Dear McDonald’s,
I’m pretty sure the number of people that die each year from eating your genetically modified, hydrogenated oil laced poison disguised under a food veil is exponentially higher than the number killed by “petting a stray pit bull”.
Here’s the audio from the radio ad if you want to hear it.
Shame on you McDonald’s.
If my dogs (whom were both rescued as strays) had middle fingers they would most certainly salute you today.
Instead, Tucker and Guapo will give you looks of disapproval.
McDonald’s has now offered the following apology:
“In our effort to spread the word about our new Chicken McBites, one of our local markets ran an ad that inadvertently offended some of our customers. The ad was insensitive in its mention of pit bulls. We apologize. We are pulling the ad, and will review our creative screening process. It’s never our intent to offend anyone with how we communicate news about McDonald’s.”
“The ad was insensitive” doesn’t really cut it, but at least they are pulling the commercial.
Besides being completely ignorant of how hard we work to fight breed discrimination, they fail to correct the err of their words by offering a positive statement about pit bulls. I would love to see them take some steps in the right direction to rectify this situation by donating money to pit bull rescue and advocacy programs (but I’ll be sure not to hold my breath).
Julie says
I am shocked and disapointed by McDonalds ad about pitt bulls and I agree wholeheartedly that eating the swill they are crapping out is far more dangerous than petting a stray pitt bull or even a rattlesnake! I for sure will cross this fast food restaurant off my list for what I did eat in the past and will take it down the street to Wendys, Dairly Queen, Taco Bell, etc. MCDONALDS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Kaitlynn says
Replacing Ronald McDonald with micheal vick?
Greg says
I did call McDonald’s to complain as I am a prior pit owner, a man that shaves his head and a stock holder in this company. They are pulling the ad.
Doreen Sanuki says
I also posted the video on my FB page as well as sent an e-mail to McDonald’s. I will not be eating at McD’s for a while.
daniel says
wow.. cool down Doreen you won’t “be eating at McD’s for a while” you’re hardcore! lol
Melissa O says
This is horribly insensitive. If the gross pink gel they use in their beef wasn’t enough to stop me from eating there, this did it. No more McD’s for me.
Leila says
Boycott McDonalds!
ivy rasmussen says
I don’t care about you apologize.. I am so mad, I will never eat at McDonald’s again. You people are mean … I have 3 pit bulls and I think what you said was not called for my pit bull saved me and you can all go shove it and because of what was said there will be more unwanted pit bulls. i have faith in bully breeds thank god for people out there like pit bulls and parolees, that want to help pit bulls..
Crotchman says
The ad mentioned pit bulls. Big fucking deal. They could’ve said “a stray dog” and it would’ve had the same impact. Get a life you freaks.
Melissa O says
The real outrage is that this breed is constantly trying to overcome stereotypes due to unfair and untrue statements made about them by uninformed individuals such as yourself. The fact that McDonald’s would choose to exploit them even further is totally irresponsible and outrageous.
Jason B says
They also said giving your facebook password to friends was very very risky, so they deem that more of a risk than petting a stray pit bull
Daniel says
Melissa, what level of information does crotchman have about pit bulls and dog breeds? I cannot find a negative sentiment about pit bulls in what he said…
Pit Bull Supporter says
But the ad didn’t say “a stray dog” – they went out of their way to state it was specifically a pit bull. There’s a big difference, especially to supporters of the breed that work tirelessly to clear their name of any misplaced stereotypes.
Enjoy McDonald’s “Crotchman” – at least the next time you visit you can be sure you will not be in the company of any “freaks”.
Daniel says
If pit bulls have this image, as you say, how did McDonalds “go out of there way” to specify pit bull. From what you say it’s a common and strong stereotype, so they just went with that.
Paula says
That’s the point, Crotchman (love the name, by the way). Petting any stray dog without learning its temperment is dangerous, but they picked on pit bulls. That’s worth getting ticked about.
Logic says
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN This happened only because the dog was a Pit Bull.. it needlessly ended not one, but 2 lives.. This is the kind of bs that gets people worked up.. In some places Pit Bulls are illegal.. and if you’re caught having one, or one that looks like one, they will be taken away and put down simply for that fact.. doesn’t matter if the dog is aggressive or not.. How about you get your facts straight?
Reality says
The ad says that petting a stray pit bull is risky. Reality check people; that is very risky. Its not a toy poodle. You don’t know if a stray is going to be one of the dogs that has been raised well or perhaps one that was abused. You don’t even know if it has rabies. Anyone saying a pit bull does _not_ have more power than say a beagle is out of their minds.
This ad was fine.
Melissa O says
http://www.wboc.com/global/story.asp?S=10769319
GRASONVILLE, Md.- The Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office says a 7-year-old Grasonville girl had to be taken to the hospital after being attacked and bitten by a large poodle.
The incident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. July 18. According to police, the girl was walking in the rear yard of a home on the 400 block of Main Street in Grasonville when she bitten by a large poodle that was kept at that address. The child sustained bite wounds to her upper body and was treated EMS personnel before being transported to the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis where she was listed in stable condition.
An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Queen Anne’s County Department of Animal Services and Environmental Health.
Melissa O says
“Reality” check…you don’t know what you are talking about.
Jason B says
“Reality” check, its risky to pet ANY stray dog, pit bulls OR poodles included
Reality says
…and the ad really should just have said not to pet a stray dog. I think they were just going for the extra threat level that a big, strong, dog like a pit represents.
But if petting all dogs = dangerous then logic dictates that petting a pit bull = dangerous.
Thus the ad… is logically sound.
People just like to stress out and get their knickers in a bunch over nothing.
Reality says
1) I said toy poodle not a large poodle.
2) Of course a small child is more at risk. I don’t think the McDs ad is targeting 7 year old children.
LB says
I have to agree with Reality about stray pit bulls being more dangerous than other stray dogs. Just because you can show a particular instance where a large poodle(or toy poodle for that matter) attacked someone doesn’t prove that poodles are just as dangerous as pit bulls. Pit bulls, unfortunately, have been trained as fighters more than any other dog, so of course a stray pit is more likely to be dangerous relative to another stray dog. Pits are also stronger than most dogs.
I don’t know if the ad is too insensitive or not. I guess it depends on how sensitive you are.
CKMettler says
The point is that pit bulls, stray or otherwise, have a bad rep because people REFUSE to educate themselves about the breed. They jump to conclusions. McDonald’s could have just said “petting a stray dog”. There was ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO SPECIFY A PARTICULAR BREED. A bull mastiff is stronger than a pit, would it have sounded better, no as most people are clueless as to what a bull mastiff looks like. They used the breed because most people are petrified of a stray pit bull because as “we all know a stray pit bull is an aggressive pit bull”, NOT! Please educate yourselves people. I’ve had more problems with German Shepherds and a Shar Pei showing aggression towards dogs I have owned than my dogs showing aggression and one of the dogs I owned was a pit mix. She was protective of my daughter and me. She also thought she was a 65 pound lap dog. She was also a stray when I rescued her. She never showed aggression from the moment I found her. She came running up to me, stopped short, dropped onto her stomach and rolled over onto her back and exposed her stomach to a complete stranger. There’s aggression for you. (sarcasm for those who didn’t get it)
Susan Hurt says
Pit bull type dogs (pit bull is NOT a breed by the way) are NOT more aggressive than other dogs. Unfortunately, the things that make them amazing dogs (smart, human friendly, trainable, persistent, etc.) are also the traits that make them victims of dog fight trainers. They are also service and therapy dogs. If you bother to do any real research, you find that according to American Temperament Testing, American pit bulls & Staffordshire Terriers (which have been tested in MUCH higher numbers than most breeds) consistently ranked right up there with Labrador and Golden Retrievers. They are NOT the most aggressive dogs and have been wonderful family dogs for decades in this country. I would fully support extremely harsh punishment for owners who victimize this type of dog because even the wonderful examples end up being euthanized just because of their breed and people’s ignorance.
Melissa O says
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/LOCAL07/806170302
Published: June 17, 2008 3:00 a.m.
Puppy attacks baby sleeping with mother
Infant has surgery; pet is euthanized
Megan Hubartt | The Journal Gazette
A 1-month-old was attacked and seriously injured by a puppy while he slept with his mother Saturday.
The baby suffered “substantial damage” to his genitals while he lay in bed with his mother from an attack by the family’s 6-month-old Cairn terrier and poodle mix, police said.
The mother told police she went to bed with the child after returning from work about 6 a.m. and was awoken about 1 p.m. by her 5-year-old. When she awoke, she noticed the baby had been moved and his diaper was missing. She then saw he had blood on him and rushed him to St. Joseph Hospital, the report said.
The baby’s injuries required transfer to Lutheran Hospital, where he underwent corrective surgery. He is expected to survive, but police did not know whether the injuries caused permanent damage. An updated condition from the hospital was not available Monday, police spokesman Michael Joyner said.
Investigators believe nothing from the attack suggests neglect was to blame for the child’s injuries and no charges are likely, Joyner said.
The dog was relinquished by its owner and was euthanized, said Belinda Lewis, director of Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control. Its remains are being sent to Indianapolis for rabies testing in the hopes that the baby will not have to go through rabies treatment, she said.
Peggy Bender, community relations and education specialist for Animal Care & Control, said it is important for families with young children to always supervise animals.
“As soon as you are aware a baby is going to join the family, you need to be thinking in terms of preparation and supervision,” Bender said.
She recommends preparing dogs with obedience training, not only so the animal learns to obey but also so a professional can evaluate its behavior.
They should also be “crate trained” so dogs become accustomed to being in a crate when they cannot be actively supervised, Bender said.
“It is just critical to always supervise young children around pets,” she said. “Never leave an infant baby in a room where a dog has access to it if you are not actively supervising.”
mhubartt@jg.netAnne Gregory of The Journal Gazette contributed to this story.
LB says
Citing particular incidents is not a sound way to argue. For each attack from a non pit bull breed you cite I can look up a news report of a pit bull attack and we can go around in circles arguing specific incidents.
The only way to show that pit bulls are in fact more dangerous than other breeds is to look at statistics. According to this article pit bulls and rottweilers are responsible for most human homicides:
http://dogbitelaw.com/dog-bite-statistics/the-breeds-most-likely-to-kill.html
I think it has more to do with people training pit bulls to be fighters than it does with their personality traits. I’m sure a well trained pit bull seems just as nice and loving as a well trained poodle. But as far as stray dogs and statistics are concerned, pit bulls are in fact more dangerous than most other dogs. So the ad doesn’t seem to be untruthful.
Sloth says
It isn’t about the ad being untruthful, it’s about the ad pointing out “pit bull” when “dog” would have been JUST as effective and gotten across the same point without highlighting something people are trying to fight.
Not all of the dogs called “pit bulls” in these news stories are actually pits anyway. Much of the time that’s just the name the journalist goes with if they don’t know the actual breed. I distinctly remember seeing a news story with the big banner of “PIT BULL ATTACK!” when the image of the dog at the scene was BLATANTLY a golden retriever.
Regardless, yes more pits are treated badly, but that’s the fault of the owners, and how well would the ad have gone over if it specified “Petting a pit bull owned by a shady looking Mexican living in the bad part of town?” NOT WELL, and for good reason! With what they did, they perpetuate a problem that responsible pit breeders have been fighting for years. YOU try having an animal that’s been a loving well trained and behaved pet for years pulled out of your house and killed just for looking like a pit bull, THEN say it’s not a big deal because “statistically it COULD have bit someone.”
Daniel says
Are they mad(mcd’s)….saying have a macdonalds it’s safer than petting a “dangerous”* animal. Forget about the pit bull, for a usually slick marketer, this is crazy. It’s like saying your product is so dangerous it is only safe compared to risking a physical attack???
*I am not saying anything here about the pitbull, the add uses that dog for it’s reputation.
Daniel says
The general temperament of the dog with figures indeed would represent the truth about this breed better.
Sloth says
And yes, you’re totally right on the ad campaign thing in general. Any entry level marketing student will tell you that if you’re marketing food the last thing you want to do is associate it with risk…
Though between us, I’ve been thinking their marketing team has been slipping since last year. Their latest “look smart!” campaign nearly causes traffic accidents because I keep facepalming at the idiocy while I drive. >.>
Susan Hurt says
I really detest websites being cited that are clearly anti-pit bull. The dogbitelaw.com website is a promotional site for a lawyer who sues dog owners. Of COURSE he’s going to play on the emotions of dog bite victims and the “pit bull” myth. There are also websites – dogbite.org for example – which is pretty much dedicated to perpetuating the myth and skew statistics (which, again, are difficult to provide accurately). How about learning more about the breed, how they are therapy and rescue dogs, etc., etc.
http://stubbydog.org/
The reality is that ANY large dog has the potential to cause fatal injuries. It’s also been shown that German Shepherds and Rottweilers have a more powerful bite than a pit bull type dog (and no, pit bull’s can’t lock their jaws) but it doesn’t mean that any specific breed WILL attack or cause a death. Considering the popularity of the type of dog, it makes sense the number might be higher than dogs involved in dog bite injuries that are NOT as popular. The pit bull population exploded due to the worst breeders and dog fighters discovering that the dogs are strong, smart, and easily trained – they have also ruined the reputation of the breed, abused and victimized them, and laws need to be a LOT stronger to end this trend.
What seems to continue to be missed is that getting accurate stats is pretty much impossible since “Pit Bull” is a term used to describe a NUMBER of breeds that fall under the category. And, large dogs involved in attacks are often incorrectly identified as being a pit bull. Think you know what a pit bull looks like? Try it – http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
The media has played a HUGE part in destroying the reputation of the breed. Days later, the news organization may correct a story, but that’s rare. Usually the “PIT BULL ATTACK” headline is just too good to pass up.
Sarah says
And these statistics are going to be based on what breed the person THINKS the dog is. As a dog groomer (meaning it is my job to know dog breeds and be a pretty good guesser when it comes to mixes) , I can tell you that the average person is not very adept at identifying breeds. I’ve seen people confuse greyhounds with great danes, border collies with flat coated retrievers, and beagles with bassets. And I’ve seen many people mistakenly refer to a vizsla, lab, bullmastiff, boston terrier, rottweiler, and any mix of breeds as a pit bull. It makes you wonder how many of the so-called pit bulls in these statistics are actually another breed entirely.
Besides, pit bull is not a breed, it is a type that can include various breeds. Statistics can be skewed and twisted to suit your needs. If you are going to argue over which single *breed* leads to the most dog bites, then you can’t claim the winner to be a “type” that can include 20 or so various breeds.
Kelly says
Ever notice most of the pits in the shelters do not look like each other. They each are very different.
Paula says
Reality check: NOBODY says that a pit bull doesn’t have more power than a beagle. Any and all stray dogs should be assumed dangerous until you can establish otherwise. Pit bulls, toy poodles, beagles, and everything in between. McDonald’s had no reason or right to single out a breed of dog for this ad.
Reality says
Really? Are you so sheltered to not think that a pit bull has a more menacing presence than a beagle? Saying petting a stray pit bull stirs the imagination toward risk versus saying petting a stray Shiz Tzu.
stf says
You’ve never had to wrangle a nasty ShihTzu! I work at a shelter and would rather take my chances on a Pit than Shep, Rott…or nasty ShihTzu. If a pit’s upset you know it…ShihTzu lures you in with cute until you’re within striking range.
Reality says
My family owned one. It’s true they can be nasty.
They’re wee lil’ dogs though. Not really hard to brush them off. 😉
Kelly says
My son had a nasty infection that took months to heal after a chihuahua bit his cuticle. I never have even discussed that with a chihuahua owner. It’s not a breed. It’s a dog.
Hunter says
Sorry to burst your bubble, but petting ANY stray dog is risky. Not just a “pitbull”. Beagles can harm a child just as much a “pitbull” (which isn’t even a technical breed by the way), and I have seen more aggressive beagles and small dogs than pitbulls. I have actually never met a mean, or bad “pitbull” in my area.
Reality says
Why are you people mentioning children? The ad clearly isn’t targeted for children. Small cats can be a risk to children. Wouldn’t make a very good add to say don’t pet a stray kitten now would it though? Not very menacing kittens.
Pit Bulls on the other hand make people cross streets much like a wide variety of other large dogs like a Rottweiler, or a German Shepherd.
Some women buy pit bulls in the city and walk with them exactly for this type of protection and intimidation factor.
The point being it is absolutely sound advice not to pet a stray pit bull.
Hunter says
And my point is that it’s sound advice not to pet ANY stray dog. Yes, I know cat is dangerous to children, but we’re talking about dogs aren’t we? Where do you live? I have never seen people cross streets due to the way they look. Maybe people are more open minded here? Maybe we don’t discriminate as much?
Pitbulls don’t look menacing to me. That’s just the way society has made them. They look like loving playful dogs to me and everyone I know.
A beagle can actually inflict damage on an adult as well. “Pitbulls” are not the only breed who inflict damage to people. They actually rated above average in temperment tests. More people are bitten by labs than pits. But you don’t hear about that, because the media wants people to buy into the “vicious pitbull” hype. You should spend more time around dogs. You clearly don’t understand them too well.
Stephen says
Seriously? Toy Poodle? You’re right, it’s not. I would trust a pitbull over toy dogs any day!
-Dog Stylist
Pit-owner says
While its true that petting a stray pit is dangerous, petting ANY stray is dangerous. Why did they have to single out pits? I have a pit/rottweiler mix and a pit/bull mastiff mix. My mother in law has a full blooded pit, a pit/german shepard mix and a pekingese and the pekingese shows more aggression than ANY of the others.
Melissa says
Reality – You obviously know nothing of breed tendencies. Else wise you would not have used “toy poodle” in your obviously uneducated view. Do you know of toy poodle or poodles in general and their temperment testing? This pretty much says you don’t.
Reality says
/facepalm
You people are unbelievable.
A toy poodle we could all very easily punt like a football. Nobody is afraid of a toy poodle. It doesn’t matter if they’re nippy.
Large dogs will _always_ have a threatening presence.
Even if your dog is the nicest dog on the planet. You take that dog out at night and walk it down the street and while you see your adorable little puppy wuppy Joe Average sees a dog that looks like its been at the gym all day. It has paws that look like they should be wrapped up like a boxer. That breed looks like it is ready to knock someone out.
You could put that dog in a tutu and cover it in glitter and people will cross the street still.
But you’re all missing the point.
The ad just said to avoid stray pits.
That’s solid advice. If you or others run around petting strays as a regular habit more power to ya sister.
Y’all got the ad pulled anyhow. They apologized for the regional ad mistake and said they didn’t mean to offend.
Going after the entire company for some tiny regional ad insensitivity is a bit overkill.
Y’all don’t need to rage.
Don’t you know stress is the number one killer?
Go pet your dogs and chill.
Susan Hurt says
Perhaps if you were watching thousands of dogs being euthanized every day in this country – friendly, loving animals – because of a TYPE of dog they MIGHT be, you would be extremely upset, too. Poodles don’t get put down because they MIGHT be aggressive, but pit bull type dogs do. And pit bull is not a breed, it’s an umbrella term used to define a type of dog – and is not recognized by the American Kennel Club as a breed. American Staffordshire Terrier is the closest, but even a purebred that got loose in an area that won’t allow them would be put down.
THAT’s why pit lovers are angry.
Logic says
To quote one of my teachers for Vet. Tech. whenever somebody asked if a particular animal bit, always said, “If it has teeth, it can bite.” Fact. I have teeth to.. I can bite.. But just because I CAN bite, does NOT mean I will.. Get over that fact.. And by that logic they should of said something like which is safer, eating these whatever the hell it is.. (only listened to the ad. once..) or poking a bear in the woods with a stick.. I don’t think anyone would of had a problem with that one.. forgive me if there’s any bear lovers out there who I offend..
Julibean says
This really pisses me off. I am the owner of a Pit bull/Boxer mix. He is a big sweetheart, loves everyone. Even strangers (not sure if that is a good thing) McDonalds has some nerve pushing that crap they call “food”. And comparing it to a dog. What the heck one has to do with the other, who knows.
I would much rather risk petting a Pitbull then to put that garbage in my body. I will do my best to educate everyone I know of this ignorance. Maybe the marketing executives should check their facts before they decide to put their foots in their mouths. Besides the “food” feeling like a brick in my stomach and making me want to vomit, this is another Great reason to ban YakDonalds! Good job D-bags!
Daphne g says
I own 2 pitbulls and this offended me. This is bull that this breed can’t get a break. They are very good dogs!
Mistie says
I have been a certified veterinary technician for over 11 years. During that time I have cared for close to 100 pits. Of those, one (yes I said ONE) was aggressive. He was aggressive because his owner trained him to be that way. Pits are as sweet as any dog out there and shame on McDonalds for perpetuating the stereotype.
Sam Engelthaler says
Completely Disgusted
I OWN 4 PITBULLS I RESCUED NOT ONE HAS EVER SHOWN AGGRESSION!!
Logic says
I’ve volunteered at animal shelters and rescues for over 4 years, and have yet to meet any truly aggressive Pit Bull.. In fact all the ones I’ve met have been complete lovers. From the shelter or otherwise.(:
really? says
@Reality..the point that you are trying to prove, that the mention of pitbulls alone is enough to “frighten” people, or that people cross the street to avoid them, is what these people are trying to prevent. By putting it in an ad as popular as mcdonalds, it only “encourages” those thoughts. I get what your trying to say, but its working against the effort these people are putting in to change, or actually correct the bad rep the dogs get. That’s all.
Mistie says
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html
I have studied dog breeds and can recognize all the ones recognized by the akc and I even had problems with the quiz. The truth is, 90% of the population can’t pick the pit so any dog that happens to look like pit is called a pit. That is why, statistically, pits are responsible for more bites/attacks than any other breed.
Saying all pits are mean is like saying, sorry if this offends anyone, all Southeners are racist or all doctors are rich or all Asians know karate or any of the other of thousands of stupid stereotypes out there.
Reality says
The ad never said all pits are dangerous.
The ad said petting a stray pit is dangerous.
Which is is.
Petting any stray is dangerous.
Tyson says
They strategically used the word stray so idiots like you would have something to argue about when the reality is they could have avoided all of this by simply generalizing all stray animals or picking a wild undomesticated animal like a shark or bear. Fuggin ignoramus.
Reality says
Yes. Never pet a stray shark.
You’re brilliant sir.
Logic says
Then they should of said petting a stray.. And not specified Pit Bull.. and by the way, petting a stray doesn’t mean you’re gonna get bit.. Volunteered at animal shelters for over 4 years. Never got bit from any of those dogs..
Reality is far from it! says
ITS OFFENSIVE AND IGNORANT POINT BLANK! The truth of the matter is ALL DOGS HAVE TEETH and are completely capable of causing injuries! Now for McDonald’s to emphasize on a pitbulls bad rep is completely and utterly tasteless not to mention racist! It’s just as bad as if they were to emphasize on a predominant black neighborhood to be dangerous! Like seriously?!? Very poor judgement on there behalf.
Ashlee and Lola says
My pit bull will not even beg for McDonald’s. And they could have chosen any animal to me it’s more risky to try and ride a bison or put a pink bow on an alligator or swim with a shark. If they wanted an animal pick something else
Blue nose says
You are great! Why would a well educated, Marketing professional be so ignorant, and so unaware that ‘Pit Bull’ is a sensitive subject and just pick one of your great ideas “try and ride a bison” or “put a pink bow on an alligator” or “swim with a shark.” How hard is it to come up with ideas like yours? – fun and tasteful!
Sad McDonkeys…I would hope they could afford A professional for their Marketing campaigns??
Reality is far from it says
Reality” are you listening to the same ad as everyone else??? Over all THEY ARE SAYING PITBULLS ARE DANGEROUS! No excuse and to me it shows how uneducated and low class they really are. No one with a good head on there shoulders hits below the belt to get there point across.
Daniel says
Well that’s a bit ironic.You have just done what you are accusing others of with you calling them uneducated and low class. Play the ball, not the man.
Tyson says
My Pit scared off two criminals trying to break into my neighbors house. While he would never harm somebody, he has the intelligence and proper training and discipline to do a magnitude of things. He’ll fetch a beer out of a cooler. He’ll sit where I tell him to, I’ll walk where ever the hell I want, and he wont move until I come back. He’s affectionate, loyal, protective when necessary, and by all means one of the best companions a person could ever have. And McDonalds chose to feed into the stereotype by using Pit Bull in their ad as opposed to a stray “animal”. Tired of all the negativity and bad reputations these dogs are subject to. I personally guarantee you that eating Mcdonalds in general is by far more dangerous than approaching a stray animal. Mcdonalds makes you fat, fat makes you susceptible to detrimental diseases that modern day medicine has no solution for. McDonalds has single-handedly destroyed american agriculture with their industrial farming. There is nothing good about this conglomerate. Stop defending them because you’re a scared little baby and cross the street when you see a Pit Bull. end of rant.
Sam engel says
184 breeds were found more aggressive then pitbulls!
So when.u.learn that any dog.can be.aggressive you can have a say in this matter!
Or better yet when own a.pittie yourself!
Henlyjr says
F them petting a stray animal isn’t risky they want love like any other dog, mcideez if I found out who wrote an allowed this to b published let’s just say it wouldn’t b pretty
Dave says
My sons name is sue…i am officially offended
Mona says
hey Mickey D’s … i just pet a stray pit bull and he was the sweetest thing…so i went on to find him a good home so he could share his love…
just thought you should know
Meg says
I have seen pit bulls who were treated like sh** and Ive walked up to the dogs. Fed them. Played with them. Even called the animal control when I moved and couldn’t help the poor thing Anymore. Drug dealers buy pits, put them in their yard, with a tow chain around their necks and leave them to die, just for ” protection.” people do it every day to every breed of dog. Pits just happen to lose respect for people who treat them like garbage or look like the ones who treat them that way. I’ve never owned a pit but I’ve had dalamations/ labs / and now GSD’s. Breed sterotyping is stupid. To say the least. I’ve been bit by more untrained annoying lap mutts than anything. I’ve never been bit by a big dog. And I’ve been around a lot of dogs. So mc ds has no rights to point out pit bulls. I’d be more afraid of a dog under 20lb than a big dog. So everybody complaining saying everybody is over reacting to this. Your wrong and your afraid of all dogs and should just disappear from the face of the earth Becuase you can’t avoid dogs.
Chea says
I agree completely.
Jenny says
I agree as well. As a child I was chased by my neighbor’s chihuahua and mini poodle. So much so, that in fact my little sister and I were afraid to go into our front yard.
tiffany says
U know what…I picked up a stray pit amd I got him into trainin and did it all myself….he is the most loyal dog I’ve ever came across in my whole life…my friend even picked one up from the humane society which he was found nearly dead and used for fighting ….she trained him and she has a two year old son…who is that dogs best friend!! McDonald’s had no right to single out the breed at all!
PROUD PITBULL MOMMA RIGHT HERE!!
Chea says
I think you and your friend are, awesome. Anyone who is willing to look past the bad rap pit bulls get and adopt one in need is a hero in my eyes. I’m also a proud rescue pit bull mama. Hearing of this ad was very upsetting to me and I’m glad I’m not the only one outraged with McDonalds.
Noah says
A little 11 year old boy up my street was attacked by stray pitbulls and had to go the hospital. I’m a huge dog lover and I really despise mcdonalds, so i’m not at all defending them. I do find it insensitive that they insuated that pitbulls were viscious or violent dogs. However, it really is a risky idea to pet any stray dog, let alone a pitbull. And that chicken nugget stuff is probably riskier, who knows what kind of plastic and processed chicken that comes from.
Jenny says
I’m sorry to hear about your boy, and I agree with you. Petting stray dogs in general is unsound, but it is unnecessary to mention a breed at all. The comparison in general is asinine. Who compares what they eat to a haircut?
Logic says
That sucks it happened.. but the fact remains that ANY stray dog can bite, or attack a human.. NOT just Pit Bulls.. And yes, it is still not a good idea to go and pet any stray dog, or animal for that matter.. They don’t have to bite you to spread some diseases..
Melanie C says
McDonald’s is simply asinine about that ad. Instead of throwing up their lousy apology, what they should do is donate to some of the pit bull rescue places.
WTG mcd’s it’s not like the breed doesn’t have a bad enough rep, but no the one company that really should just disappear for selling nothing but mystery meat….argh.
Lisa Clark says
Why would you claim your chicken bites are risky? You have to compare your food (?) to a breed of dog that you THINK is risky…but have no proof…so you must really think your food is risky! Really bad comparison….I think I’ll take the risk of a kiss!!! Who wouldn’t? ….won’t see my $$$ ever again…gonna donate it to rescuing pitbulls!
Stupid…….??????
Susan Hurt says
While I agree that petting any stray dog can be risky, using the pit bull just adds to the stereotype that rescuers and pit owners have been trying to combat for years. It’s easy to say that we’re overly sensitive and that big dogs can be dangerous and WE are overreacting, but if you (or McDonalds) had any idea how many wonderful family dogs are put down every single day due to Breed Specific Legislation, you would understand why people are outraged. Animal Shelters (such as New York’s Manhattan Animal Shelter) rarely release a pitbull for adoption. They have to be pulled by authorized rescue groups who then try to place the dogs. The rest? They’re euthanized. Hundreds every month. This goes on all across the country. If a city declares pitbulls dangerous, and a family pet wanders out of it’s yard and is picked up, it may be euthanized before the family finds it. The unbelievable numbers of friendly and adoptable pits euthanized every day in this country is the reason pit bull owners are furious that adding to the stereotype is taken so lightly.
K.boreham says
Exactly what Ive been saying on facebook all day. *thumbs up*
Heres my original comment: Pit bulls are the dogs killed most at shelters/least adoptable (as well as many apartment complexes that allow dogs not allowing this breed) because of all the bad stigma they get from ignorant people. And ads like this, while maybe not creating the sterotype themsleves, do feed the sterotype and keep that kind of thought in peoples heads. Very sad.
J babe says
Everybody needs to get a f*ing life.
Sloth says
Such a sound and well thought out reply to an issue that’s clearly so serious to people, especially on a sight called Save-A-Bull! Tell us more oh wise Socrates, we wish to learn from your infinite wisdom!
Daniel says
It does have to be asked why would McDonalds do this. They have an expert marketing team, they are very clever at hiding the add is from them till you have absorbed the content.
Considering that, we would have to say, they knowingly offended people and also make their product look so bad it has to be put in a comparison with danger of being attacked to be “safe”.
Are they going by the phrase “no publicity is bad publicity” maybe they think people with over react and become ridiculous in their critisizm of the add and outrage. Thus creating a group of people who will find the pit bull lovers annoying bleeding hearts and become fond of mcdonalds seeing them as the opposite?????
Logic says
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN Need more be said?
Sloth says
When I called them about the ad earlier today the customer service rep got a snarky tone with me when he said he “Guessed it might be offensive to SOME people, but that wasn’t the intention.” I suggested that, in that case, perhaps they should add some more lines such as that it was less risky than “Walking through a Hispanic neighborhood,” or “stealing chicken from a black guy,” or “Interrupting a redneck while watching NASCAR,” and see how many people think it’s funny THEN.
It’s good they pulled the ad, but to be even partially redeemed in my eyes they’d better also make an apology… in the form of a MASSIVE check to a pit bull rescue.
SKB says
Ha! I was thinking the same thing. It’s funny because if they had just said “petting a stray dog” then they would have been fine, but they had to go with the old “pit bulls are mean and scary” trope.
Or how about making fun of other pets in lighthearted ways? You know what’s really risky? Bathing a cat. Ask any long-time cat owner and they’ll agree. Petting a strange hamster, now that’s ultra risky. Carrying your 10-week-old designer Chorkie in your new Gucci handbag…. super risky! There are so many things they could have said instead, why did they have to go with the “easy” target? 🙁
Dusty's Mom says
As the owner of 2 bully mixes I am getting really tired of the stereo-type being put on our breed. It is more likely that a small breed will attack you I have witnessed it with my own eyes more than once! Just leave our dogs alone and find something else to pick on!!!”
Amanda A says
Yes…I have been walking my staffy and on multiple occasions there is the same stray chihuahua that always wanted to run up and attack my dog. So, I started kicking it, to keep it away. I’d much rather have them try to get me into trouble for protecting myself and and my dog, than them try to make me put mine down for defending itself.
Deborah says
I wouldn’t feed a junk-filled Chicken Nugget or McBite whatever to a dog. THAT would be too risky. I’d take a pit any day over the absolute garbage that they serve as food.
raven camacho says
What Mcdonalds wouldn’t do (or say) to sell their poison,i love my pit, and someone would die from eating Mcdonalds food before they would fit petting my dog,…. #stupidIGNORANTpeople
michele moseley says
I won’t be spending another penny at McDonalds until they publish an advertisement showing the gentle side of the breed to counteract the negative statement. As I stated in another post, I feel the Superbowl would be an ideal time to run said advertisement.
Amanda A says
I completely agree. We all know how much those ads cost too…
Daniel says
Hi Michele.You know that if this built up steam and got around. The reaction would be seen by most as excessive, most would(in my opinion) also agree they shouldn’t have said it. This may even have been the idea behind the add.
julie says
“Reality” is the one that’s unbelievable here….the ignorance is unbelievable. Pitts have been severely abused, neglected and tortured and still all most want is to be loved and to crawl into your lap for hugs. The media pumps up the hype….if it’s not a pitt it doesn’t make the news. I’ve been attacked by a feral cat and I assure you it was no small deal. My entire bottom of my Leg was black and blue for a month from 6 puncture wounds to the muscle. I was attacked and received stitches from a collie as a child. I was also threatened by a poodle as a child….if I had left the bed I was sleeping on, she surely would have attacked me. NEVER have I been threatened or attacked by a Pitt…and I work with a dog rescue and we have a lot of them. These dogs get a bad rap and it is THEY who are the victims. Some counties won’t let you own or adopt a Pitt…they round them up and euthanize them simply for their breed. And McDonalds adding to the fear mongering only exacerbated a tragic situation of ignorance and inhumanity. Shame on Reality for vomiting garbage on this page instead of getting educated on the TRUTH.
Logic says
So true!!! I wish there was a like button.
Daniel says
Is it an untrue stereotype about pit bulls being involved in attacks that cause harm than other breeds? or that they are near the top in that regard?
Personally having one that is not like this means nothing, as no one is saying every one of them will turn on a person and hurt them. Subjective stories about an individuals lovely dog are irrelevant and add nothing. Even people who hate these dogs will not say these stories are untrue or contradict their feelings.
If you think you having one that’s lovely and gentle is relevant, then you must agree every personal story about an attack is also. But that doesn’t get us anywhere nearer the truth.
Are pit bulls involved in more serious attacks on people than other breeds? Or is this untrue and a stereotype caused by ignorance of the facts and their appearance?
Susan Hurt says
Pit bull type dogs (pit bull is NOT a breed by the way) are NOT more aggressive than other dogs. And a large number of attacks erroneously identify the attacking dog as a pit bull. Unfortunately, the things that make them such amazing dogs (smart, human friendly, trainable, persistent, etc.) are also the traits that make them victims of dog fight trainers. They are also service and therapy dogs. If you bother to do any real research, you find that according to American Temperament Testing ( http://atts.org/breed-statistics/ ), AmericanAmerican pit bulls & Staffordshire Terriers which have been tested in MUCH higher numbers than most breeds) consistently ranked right up there with Labrador and Golden Retrievers. They are NOT the most aggressive dogs and have been wonderful family dogs for decades in this country. I would fully support extremely harsh punishment for owners who victimize this type of dog because even the wonderful examples end up being euthanized just because of their breed and people’s ignorance.
Daniel says
Susan, I am clearly being open about my lack of knowledge on the type. I don’t think I merited such a hostile response for asking a question.
Have you dodged that question by answering they are not the most aggressive breed? Are they high on the ranking in aggression and/or serious attacks leading to injury? That would involve strength and aggression/volatility.
Are pit bulls on a par with labs as seems to be what some are saying here? Have they been involved in attacks with injuries to the same degree as pit bulls?
Susan Hurt says
Daniel, my comment was not meant to be hostile at all! (The statement “If you bother to do research…” was not directed at YOU, per se. It was more a general frustration at people buying into stereotypes and false information). I was trying to provide as much information as possible in a short format. Pit bulls ARE on a par with labs. Labs HAVE been involved in attacks with injuries – in fact, a six-month old Lab killed an infant about a year ago. The reality is that dogs are dogs, all dogs have the potential to bite, large dogs can do more damage, owners who have large dogs HAVE to take responsibility for training and socializing their animals, and responsible owners do not let their dogs run loose, chain them 24/7 (which can make ANY dog aggressive), or abuse or neglect them. Banning a particular breed (especially when it ranks at the same level as Retrievers for temperament) is grossly unfair and cruel. Pits were bred to be human friendly even decades ago when they were bred for bull baiting. Owners needed dogs that would obey – and the dogs lived with the families and their children. Pits like Stubby (WWII hero), Petey (Spanky and Our Gang), Helen Keller’s dog, etc., were wonderful examples of the breed. Pit bulls are used by police for their intelligence, strength, and agility. They are used as Therapy dogs with children and seniors because of their temperament. There are far more bites with injuries from smaller dogs – dachsunds rank high on THAT list!
I’ve never bought in to the “the dog just snapped” line either. Any dog owner who knows their dog has had SOME kind of indication that there might be things their dog can’t tolerate. If they are oblivious to the dog’s signals, they’re in denial – and it’s not the dog who has the problem.
Daniel says
not directed at me “per se” It either was directed at me or wasn’t.There seems to be an equivocal streak in some commentators here.
So to be clear, labs have been involved in the same amount of attacks and same degree of injury as pit bulls?
Small dogs do tend to bit more, but also not do as much if any damage. Dashunds are not able to do much damage, or at least have a far weaker bite than other dogs.
The fact another breed has killed or maimed doesn’t really prove or disprove anything we are discussing. No one is saying other breeds haven’t behaved this way.
Amanda A says
I agree Susan…Unfortunately if a dog attacks another and it was anything but a chihuahua, they would claim it was a pit bull. It happens all the time when in fact it was not even any breed of pit bull. My Staffy I have had since I was 4 months pregnant. She used to listen to the baby by putting her head on my stomach. Now, she is very protective of my daughter, and I am thankful for that. The only downside is we have a lot of stray dogs in our area (some nice, some not so nice), so when we go for walks we always take our “bark-off” spray, just in case. I would much rather some owner get pissed at me for temporarily blinding his loose dog than make me have to put mine down for protecting her family.
Logic says
I’ve heard stories about other breeds such as Labs attacking humans to.. But that doesn’t mean everybody’s gonna go crazy and try to ban Labs.. No.. I think the reason the Pitties are getting the bad rap now is cuz certain idiots keep allowing certain people like Michael Vick to have them..
Daniel says
Stories about Labs attacking people or Pit Bulls being tender don’t count for anything really. They would count if anyone was saying Labs never attack and Pit Bulls never are tender, but no one is saying that, so the stories prove or disprove nothing.
Brian says
This has been blown ridiculously out of proportion. Anyone who doesn’t think it’s risky to pet a random STRAY dog of any type, deserves the 47 stitches they could potentially receive. To make the jump from “it’s risky to pet a stray pit bull” all the way to “MCDonald’s HATES pit bulls” is absolutely ludicrous. If you were at a park with your child and a random pit bull with no tags, collar or visible owner approached you, would you let your child go up to the dog? If the answer is yes, you deserve to have DCS take your child away, because it’s dangerous or risky. Take all the energy you’re wasting talking trash about McDonalds and go to your local animal shelter and spend it doing something that’s actually useful.
Logic says
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN Need more really be said?
Brian says
wow, propaganda much? that has nothing to do with my comment whatsoever, it doesn’t even have anything to do with a stray dog, so yes, much more needs to be said provided it actually pertains to the topic at hand. are stray animals not dangerous?
Logic says
Propaganda? No.. I’m only showing an example of why so many people are so upset that they decided to use Pit Bulls, as an example.. instead of just stopping at a stray dog.. or finding something else to say.. I’ve volunteered at animal shelters for over 4 years, and personally every Pit Bull I’ve ever met has been a complete sweetheart.. Fact.. if it has teeth, it can bite.. but that doesn’t mean it will.. Any animal can bite, stray or otherwise.. But BSL is just plain stupid.. In some places Pit Bulls are illegal and can be put down simply for being one, or looking like one.. Doesn’t matter if the dog has NEVER even ONCE show ANY sign of aggression.. THAT is what has people worked up.. Not suggesting you go around petting strays either, since I’m sure that’s where you’re gonna go next..
Brian says
“Propaganda is defined as a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one’s group.” How is what you posted not propaganda?
Logic says
Oh.. forgot suicide isn’t a serious matter.. specially when it’s completely needless and wouldn’t of happened had the dog been anything but a Pit Bull.. right.. So explain to me how mcdonald’s ad. isn’t propaganda?
Sloth says
“Anyone who doesn’t think it’s risky to pet a random STRAY dog of any type, deserves the 47 stitches they could potentially receive.”
Yes, THAT IS EXACTLY TRUE. As such, McDonald’s should have said “a stray dog,” instead they say “a stray pit bull” which added NOTHING to the commercial and instead made them look like ignorant thoughtless pieces of crap to all the people that own pit bulls they have to constantly fight to keep because of stereotypes.
And by “fighting to keep” I mean the dogs can get taken away just because of how they look in certain places even though they’ve never harmed anyone, or having to get legal action to get a pet back that was taken away instead of having it put down for no reason. OR helping or volunteering at local animal shelters. I had to give my dog to family when I moved somewhere that wouldn’t allow pits just because some idiot politician listened to shit like this from other stupid people.
Besides that, super nice leap from “you’re posting on a forum about something that is extremely important and you care about” to “obviously the ONLY thing you do about it is post on forums,” that’s totally logical and doesn’t make you sound immature at all.
Brian says
i’ll give it to you that McDonald’s should have picked their words better and said “dog” and not specifically “pit bull.” I’ve actually owned two pits for a period of time and will attest to their ability to be as sweet and loving as any other breed, but in all honesty, the groups on facebook, the McDonald’s Hates Pit bulls Propaganda, the irrelelvant pitbull stories being tossed into the mix to arouse emotion, seriously makes your cause look trivial and juvenile. Had this movement taken a more reserved approach i’d have supported it, but I can’t get behind a movement represented by childish temper tantrums, irrelevant boycotts,and propagandist Photoshop pictures.
Logic says
Personally, I never said Mcdonald’s hates Pit Bulls.. I just think it was wrong of them to target them like that in their ad.. Look at the big picture.. Mcdonalds is a huge fast food corporation.. them loosing a few Pit Bull loving customers isn’t gonna change a damned thing.. It isn’t going to force Mcdonalds to close down, or crumble.. It doesn’t mean that everyone who works at Mcdonalds hates Pit Bulls. Personally, I don’t eat mcdonalds anyways. The food is disgusting. The only good thing they have on the menu is the mocha frappe, and for just a dollar more I can go to the coffee shop and get a way more delicious one. I agree that boycotting mcdonalds is stupid.. but mcdonalds was stupid to go after Pits in their ad. As long as they pulled the ad. and don’t put out another ad. like that, that’s all that matters. Though really, they should put out an ad. to counter act that statement..
Kelly says
McDonald’s did not make an ad stating stray dogs were risky. They said “pit bull”. It is very offensive to people who own and love pit-bulls and spend lots of time and energy and money trying to take care of these over bred and abused dogs and educate the public only to have a multimillion dollar corporation put out an ad that goes against ever thing we work for. Particularly, when that corp. puts out crap that should be labeled “poison” or “not for human consumption”. Particularly, when that corp. participates in the mass production of animals in the most inhumane and disgusting manner one could imagine. I for one will not stay in the shelter with the dogs as you suggest because I can stand up for myself, unlike these shelter animals. I will call McDonald’s everyday until they make a donation to a pit bull rescue shelter. Apologies don’t undo harm that has been done and that is the biggest thing we are up against. Misinformation among the public. As long as there is wrong, there will be people trying to right.
Bweave says
I find it hilarious how this ad is making people vow to never eat at mcdonalds. I also find it hilarious how angry people get over this crap. Really? Adults getting angry over this? If i thought that Mcdonalds actually had some agenda against stray pb’s i would be upset with the rest of you but i guarantee they don’t. The fact is, mcdonalds is many times the most convenient place to eat. As such i cant possibly say that i wont eat there again. Especially for something as silly as this.
Sloth says
McDonald’s is almost always in a hub of fast food restaurants, you can take ten seconds or decide all fast food burgers are basically the same and indeed never eat at McDonald’s again. Not saying YOU should or anything, but saying the people deciding not to aren’t “going way out of their way.” And it’s not silly. The perpetuating of this stereotype is a problem that gets loving family pets taken away and put down just because some ignorant ass decided they should be “illegal to have” because of how they look.
Logic says
Mcdonalds is just disguising food anyways.. the only good thing they even serve is the mocha frappe. And for just a dollar more I can go to a coffee shop and get a way more delicious one. As always if I’m craving a hamburger, or fries, I’ll take BK.
Sloth says
Jack in the Box here. 😀
Admittedly if they were smart they would be working on a campaign to get Jack a pet pit right now. 😉
Logic says
Lol, I LOVE jack in the box! Sadly, my town doesn’t have one..
Logic says
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/doggone_shame_1a9XYW8u9ZLlqwRJTa6jrN This happened simply because the dog was a Pit Bull.. the dog had shown NO sign of aggression.. Need more really be said?
Vicky says
It actually says that the veterinarian stated that the dog was showing signs of agression due to his owner’s own depression. Just fyi…
Gotti says
If you worked hard to spread the word about this breed then you would understand that we take this very personally and it is not silly by any means. This is just one more stupid comment that puts these wonderful dogs in a bad light. Did you know in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s these dogs were used as nannies? They were so loyal and protective of their owners parents would get this breed for their children. For a big company like McDonalds to say such a thing is horrible. I am proud to be an owner of two pits, one who was a rescue who was starved half to death and had cigarette burns all over his body. He loves us so much and thinks he is a lap dog. I am proud to say we got to pet this stray pit bull, and make him a member of our family.
cerpas says
I have not eaten at McDonalds in years…Now Im sure I never will again…
Crystal says
Wow!!! I can’t believe they put this on the air !?! I already had reserves about McDonald’s, but this is seriously going too far for me! I guess they were banking on the old theory that if you deflect the bad attention on someone or something else, the heat will migrate away from you. Well guess what McDonald’s it backfired! All the heat is on you for this unexcusable attack on pit bulls! You should really learn to pick your battles more carefully! I hope Ceasar hears this!!!!
Specky says
It is a very big deal! Pitbulls get a bad reputation because of people. I love pits have owned pits will own pits and would choose a pit any day. It’s dangerous to pet any kind of stray animal. There are people out here who spend their loves trying to give pits a chance at life taking them into their rescues to keep them outta shelters where they will most likely be put to sleep who fight to raise money to take care of them till they can find them a home. And then u have a multi million dollar company who can spend tons of money on air time that reaches so many people to put down pits. It’s rediculus they had no reason to even bring up a pit bull. Period!
Disgusted says
Idiocy is RAMPANT in television and radio. There’s no shortage of talentless people available to write garbage ads about food that kills us. So it’s not particularly surprising to me that this happened – it’s just monumentally disappointing and frustrating.
My awesome pittie is nothing but a big love. Strong? Yes, VERY strong. And QUICK. An amazing breed to be trained properly, treated with respect, admired, loved, pet and kissed.
Jennie says
If they really wanted to convey the point they were trying to make, they could have used their brain and came up with something more logical, accurate, and less harmful. “Safer than petting a: bobcat, mountain lion, tiger, shark, bear” I could go on for a while. As someone else said, why not mention the ghetto, because we all know that if you drive through a bad neighborhood where black people live, there is a high probability that you will be shot. Or the south-everyone knows that South Carolina residents are in the KKK, so if you’re black it’s probably not a wise idea to walk the streets at night. I guess some people just don’t find things to be ignorant or In bad taste until they feel personally offended.
Julie says
Jennie, WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!
Daniel says
Hi, I finally got to do some stat research. No agenda to prove or disprove, just to find out about which dogs were dangerous. I did not use the words “Pit Bull” in any searches and focused on serious sites not emotive ones.
The statistics consistently have the Pit Bull at the top for injuries and breeding notes on temperament point to aggression as a pre disposition. Particularly if not handled right. True of all dogs yes, but to varying degrees. All had positive things to say too.
The outcome of this checking up was that Pit Bulls were involved in more attacked ending in fatalities and/or serious injury than other breeds.Are these stats made up deliberately to blacken Pit Bulls? If so why would so many people do this and set up sites that express this in an even handed way, also discussing many other dogs?
Are they involved in more of these incidents or not? Please a straight answer.
Amanda A says
Unfortunately Daniel, any dog that is medium to large sized that attacked someone would be claimed by the witnesses to be a pit bull. Why: because they can’t easily differentiate between breeds of dogs. Anything that is not small, or that is bulky looking, must be a pit bull to them, especially if it attacked someone or another dog. Many times, the animals flee, so no one really knows what type of dog it really was. My neighbor has a border collie mix that people have called pit bull. It gets out all the time, and attacks half of everything it sees, and has attacked us while out walking. Unfortunately I do have a Staffy, and if she were to do serious damage to that dog, it would be my dog that would be in trouble simply because she is a “pit bull” type dog.
The only thing that “pit bulls” have going against them is the fact that they have duper strong jaws, so in the wrong hands they can become dangerous. But so can any other dog. We used to have this stupid little foot ball dog that was running astray all the time. It would come up to us and was aggressive every time, so I would do everything to keep it away from my dog, which yes, did include kicking at it. And i have had a puppy of unknown breed come up while walking my grandfather’s boxer. It didn’t matter if it was friendly or not, i quickly grabbed it by the collar and held it back until it’s owner saw and came and got it.
Daniel says
Thanks Amanda, so in a nutshell you’re saying it is a knee jerk miss-identification of a dog responsible for an attack.
What about the genetic factor which is mentioned a lot?
Amanda A says
Yes, Daniel, exactly. And as with any dog, if the parents were used for being vicious and attack dogs, they puppies may have a tendency to become a little aggressive. This, if nipped in the bud while training an animal, can be overcome. My rescued staffy was used for a bait dog for my neighbors pure bred red nose American Pit Bull terriers. Thankfully, it wasn’t too long before the house was raided and everyone was arrested for a different reason (drugs). The animals were left for a couple weeks alone (3 adults and 2 of their pups plus the one I eventually got). Surprisingly my dog is not food aggressive, or anything like that. As soon as I got her I started teaching how how to react to things. I would give her treats, take them back, let her chew a rawhide while I was holding it, etc. When my daughter goes near her when she has a treat or is eating, the dog simply walks away without the treat/and leaves the food. I do not know the parental background of my dog, but that’s typically what happens when you rescue a dog. As Cesar Milan would say “dogs live for the moment, not the past”. This I entirely agree with, to a point. Some never fully rehabilitate from being treated badly for years,some take years, and some take as soon as they realize they are in a good place now.
So while genetics can play a role in how an animal acts, I think more of it has to do with it’s owners. Some owners leave their dogs chained up all the time. This WILL eventually make a dog aggressive, and that has been proven in any breed of dog, and you can look up multiple reports on kids walking by a chained dog that attacked. I was looking on one of the news sits not too long ago and found a bunch of reports/articles. I think also that some owner try to take on too much: they want to have so many animals that they simply can’t control them and so the dogs battle for who is the pack leader, which can also leads to aggression issues.
Just so no one on here gets pissed off at me and screams that I have no idea what I am saying: I am not a professional and I have NO credentials whatsoever, this is all from experience. I grew up with “pit bulls”, boston terriers, and beagles. I think the beagles were the most aggressive of all 3. But, then you have to realize it is a hound, bred for hunting, so that is in it’s nature. Just like any one that has a sheep dog, or border collie, can probably tell you how many times their dogs have tried to “herd” other animals, or even their kids.
Daniel says
Yes but,are pit bulls more prone to respond to neglect in aggressive behavior leading to harm?
I have read in my research that pit bulls were bred for aggression,not that it was something recognized then exploited.
I have personal experience of being herded… was a strange thing.
Amanda A says
Sorry, wouldn’t let me reply under your comment.
Not sure why they were first brought to America, but they were always great family dogs, and were the nannies of a lot of families. They were pets because they could be trusted to protect their “kids” and families, not because they were aggressive. I’m not sure the details, but they used to be highly trusted for many jobs, for the family, and actual work with the farmers, pulling heavy stuff. If you have never seen a pulling competition I highly suggest it.It is amazing how much these animals can do. They live for it, and will do anything to keep their owners happy.
Honestly, I have been told to NOT play tug-o-war with my pit, as it brings out their aggressive side. I think it was a trainer, but don’t remember for sure. We have always played that with our dogs, and have never had any of them turn on us. In fact, my grandfather last male was so gentle, he wouldn’t even nip at us babies when we crawled over and pulled on his nuts…You know how kids are lol…
So in all, I’m not quite sure I have an answer to the question. Sorry…maybe someone else will reply that can?
Susan says
They were NEVER bred for human aggression. Even breeders who bred the dogs for fighting were breeding for strength and gameness. Gameness meaning tenacity. But they wanted trainable animals who would obey them. Sadly, the way these dogs were trained to fight involved tremendous abuse. Read the stories about Vick’s dogs. The ones they couldn’t make aggressive enough were killed, used as bait dogs, etc. They are terriers – hunters, prey driven instincts which can be resolved with training. But they were never bred to be aggressive – that’s not an accurate adjective.
Wisconsin Pitbull Owner says
Petting ANY stray dog, whether a bull breed or a Chihuahua is Risky..
Daniel says
I suppose the strength of the dog is an important factor.We all know lot’s of little dogs that are always aggressive, but they cannot do damage, if you look at one and imagine a Doberman doing the same you’d be in bits. Before having a go at me guys, I love Doberman breed, it’s an imagery exercise : )
CKMettler says
McD’s ad could have just said stray dog. Sadly most people would already, out of assumed ignorance, envision a stray pit bull. It’s a shame that pits have such a bad rep when they are such loving dogs who just want to be loved in return, just like any dog wants love in return for their unconditional love.
Daniel says
I’d let this go now with McDonalds. It’s just free publicity at this stage. So instead of taking them to task, continuing is playing right into there hands.
Terri says
I actually sent them an email and they replied stating they didnt mean to offend any body.. they should have thought about it first..
Daniel says
exactly what they planned to say from the start.
Jerome says
Oh no people are talking bad about McDonald’s. Guess they should issue an apology and donate money to the Ronald McDonald house now for saying such things. It’s your decision whether you choose to see it as offensive or not. I see the background of this page is white … might they be saying whites are better than blacks? Uh oh better write them a letter telling them to donate! But that’s another story altogether …
efeygr says
i agree
ignacio duran says
its ads like this that give the breed a bad name ! im a proud proud owner of two blue nose , they play with my kids and other kids on the play ground go down the slides , when one of the kids fall down there quick to run and check on them n lick them to see if there ok. its safer to own a pittbull then to eat at mc donalds
Daniel says
how many adds like these are there? and how many that could have been said to give the bad name?
efeygr says
so do i They’re very friendly they’re two razors edges