Real "Pit Bulls"

Although the common perception of "pit bulls" and their owners is less than stellar it is not a realistic representation of the dogs or the people who love them.

Groups like the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have long been wearing down the public with perceptions of demon dogs owned by criminals, drug dealers, gang members and dog fighters.

They rarely speak about the responsible people or come out in defense of the breed. Instead they take every opportunity to spout vilifying statistics which even the CDC renounce as untrustworthy.

"ZAHN (voice-over): The Humane Society estimates that 40,000 people in the U.S. stage animal fights for sport and profit. Among them are drug dealers, backyard breeders and gangs, who abuse pit bulls to create fierce, aggressive dogs, prone to attack.

WAYNE PACELLE, HUMAN SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES: Pit bulls are the dogs of choice for dog fighters. And the combination of a strong dog and a person with the wrong ideas and wrong attitude makes for a combustible situation.

ZAHN: But the problem with pit bulls goes way beyond dark alleys. The family dog can also turn deadly. In San Francisco, little Nicky Faibish just 12 years old, was mauled to death by at least one of his family's two pet pit bulls. His mom was running errands, leaving Nicky alone with the dogs, and returned to discover the grisly scene. Now Maureen Faibish faces felony charges, including child endangerment. And San Francisco officials are considering an extreme and controversial measure, rewriting state law to allow for a breed- specific band on pit bulls altogether.

GAVIN NEWSOM (D), MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO: I think it's time that we get serious about pit bulls in this city, we get serious about pit bulls in this state, we get serious about pit bulls across the United States of America.

ZAHN: Fueling the debate, the fact that Nicky's tragedy wasn't an isolated attack. The Bay Area has seen a number of pit bull attacks in the past few years, with children like 8-year-old Annette Rojas and 14-year-old Shawn Jones among the worst casualties.

CARL FRIEDMAN, SORT OF ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL: Pit bulls are a problem. Let's not shy away from that. Let's not put our heads in the sand.

ZAHN: A 20-year study by the Centers For Disease Control shows that, in a country with more 4.5 million dog bites every year, children are most often the victims and pit bulls most often the perpetrators, causing more fatalities than any other breed."

-CNN Paula Zahn transcript aired July 12th, 2005

"A CDC study on fatal dog bites lists the breeds involved in fatal attacks over 20 years (Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998).

It does not identify specific breeds that are most likely to bite or kill, and thus is not appropriate for policy-making decisions related to the topic. Each year, 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs. These bites result in approximately 16 fatalities; about 0.0002 percent of the total number of people bitten. These relatively few fatalities offer the only available information about breeds involved in dog bites. There is currently no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill.

Many practical alternatives to breed-specific policies exist and hold promise for preventing dog bites. For prevention ideas and model policies for control of dangerous dogs, please see the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions: A community approach to dog bite prevention."

-Center for Disease Control and Prevention

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had this to say about "pit bulls" on their website as reasoning for their support of breed bans:

"Over and over again, PETA rescues pit bulls like these from people who beat, starve, and neglect them; chain them to metal drums as “guard” dogs; or train them to attack people and fight other animals. We remove them from abusive homes and contact cruelty case prosecutors in their behalf. We also speak out against dogfighting"

-PETA's Position on Pit Bull Bans

These kinds of statements are constantly being thrown into the world, quoted over and over by news outlets and blogs and ignorant people of all kinds. They take on a life of their own and in the collective mind of the public, these statements are the quintessential pit bull owner. A drug dealing, dog fighting criminal who needs to be banned from civilized society.

Meanwhile, at home watching news casts and reading blogs about how awful and evil pit bull's and their owners are is the REAL pit bull owner. A real person who loves their dog. This person can be of any race, any sex and any age. They are lawyers, doctors, financial experts, fast food workers, stay at home moms. They are Americans of all kinds. And, although some pit bull owners are dog fighting, drug dealing criminals, they are sick of watching themselves be demonized by this unfair perception that they, the responsible pit bull owner, are somehow a minority. These people know tens even hundreds of other responsible pit bull owners. They talk to them every day and yet the rest of the world acts like they do not exist.

Most responsible pit bull owner's end up eventually surrounding themselves with other responsible pit bull owners. People they meet at the pet supply store, dog shows, weight pulls, agility competitions or where ever- who do not constantly give them the dreaded look.

The "Look":
Every responsible pit bull owner (as well as many Rottweiler, Doberman and other "dangerous" dog owners) has seen it, felt it and resented it. They meet someone and as they get to know them eventually they mention they own "pit bulls." The other person either falls silent or immediately starts spouting hurtful stereotypes like "aren't you afraid for your children" or "why would you want one of those monsters?" And, then you see it. A look of disgust or even fear. Suddenly they think, maybe YOU are one of those drug dealing, dog fighting criminals they have heard so much about. And, even though they usually don't say it you know it. If you ever see them again you know what they will be thinking, and how they will look at you.

Like a second class citizen.

Although the world ignores them. Although the media denies them the equal coverage they should be afforded. Although they are constantly being vilified and criminalized by unfair laws. They exist. They love their dogs. They love pit bulls. In all the shapes and sizes that the many breeds which are encompassed in the words "pit bull" come in, they love them.

Responsible pit bull owners can connect in many ways. Often times through breed clubs which are part of all the major dog registries who cater to the different "pit bull" breeds.

American Dog Breeders Association
United Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
Sporting Dog Registry
All American Dog Registry

Breed Specific Legislation Elimination

Everyday in America the war is being waged on "pit bulls" in the form of Breed Specific Legislation. Groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Best Friends are using their political and public influence to systematically outlaw and eliminate dog breeds in cities and counties across the country.

Some wars are won and some lost. But, there are a few things that every "pit bull" owner, breeder and advocate need to know in order to stand a chance in their community.

This edition of United We Bark will cover the reasons behind BSL. Stay tuned for future editions covering how to fight bsl and who you can trust in the Animal "welfare" community.

BSL is presented to the public as a means for controlling dangerous dogs and curbing dog bites in the community. However, any one who researches the subject can see that the actual danger from "pit bull" dogs is wildly overstated and BSL does not successfully address the problems which cause dog bites in the community.

Neither the CDC, AVMA or AKC acknowledge breed specific legislation as a means to effectively reducing dog bites in communities. Dog Bite Prevention week is sponsored each year by the CDC, AVMA and USPS. They collectively reject BSL and recommend other means of control and prevention.

As outlined in A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention The AVMA's Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions states:

"Concerns about “dangerous” dogs have caused many local governments to consider supplementing existing animal control laws with ordinances directed toward control of specific breeds or types of dogs. Members of the Task Force believe such ordinances are inappropriate and ineffective."

". . . a dog’s tendency to bite depends on at least 5 interacting factors: heredity, early experience, later socialization and training, health (medical and behavioral), and victim behavior."

"Breed-specific ordinances, however, raise constitutional questions concerning dog owners’ fourteenth amendment rights of due process and equal protection. When a specific breed of dog is selected for control, 2 constitutional questions are raised: first, because all types of dogs may inflict injury to people and property, ordinances addressing only 1 breed of dog appear to be underinclusive and, therefore, violate owners’ equal protection rights; and second, because identification of a dog’s breed with the certainty necessary to impose sanctions on the dog’s owner is impossible, such ordinances have been considered unconstitutionally vague and, therefore, to violate due process."

What the Animal Rights community hopes to gain from BSL:

• Allowing Warrantless Search and Seizure
  
  “if pit bulls were illegal to possess, law enforcement officials could obtain search warrants where pit bulls are discovered and during such a search, additional evidence of their dog fighting could be discovered and seized for felony prosecutions”.
  - Kory Nelson, City Attorney, Denver, Colorado
  
  This can be said for anything "discovered" on your property at the time that a warrant for your "pit bull" is being executed, even things that are not in plain view.
  
  
• Gaining Police powers and forfeiture of assets for "private charities"
  
  Senate Bill 1775 by Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, would allow the forfeiture of property used for dogfighting.
  
  
• By-pass Due Process
  
  In the case of BSL dogs are confiscated and killed often without allowing a trial or opposition from the dog owner. Most Breed Specific laws actually have written in clauses which eliminate the right of due process.
  
  
• Making formerly responsible and law abiding dog owners into a new class of criminals
  
  The Humane Society of the United States has been painting "pit bull" owners as criminals, gang members and dog fighters for years. Now, with the use of BSL they are making law abiding citizens into criminals by outlawing their beloved pets. The choice of dog lovers becomes: Abide by the law and kill your dog OR Break the law and hide/relocate your dog.
  
  

  From the HSUS Website:
  How to Spot Signs of Dogfighting in Your Community (comments in red)
  

• An inordinate number of pit bulls being kept in one location, especially multiple dogs who are chained and seem unsocialized. This could include rescue organizations, responsible dog breeders and other people. The perception of a dog "seeming unsocialized" is left to the person to determine without having met the dog or conversed with the dog owner.
• Dogs with scars on their faces, front legs and stifle area (hind end and thighs). Also could include dogs at a rescue, being fostered for an adoption agency, or dogs with pre-existing conditions which have caused excess scratching in the past.
• Dogfighting training equipment such as
  • treadmills used to build dogs' endurance Responsible dog breeders of many breeds use treadmills to ensure that their dogs receive healthy exercise as recommended by veterinarians to maintain healthy weight which was proven to help dogs lead a healthy life by the Purina Life Span Study. You can see on the AVMA website a study in which veterinarians utilized specialized treadmills for dogs in a study on obesity.
    
  
  
  • "break sticks" used to pry apart the jaws of dogs locked in battle Responsible dog owners of the Bully breeds should own and carry a break stick in case of unintentional altercations between their dogs and unfamiliar animals. In the event an incident does occur the break stick is the fastest and safest way (for both animals involved) to separate the dogs.
  • tires or "springpoles" (usually a large spring with rope attached to either end) hanging from tree limbs Police K9 units and responsible dog owners who participate in Schutzhund competitions with their dogs can both benefit from the jaw strengthening safe play which is provided by a spring pole.
• Unusual foot traffic coming and going from a location at odd hours. This could apply to rescue organizations, home based veterinarians, dog breeders who sell puppies, any person who happens to have friends.

• The addition of more and more breeds to the dangerous dog list, thereby effectively eliminating dog ownership in America over a period of many years. Currently 75 breeds have been targeted by the Animal Rights advocates to be restricted and/or banned somewhere in the United States. It is only a matter of time until they petition Congress and WIN to outlaw these breeds and more in the United States as a whole.
  
  
  PETA in particular is not shy about their hatred for "pets" in America;
  ". . . we believe that it would have been in the animals' best interests if the institution of "pet keeping"—i.e., breeding animals to be kept and regarded as "pets"—never existed. The international pastime of domesticating animals has created an overpopulation crisis; as a result, millions of unwanted animals are destroyed every year as "surplus." This selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them causes immeasurable suffering. . ."
  
  ". . . many kind individuals fall prey to the picket-fence appeal of so-called "responsible" breeders and fail to recognize that no matter how kindly a breeder treats his or her animals, as long as dogs and cats are dying in animal shelters and pounds because of a lack of homes, no breeding can be considered "responsible."


All of this moral browbeating, meanwhile. . .

"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a group that complains bitterly when animals die accidentally in horse races or intentionally in slaughterhouses, killed more than 90 percent of the adoptable animals in its care during 2007."

"In comparison, the Virginia Beach SPCA, right down the road from PETA’s Norfolk headquarters, managed to adopt out almost 70% of the animals in its care last year. And it did it on a relative shoestring budget."
Reported by Peta Kills Animals as of 10/3/08

Not to mention that the realistic basis for what PETA calls a pet overpopulation crisis has been vehemently disproved by Nathan Winograd's Redemption a book praised and renowned for it's honest portrayal of the broken Animal Control system in America which advocates killing instead of adopting for millions of healthy and wanted pets each year.

"Redemption is a passionate advocacy for ending the killing of homeless dogs and cats in shelters. Telling the story of how the movement of animal sheltering in the United States was born of compassion and lost its way... Redemption offers hope that America can yet change its ways. Highly recommended. – Midwest Book Reviews, midwestbookreview.com.

"[T]he most provocative and best-informed overview of animal sheltering ever written." – Merritt Clifton, Animal People. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"An important work... The world owes much to those rare individuals who see things differently - and who then devote themselves to vindicating their maverick conclusions." – The Bark, thebark.com. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"[An] excellent, empowering new book." – Julia Szabo, Fetchdog.com, New York Post Pet Writer. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"One of the most important books you’ll read this year."– Beth Flor, Pajiba.com

Winograd's book tells how successful the no kill shelter movement can be in America, preventing scenes like this from happening. PETA calls no kill shelters "less than ideal." They claim No Kill Shelter systems can not work. Meanwhile, Winograd "presided over America’s two most successful experiments in what’s become known as the “No-Kill” animal shelter movement.

At SPCAs in San Francisco and Tompkins County, New York, Winograd showed that No-Kill animal sheltering -- the brand of hands-on animal care that deep-pocketed animal “rights” groups like PETA and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) ironically oppose -- can work." - Center for Consumer Freedom

In an interview with the Center for Consumer Freedom Winograd answers some tough questions about Redemption which may help you understand why you should READ THIS BOOK.

All in all,through research into the subject, it becomes painfully obvious that Animal Rights groups who advocate, or even just help along, breed specific measures in cities and counties around the country are not doing it to stop dog bites in those communities. Breed bans DO NOT stop or reduce the overall number of dog bites in a community.

Dog bites are caused by irresponsible ownership and lack of enforcement of existing fair laws in communities. Every American city needs to employ Responsible Dog Ownership Laws as opposed to BSL, like those suggested by Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States. If they did I guarantee a drop in dog bites, prolonged animal cruelty and reoffenders in communities around the country.

It also becomes obvious, if you follow the spread of BSL through the country and the world for a short time, how much of a real problem this is. BSL is becoming a pandemic and rapidly spreading. Without the committed involvement of every dog owner in America I fear myself and all dogs like me will soon be near extinction in America and around the world.

Guardianship: A Stepping Stone in the Wrong Direction

Lately, I have been hearing many organizations using the term "guardianship" instead of "ownership" when referring to the human-dog relationship. While I love to be treated like a member of the family and respected as thus, this term has me worried.

Many people may say why? And here it is. . .

I, being a dog, like to feel secure in my living situation. Ownership tells me that my person "owns" me and by law, under the constitution, has rights to me. This means that no government has legal right to take me away, upsetting my living arrangement without proof that my owner has broken a law.

That being said, many times BSL does take us dogs from our owners. But, this is illegal and violates our human's rights under the 4th, 5th and 14th amendments of the United States Constitution. In particular, the 14th Amendment states that the government shall not deprive citizens of property without due process. So, when BSL is enacted, it is in violation of these amendments and can be challenged in court. Often times it is challenged, and although cities and states have more money and time to fight in court, occasionally humans win. When they do win it is by proving that Breed Specific Legislation has violated "due process" by resulting in "grievous harm to property and liberty."

This is why the term guardianship has been concocted. Animals, including dogs, are currently considered PROPERTY by law in the United States. However, Under the Constitution of the United States a guardian does not hold property rights over it's "ward." In fact, making dog owners into dog "guardians" would not only erase the legal premise by which BSL can be fought and won, it may also place undue strain on the dog-human relationship. For example, a guardian of a child is bound by law to put the interest of the child before themselves. This means if the child needs a million dollar operation the guardian must undergo the financial hardship of doing such operation and if the guardian refuses the state can actually file suit against said guardian on behalf of the ward. In such cases with dogs, a veterinarian or other official could decide that the food or medical treatment a guardian has chosen for it's ward is insufficient and they could file suit on the ward's behalf.

This would make dog guardianship much more complicated and expensive than is dog ownership, perhaps even reducing the number of available good homes in America for dogs like myself.

Additionally, human guardians are tracked by the state in the case of having human wards. Human-dog guardians would probably be the same way, adding another undue strain on the individuals involved and the regulatory system created around this ideal.

You may be thinking, who is suggesting "dog guardianship" anyway?

Many of the Animal Rights organizations you may have thought were warm and fuzzy actually support the elimination of pet owner rights and even BSL.

ASPCA Position On Ownership vs. Guardianship

“By viewing animals as more than mere property, the focus shifts from the ownership interest in the animal to what is in the best interest of that individual animal. This altered view of animals necessarily requires that we treat them with greater respect and compassion and a higher level of care. In turn, our relationship with the animal becomes one of a “caretaker,” whose sole responsibility is to protect and nurture the animal, rather than an “owner,” who has title to and dominion over the animal for the owner’s enjoyment and benefit as he/she sees fit.”

“To fully recognize this new relationship between humans and animals, laws must change accordingly. Converting “owner” to “guardian,” however, is more than semantics. It raises many important questions regarding society’s duty of care toward and use of animals. For example, can we continue to use animals in medical research and for human consumption and still consider ourselves their guardians? These practices certainly are not in the animals’ best interests, nor do they respect them as separate and unique entities capable of experiencing pain, fear and suffering. What, then, is our duty of care toward animals whom we exploit for human interests?”

Read the bold above, as a dog, the idea that the ASPCA wants to make cows illegal to eat makes me afraid for my life. Although humans can live as healthy vegans, we dogs are carnivores.

ASPCA Position
While the legal status of animals remains to be resolved, the ASPCA recognizes that the cultural and social relationship that humans have with animals clearly transcends that of property, and is better reflected by the term “guardian” than by the term “owner.” The ASPCA therefore advocates the use of the term “guardian.”

The ASPCA is an organization which most people think of as a very mainstream animal protection agency. But, with is current adoption of guardianship language we dogs are seeing that it is really just a PETA or HSUS in friendlier clothes.

I for one, feel much safer knowing that if BSL passes where I live, my humans will have a constitutional basis to fight for my life!

Responsible Dog Owners Unite. . .

I am writing this blog as a means to reach responsible dog owners across the country. Why? Because, there are more of you than the HSUS and PETA want to admit and you need a platform for making yourselves known. Every day so called "dangerous dog laws" are stripping away your rights across the country and criminalizing you.

It is time to stand up and make a change! You need to tell America that you beloved pups are here to stay and no combination of mandatory spay/neuter, anti- tethering or breed ban laws will make us leave!

I hope that you will subscribe to this blog and tell your friends about it because there is revolution coming and I would like you and every other dog owner in America to be part of it!