Animal shelters are overflowing with dogs; this is a well known fact. For some dogs, this stay at a shelter is a quick stop, and for others, it may last a lifetime, but for the purpose of this essay, the dogs spoken of will be thought of at no-kill shelters. Two breeds find it increasingly hard to catch the eye of their potential adopters: Those two breeds are the Pit bull and the Chihuahua. Why would these two breeds have such a hard time being adopted? Pit bulls and Chihuahuas are greatly overlooked in shelters, and this essay will compare and contrast the things that keep these dogs in shelters; such things are physical appearance, common stereotypes, and behaviors that will either lead to adoption or deter potential adopters. Firstly, …show more content…
Adopters want convenient dogs, not dogs they have to train. When confronted with these two breeds barking viciously at the gate, an adopter will think, “Wow, that would get annoying.” when looking at a chihuahua, and when looking at a pit they would quickly hurry by in order to not have to deal with, “A lot of dog”. Adopters usually can’t handle the strong pulling of a pit bull, and this scares them. On the other hand, these people would rather go dog-less than be annoyed all day by such incessant barking as these little rat dogs produce. So how do these dogs get out of the slammer? Well there are some behaviors that will melt some adopters’ …show more content…
Pit bulls and Chihuahuas may be vastly different in size, similar in reasons for being in the shelter, different stereotypes keeping them there, and they may be the sweetest cuddly creatures, but shelters are still overflowing with them, because the bottom line is, they are common. Pit bulls and Chihuahuas are greatly overlooked due to this. In the end, these vastly different dogs aren't so different, and often become friends with each other during their stay. Even though these dogs are less desirable, there are still roaring fans of this breed that will continue to rescue and adopt them. So don't just sit there! Look beyond the stereotype and give them a
Perhaps the reason why pit bulls are feared by society is because we are afraid of what they are associated with. Pit bulls are often thought of as a gangster’s pet, a role in violent and illegal activities. People stereotype this breed because of the unfortunate acts of few. In contrast, society needs to understand that they are being racist towards a breed of dog. Denver’s systematic killing of pit bulls could be compared to the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Moore, Benjamin. “Here’s Why You See So Many Pit Bulls In Shelters.” Barkpost. Barkpost. 2016. Web. 12 May 2016.
Many people associate a negative connotation with the dog breed “pit bull.” These dogs are thought to be dangerous and problematic. However, much of this can be attributed to the mass amounts of negative media attention that pit bull breeds receive as opposed to other breeds of dogs that can be just as dangerous. For example, The National Canine Research Council did a four-day study on dog-bite repo...
In recent years it has been the pit bull which has come under the scrutiny of legislative bodies, as their reputation becomes more and more sullied by street crime. To say “pit bull,” however, is a vague reference to several pit bull types, which are considered separate breeds by registries like the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each type has a slightly different breeding history; many began with the breeding of bulldogs with terriers to produce a loyal, compact and tenacious breed (“American Pit Bull Terrier”). The three standard pit bull types most often mentioned by name in breed-specific legislation include the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. That is not the extent of the legislation, however, which also includes dogs that “substantially conform to the breed standards established by the American Kennel Club” (Melvindale)....
The misrepresentation of Pit Bull breeds in the media has been reflected in American culture. As these dogs were incorporated into World War I propaganda, they were perceived as symbols of courage and strength, the archetype of American dog breeds5. When, in the 1920s and 1930s, American Staffordshire Terrier “Pete the Pup” starred in the comedy Our Gang, later known as The Little Rascals, Pit Bulls were considered “nanny dogs” and family-friendly pets7. When the media focused heavily on illegal dog fighting rings and gang culture in the 1970s and 1980s, Pit Bulls were called demonic and unpredictable. Through their many roles, they have shown versatility and resilience, and lately they have suffered greatly.
Pit Bulls are without a doubt my favorite dog, I adore them. Pit Bulls are very well tempered, loyal, and resilient animals. Bred for big game hunting, Pit Bulls are strong, fierce animals and people who have the wrong intentions for ownership should never own them. I am a strong believer that a potential pet owner should do lots of research before getting any type of animal, without exception. Owners should do as much research before getting a dog as they do in planning for a new home or any other new family member. One of the main things to really think about and understand is your intentions for your selection of an animal with the breeding of the Pit Bull. If you choose a dog with the wrong intentions, specifically a Pit Bull, you will get a dog that behaves aggressively and is dangerous. This owner behavior is what has caused the current plight of the Pit Bull today, where laws have been passed in thirteen states and hundreds of municipalities, as well as every U. S. Military base, banning the ownership of the breed and forcing shelters to euphonize Pit Bulls within 24 hours. These laws are unjust and cruel, and victimize the breed based on the owners’ behavior. I also argue that the blame for the epidemic proportions that the laws have reached is 100% the fault of owners who purposely acquired the Pit Bull with the intention to abuse and fight the dogs, and that these owners are the ones who should be punished, not the dogs. (Davis)
They have twisted the dogs mind into thinking that they have to fight to protect something all the time. Pit bulls are classified as vicious and harmful animals. This is discrimination and is because of media skewing stories, ignorant people that refuse to listen to hard facts, and public attitudes and opinions. These laws against breeds are unconstitutional; there is no legislative basis for these laws. Pit bulls, like any other dog, grow in their temperament.
Roughly about 30% of all dogs are pit bulls that are taken to shelters which depending on the area that figure can raise up to 60%. Not every pit bull rescued were a part of dog fighting but John Goodwin, of the Humane Society, says most of the dogs have scars and marks to show for their fights. The fate of these dogs remain to a judge that determines whether the fight dogs need to be euthanized. Since these dogs were trained to be aggressive and attacks other animals 9 times out of 10 they are to be put down. The dogs that haven’t been a part of dog fighting fit into a family and shows no sign of
If the guard dog is the sweetest dog in the world, people would still stay away because of the breed. All breeds of dogs are territorial. They want their own place to call home, and they do not want to share their home with other animals. It is a trait all dogs have, but people notice it in pit bulls more than the other breeds. Pit bulls are very loyal to their family, so they will protect their family at all costs. They are very active and can outrun many people with their speed and stamina. If a pit bull is trained as an attack dog, their stamina and speed can be scary. If someone is trying to attack a family member of a pit bull, the pit bull will defend them with its life. They are very loyal to those they love. Their loyalty is what makes them good guard dogs. They can guard anything if their owners teach them to. They will especially guard their owners with their lives. The love for their family fuels their loyalty. Everything they do, they do for who they
It is the bad owners that give the pit bull a bad name. Contrary to that popular belief, dangerous animal behavior is the function of inherently dangerous dog owners, not inherently dangerous dogs. One fact that supports this is that pit bulls are the dogs most often shot during drug raids(TELLINGS v. Toledo). Besides the pit bulls that are owned by drug dealers for status symbols and protection, many pit bulls are owned by people that breed them for fighting. These poor dogs have a very slim chance of living a normal and happy life. This is not the fault of the dog, but the fault of the owners that should not have the dog, or should care for them better. The dogs that are forced to fight and are conditioned to defend themselves or die. When these dogs get loose, everything is a threat to them and they defend themselves in the name of survival. If golden retrievers were bred and raised with the sole purpose of fighting to the death, they would be just as dangerous as pit bulls. On the contrary, if all pit bulls were bred and treated as family dogs, they would have the same reputation as golden retrievers, if not better as the statistics found in the temperament test above
Now most people assume that all put bulls are dangerous because either pit bulls had killed someone or had injured their owners. Another generalization would be “stereotype” (2). Gladwell argue should find the solution for the reduce the high cost of housing and social service available for the homeless in American had stereotyped of not able to have good education, better health care and there is no place for them to live in the shelter because they are
Some dogs seem to have always had a bad rap. For as long as I remember, Pitbull's have been one of those breeds. Sure, a stronger, more muscular dog may have the potential to be more dangerous, but it is all about the demeanor of the dog. The way I see it, there are no bad dogs, just bad owners. These reasons are why I feel that all the current bans on Pitbulls should be lifted.
Thesis Statement: Pit bulls are like any breed of dogs that needs to be handled properly by their owners because they can be taught to be less aggressive and more loyal.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 7.6 million companion pets enter animal shelters across the United States each year, nearly evenly disrupted between dogs and cats . These animals are abandoned for reasons including families no longer being able to care for them (sickness/death of an owner), to families not wanting them (the novelty wearing of the animal wearing off), to the animals being born into puppy mills to finally animals that are loved being lost from their owners. These animals do not understand what is happening to them and rely on the kindness of humans to provide for them in shelters until their forever home can be found.
Ideally, pet supply would be equal to the demand for wanted pets. There may never be enough caring homes for all the pets as is evident by the fact that only about 25 percent of the pets in shelters are ever adopted. F...