A stigma has been created of hostile qualities being correlated with pit bulls. Before this stigma, the breed was being used to fulfill tasks the owners needed assistance with— like hunting down predators on farms. Many are also unaware of the history of pit bulls and how they were originally bred to protect households. The reputation of pit bulls went downhill when people decided to exploit their protective nature and use them for dog fights. Eventually, people believed that these animals were dangerous because of the stories and the name “pit bull” became tainted. The dog shouldn’t be punished, the owner who caused the harmful behavior should be. In the article by Dr. David A. Billmire, he shares his opinion on the dog breed and …show more content…
A dog is instructed and educated to behave in that barbaric manner. Many understand that the actions of the dogs should not be taken into such drastic manner as to ban the entire breed. Bronwen Dickey, a journalist, stated her opinion on the treatment of the “monstrous” breed, “Incidents involving dogs from other breed groups don’t inspire quite the same level of public outrage,” (Dickey, 6). The founder of the American Pit Bull Foundation, Sara K. Enos, speculate that, “Eradicating Pit Bull dogs will affect more than just our family dogs; it will affect the much larger number of citizens that these dogs help…” (Enos, 7). Despite these expositions, multiple people are stubborn with the notion that pit bulls should be prohibited everywhere. The ban is extreme and there are many that find happiness with having the canine as a …show more content…
According to Sara Enos, many dogs have jobs which are beneficial to people of all ages. Instead of implementing a meaningless breed-specific legislation, people should strive to enforce better regulations on problematic canines in order to avoid any dangerous incidents. Outright banning an entire breed is impossible— the best option is to prevent problems from arising by requiring every dog owner to properly socialize their dogs. To prevent the disastrous events from taking place, the public—including dog owners— must be well informed with credible facts on “dangerous dog breeds,” instead of being filled with opinions of a person who has no idea to what they are speaking on. To put in short, a dog breed should not be put to blame and have to suffer for what they were taught to do. The pit bull ban is unnecessary and idiotic for wanting to get rid of an entire breed.
Works Cited
Anderson, Brian C. “Scared of Pit Bulls? You'd Better Be!” City Journal, 26 Jan. 2016, www.city-journal.org/html/scared-pit-bulls-you%E2%80%99d-better-be-11995.html.
Billmire, David A., Dr. "Opinion: There Is No Need for Pit Bulls." Cincinnati.com. Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 June 2014. Web. 11 Se pt. 2014. (-- removed HTML --) .
Dickey, Bronwen. “We’re Safer without Pit Bull Bans.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2016, www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-dickey-pitbull-ban-20161011-snap-story.html.
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.
Just the sight of a pit bull instills apprehension and even fear in some people, who believe the dog may attack them for no reason and not let go. Many communities have placed this ostracized breed under severe restrictions; some municipalities have implemented bans outlawing ownership of the breed. Today’s society regards the pit bull as the most vicious and unpredictable of all dog breeds, whereas admirers of the pit bull believe this misconception stems from irresponsible owners and the inflammatory and negative publicity concerning this breed.
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...
One reason Pit Bulls should not be banned is because they can be very helpful to humans. For example, pit bulls were once kept as hunters and guardians. Today, they are even being used as service dogs for people in need. There was also a pit bull named, Stubby, who saved his entire platoon from a poisonous gas attack. (“Pit Bulls Haven’t Always Had a Bad Rep”). Pit bulls are also great dogs for companionship and to improve your quality of life. As you can see, pit bulls can be useful in many ways.
There are plenty controversial issues about bully breeds and whether they are acceptable or safe dogs to own. In July a woman was mauled in her yard and killed by a dog in Montreal. Due to this unfortunate incident the mayor Denis Coderre created a bill called BSL (Breed-Specific Legislation) which was approved by the legislation. This bill states that determined by their breed or pitbull features “American Pitbull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs or any dog with strains of these breeds” will be unadoptable; they must wear a muzzle in public as well as a leash that’s 4 feet long and in most cases they will be euthanized due to their breed. BSL should be reversed because the real problem is irresponsible dog owners, the irresponsible owners will just switch breeds and any dog has the potential to hurt someone.
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)....
"United Kennel Club: American Pit Bull Terrier. " Ukcdogs.com, 2013. Web. 27 Nov 2013.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
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)
Campbell, Dana M. "Pit Bull Bans: The State Of Breed-Specific Legislation." Gpsolo 26.5 (2009): 36-41. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
Should Pit Bulls be banned? Many people will argue that the pit bull breed should be banned due to its vicious and unpredictable nature. There is a belief that they are inherently evil creatures and that they have a genetic predisposition to be destructive killing machines. In many states and cities, this has brought about breed specific legislation. Breed specific legislation bans or regulates the ownership of specific breeds of dogs, which almost always includes pit bulls.
An increasing number of pit bull attacks have occurred over past decade. People who are attacked by pit bulls always suffer serious injuries because of the pit bulls’ sharp teeth and strong muscles. In October 19, 2009, Dr Hugh Wirth who is the RSPCA’s Victorian president renewed calls for American pit bull terriers to be bred out of Australia. The current laws require owners of pit bulls to register their pit bull. While some people are satisfied with the laws because they think that they are safe, others disagree. From my own perspective, the laws should be improved. The government should ban these fierce dogs and wipe them out instead of just registering them. In my opinion, there are three reasons why I am in favour of Dr Wirth’s proposal.
Ruryk, Z. (2008, March 2). One endangered species: But pit bull attacks are down. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from Toronto Sun:
On June 20, Charlotte Alter posted an article on TIME website titled, “The Problem with Pit Bulls”. In her article she starts with an event that happened to a three year old little girl that was attacked by three Pit Bulls. The little girl and her family were in KFC and one of the employees asked her to leave because her face was “disrupting their customers”. Half of the little girl’s face is now paralyzed and she has also lost her vision in one of her eyes because of the three Pit Bulls that attacked her. Her grandfather killed the three Pit bulls that attacked her; however her grandfather is now facing charges of child-endangerment. KFC was so generous to donated money to the family to help with her medical bills. But yet the rant is more
The American Pit Bull is considered as a genuine breed because there are various breeds of pit bull that could have been mixed with other dogs. Pit bulls were raised for baiting larger animals during the hunting seasons. With the faithfulness of t...