Whether you like it or not, labels matter -- even if you're a dog, especially if that dog is a pit bull. http://www.care2.com/causes/heres-what-pit-bulls-are-really-bred-to-do.html
This breed knows a thing or two about labels; the pit bull went from America's darling dog to one of the most feared http://www.dontbullymybreed.org/index.php/information/resources/pit-bulls-a-history
(and misunderstood) dogs today. And new research from Arizona State University published in PLOS ONE shows just how detrimental the pit bull label can be.
Pit Bulls Wait 3 Times as Long to be Adopted
Their fall from grace is evident in stories like Olive's. Olive the Pit Bull http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pit-bull-who-spent-11-years-in-shelter-finally-has-a-wonderful-home_us_560c1b02e4b0af3706def5c3
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(Hint: It sure does.) The researchers found that dogs labeled as "pit bulls" (which is problematic in the first place -- more on that later) could wait three times as long to be adopted from shelters into their forever homes compared to their lookalikes without the label or labelled as another breed. Compared to other breeds like Labradors, pits were perceived as less friendly and more aggressive. They also were considered as less "attractive" than their lookalikes. Weird, right?
Even the researchers were surprised by how much the pit bull label influences perception and, ultimately, adoption. As researcher Lisa Gunter from Arizona State University explains, "We were surprised how very similar looking dogs sometimes get labelled "pit bull" and other times as something completely different. These dogs may look and act the same, but the pit bull label damns them to a much longer wait to adoption," reports Science Daily.
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animal shelters are labeled as pit bulls
-- 86.7 percent of pit bulls admitted to open admission shelters are euthanized
Do you know what the worst part of this situation is? There's no such thing as a pit bull. As Bark Post http://barkpost.com/pit-bulls-shelters-question/
explains, the pit bull label is just "an umbrella term that most people use to refer to different types of dogs – the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, any mixes thereof, and any dog that vaguely resembles these dogs." So the breed isn't real but the stigma has real consequences. And time and again pit bulls prove that they can be great dogs with the correct guidance and training when they get a second chance. Remember how Jericho the Pit Bull went from death row to being an amazing service dog.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/from-death-row-to-service-dog-the-story-of-a-pit-bull.html
Take Action!
Sign and share this petition urging animal rescuers to lose the stigmatizing pit bull label that unnecessarily penalizes innocent dogs. It's a matter of life and
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.
To top it all off, many news organizations will automatically call the unknown breed of a recently bad dog a Pit bull. In the article, "The Media and the Pit Bull," the author states in paragraph three that news organizations will call an unknown dog breed a Pit bull. I find it humorous that the same people who whine about racial profiling, racially profile an animal for another animal's mistakes. Where is the justice for these staggering critters? When shall these preposterous accusations climax? Let's act like adults and grow up please. Let's stop accusing animals of things they didn't do, that goes for any animal.
dogs which were used in illegal dog fighting rings or whether they were just your average house pet. Many times when surveys are conducted dealing with dog temperaments and aggressiveness, Pit Bulls are the main breed that is done incorrectly. I say this because a Pit Bull is not actually a breed, but a label given by the Breed Specific Legislation, BLU, to describe many breeds such as: the American Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Mini Bull Terrier. How does anyone know what the percentage of the real American Pit Bull
I grew up watching “Pit-Bulls and Parolees” on animal planet, watching and learning about dogs and the Pit Bull breed especially. After years of begging my parents to get a dog, the day finally came. We picked Jackson out from an online rescue center called “Saveabull”. My mom was interested in being an advocate for the breed, so she rescued Jackson to teach others they are not the monsters they are perceived to be on the media. My dad, on the other hand, was not too thrilled with the idea of having a Pit Bull in the house, but he warmed up to it quickly. We rescued Jackson when he was six months old with no information of his previous life and how he was rescued other than he was found on the streets. With this is mind my mom and I made sure
MAIN IDEA #2: One of the biggest preconceived notions about the pit bull is that they are the most dangerous dogs in the world that run around wild-eyed and blood thirsty. They have been improperly labeled as vicious creatures that are incapable of love 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
The name “pit bull” is a broadly used term that refers to a wide range of dogs that have similar characteristics (Warnes, 2017).
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
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.
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
Pit bulls have a lot of history. Pit bulls been bred for human companionship, and since the 1900s, they have been bred for conformation showing as well. Pit bulls have been used as farm dogs, family dogs, military mascots, and all-purpose companions. In England, the Staffie Bull is known as the “The Nanny Dog” or “The Children’s Nursemaid” because of their placid and nurturing demeanor toward children. They say “Regardless of how gentle your dog is, all dogs of any breed should never be left alone unsupervised with children”.Throughout their history in America, pit bull dogs have
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.
Many dogs and cats will walk in and out of many shelters in the U.S. but many Pit Bulls will be able to walk out with a family. I tried to look for someone who has had experience within the kennels and to see firsthand the consequences of the negative reputation Pit Bulls in order to demonstrate the struggle that Pit Bulls faced. I met Jenna Keyes, a Humane Educator, who works for the St. Joseph Animal Shelter and deals with animal control and rescue. I walked into her office where the many pictures of animals on the wall cued to me that she clearly was an animal lover and I was in the right place for my interview. Keyes explains that before working at the shelter, she worked with horses and did dog training at boarding kennels. In addition,
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.