A Pit Bull Ban Proposed May Be Proposed in Texas

Texas attorney Cynthia Stevens Kent (also a former state district judge) is pushing to have all dog breeds and mixes of breeds that fall under the term “pit bull” outlawed in Texas. The possession of a “pit bull” type dog would result in a third degree felony.

The first proposal would ban all “pit bull” type dogs in Texas, making it a felony to “own” one. This is, in a nutshell, a proposal to kill every single pit bull in Texas.

In case her first insidious proposal fails to pass Cynthia Kent has a second equally unjust proposal that also needs to be fought against as vigorously as the first.

The second proposal places unreasonable and unfair rules and restrictions on pit bull guardianship. These restrictions include making pit bull guardians carry expensive liability insurance, among other expensive requirements – seemingly intentionally discriminating against those in lower income brackets.

Either proposal will be a death warrant for thousands of dogs and will bring about a holocaust for pit bulls, the likes of which we have never seen. The streets of Texas will run red with the blood of these dogs.

(link to proposals http://tylerpaper.com/pdf/pitbull-proposal.pdf )

At the bequest of Cynthia Kent the deadly duo of Senator Kevin Eltife and Representative Chuck Hopson will sponsor the bill and put it in front of the next legislative session.

Stories that cause people to seek out breed specific legislations are tragic BUT they involve individual dogs and are not representative of the countless other “pit bull” type dogs that are friendly and well socialized. The dogs specifically involved in this attack lived on chains. 25% of all fatal doga attacks involve chained or tethered animals. Cynthia Stevens Kent and some ignorant others would like ALL American Staffordshire Terriers, ALL Staffordshire Bull Terriers, ALL American Bulls or any other dogs displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breed to be punished for the actions of a few.

Programs to prevent the public from "dangerous dogs" MUST be legal, fair and effective. Breed bans are unfair; penalize thousands of good dog guardians to penalize a handful of irresponsible ones. Breed specific legislation kills thousands of good, loving, balanced dogs in attempt to eliminate a few bad ones. Aggression is not a breed issue, it is a dog issue. Any dog breed can be "trained" to behave aggressively. This fact has been supported time and again. Organizations such as Best Friends Animal Society, the ASPCA, American Kennel Club and the American Veterinary Medical Association are only a few who have spoken out against breed specific legislation. BSL will not work, as it target is misplaced to the dog and not the owner. It embodies faulty ideas about genetics and depends on a law enforcer's subjective opinion about how a dog looks.

Breed bans are ineffective. ALL DOGS CAN BITE. Numerous jurisdictions have repealed breed specific legislation in favor of dangerous dog laws. Also, numerous jurisdictions did not see any decline in dog bites when they did ban pit bull type dogs Studies of pre and post breed ban dog bite rates in the United Kingdom and Spain concluded that their pit bull breed ban had no effect whatsoever on reducing dog bites. Indeed, Hiawatha, Iowa repealed their pit bull terrier ban because of identification problems and expense. Now that DNA testing is available to determine the breed of a dog, breed discriminatory laws have gotten very expensive for cities and counties to enforce. Topeka, Kansas also recently repealed their pit bull terrier ban for the same reasons. The Topeka City Attorney’s Office issued an explanation for repealing this ban as a part of their new animal control ordinance. http://bit.ly/fSWJJ9 (pages 3-5).

Denver, Colorado banned pit bulls in 1989. In the years following the ban, the city continued to suffer a higher rate of hospitalization for severe dog bite injury than the breed neutral jurisdictions in the state. The Denver incidents ALL involved dogs identified as other than pit bulls. In Spain, a study of dog bite reports from five years before breed specific regulation was enacted and five years after, revealed that there had been no reduction in dog bites. The Netherlands maintained a breed ban for 15 years, but has since repealed it, in favor of owner responsibility laws.

In its study of human fatalities resulting from dog bites, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) did not support the breed specific approach. The CDC noted many other factors beyond a dogs breed may affect a dog’s tendency toward aggression – such as reproductive status, heredity, sex, early experience, and socialization and training. These concerns seem well-founded given that more than 70% of all dog bite cases involve unsterilized male dogs, and an unneutered male dog is 2.6 times more likely to bite than a neutered male dog. In 2006, 97% of all dog related human fatalities in the United States involved unsterilized canines.

Breed bans cause shelters to fill up with unadoptable dogs. No room for dangerous dogs of other breeds. Criminals ignore breed bans along with other laws. Other dangerous dogs continue to threaten community. An increased number of competent animal control officers need to be mobilized to investigate abuse and or neglect, and other complaints so attacks by any dog can be avoided. Programs such as mandatory education classes on good ownership and obedience training need to be in place if a dog is declared dangerous or has been reported running loose/menacing an excessive amount of times. If people are convicted of abuse/neglect they need to be ordered not have any other animals. If a dog is found to be “dangerous” the dog should be spayed or neutered, microchipped for positive identification and muzzled when out in public. Outlaw the tethering/chaining of dogs as 25% of all fatal dog attacks involve tethered or chained dogs.

Breedism is the same as racism and it is legislation like the proposed that are responsible for the deaths of so many loving, gentle and beautiful animals. Innocent dogs suffer every time they are passed because not only does it give false verification to the public that pit bull type dogs are vicious but it effects the ability of people in the communities to adopt these animals as well as rescues/ shelters to adopt out these animals.

Stories regarding pit bull attacks are blasted all over the news but it is stories like those below that people never hear about. Here are just a few of the many cases where pit bulls have performed heroic acts.

PIT BULL SAVES OWNER FROM BEING RAPED
http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-national/pit-bull-saves-owner-from-attempted-rapist

PIT BULL AND ROTTIE SAVES TODDLER FROM DROWNING
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2007/staffie%20bull%20and%20rottie%20mix%20save%20toddler%20from%20drowning%201207.pdf

PIT BULL HERO IN HOME INVASION
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2009/Hennessy%20the%20pit%20bull%20hailed%20as%20hero%200709.pdf

PIT BULL STOPS HOME INVASION
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2009/Blitz%20pb%20stops%20abduction%20attempt%200409.pdf

PIT BULL TAKES BULLET FOR OWNER
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2009/pb%20takes%20bullet%20for%20family%200309.pdf

PIT BULL HERO IN ROBBERY
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2008/Kola%20hero%20dog%201208.pdf

PIT BULL GIVES LIFE TO SAVE OWNERS
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2008/Maximums%20gives%20life%20saving%20owner%201208.pdf

PIT BULL DRAGS WOMAN TO SAFETY
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2008/Cisco%20the%20pit%20bull%20hero%200308.pdf

PIT BULL SAVES FAMILY
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/2008/Baby%20the%20pit%20bull%20saves%20owner%20from%20fire%200108.pdf

PIT BULL SAVES CHILD FROM ROBBER
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/CocotheHeroMay05.pdf

PIT BULL SAVES CHILD FROM FOX
http://www.ilovedogs.com/2010/12/pit-bull-and-bassett-hound-save-child-from-fox-attack/

PIT BULL SAVES OTHER DOG
http://www.ilovedogs.com/2010/12/pit-bull-rescues-blind-dog-from-freezing-to-death/

ACTION NEEDED:

Contact the individuals below IMMEDIATELY and tell them you do NOT support any breed ban! The proposed pit bull holocaust in Texas must be stopped!

DO: Contact the individuals below and express your strong opposition to both of these pieces of proposed legislation.

Cynthia Kent : email: ckent@tyler.net – alternate contact here: http://bit.ly/gpntVC

Rick Perry, Texas Governor: phone (512) 463-2000 fax (512) 463-1849 – alternate contact here: http://bit.ly/3rNCnI

Kevin Eltife, Texas State Senate District 1: http://bit.ly/dte04o

Chuck Hopson, Texas House of Representatives: http://bit.ly/ggOJpV

City of Tyler, TX city council online contact page: http://bit.ly/gpW4sx

Sloane Quealy Miner & Matthew Miner

Other breeds, like, say, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers do heroic deeds
AND aren't vicious.

It doesn't matter that a FEW do good, those same dogs 2 months later could
attack a child, too.

Jennifer is right. I could tell wonder dogs stories all day, but the dog is dangerous.

Dogs need to be treated individually, not lumped into a group and deemed "dangerous." My pit bull is less dangerous than my Labrador retriever, and she is not at all dangerous. The pit bull and Labrador and my German shepherd all work as therapy dogs and go into an assisted living home to cheer up the residents. People there do crazy things to my dogs, including my pit bull. They will bark in her face, blow in her face, ask her to shake hands and then not let go of her paw, make funny noises at her, come up behind her and scare her, etc. My pit bull has rock solid temperment and just ignores all these things. Nothing ruffles her. She just sits calmly, quietly, and patiently. Our vet once told me that he has NEVER been bitten by a pit bull but has been bitten by quite a few chihuahuas and daschunds. In general, a Dalmation is much more likely to bite than a pit bull.

Aggression is not a breed issue but a dog issue. You are coming from a place of ignorance with your daft comments. The public is no safer when there are breed bans and it is proven. If communities would enforce and create strong dangerous dogs laws than people who were not responsible would be punished long before any tragedies. There are millions of well socialized pit bulls and you are out to punish them all for the actions a few.

As one that works in a veterinary clinic and ownes a pit bull therapy dog, I've seen far more bites from Shih Tzus and Chihuahuas, than any Pit Bull or German Shepherd or other so called "vicous dogs". I've also seen dogs brought in after being attacked by the neighbors corgi or jack russell. Are these next on the list then. I've always owned this kind of dog and so have my friends. We take them to parks and dog parks all the time. There are no fights, you do always see the smaller dogs like the schnauzers and shih tzus and dachshunds trying to bite and start stuff. All the pits back off, not attack. I'm not saying all these small dogs are like this, but they are more generally excused because they are small, and not a danger. Tell that to the tip of my finger a scotty ate.

It's not that a FEW Pit Bulls are good Jennifer and Doug, it's that a FEW turned out bad due to irresponsible owners. To all of you that are saying that Pit Bulls are vicious, when was the last time you interacted with one. My guess is that most of you haven't. I write a blog that you are welcome to check out about Pit Bulls. It's called Don't Be a Pit Bully and the link is dontbeapitbully.blogspot.com. I am not trying to get you to change your mind right this second about Pit Bulls BUT if you haven't interacted with one you should do so. Give them a chance. They will show you love like you've never gotten before. Like a said MOST are good and FEW are bad.

I'd support it. As a mother I don't want to worry about irresponsible owners with these vicious breeds.

Jennifer,

If you knew anything about pit bulls you would not that it is the owners that make the dog that way. It is not in their character, as a bred, to be vicious.

Do your homework before you go off and make an errouneous comment that shows your unfounded prejudice

The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family's Pomeranian dog. The average weight of a Pomeranian is about 4 pounds, and they are not thought of as a dangerous breed. Note, however, that they were bred to be watchdogs! The baby's uncle left the infant and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby, who died shortly afterwards. ("Baby Girl Killed by Family Dog," Los Angeles Times, Monday, October 9, 2000, Home Edition, Metro Section, Page B-5.)

In Canine homicides and the dog bite epidemic: do not confuse them, it has been pointed out that the dog bite epidemic as a whole involves all dogs and all dog owners, not just the breeds most likely to kill.

In all fairness, therefore, it must be noted that:

■Any dog, treated harshly or trained to attack, may bite a person. Any dog can be turned into a dangerous dog. The owner or handler most often is responsible for making a dog into something dangerous.
■An irresponsible owner or dog handler might create a situation that places another person in danger by a dog, without the dog itself being dangerous, as in the case of the Pomeranian that killed the infant (see above).
■Any individual dog may be a good, loving pet, even though its breed is considered to be potentially dangerous. A responsible owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no matter its breed. One cannot look at an individual dog, recognize its breed, and then state whether or not it is going to attack

"A responsible owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no matter its breed." Yes, the OWNER. Not others that the dog has no faith toward, like people in town parks or even visitors.

As for the Pomeranian, tragic, no doubt, but the uncle was negligent to leave the child alone with a dog. My MIL has doxies. Don't think for one minute I've EVER left my son (who is now 8) alone with either of them just because they were small. I trust no dogs period. I trust dogs with a track record for mauling people even less.

Jennifer, Get a hold of yourself. Pitbulls don't have a "track record" for mauling people. They have the unfortunate fate of being the only ones that the media cares to report. Why is it ok for you to generalize all pitbulls as being vicious, and yet we GASP when someone would make such a blanket stereotype against a race of human being? Open your eyes. A dog is a dog, and is not defined by its physical makeup. These particular dogs have been dealt a shit hand by irresponsible, disgusting, DETESTABLE excuses for human beings that have chosen to attempt to mold them into something they never wanted to be. Until you have looked into a dog's eyes who was staring death in the face at the city shelter simply because too many people are close-minded and ignorant like yourself and won't consider adopting one, taken it into your own home, and seen the beauty and the incredible love that they have to offer...you have nothing worthwhile to say.

For the record, I can't have a dog - any dog - if I wanted to. I'm allergic, so it's kinda a moot point to say I'm cruel not to adopt a pitbull. There are other breeds that I feel as strongly about like I do pittbulls for the same reason. My choice. I can choose what animal I associate with (again I'm allergic, so this is a no-brainer to not be around them by choice) and what animal I don't, just as you can and do.

Also, for the record, I'd NEVER let a dog that's got a known issue letting go pf prey (which might be my CHILD one day) into my home. No way no how. Dogs turn on anyone for any reason. Fine by me if others want to risk their loved ones but not me.

if you have never owned any kind of dog jennifer then keep your damn opinion to youself instead of joining the "bandwagon" that is nothing but idiots and non educated people. obviously you are one of them!

My husband has the same views and has owned dogs before. Better? It doesn't matter if you own one or not everyone has the ability to inform themselves as they see fit and decide as they see fit.

And yes, I've been in contact (against my will) with this breed. The thing attempted to lunge at me and is a known biter. Yay! Wonderful dog breed let's go out and get one now!

No one here has the right to try to change another's mind, though, so I hope none of you are trying to do that, because I'm sure not trying to.

Dumb I think...

I agree. In my state we have had several children killed by Pit Bulls. Some counties in our state do outlaw them but I wish the entire state would follow.

I wish they would be outlawed. I could tell horror stories here, but I'll not, in lieu of the known dangers. Any dog carries some danger but the Pit Bull has to go.

Aggression is not a breed issue but a dog issue. You are coming from a place of ignorance with your daft comments. The public is no safer when there are breed bans and it is proven. If communities would enforce and create strong dangerous dogs laws than people who were not responsible would be punished long before any tragedies. There are millions of well socialized pit bulls and you are out to punish them all for the actions a few.

How many times have you actually SEEN a pit bull attack and injure someone? And how do you know it was a pit bull and not one of the other 20 or so breeds that look similar to pit bulls? Often the newspaper reports that someone was attacked by a pit bull and it turns out that the dog was, in reality, an entirely different breed--or a mixture of breeds.

Janet - I have seen it first hand 2 times. Once when I lived in Hawaii. One of the kids where I lived was walking down the street and the dog got out at the same time and attacked the boy. He was not even on the same side of the street. I have seen it once while living where I currently live. It happens here a lot. Luckily both I have seen survived. They have massive scars but they are alive. So don't lecture me on what the newspaper says. I am sure that Animal Control is plenty capeable of being able to identify the breed correctly. Have you ever seen a child with their face half torn off by a dog? I have and let me tell you no child deserves that. I am going to pick a childs protection over a dog anyday. I love dogs and have owned dogs all my life but there are some breeds that are more aggressive. That is not my opinion but the opinion of several vets I have had.

Vets know the Difference between Animal Aggresion & Human Aggression, so I worry about your Resource. Your right NO CHILD deserves it, rather it be
" Girl's cheek savaged by family dog"
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2011/01/05/larnook-dog-attack-hospital/
- Family's Lab ( never attacked before) child was left alone w/ the dog

" Dog attack: Family dog shot after Mauling 4yrold girl"
- B. Lab/GS mix - Violently attacked 4yo Brooklyn - Child was left alone !

" Infant dies after attack by family dog"
- Family Rott killed 3mth old that was left alone will mother was bathing the other 9 dogs.

" Police dog attacks boy at school demonstrations"
- K9 Malinious attacked 5 yo Nazir Lowe

" Dog grabbed SoCal baby will be killed"
- 190lb Great Dane grabbed the baby from the mother's arms


" Boy could be disfigured after dog attack"
- Ridgeback attacked 16mth old in the tub during a bath, Granmother was under the Influence ( no charges were found)

" Man's face ripped off in horror dog attack"
- Male Boerbul attacked his owner's Uncle. " His entire face was bitten off"

" IMPD dog bites 2 in church parking lot"
- K9 ripped into 18yr old Natalie Wilson ( dog was off leash) " He ripped into my flesh, she said " He was shaking his head to tear it off ".

" Boy,4, Badly Hurt"
- Anatolian Sheperd left 21 staples in the his & 6 more behind his Left ear.

" Toddler returns home after months in hospital"
- K9 GS attack Kaleb Wayne(2yrs) " Drs used the word ' doom' to describe Kalebs condition"

" Toddler needs 200 stitches after dog attack"
- Joshua Mann was attacked by the Family Collie.

~~ All of these attacks can be found on Google news, just type in the headline & names/breeds. ~~ There are many more~~

How can you be so SURE, Denver has already been sued for MILLIONS because ANIMAL CONTROL misidentified a Lab mix and a Boxer mix as a " Pit Bull" . LoL these people don't go to some College to learn about breeds, they go to learn about the care of animals/ CPR and some animal behavior.
You should pick your child's protection any day over a DOG, but instead of picking and choosing what " Breed" is most likely to attack- you should protect your child around all dogs & never leave your child alone w/ any dog. Over 1/2 of the Fatalities from dogs, are to children who were left Unattended with that dog(s)- that is the Mother's fault.
Most Vets that I know- LOVE " PIT BULLS" and understand the behavior of these breeds.

I have owned three pit bulls. They are actually terriers. Mine is an American Pit Bull Terrier. All three of my dogs were calm but protective of the house. My first one actually helped me teach my chidlren to swim. They are very loving dogs. They were not bred to hurt humans. They were bred to protect humans. So please, don't tell they will turn on you. I have a brother who has owned only dobermans, he is working on dobie #4 he has never had the dog turn on familly members or on the family cat.

By the way my pit bill gets along well with other dogs. He is playful, expressive, he is a familly member.

Yes I have owned other breeds of dogs. Every labardor retriever I have owned have been destructive and are short tempered with children.

To tell me what kind of dog I can and can not have to protect myself and my family is not up to politicians. It is up to me. If my elected officials can not keep me safe either personally or through an increased police presence (which is not likely to happen), then why should they have the right to tell me what animals I can use to protect me and my family ...

Wooo I have an idea, I'll just move into the house my elected official lives in that we, as taxpayers, are paying for anyway. So if I'm paying for it then I should be able to live in it.

Thank you Connie!

Aggression is not a breed issue but a dog issue. You are coming from a place of ignorance with your daft comments. The public is no safer when there are breed bans and it is proven. If communities would enforce and create strong dangerous dogs laws than people who were not responsible would be punished long before any tragedies.

Amen Sloane!!! Dogs can bite. All dogs. It is up to the owner to train and understand.

I ditto that!

Tell that to my Lhasa Apso that a Pit Bull ate for lunch and spit out the collar.

Doug,
There are two shih tzu's in my neighborhood whose owner constantly walks them off leash despite the fact that they attack MY pitbull. Please write an article about banning shih tzus. They are clearly a dangerous monstrous breed. Thanks. (IDIOT).

I can see that I won't be visiting Texas or buying any products made there. People who want to ban pit bulls are very ignorant and buy into all the bull crap the media spreads about pit bulls. Most pit bulls are sweet, loving, gentle dogs who wouldn't hurt a fly. My female pit bull works as a therapy dog and is the most gentle, sweet, and tolerant dog I have ever known. She's over 2 years old and I've only heard her bark twice. She doesn't bark when strangers come in our yard or house because she thinks everyone is her friend. She doesn't have a protective (or aggressive) bone in her body. I have met many pit bulls and I have yet to meet a mean one. Every one I've met has wagged its tail as it was coming towards me--or it was afraid and ran if it was a stray that was loose.
No dogs should be allowed to run loose or to run in packs. Neither should dogs be kept tied outdoors. All dogs, no matter the breed, need to be kept inside as part of the family and trained from a young age in proper manners and behavior. People need to be responsible dog owners.

I agree, if this law is passed does that mean I can't take my therapy pit bull to visit my family there? My dogs and cats all live peacefully together, my nieghbors love my pit and know that she is a well mannered, loving dog. If that law gets passed I guess it's going to be a ban on Texas for me.

I don't know how effective a ban would actually be because of the enforcement aspect of the law. "How do you enforce this law?" I think this may be what can be called a feel good law with enforcement being a whole seperate matter.

Way too often the folks that get Pits do so because of dogs tough reputation and they want to project a tough guy image or wan't a dog for personal protection both are bad reasons to get a dog IMHO. These owners aren't wrapped too tight anyway and are irresponsible by their nature. I saw a gang banger in Chicago with a Pit acting crazy abusing the dog and the cops here won't respond to anything like that or get there way after it's over and everyone has departed because they consider it a low priority. This punk was making the dog as crazy as he was these folks shouldn't be allowed to have a Pitbull, a Poodle, cat, gold fish or a pet rock for that matter.

I agree Brian! If a dog is not part of a loving family, it will act out what that family is about! If they are agressive and cruel, the dog will be also. Because the dog is Loyal! The human aspect is askew!

No offense to anyone, and I'm not saying that they aren't dangerous, but if you get rid of pitbulls then you might as well get rid of all dogs. Any dog is capable of attacking children or even grown adults. Yes they are big and muscular and tough. And yes that was how they were bred to look like, but did you also know that pitbulls are also need to NOT be human aggressive. In the national average, pitbulls have scored better than any other breed when it comes to aggression. I have a pitbull at home and she has become a part of our family. I've have other dogs in the past and my pit is the least aggressive of all of them. She hasn't met anyone that she hasn't liked. For all you non pitbull fans out there, I dare you to go out and get the book pitbull placebo. It will really enlighten you. It tells of pitbull attacks but it also tells of other dog attacks. The reason you hear bout pitbulls so much in the media is bc they have received a reputation from uneducated people who are willing to believe anything.

amen!

first off take care of your kids know where they are any dog could have done this be responsible with your kids parents nowaday let young kids run off anywhere show discipline towards your kids first then blame the pitbulls why dont they publish stories about when a pitbull saves someones life from a tug trying to break in your home

What happened to people watching their children?

Semi Trucks can kill kids too... are we going to ban those? Also, power outlets aren't kid-friendly either. Let's ban those too.

Guard dogs save lives, and there are many responsible owners who can restrain their pets. I did get bit by an unrestrained dog, once, a rottweiler who was rescued from an abusive home. The kid hooked up his leash to the clothesline instead of the tree and he broke free. People absolutely need to understand the severity of what these dogs are capable of (i.e, not letting the kid be responsible for hitching up the dog) but there's no need to kill all the innocent puppies.

amen to that!

Kill all " Pit Bulls" and fighters will use another.
(There are over 20 other breeds that have been used or Created for Dog Fighting and/or Bull/Bear Baiting )
Kill all " Pit Bulls" and nothing will stop Breeders from Creating more.
Kill all " Pit Bulls" and Nothing will Educate Irresponsible Owners.
KILL ALL PIT BULLS, BUT NOTHING WILL STOP OTHER BREEDS FROM ATTACKING OR KILLING !

Who are you to choose who's life is more IMPORTANT ? Yesterday, a 9yr old girl died from an Akita in SC. Should we kill all Akitas- they were used for dog fighting, but you didn't know that did you? I bet you don't even care. What about Aaron Carlson. Kyle Holland, Justin Lopez and every other child who died from a DOG, non Pit Bull. A " Pit Bull " Ban wouldn't have saved their lives.

I Believe there should be Tougher Laws & Restrictions, but BSL isn't the Way!

It should be Illegal for anybody with a Drug/ Violent or Criminal History to own these Breeds. (If they disobey, it should be a Felony for each dog- w/ community service at the local shelter)
- This will control what kind of people own these breeds, not by punishing everybody.
- This should apply to all dogs- they don't only teach "pit bulls" to fight.
All " Pit Bulls" should be Fixed- It should be Illegal to Breed( Only unless you are a Taxed/ Licensed/ Reputable Breeder). This will control the Overpopulation of " Pit Bulls", not by waiting after the dogs are born.
- This should apply to ALL BREEDER, puppies are comming out faster than being sold.
- If they disobey it should be a Felony for each Puppy.

It should be Illegal to own a " Pit Bull" with a Chain Link Fence( 6ft+ Wooden or better). There should be Fencing Requirements suitable to each dog's Training & Size. Yes I said size, this should apply to all dogs- " pit Bulls" aren't the only strays.
- If they disobey, the dog(s) will be taken away & the owner pays for the Boarding.

Every " Pit Bull" Owner should be Required to take Classes and Training , Prior to owning one.
-This should apply to all Dogs, #1 Reason dogs are in Shelters(besides BSL) is for Simple Training Mishaps. Tricks & Commands every Adult Human should know how to Teach their dog.

Responsible Owners don't mind paying Insurance, they don't mind putting up a " Beware of Dog" sign, they don't mind building that fence, they don't mind be RESPONSIBLE, but Responsiblitiy shouldn't be based on the Breed, but the dog's Temperment & Training.

Jennifer and Doug,
It is clear neither of you know anything about dogs or breeds, or common sense. There are so many things wrong about making such blanket statements, that I'm not sure even where to begin. First of all, I'm sure neither of you have ever interacted with a "pit bull" (which isn't a breed, btw, do your homework) further than turning on your tv and seeing whatever joke of a story is on that day. In case no one's noticed, today's media doesn't report ANYTHING except the word "maul" and the word "pitbull," because it's just so easy to get the morons riled up, like yourselves. Please go read the book The Pitbull Placebo before responding to this so you can get a little history lesson on the morons who came before you and how you are simply a mindless mignon keeping their legend alive for the next generation.

As for "pitbulls," no, Jennifer, dogs do not just attack for no reason months after you know them and love them. There is ALWAYS a reason, it's just unfortunate that many humans are stupid and do not a) teach their children how to behave around dogs or b) take the time to understand the animal they are bringing into their home. Not only have I worked in a shelter system completely dominated by pitbulls, I have fostered countless of them in my own home where they have interacted with my cat as well as children. I have news for you. Pitbulls are dogs. Not monsters. DOGS. Ya know, like chihuahuas (who are known for being "protective" and will also readily bite if you step on their turf) and German Shepherds (who are trained and BRED to "attack" for the police force) and Australian Cattle Dogs (who are bred to bite at heels but people think they're cute so it doesn't matter). I encourage you to go to your local shelter and walk one. But beware, among those who actually KNOW the breed (beyond the tv and the books), they are known to snuggle and kiss. Watch yourself.

I'm going to go back to the couch now where my pitbull is in heaven sleeping quietly with my cat and boyfriend.

Thank you!!! Don't forget bout the "weiner"dog. They were originally bred to go into badger holes and kill them. They are originally one of the more aggressive dogs in the canine world. Our pitbull, Athena, plays wit my husbands 8 year old sister and plays wit other dogs. We have a 8lbs imperial shi'zue and she's more aggressive than our 55lbs pitbull.

When my husband first told Me he wanted to get a pitbull I automatically told him no, bc I I too lumped them into one group thinking they were all aggressive. I met our pitbull, Athena, and I was sold within 5 mins. The people we bought her from have 2 kids both under the age of 10 and they currently have 2 full grown pitbulls, 1 that is almost a year and will be bout 100 lbs, and they have bout 5 pitbull puppies bc one of them had a litter. I love being around them. I honestly don't think we will ever get any other breed. These dogs are the most loving, happy, hard working, and they thrive to please their owners. If the dog is human aggressive or animal aggressive, its not because they are "naturally aggressive" but bc they are raised that way by the owner. The reason dog fighters choose this dog is bc they thrive to please their owners. They will dog anything they can to please their owners. If the owner trains the dog to fight, it will do everything in their power to be the best at it. If you train them to be good dogs and respectful and just to behave in general , they will do everything in their power to be just that. Since we've had Athena we have found out that pitbulls react very well to positive reinforcement. If you praise them for doing something good they will pick up on it quick and keep doing it. Athena is way more well behaved than any other dog I know besides the other pitbulls that my friends have. If you have never interacted wit one of these dogs then I highly recommend researching the and maybe trying to get to know one. And if you've had a negative experience wit one, I'm sorry for that but you can't judge the whole breed based on one dog that might have some bad blood in it (which by the way any credible breeder will not breed these dogs if there is some bad blood. They are working to breed out any aggression.)

To those of you who continually defend the breed, I ask one question: do you own a home? Because if you do, your insurance company willl make you pay up the nose if you can even get an insurance policy with a pit bull on the grounds. So you are kidding yourself. Get a Golden Retriever.

ive met as many agressive golden retrivers as i have pits...
your an idiot doug.

Doug, have you done any kind of research on this breed at all? Well how bout on golden retrievers? If you had then you'd find out that they have one of the most aggressive historiesin the dog world. Do your fricken research bc you start spewing shit from the pea sized brain of yours.

well said miss kelsey!

I'm am 17 years old and I can see I am more mature than you people who blame the animal. Thats like blaming the car when a drunk driver kills someone. It should be the OWNERS not the animal who have to take the blame. Educate yourself before you sound ignorant. Banning pit bulls will do NOTHING to help, why? Because its not the animals its how they're trained. By banning the animal there will still be an owner that will still be training their dogs to fight, or be aggressive just with another breed. You may also say, "well why is it always pit bulls?" because that's the breed they choose because not only are they strong but they are incredibly loyal. They live to please, so if that means when their owner teaches them to be aggressive they'll do it just to make their owner proud. In dog fighting rings the dog will be on its last breath on the ground and all they have to hear is there owner saying "come'on you can do it" and they will get back up and fight even harder all to make their owner proud. I adopted my first dog ever a pit bull who was 3-5 and had no history of what happened before they found him wandering the streets, and guess what? He is the sweetest dog in the world. Sometimes I think he forgets he is 85 pounds because all he wants to do is lay on your lap and give you kisses. He has never once bitten me, and once when my hand was caught in his mouth he wouldn't close it until I took it out. All these animals want is love and acceptance and ignorant people like yourself are taking that away from them. Did you know that 49 of Michael Vicks Dogs are all retrained and some of them are even working as therapy dogs? Another amazing quality these dog's have- forgiveness and a willingness to trust again when man kind is so disgusting and doesn't deserve it. I sure as hell wouldn't trust a human being if they tortured me and used me as a form of bait. Before you speak of ignorance, educate yourself. And "exterminating" the breed is honestly disgusting and really shows how mankind is sick. For every pit bull that kills a human 10.5 million don't. My dog has changed the ignorant minds of many many people so you should probably work on that.

i completely and totally agree with you!!!!!!

I agree too. I've seen some follow up stories on the dogs that managed to survive Michael Vick's house of horrors and they are thriving and have become wonderful happy dogs. The owners who have ruined these wonderful animals are the ones who should be punished.

have any of you that bash pit bulls ever owned one? they are just like guns. when used (treated) properly are totally safe. we need a ban on STUPID PEOPLE before we need a ban on any breed of dog.

my dog is half pit, nicest thing in the world. doesn't even attack wild animals in the yard!

I have friends who have pit bulls and I can't keep their dogs from crawling into my lap!!! Big love bugs they are!
I grew up here in Maine, Ryan. I agree about guns also. As a therapist i mistakenly said to another therapist (I was practicing in massachusetts at the time) that I love to practice shoot guns. She went ballistic!!! Started yelling at me in the street about 'How could you...blah blah blah" i suggested that perhaps SHE needed to NOT have a gun.

exactly, i dont own a gun, i dont have a need or desire to have one. so i dont. that doesnt mean i dont think anybody should...to each their own. my issue lies with people who think that because some people are lacking in intelligence that everyone should have to abide by the same rules.

what would people do with the dog they all ready have other dogs are bad it all depends how you bring them up from puppys

I love rottweillers. they were on the hit list for a long time. some people who get rottweillers do not understand the dog and they use it to extend their own sick and agressive and separatist attitude. A loyal dog will do what the owner represents. Unstable people pick rotties and pitbulls because of their 'rep'. Their rep is actually that their conformation is perfect for using in betting fights! The dogs are MADE to be agressive! And rotties....a boy was mauled here in Maine by an 11 year old rottie. The fact that the dog was 11 raises a flag! On the front page of the paper, a photo of a lovely rottweiller, chained to a tree by a huge linked chain with blood on the snow, had the intent to outrage people against the dog. When I showed the photo to people and asked them,'what do you see first.' they said, 'the chain.' That dog was chained to a tree outside, 24/7 as a guard dog. Guard? How? I also found out later from people who knew the family, said that they had gotten the dog just a couple of years before. The kids played in abandoned cars next to where the dog was, and they teased the dog unmercifully with sticks and such. One day, one of the kids pushed one of the boys into the circle of where the dog was allowed move. If i was that dog, I would not have stopped until the rat was dead, but this dog did stop. Still he was euthenized by a gun by the brave police, which to me seemed a blessing, only in the dog was set free from it's hideous life. Dogs need to feel they have a family, that they are a part of that family or pack, and if loved and cherished, they will behave accordingly. I know that owning rottweillers is a responsiblity to the dog and the community. The dog has to be socialized. But who is going to socialize the assholes who get these dogs, any 'bad news' dog? Perhaps those who have agressive dogs for the wrong intent, should be banned from having a dog or animal of any sort!

We had a rottie when I was a kid. She was a part of the family and because we gave her love and proper training she was a joy instead of a danger to the neighborhood. However I know that if she had fallen into the wrong hands she would have ended up just like the rottie you mentioned.

How about this though, over 92% of all Pit Bull attacks are of unfixed males, and of those nearly 85% were dogs that were chained up in a yard typically malnourished and deprived of proper socialization. Take a second to look at the story that leads up to these attacks and ask yourself if the owners of these dogs that attack are responsible owners. The answer is no, and that’s what we should be targeting, not the breed. Millions of responsible pit bull owners, including some of the nations top dog trainers, show that the breed is a perfectly good member of society when you treat them the way a dog should be treated. I am amazed that your ignorant rant passes as journalism. Perhaps you should stick to things that require no statistical ground like your UFOs, celebrity gossip, and “Chupacabra” stories and leave real issues for people that actually bring facts not just ignorance when discussing these issues.

Glad you like my work.

The sheer ignorance displayed by supporters of this ban and from people like Doug and Jennifer is absolutely staggering. Any dog can be brought up to be vicious and if pit bulls are banned then the irresponsible owners will simply migrate to rottweilers, or dobermans, or chows, or any number of other breeds that can be equally vicious. The only difference is that rottweilers and the like don't make for as good news stories when it comes to scaring the uninformed masses.

Again any breed can be brought up to be vicious and banning one specific breed will do nothing to stop or even slow dog attacks. If you want to curb dog bites then go after the irresponsible owners regardless of the breed of dog they own.

Bans like these are brought on by fear mongering and ignorance plain and simple. If you want to do something to fix the issue then do something that WILL fix the issue and don't make token gestures to appease people like Doug and Jennifer who obviously know little to nothing about the issue at hand.

Sorry you staggered, but join together at a hospital bed of child who has been eaten by your friendly and cuddly breed, then be staggered.

“Anyone who owns any aggressive breed of dog must take the responsibility of keeping their dogs in check so the animals do not harm or hurt helpless individuals.”
–In check? How about just be a responsible dog owner and properly socialize, train, and exercise your dog, as you should with any breed.

“Most people would support it”
--According to the hundreds of petitions statewide and their thousands of signatures I would find it hard to say that “most” would support it. Where did you gather that most would support it, or did your own ignorance manifest this statement?

“and those who don't support a pit bull ban better up their insurance policies.”
--Another display of your ignorance. Upgrading a persons insurance policy would do nothing, a responsible owner must ensure they are with a company that allows any breed of dog and they would be covered. Raising your coverage limits means nothing.

“The dogs are dangerous as well as protective. If you are so scared that you need a dog that is capable of eating your child or your neighbors, then maybe you should look into moving.”
--Actually they are not good guard dogs at all, that is a big misconception. By nature they are very people friendly and have been bred for centuries to be companions to people. Hence their outstanding results during national temperament testing where Pit Bulls had a passing rate of 83.9%. That was better than Miniature Poodles (76.6%), Beagles (80.3%) and Collies (79.4%).

"Actually they are not good guard dogs at all, that is a big misconception." - you're right about that ~ the responsible pit bull owners that I know did not buy pit bulls for the purpose of using them as guard dogs. In fact the pit bulls I know would make horrible guard dogs ~ they see strangers as just more people to give them belly rubs!

Amen to that!!!

HAHAHAH My pit bull frodo can prove that too. Every single person he meets- even complete strangers from babies-old he greets with kisses. If you sit down he'll jump right on your lap. I didn't know dogs could lick so much, sometimes when we're playing hide and seek, when he finds me he gets so excited and won't stop kissing me until I force him off. They are just big love bugs with a bad name! They don't deserve it :/

They are considering a similar ban here in FL and I think it is a horrible idea. My friend J bought a pit bull for her daughters and he loves those girls. He has no problems with strangers, neighbors, etc because he was properly trained instead of being trained to fight. Pit bulls get a bad rap because of what people have done to them. Several of our neighbors have pit bulls and instead of attacking you they'll walk up to you and roll over to get their belly rubbed. I have a small mixed terrier and they don't give her any problems at all.

Pit bulls are terriers and terriers are naturally hyper and energetic dogs. Any dog with that much energy has to be properly trained to channel that energy in a positive way. If they are properly trained then they make great family dogs.

If a pit bull is owned by an irresponsible owner or an owner who has trained them to be vicious then they will be vicious. The owners who have ruined these dogs are the ones who should be punished.

I swear Maine is pit bull capital of the world! And I have never met an agressive one. They are not as reserved as a Rottweiller and tend to be lovers, asking for contact to be patted. If they need contact of love so much, then when they are not loved, they are out of their element. People are the problem! sometimes my 160 lb. rottie would play with a friends' 50 lb pit bull outside of his law office. People would literally walk way out around while snarling, not with sound, but with facial glares. I remember people looking at me like I was to blame for their discomfort! Good Lawd!

I'm a senior in High School and we do these things called senior projects and we can choose the topic. I choose Pit Bulls and the negative stereotype they've received. I had an event to raise awareness from where I live and we really helped a lot of people who didn't know they were amazing see the light. It was actually funny because we had a set day and a few days before the event I found out that it was "Pit Bull Awareness Day" Nationally! It was fate. Also- I raised $736 for the Villalobos Rescue Center (which is the one from Pit Bulls and Parolees on animal planet) which is the largest rescue in the US, They rescue 200+ :) I really think that if we just educate people, ignorance of the breed could be avoided and we wouldn't let people own dogs that can't be responisble! Simple as that!

First off, anyone who says ANY breed of dog should be exterminated because they are "vicious" really needs a reality check. Do all guns need to be banned? Do all cars need to be taken off the streets? I personally have been attacked by a few different dogs. Guess what, none have been any "pit bull" breed. I was bitten in the face by 2 pomeranians, on the hand by a german shepherd mix. Been in the middle of a dog fight between a collie (yes everyones beloved lassie) and a chow. And i still own 2 pit bulls. You people are are so ignorant. Pit bulls suffer from the same problem that a lot of other dog breeds are seeing, poor breeding and negligent owners. I would love to bring my dogs around and meet everyone of you. Ace is one of the sweetest dogs you could ever meet. I still wont leave him completely alone with any small child. And in public he is on a leash which i control. Its called responsibility. Whether its a min pin or a st bernard, I would be the same.

Here is a reality check. Did you read about the dead 10-year-old mauled to death by two pit bulls. I could go on, but to defend the sweetest dogs who eat children is a reality check.

thank you aaron ogden!!!!!!

I want to apologize for not getting back to this article sooner. I have been away from my desk. I will read through your comments and try to respond to as many as I can.

Really Doug? Really? If the only retort you have to the multiple people who tore your sad little article apart is nothing more than "Sweet Lord, THINK OF THE CHILDREN" it just shows how poorly informed you are regarding the subject matter at hand.

I guess we should just outlaw all breeds of dogs by your logic because ANY dog is capable of attacking a child and we have to think about the children don't we. Or do other dogs not attack children?

Doug York, do you know what you are? You are an extremest and an uninformed dumb ass. All you do is hate this breed. T is it sad what can happen to little kids? Yea. Is it really pathetic that you actually believe the stuff that comes out of your mouth. Most definitely. You are a sad excuse for a man. Someone who can sit there and shout accusations bout how ruthless and uncontrolable this breed is based one one individual dog is extremely biased and quite honestly I'm offended. What do you expect to happen wit some irresponsible owners? For a dog to be cute and cuddly? No offense but your living in a dream world if you think every dog will be nice. I DARE you to go get that book I mentioned earlier, the pitbull placebo. Read it. But I can already tell you won't. Wanna know how I know this? Bc your a sad excuse for a man that is scared. For you to be on this crusade to bash pitbulls is really pathetic. And yet I think it's humorous. You and what? One other person on here agrees wit what you spew from that ineducated mind or yours. And the rest of the 60 some comments are defending the breed. Um sorry but 1 your just out numbered and 2 your just stupid. Let Me know if you ever actually doligh wit that dare.

Ps Doug. Sorry for all the typos. Before you even think bout attacking my intelligence bc of them you ist realize that I am furious. I have no doubt in my mind that you prolly will comment on the typos and question my intelligence bc you will prolly feel cornered and offended and prolly pissed at Me for calling you out. But what can I say? The truth hurts. Get over it.

doug york, you are an arrogant, narrow minded ignorant man who should take the time and properly educate yourself.
i live on alot of land with another family member who owns a pit bull and pit/ridgeback mix who i would trust with my LIFE! those two dogs have protected us from alot and are the most loveing dogs we have. i also have a 10mo old son who they love too. they have NEVER growled snarled or even barked at him! i also have a huskey/pyranise/pit mix in my back yard who is an amazingly loyal and gentle. but my M.I.L. owns a shih zhu mix that has tryed to bite my son. i wont even go to her place without that dog being put up!
You keep pointing your fingers at this breed of dog but you need to be pointing at their owners and the ones that have done wrong! i guarentee those 2 dogs that mauled the boy were either strays or have been neglected or beaten. any dog in those conditions will do the same. and as for the family who lost their baby to the family pit shouldnt be able to kids if their stuid enough to leave any dog alone with a baby, especially a newborn! dogs feel threatened by any changes in the surroundings!
All dogs need the correct fencing, housing and proper care. Anybody that doesnt, doesnt need to own one. those people are the ones that need to be punished!
to the ignorant assholes who are for this bill you are nothing but killers! because all the innocent dogs in this state are going to be put down because of your stupid asses! i hope yall are happy with yourselves.

You only ever respond with "Look at the children who are being mauled." It's tragic, we all know that, but why are you blaming the breed? Do you blame all of humanity for the actions one person has done? Instead of pointing your finger at the Pit Bulls you should point them at the owner. because not only do we have to look at the children being mauled, we have to look at the dog that was abused and neglected and trained to be ruthless that got them to the point where they took their aggression on a child, then are killed without ever experiencing love. Have you ever experienced love? Probably not since you're such and ignorant fool, but let me tell you a world without love is heartbreaking and a lot of these animals never experience it because of horrible owners that only have a pit bull because they'll look "bad ass." Just know - if this does happen to become a big deal where they want to kill all pit bulls which is a genocide of sorts than you can fight alongside your two followers but we, the rational people that aren't prejudice are going to fight long and hard to see this disgusting bashing of pit bulls end. WE will fight for what we believe in and trust me there are many more pit bull supporters than you think and we won't give up until we save this breed! I DARE YOU TO TRY AND STOP US!

Doug, i want you to realize how much of an idiot you are. of course we wouldnt want a lion tiger or bear next door, those are natural born killers, and there have been plenty of dog attacks by dogs other than pit bull, (look at this article) http://www.accidentlawillinois.com/blog/child-bitten-in-throat-by-german-shepherd.cfm

you say we need to worry about the children, but if that were the case then that would mean that we should ban all dogs. your arguement is dull at that, i am a proud owner of a pitt bull and she is the sweetest dog i have ever owned, protective? yes. but only when someone walks into my house without knocking, which is what dogs are meant to do, (protect their owner) pit bulls are not natural born killers, a more compelling arguement would be maybe banning pitt bulls from people who have had dogs that have had recent attacks, but to kill a persons dog that has done nothing to anybody is almost barbaric, and yes i understand that these two pitt bulls attacked and killed a small child, those dogs should be put down, but thats not their fault it is their owners.

so next time you want to propose the killing of thousands of peoples pets you should look more into your research, you dumb SOB.

The sooner the better. There is a dog bite epidemic in the US, not so much because of breed (although pit bull-types were responsible for approximately 70% of the deaths-by dog in the US last year), but because people are trying to "humanize" dogs and turn them into something they are not. If people kept their dogs outdoors, where they belong, this in itself would reduce the number of attacks, particularly those on toddlers and infants.

But try suggesting this, and the dog freaks come back with "dogs are pack animals" and need close contact with their owners. This is untrue. People who have studied dogs in the wild have discovered they are NOT pack animals and have very little in common with the wolves (true pack animals) from which they were created.

True pack animals mate for life (dogs do not), both parents share in raising young (not true of dogs), have a clear-cut "pecking" order (dogs do not), kill only for food (dogs kill indiscriminately) and remain with the pack at all times (dogs do not).

Even the uninformed dog freaks (and most dog owners are uninformed dog freaks) are familiar with the indiscriminate mating habits of dogs and some of them even know that male dogs, if given half a chance, will kill puppies. Furthermore, unlike wolf packs that hunt and kill as a means of survival, groups of dogs kill purely for sport. They will come upon a herd of animals or flock of fowl and chase down and kill every one they possibly can -- literally tearing the animals (particulary the babies) apart alive. Additionally, dogs in the wild do not remain with a group of dogs, but come and go. For example, a female dog must remove herself from the group after giving birth to prevent the other dogs from killing her pups -- this does not happen in a wolf pack. For the most part, dogs in the wild are solitary, spend very little time in groups and even when they join a pack of dogs for the purpose of chasing down and killing other animals, studies have revealed they do not remain with the group.

The fact is, it makes no more sense to have a dog live inside with the family than it does to have a horse, cow or pig live inside with the family. Horses, cows, pigs and other farm animals are just as, if not more, “sociable” than dogs.

If all you pit nutters and dog freaks are really interested in preventing bans on certain type dogs, then you need to stop preaching that owners should “humanize” dogs by allowing them to live indoors and treat them like a “part of the family.” Unless you have fur, four legs and a tail, then no dog is “part of your family.” Dogs that live outdoors in the environment in which they were intended to live are much better adjusted than those forced to live and sleep indoors with humans. It is more inhumane to force a large dog to live indoors than it is to put it in a sack and throw it into the nearest river because drowning is quick – living indoors in cramped conditions lasts a lifetime.