Why Breed Banning will Not Work
March 22nd, 2007
I have heard both sides of the story. Ban Pit Bulls because they are dangerous. No! Do not ban them they are great dogs! Both sides have valid points and both sides are some what passionate about their views. But in that passion we fail to see the big picture. Or at least I think we do.
For example in Italy Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s are banned. You know those little long dogs that work cattle. They also banned Newfoundlands and a few other breeds that are not Pit Bulls or Pit Bull type dogs.
So why will banning dog breeds not work? I like to think that we are better than that. As people I mean. I mean instead of killing or should I say exterminating a complete generation of canines surely we can come up with something better.
For example, mandatory training for all dogs. Not just the “big” dogs or the “powerful” dogs.
Another way to help keep our streets safe from canine bites would be to require breeders to do background checks and really research the people buying one of their pups. Some breeders do this already.
A legal contract that binds the owners by law into specific terms (like training and spaying/neuter non-show dogs).
These things would go a long way to helping solve the Pit Bull dilemma. They would go even farther in solving the mass production of companion animals that are inferior due to irresponsible breeding and handling practices.
I don’t compare the dog problem to the gun problem because Pit Bulls and other canines are not weapons. They are living breathing animals that when not respected can cause tremendous damage to people’s lives. This goes for all dogs, of all sizes, of all breeds.
The worst bite I have had in my life was from a pair of bird dogs. One had me the other tried to get me but knocked the first dog off my leg. It took 15 stitches and a lot of pain for 12 year old. Yet I do not blame the dog for the bite. I was cutting through their yard to go to school and thought they were put up. Unfortunately for them they were out. They were put in the shelter for 10 days and then released to their owners.
As I think about it now my family could have easily said, “Ban those dogs!” but in those days if you were bitten by a dog it wasn’t a national media sensatio
Breed banning will never work because you have people with passion on the side of the dogs and the side of common sense. Common sense says the problem lies in the fact people do not recognize owning a dog has more to it than putting them in the back yard to stare at like some play thing.
Owning a bully breed is a privilege and not a right. If you are a bully breed friend remember that.
Bet Regards,
Jason Mann
The Most Complete Pit Bull Information Site Online
Categories: Pit Bull Blog |
I own a three year old chihuahua and a 11 month old pit. My pit is the light of my life. She is the sweetest, smartest dog I have ever owned. The chihuahua is another story. He is tempermental and has bitten three people in the three months since we adopted him. Have people go to the site that shows something like 40 pictures of dogs thought to be pits and only one of them is. When you assume that all these breeds are pits and therefore pits are dangerous, you deny the world one of the most loving breeds I have ever come in contact with. I am a reformed pit bull hater… always believed the hype…now,I would never, ever, ever give my girl up. not even for all the money in the world. Anyone want a chihuahua that bites? :)
I totally agree with this, I have some articles on my site about this too. Breed Specific legislation is garbage, its the owners that need the punishment, no the breed.
I do not believe the banning of the pit bull is going to work either.
They have tried to ban many things in the past, Marijuana, alcohol, etc. and it did not work.
My personal belief for the banning of the pit bull is based more on emotion than on fact. I believe that one main fact to be the dog was originally bred as a fighting dog.
Come on now, how many long years ago was that??? There are a lot of breeders out there now that do not breed for that purpose any longer, so genetically speaking that fact is a huge flaw. Can you imagine how many people will lose pets because they look like a pit.
The many wrong people that own the pit for whatever violent reason are not going to care about violating a dog ordinance, and besides these people are just going to find a new breed of dog.
Jason, I too would like to believe as people we are better than that, it’s just lately I’m really beginning to worry.
They do not even seem to be taking into consideration the many pits out there as police dogs, therapy dogs, rescue etc. I agree they need to pass a a legislation for a more responsible pet owner. The bad guys will still find a way around it, but at least the good guys will stand a fighting chance.
Thank God for the people like Sharron, who knew the violence there dogs have been through and still took a chance on them anyway.
Whatever happened to people being responsible for there own.
All in all I believe the ban is out of fear and a banning of the breed is an easy way out.
Lets hope common sense prevails,
I just wanted to let you know that today on the radio, I heard that a Daschund bit a 5 month old baby’s privates off, and ate it (ironic isn’t it?). I don’t know if this is true, and I couldn’t find anything about it on the net, but I can assure you that if it had been a Pit Bull or any other pitbull type dog, stupid people from all over would be raising hell right now, and the story would probably be all over the national news. Stupid people make the world go ’round, that’s for sure.
BSL will NEVER solve any problems. BSL will only create more problems and more polarity between intelligent, responsible dog owners, and those blind, misinformed individuals who seem to have a chip on their shoulder.
Jason, I also want to thank you for what you have done and continue o do with this website… and my buddy Harley thanks you, also (his tail is wagging, anyway). He just turned 1 on March 15, 2007 and is a healthy 59.9 lb bundle of curiosity and energy.
Thank you again.
I agree that a ban will not work. The biggest reason being that when you ban something, you only take it away from people willing to comply with the ban i.e. good law abiding citizens. I just started my own blog on pit bulls, and i’m having a slow start, come check it out at http://pitbullforum.blogspot.com/
and post something!
Exactly what points to proponents of BSL have that are valid? I’m curious as to what these could be. Sure, there are some vicious dogs out there, but banning an entire breed when it is far from clear that the breed is indeed vicious (i.e., bite, fatality, etc. type statistics are paltry to say the least).
Jason,
Thank you for your valuable insights and opinions; and for the work you put into this Blog as well as the PitBullLovers website.
This post is dead on target!
Dogs are not weapons, that’s so true. If you want to take another issue as an analogy which may be closer to the real issues at hand with working breed dogs. Let’s look at special-purpose motor vehicles. A pit bull could be likened to a tractor-trailer rig. Serves a valuable purpose in our society, but in the wrong hands can be quite dangerous. An 18-wheeler can turn a Honda Civic into a large metal and plastic Frisbee in the blink of an eye; and can turn an unwary motorcyclist into a large bugsplat. Do we ban them from our public roads? I don’t know of anywhere where that’s being given any kind of serious attention. The route we’ve chosen with large and powerful machines capable of creating real mass havoc is to regulate who gets to operate them. We don’t get as careful with little “f4%tmobiles” that can be more annoying than the big rigs, and can be just as dangerous on a smaller scale in the hands of a drunk or drugged-up imbecile on any city street in this country.
Just as we single out and train professional and semi-pro drivers to handle our bigger and louder machines, maybe the idea of training (and licensing?) owners may have some merit after all. Does the state have to get involved? Probably not, if we can figure out a way to get idiots to stop breeding for characteristics other than good general conformation and stable temperament.
The fact that I took the time to check out some information from reputable people hopefully gives me a leg up on many folks who get a “pitbull” because it’s cool, because of a sick need to create intimidation in others, or all the other weird “becauses” out there.
Zulu actually comes into my home for the first time next Tuesday, April 17th, 2007, although I have known him since he was a pup. (He turns seven this fall.) I agreed to take him only because what I already knew about his breed and his behavior strongly suggested that he suffers from lack of exercise, (he spends most of his time in the garage, due to cold weather — Alaska — and lack of a time commitment on my son-in-law’s part) lack of training and positive discipline, (my son-in-law is his playmate, not his leader) and my son-in-law’s failure to have him neutered. My research on the web, through you website and a couple of other good ones, seems to support that conclusion.
So I decided to offer the rescue, with the conditions being that he’s MY dog, and not Brian’s any more, and he gets neutered immediately on arrival in Arizona. Good thing Zulu can’t read this.
I am not a thug or a gangsta or a druggie or a skinhead. I am a 58 year old federal government employee, and I am far too old to worry about “lookin’ cool”. I am “rescuing” Zulu because he suffers from lack of exercise, proper training, and guardianship/leadership. My wife says the same thing about me, too, but hopefully she won’t have me neutered. He has NEVER displayed human OR dog aggression (some dog dominance, yes — aggression, no.) but I felt, and my daughter and her husband agreed, that Zulu would be better off with me in Arizona, where we can walk and exercise each other, and I can work with him (EVERY DAY!!) to establish rules and limits on his indoor and outdoor conduct. He and I both suffer from lack of exercise. His response is to become a huge quivering bundle of dog nerves. Mine is to sit on the couch and grow roots. Ours may be a match made in Heaven! At least, I’ll tell myself that at four AM when Zulu and I get up to go for our walk before work.
Again, thanks for your valuable insight, and keep up your good work!
In October 2006 I produced, shot, and edited a short documentary pod, Ambassadors of the Breed, to advocate for Pit Bulls endangered by Breed Specific Legislation. The video can be found on Current TV, YouTube, and MySpace, and has been invited this summer to the Action on Film Festival in Long Beach, CA.
In May 2007, I am visiting family in Denver. If you don’t know yet, Denver has banned Pit Bulls. During my visit, I want to make a sister video to Ambassadors featuring the Pit Bull Underground in Denver where many desperate owners rescue their pets from capture and euthanization. If I am successful in Denver, I plan to film 2 more videos on the issue to make this a 4-part story.
To do this, I need help.
•If you are in Denver and have been devastated by the ban on your pet.
•If you know of anyone in the Denver area negatively effected by this legislation.
•If you have participated in what is considered the Pit Bull Underground.
• If you have relocated to California from Denver to save your pet.
I want to meet you!
I can connect you online with references that will attest to my professional and considerate filmmaking. Of course, Ambassadors of the Breed demonstrates best where I stand on this important issue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ClM6UZknTc
http://www.current.tv/watch/13598088 http://www.myspace.com/ambassadorsofthebreed
I am very excited to initiate another part of my Series to Save Pit Bulls. I appreciate any of your time, attention, and assistance with my filmmaking.
Sincerely,
Jenn Dorn
Yikes! Jason …
First … Is it true that Pemmies (Pembroke Corgis) are banned in Italy? Where do I read more about this? I adore the breed, having had one for 13 plus years and miss her terribly. I also adore Italy … and this sounds horrid.
Secondly … I found your site, Googling about deaf pit bull puppies … Yes, I am currently being considered to adopt a sweet little guy, 3-1/2 months old and totally deaf. He was found in a dumpster at 8-weeks and one can only imagine what happened to him before that. One would never know now, as he is a little doll … He romps & plays with my friends 7-week old Pemmie with delight as if all the world was filled with nothing but good people. Luckly he can not hear when someone points and says he is bad to the core because of his crime … He is a pit bull.
I had no idea until now how horrible it is for these dogs! I mean, I’ve heard stories … but I have always taken every animal on a one on one individual basis. It never occured to me to think that an entire breed was “bad” because one individual within it commited an act it shouldn’t have. And for some reason, it never came to mind others would either. I mean, how stupid would I have to be to lump everyone of a particular race together as the same?
So … the question is … Any information on how to socialize a deaf (and somewhat sight impared) APBT, when already people back away when they even see him with me … All because of the pit bull thing? Here is the perfect little ambassador for the breed … How do I help him?
Where do I start?
Leave the dogs alone and just ban stupid people! That’s been my motto for a few years now, and I’m sticking to it!
Keep up the good work Jason!
With sincere appreciation,
Jeanne, Dexy, Axl, and Angelika
Owning a bully breed is not a privilege but a right. Does anyone have the authority to tell you what kind of house or car you can own? What about how many children you can have? I’m tired of all the politically correct crap. I own a pit bull type dog, hunt, fish, and chew tobacco. I own a SUV and a truck. If anyone dislikes my tastes, stay away from me. If you approach me and complain, you might carry your A$$ home in a sling. I like what I like. If you like something else fine, but don’t push your views on me because I won’t push my views on you.
there is no such thing as a bad breed just bad owners!!!!!
as of the first of january 06 in australia it has become illegal to breed purchase or sell an APBT those with a pre-existing APBT must house the dog in a steel cage with a 2inch thick cement floor. the dogs must be walked on a chain with a full face muzzle and only during certain hours when there are less people around from 5 till 6 in the morning or 8 till 9 at night now this i reckon is over kill whats your opinion. personally i love my pitbull he is the sweetest guy you would ever meet!
i do not think that the breed banning will work. i think it is the easy way out for some people. instead of talking to the irresponsible owners they want to get rid of a whole breed. they are not even worried about taking and killing someone elses best friend they just want to fix the problem with the easy way because they are lazy! i hate all those pit bull haters!