to see you? Or do you see a mad dog, foaming mouth lunging at small child? If you are a owner of a pitbull then you probably see the happy cute dog. But if you don't own one then chances are you see pitbulls as mean dogs who are a threat to society. The media has painted a picture in our heads that it's in a pitbulls blood to be aggressive. Due to this false accusation, certain cities have banned breeds labeled as “aggressive”. If someone is caught owning a banned breed, the dog is usually euthanized. This is known as Breed Specific Laws or otherwise known as BSL.
Animals become dangerous because they were maltreated by their owners and when the media has exaggerated the danger of its breed to the public. A very good example of lies in society is the concept of the people on the breed of Pit bull Terriers.