http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/15/pitbull.attack.ap/index.html

Episodes like this are why BSL is able to go forward. Irresponsible idiots shouldn't own dogs, period.

I'm going to get on my soap box for a bit here. If you read through the forum, the type of "a dog charged me while walking my dog" post is fairly common. Advice ranging from pepper spray to firearms has been suggested, but I'd like to bring one point to crystal clarity: REPORT THESE EPISODES!!
Start putting irresponsible dog owners that let their dog run free and threaten people and property on notice - don't allow even *one* episode to go unreported. Maybe the boneheads will learn after a few tickets by Animal Control. And if your Animal Control is not helpful, keep reporting the incident until they respond, they're public servants and *you* pay their paycheck. Or call the press and try and get them interested, there are all sorts of angles to play here. Write editorials for your newspaper and raise public awareness. And remember, you can always run for a slot on the Animal Control Board yourself ( if I can get elected with my apperance, *anybody* can! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> )

But we need to do something. Irresponsible fools ruin a good thing for everyone, and I'm *sick* of it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Rant off.

Here, there's a pretty outspoken dog welfare organization that actually SUPPORTS BSL...and not just on pits, but any dog that can potentially supposedly 'harm' a human. The list included Bullmastiffs and the 'exotic' breeds like Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Dogos, etc. I think their reason was 'these dogs were bred to fight', so they don't posture and are genetically aggressive. They go on to say that they know a lot of good pits, but no one should breed them, and all of these breeds should be eventually 'phased' out. That extinct breeds never hurt anyone.

If they succeed, and I'm reading this correctly, then I'll be unable to own any molloser-type dog, a dog which I so obviously admire!

I just don't understand why they lump all the other breeds in when they all have different backgrounds and not all have been used to fight. Everything has a potential to become dangerous. I don't think the Rottweiler or the Doberman made it to the list, though I may be wrong...so they're discriminating.

I don't know, I'm losing my words, but I know it's just wrong when they're trying to fight the existence of a LOT of breeds with their reason only being 'genetic aggressiveness', and yeah, I know a lot of idiots are responsible for the reputation of these dogs...but does that justify their way of saying, "If you support anti-BSL, you support this..." while showing a picture of a perfectly happy presa-type dog staring at the screen and panting?

So even within the animal lovers there's all sorts of wars and stuff. I'm sick of it too. I want some sort of molosser in the next decade or so. What if they succeed? Does this mean I have to move?!

No one is talking BSL here.. yet. Mostly here in the newspapers and talk radio everyone is talking more vigorious enforcement of leash laws,and increasing fines and criminal charges. I'm in the Bible belt here and many ppl refer to Old Testament text about letting a known dangerous animal loose out in public. which basicly says that you are responsible for the persons death or injury. This is going to be discussed in our Commonwealth of Va Legislate.

Some rumors of BSL on and off again here.. but on the other side of the issue:

"A Lynnwood woman went to jail Friday to serve her three-day sentence for letting her dog run loose. She was cited five times before a judge finally sentenced her." (Washington)


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 Quote:

I just don't understand why they lump all the other breeds in when they all have different backgrounds and not all have been used to fight. Everything has a potential to become dangerous. I don't think the Rottweiler or the Doberman made it to the list, though I may be wrong...so they're discriminating.

Discrimination against certain breeds is definitely a part of it. I`m not sure where but they were going to ban any dog that had pit bull in it`s breed heritage. That would include Boxers who are considered the #2 family dog in America. That`s just stupid. The only dog that has ever approached me aggresively on walks was a shih tzu. He was small enough that I could just kick him a couple of feet until his owners picked him up. Of course the dog was off leash and was obviously not trained.

Problem with BSL is, as people always say, WHERE do you draw the line? Why the Bullmastiff? I've heard people say they don't even have work potential anymore, that they're just big drool monsters that love everyone (correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm basing this off something I read in Dogs in Canada). And yes, that would just be stupid to outlaw the Boxer.

Fact is, I can come up to most pit-bull and mastiff-type dogs and make friends with them faster than I can dogs of most breeds. They're just mellow, friendly, or don't care. I used to work as a vet assistant and I've always sworn I'd rather get into a cage with this type of dog than any other, and I was serious. Out of fifteen pit bulls that went in and out of the clinic we've only had like one vicious one, and can you really blame her? We had her on a rabies pole and was sticking needles into her.

Heard these people talking about that pounds per square inch thing. Wanted so bad to get the experts here to tell them WHY that isn't a good basis on their argument, that biting is biting and the only reason pit bulls bite so well is because they're terriers and you know how tenacious they can get...

Some neighbors of mine have a mutt they let run loose and a new pit bull puppy they try to keep in the yard. While walking my gsd the other evening the pit came charging out at us. Turned out to be a sweet little pup who just wanted to play and get an ear scratched. We waited while the young brothers (9 and 11) came to get the pup. They both started kicking him and screaming for him to get in the house. The poor pup had no ideawhat to do and was running in circles. I tried to tell the kids to ease up but they wouldn't listen. I even offered to teach the kids how to make their dog do the cool tricks that mine does...you know, heel, come that sort of thing but no luck. All I could think is that here's another pit bull attack just waiting to make the news.

Where the line gets drawn really is the big question. The fact is that the same people who fail to control their rotties would fail to control their labs if rotties were made illegal.

I wonder if part of the reputation problem is that rotties and pitbulls get reported more often. While jogging on the bikepath this weekend with our dogs, my sister and I were charged by a mutt who lived across the street. Looked to be an aussie mix. We spoke up right away and yelled "No" and "go home" and it stopped dead in its tracks so no harm done. But, if it charged us, it probably charged others and I can't help but believe that someone would be more likely to report a charging pitbull than a charging aussie. Now that I think about it, I probably should've reported it, but it had left my mind by the time I got home.

We had a feature on the news this morning about a family's dog that bit their 5 yr old son on the face and they showed the 3 punctures on the kid's cheek. Thing is the news claimed the dog was Rottie-Chow mix. The dog looked like the old hound off of the Beverly Hillbillies!

We also had a story last week, top of the news broadcast, about a local in-home daycare where a small shild was bit by the lady's dog. The 3 y/o was crawling on the dog's back and the dog turned around and bit him on the leg. Didn't break the skin, and they never mentioned what the breed was, but still...GOTTA GET IT ON THE NEWS! My thoughts were #1 - is this REALLY newsworthy? #2 - is this city really THIS boring, #3 - where was the owner, #4 - how many times did this dog growl "Get this little brat off me or else!" and #5 - why was the dog around kids who did not live there?!

Stupid people <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Unfortunately, fear makes for good news. We just had on the news a few days ago a very dramatic scene at a home; helicopters swarming overhead with spot lights and news cameras and the voiceover repeating "this just in, officer attacked by pitbulls. one dog had to be shot. the other is being brought out. I repeat, officer attacked by a pitbull". The dog they brought out looked nothing like a pit, just a generic brown dog...probably some type of shepherd mix. But that doesn't warrent a helicopter and reporter. It has to be labeled as something, and might as well go with the most recognizeable label. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />