Ethical Argument: Should People Be Allowed To Own Pit Bulls?

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 mention the words Pit Bull, many times people immediately begin talking about the statistics of them attacking other people as well as other dogs. A survey was conducted in 2009 of attack percentages of Pit Bulls compared to other breeds such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Chows. Among this survey, the Pit Bull breed scored the lowest with a 0.00125 and the highest being the Rottweiler with a score of 0.00433 (https://defendpitbulls.com/pit-bull-attack-statistics/). On the website Dogsbite.org, it states that Pit-Bulls are the leading culprit in dog attacks, this is just a broad statistic which does not adequately explain whether these attacks were of

The main reason pit bulls attack is because they are mentally unstable, a mixed breed and show overbearing traits, or because they are mistreated by their owners. The public must understand that the three “pit bull breeds were bred for dog fighting and bear and bull-baiting” (PBRC). On the other hand, they were also kept as “nanny dogs” and used for herding cattle. “Pit bulls are ideal for therapy work because of their pleasant nature” (PBRC). These are three of the most stable breeds known to man. They have a very high temperament test score, 86% as of 2010, a lot higher than most breeds. “The American Pit Bull Terrier is one of the top 5 most stable breeds in the country” (PBRC). Anyone can see that this is an excellent breed of dog. There are a few things that people should know though. “Pit bulls have a lower Tolerance to dogs, but with any breed, a dog’s tolerance changes as they mature” (PBRC). “Maturity can come late with pit bull breeds” (Villalobos Rescue Center). The reason for this low tolerance is because of their history of dog fighting. It has been bred into them to have the will to fight. Pit bulls usually do not start a fight most of the time, but they will not back down or give up. Due to this, owners must be cautious and attentive.

The media portrays Pit Bulls as innately aggressive and dangerous due to their past with dog fights. There are banns all around the world on people owning Pit Bulls, and restricting them on what they can and can’t do with their dog. For example, recently in Montreal Canada, Pit Bulls were banned and ordered to be surrendered, euthanized or have very strict limitations on their freedoms outside their homes (Malboeuf, M 2016). Pit Bulls in the media can go back a long time, but they didn’t become such a target for BSL until football star Michael Vick was convicted and charged with animal abuse, slaughter and illegal dog fighting (Animal Legal Defense Fund 2010). BSL is an acronym for breed specific legislation which is a law that bans or restricts certain types of breeds based on their appearance, usually because they are perceived as dangerous breeds of

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

When you see a Pit Bull, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? More times than not, it’s fear. But what comes to my mind is that this is my favorite kind of dog, and that it is very misunderstood and stereotyped by most people thanks to all the negative media. That’s why I’m writing about the truths regarding the American Pit Bull Terrier. They are always talked about as being very aggressive and vicious breed, but in fact they are a gentle companion. I would like to convince the people of Farmers Branch, Texas, that Pit Bull’s deserve to be considered as family pets.

When I say I have a pit bull does that frighten you? For most people, it does, even though it shouldn’t. I feel the dog restrictions in Shullsburg are limiting the lifestyles for both specific dog breeds as well as their owners. Did you know that in a way pit bulls are not even a breed? There are seven different dog breeds that are classified as pits. My puppy, a terrier, lab, retriever, and pit bull mix, is both loving and affectionate, but because she is part pit bull many already have a bad image plastered in their heads without even meeting her. When uneducated people say bad things about pit bulls, it devastates me. My personal opinion to this topic may be different than yours; however, I’m just asking you to have an open-mind and take into consideration what I am saying. Maybe at the end, you will start to feel why I am so heartbroken by what people have said about this specific breed. When people stereotype a pit bull as “vicious” they are limiting the capabilities as well as opportunities for this breed. My dog has to be muzzled, on a four-foot leash and walked by someone 16 years of age or older. At the

The pits that are raised in a fighting environment usually are the more aggressive dogs and the more likely to be euthanized because of their aggressive behavior. These fighting dogs are the reasons for most of the stereotypes directed towards the dog breeds. For example: “Pit bulls are the most aggressive dog breed” (17 Things...) Pit Bulls scored an 86.8% on the American Temperament Test or the ATT, which is a test that all dog breeds take in order to figure out the dog’s temper and aggression. The higher the score the better the dog, and the Pits just so happen to score second best, putting them above other common “nicer” household dogs like the Golden Retriever, the Beagle and the German Shepherd (Pisani). There are also many Pit Bulls being blamed for the actions of their owners, because of many of these actions it has caused many states to ban Pits. There are 17 states in the U.S. that have some type of pan against the breed (Pit Bull Bans (USA)...). Although these bans are places many criminals still continue to breed the dogs under ground and receive no

Every day in the United States, there are pit bulls be banned, and euthanized. Dog Shelters are overfilled with pit bulls. There are approximately 937 cities in the united states that has some sort of a Breed Restriction legislation. To me this is absurd! People are getting these dogs and are training them to fight. It 's so wrong. Pit bulls are so discriminated against now because how people are training these dogs to fight. Every time I hear about a dog fight or seeing a pit bull chained up makes me really upset. I 'm tired of it. How would those people feel if they were treated like that? I personally love Pit bulls, but some people don 't. I personally own a brindle pit bull named Boosie. I always say how a dog turns out depends on their owner. I had my dog ever since he was a puppy, and I raised him very well. He 's so sweet and loving. I don 't see how people would want to ban pit bulls?

Throughout the United States, pit bulls have been banned from multiple cities. A lot of people have given pit bulls an awful reputation. People have trained their dogs to be very aggressive so the pit bulls can fight other pit bulls. Consequently, pit bulls are not like any other dog. They are more than any other dog can be. Pit bulls make great family dogs, they have such high intelligence and the dogs are very responsible and dictate ownership. No dog should be banned from living in a certain place. Dogs are just as important as humans and for the authorities to restrict the animals from living their lives with people who will give them love is wrong. Pit bulls are typically known as attack dogs because they have such a strong history of attacking other dogs and humans. Many people believe it is because of the dog’s breed, but others believe it is the owners and how they train them. To avoid the situation, owners just have to be sure they train the dog the proper way when they are little. Many cities restrict the allowance of pit bulls living there due to the history of their aggression, animal control should make sure the house is a safe environment and occasionally have checkups on the house and owners to check on the dog. A safe environment at home is a place where the animal doesn’t get abused. Pit bulls should not be banned from living in certain places because of their history of aggression.

After the 1900s, people started treating pit bulls progressively worse. The media started over exaggerating pit bull “attacks”, not stating in the reports that almost always the dog was being abused and finally attacked to defend themselves. In reality, any dog can cause damage to a human if they’re upset enough. Although pit bulls are more likely to bite and hold, other than bite and release then attack several other times, they do not have special “locking jaws”. If a pit bull bites you, you can still remove the dog if needed. All dogs bite, and all dogs will protect themselves. Does this make all dogs vicious? No.What you should be worried about is protecting these animals from the cruel treatment they’re still receiving.

Pit bulls have not always been viewed as the vicious killer. For instance, in the 1970s the concern was over German Shepherds, and in the 1980s, Doberman pinschers were considered as public and government concern (Dana M). Which just goes to show that people get concerned, but move on when they realize there is nothing to be concerned about. Pit bulls were actually considered to be the family dog in the 1900s, and were even nicknamed the “nanny dogs for children” because of the breed’s friendly and loyal nature (Holland). Pit-bulls even appeared up in popular motion pictures such as “our gang” and, “buster brown” (Bastian). In the 80s is where pit bulls started to get a bad rap because of their association with dog fighting, gangs, and drug dealers (Bastian). Which caused a change in

The controversy over the American Pit Bull Terrier is an ongoing battle that a lot of people continue to fight today. The most common thing associated with Pit Bulls is dog fighting. Probably one of the most common myth about Pit Bulls would be that they originally bred for dog fighting. There’s an odd fact most people tend to not realize about Pit Bulls that were nannies and and helped Americans in the great wars, but people still look at this animals like they are the spawn of the devil. The reputation that society gives these heroic dogs is sad because who knows if the Allies would have won if they didn’t have Pit Bulls helping the fight both the great

Numerous people misunderstand the way pit bulls react to situations, or why this breed in particular remains regarded the way they do. Pits remain seen as extremely vicious animals that hold no other purpose in this world other than hurting people and animals. Countless people discriminate the breed for what they hear from others or what they witness on television, but that simply is not the case. Many people have not even seen the loving, caring and compassionate side of a pit bull, yet the fact of the matter remains, no one wants to due to the public continuously giving them an immoral reputation. Pit bulls should be allowed as pets as long as the owner possesses the proper experience with larger breeds of dogs and understand how to handle an overactive and playful type of dog.

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.