“It’s not about the breed, it’s the way they’re raised.” – John Benton, Titan’s Owner
…and to think Gloria, John’s wife, was made at her son for bringing Titan home. [Read more…]
“It’s not about the breed, it’s the way they’re raised.” – John Benton, Titan’s Owner
…and to think Gloria, John’s wife, was made at her son for bringing Titan home. [Read more…]
The title of this post is directly taken from an article written by “journalist” Dan Rodricks, a man who apparently prides himself on perpetuating stereotypes and writes for The Baltimore Sun. In an unabashedly biased, non-factual report titled: “Pit bulls: Own them at your own risk“, Rodricks talks uses his experience as a judge at a costume event for animals as a pedestal to speak out against pit bull ownership.
I realize this article is written as a commentary and Mr. Rodricks is certainly entitled to his opinion. However, most leisurely wanderers of the internet will see this article’s placement on The Baltimore Sun’s website and mistakenly assume that what he has written is a factual account of the pit bull breed, instead of an admittedly skewed perspective.
Prejudice notwithstanding, Rodrick’s poorly constructed article misses the point. The fact that the recent findings of the Maryland Court of Appeals are in agreement with his negative opinion of the pit bull breed does not prove, or even suggest, that there is anything wrong with responsible pit bull ownership. The “if we get rid of the pit bulls no one will get hurt“, brand of logic has grown tired considering its serious lack of factual supporting data.
Want to know the truth?
In places where pit bulls have been banned, dog bite statistics and mortality rates have remained unchanged, as demonstrated in balanced and scientific studies done in Denver, CO, The Netherlands and Spain. Getting rid of the pit bulls didn’t solve the problem, but I guess Maryland wants to find that out on their own. [Read more…]
Ohio Signs Bill to End BSL
Today is an exciting day for pit bull owners in Ohio and anti-BSL supporters worldwide. Earlier this morning, Governor Kasich signed Ohio House Bill 14 into law – effectively ending 25 years of discriminatory breed specific legislation geared toward pit bull-type dogs. Click here to read a background on BSL in Ohio
Ohio’s HB 14 not only reverses the previous law, but helps to strengthen current dangerous dog laws by focusing on irresponsible owners, instead of innocent family pets. Dog wardens and those working in animal rescue will now be able to use their time and resources to protect the public from verifiably dangerous dogs, instead of wrongly targeting family pets that simply “look the wrong way”.
Prior to today’s passing of HB 14, Ohio was the only state with laws that permitted the declaration of a vicious dog based only on the dog’s appearance, without taking temperament or other behavioral criteria into consideration.
It is my hope that other states and countries that have looked to Ohio to set the precedent for BSL will now re-evaluate their existing or proposed laws. As Ohio has shown, BSL is an expensive, ineffective way to prevent dog bites and other acts. At the end of the day, as reinforced by Ohio’s new legislation, the only way to truly keep the public protected and safe from the acts of dangerous dogs is to punish the careless, ignorant owners that have allowed and/or encouraged the behaviors.
…it’s amazing the rest of the family survived!
Unfortunately, owning a bully breed dog such as a Pit Bull, American Bulldog, Bull Terrier, etc. often means that you don’t catch any breaks. One small incident is all it takes to jeopardize the life you share with your pet. YOUR dog may not be trained to fight, but the propensity for fighting exists throughout their lineage, and it is in your dog’s best interest to protect them from situations that may escalate into trouble.
Keep in mind, while dogs are pack animals, the history of the Pit Bull and related breeds have created a dog whose pack is human in nature, not animal. They do not always do well meeting other dogs they do not already know, and in most instances it’s preferable to avoid it all together. Most of these dogs really can’t be bothered with making new dog friends, so do them a favor and always do introductions in a neutral zone, when both dogs are calm, and with owners who have a solid knowledge of their particular dog’s behaviors, mannerisms and preferences. [Read more…]