A Pit Bull is the best nanny any child can have” are words that Mayor Denis Coderre could not bear to hear after introducing a bylaw regarding breed specific legislation, commonly shortened to BSL, on September 27 2016. The bylaw comes on the heels of an incident that has taken place in June, where a woman in her fifties was mauled to death by what the city believes to be Pit Bull—it is important to note that a DNA test has yet to confirm this, however—and in response, the mayor opted not to condemn the owner of the dog but rather an entire breed. While the decision has been made in an effort to reinforce public safety, Mayor Coderre has chosen to not get to the root of the biting problem, instead he simply covered up a bigger problem by not holding owners accountable, therefore setting the new bylaw up for failure. The overall bias regarding the correlation between dog bites and breeds, the underlying causes which prompt a dog to bite, a veterinarian’s right of not putting a dog down solely based on appearances and the SPCA’s threat to end all their canine services as well as their intent to sue the city are more than enough evidence to suggest that a different route ought to be taken in order to lower dog-bite statistics.
First of all, bias in relation with dog-bite statistics is a growing phenomenon, and given that many record go off of what bite victims say in regards to breeds, there is room for mistakes to be made. Zak George, former presenter of the TV show
Pit Bulls are known worldwide for being inherently dangerous and extremely vicious, but according to the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. 86.8% of American Pit Bull Terriers have passed their temperament tests better than Collies, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles. Many people don’t know that the term “bully breed” refers to more than forty breeds that hail from the same root breed. The history of the Pit Bull goes back to about the nineteenth century, during that time they were used to protect livestock, families, and even children as nannies (the Canine Journal). Today Pit Bulls are used as therapy dogs, police dogs, and of course a simple companion. Many myths about pit bulls circulate, which scares society into believing that they are dangerous to us and our families the question of banning Pit Bulls has been hotly discussed around the world, but banning Pit Bulls will not stop illegal breeding, fighting and distribution of Pit Bulls, other dogs from biting, and the problem will grow. The question of whether or not Pit Bulls should be banned is a hot topic in recent society, but the real question is should Pit Bulls be punished for the actions of their owners, or should laws be enforced at a higher degree.
When you see a Pit bull, what is the first thing that goes through your mind? For some, it is a sense of fear and for others it is the thought that this breed is misunderstood. Have you ever stopped and thought about if the Pit bull breed is really a vicious breed, or are they just misinterpreted due to the reputation that others have given them along with the many myths that are attached to them? What about the owners of these precious animals? Do you ever think that they are the reason that their Pit bull may be a vicious dog? Many times people speculate too much
Although the numerous statements declaring that Pit Bulls kill people is correct, because they do, according to DogsBite.org, Pit Bulls caused 71% of all dog related deaths in the United States in 2016, even though this breed only make up 6% of the dog population (“Dog Bite Fatalities”). Although statistics back up statements by Valich, there are unethical implications of banning an entire breed of dog that are not covered in the forum. In an article “Breed-Specific Legislation”, there are many factors that come into play when dealing with the cause of dog bites, despite the genes and the breed of the dog being important information: early experiences this dog had, socialization, training, the health of the dog, both mental and physical, as well as how the victim behaved towards the dog are all key factors (“Breed Specific Legislation”). The media scrutinizes how many attacks there are by Pit Bulls. They do not shed light that these dogs are more than just an aggressive danger to society, Pit Bulls can also be docile. As quoted by Joshua Holland, in his 2013 article “Pit Bulls use to be Considered the Perfect Nanny Dogs for Children”, he states that Pit Bulls are, behind only golden retrievers, the second most tolerant breeds of dogs tested by the American Temperance Testing Society. Information such as this was not posted in Valich’s forum. If Valich were to use any
“If somebody is too stupid to understand the fundamental immorality of dog fighting, you’re never going to be able to explain it to him” (Kevin Hench). Most people think that pit bulls have locking jaws. This is false however; no dog breed in the whole world has locking jaws. Dogs are not always aggressive how they are raised and trained determines the behavior of a dog. Dogs have tendencies to be aggressive only if not trained properly. The discrimination against pit bulls is wrong and uncalled for. Pit bulls are not the only culprits of attacks and death to humans. Dog fighting and stray pits are the fault of the people who own them. It is man kind’s job to take care of and be responsible for their dogs. Why should the dogs be punished
BSL fails at make communities safer from dog bites and attacks. There has been no conclusive data that even suggest that BSL has prevented dog bites or attacks. An Australian study conducted in 2006 entitled, Breed-specific Legislation and the Pit Bull Terrier: Are the laws justified?, concluded that the data collected in the United States to support the theory that pit bulls posed a unique danger to the public is flawed by methodological shortcomings (Breed). What this means is that the statistics of dog bites in the U.S. are inaccurate and flawed. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that it is impossible to
206). Further research shows that Pit Bulls aren’t the most dangerous breed of dog. They are ranked higher for their tolerance than they are for their aggression (Baldwin, S. 2016). No matter what real facts and statistics say, Pit Bulls are still being discriminated against and banned all around the world. As the years, have gone on, it has been harder and harder to own a Pit Bull. Many neighborhood or apartment complexes won’t allow you to live in their facilities if you own a Pit Bull or anything that remotely looks like a Pit Bull. If that isn’t enough, most insurance agencies won’t cover you, your family or your home if you own a Pit Bull (ReidHead, J, L 2017). Because of all these regulations and limitation when owning a Pt Bull, owners and Pit Bull advocates are working harder to push their point that it’s the owner that makes the dog. With proper training and responsible owners Pit Bulls are not a threat or a danger to society. Pit Bulls are no more dangerous than any dog breed with they are trained and raised responsibly. In this paper, I be explaining how irresponsible Pit Bull owners are the cause of Pit Bulls aggression towards people and other animals by explaining the history of the breed, Pit Bulls involvement in dog fighting, gang violence and true statistics surrounding the breed. To solve this problem, I recommend that all future and
Pit bulls are the most misunderstood dog breeds in the world. When people hear the word pit bull they automatically think of dogs fighting and attacking. When people say "pit bull" they're usually referring to a range of breeds and, often, a mixed-breed dog. (Lawrence, C Louisville Magazine Feb 2007) People think they are a very dangerous breed of dog. Because of this, some areas do not allow pit bulls and breeds like them. Pit bulls are the leading culprit of dog bites in America, but on the other hand, they are the gentlest dogs people will ever meet. The National Canine Temperament Testing Association
Pit Bulls are among the top percentage of dog bites across the nation, but it partly due to the misrepresentation. Most handlers just see a similarity to a Pit Bull’s physical appearance and then the dog is classified as such. The media always misrepresents and wrongly accuses Pit Bulls, they are always quick to name the pit bull breed as the attacking dog. The government also does the same thing if a dog has similarities to a Pit Bull, then it is automatically classified as a Pit Bull even if it’s not correct. They don’t care about
Another reason why i think this is because pit bulls injure people in major ways. According to the article
Pit Bulls are wrongly accused and killed for false actions due to countless, untrue stereotypes created by the actions of humans. Pits have been treated as the outcast of dogs for years now and it has to stop. A numerous amount of innocent dogs are being killed for these false statements. Many states have already issued BSLs or Breed-Specific Laws against Pit Bulls, these laws often have no specification of the dog itself just if it resembles any of the physical characteristics of a Pit Bull.
An intense debate follows when the word Pitbull is mentioned. Pit Bulls do not have naturally, dangerous characteristics, yet they are still negatively perceived by people believing they are all aggressive dogs and dangerous to the public. The banning of Pit Bulls has caused the establishments of anti-Pit Bull banning organizations. Moreover, laws that ban this precious breed of dog creates illusions, but not the reality of public safety, which is why Pit Bulls should not be banned anywhere and must be allowed to live in any residential area with their owners.
Dogs seem to be one of the most common and beloved pets in our society. Many even consider their dog to be a family member. One thing that is especially great about dogs is that there are many different breeds of dogs out there that have different characteristics, and traits. Which gives people the option to choose the type of dog that is right for them, but one breed in particular has been banned in various places, and discriminated against that breed being pit bulls. Breed specific legislation targets pit bulls based on misconceptions, appearance, and poor knowledge about the breed. Breed Specific Legislation and discrimination in general are not justifiable against pit bulls.
Maryland has laws on both rulings against just Pit Bulls and the concept of ‘dangerous dogs’. First we will focus primarily on Maryland’s law against Pit Bulls. Aaron C. Davis, a reporter for the Washington Post, states that “Maryland’s highest court ruled in March [of 2012] that pit bulls…are more dangerous than other breeds” (Davis). Even the media today is biased against Pit Bulls based on the immensely smaller number of media articles reported on non-Pit Bulls versus Pit Bulls. The ASPCA, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, shows that a “quantitative study by the National Canine Research Council of dog-bite reportage in a four-day period proves that anti-pit bull bias in the media is more than just a theory—it’s a fact” (ASPCA). Under Maryland law as well, there are specific rulings on what deems a dog as a ‘dangerous dog’. Stated in West’s Annotated Code of Maryland, “‘Dangerous dog’ means a dog that: (i) Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person” (West). This could relay onto any breed of dog depending on the situation and environment. Because of the Maryland law on Pit Bulls, many Maryland families are facing distress.
While they rarely don't admit as much, pit bulls are often taken for granted for a good name. Colleen Lynn is a web designer from Texas who was attacked in 2007, she created a website “dogs bite.org” with reports that follow pit bull attacks around the country. “Pit bulls are dangerous and have a nasty bite, not all pit bulls will go off gut when they do their bite is nasty.” Lynn said (Greenwood, 2010). From reading further upon Lynn's website it is evident that there is an increasing number of pit bull attacks, from 2005 to 2015 canines killed 360 Americans and 64% of those canines were pit bulls (Lynn Media Group, 2017). The mayor of Montreal,Mayor Dennis Coderre, said “In the Character of Rights and Freedoms, safety is a right as well”. By the end of 2019, all dogs in the city of Montreal will have a microchip implanted along with a new set
In June 2008 the Netherlands repealed its ban on Pit Bulls because afterwards dog bites rose, now the government is using behavior-based instead of breed- based laws. Just like the Netherlands the U.K. did not see a decrease in dog bites, and made the ownership of Pitt Bulls higher among criminals. In Maryland in 1996 it cost the state over a million dollars to implement a Pitt Bull ban, and the results were unmeasurable. The states or countries that have Pitt Bull bans have to cover the cost of lawsuits and other court dealings. Overtime Pitt Bull bans have proven cost ineffective and cumbersome.