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What A Pittie!

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What is a Pit Bull? This probably seems like a silly question, but it’s important that we lay out

precisely what we mean when we refer to Pit Bulls. A Pit Bull, of course, isn’t a breed; it’s 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. Shortly before the Civil War, immigrants from

the British Isles came to the United States, but along with them came their Pit Bulls. It was

during this time that the Pit Bull Terrier breed was named the “American” Pit Bull Terrier.

Though these dogs had been specifically bred for fighting, they soon became a much larger and

invaluable fixture in a developing nation. In early America, these frontier dogs took on an all-

purpose role. They were responsible for herding cattle, herding sheep, guarding livestock and

families from thieves and wild animal. Their loyal and loving demeanor with humans,

especially children (this is where the “Nanny Dog” myth originated from), earned them a

prominent place not only as a working dog, but as a companion.

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During the first half of the American century,

Pit Bulls remained a prominent part of culture. Public

attention turned away from fighting dogs and they

began to see them as working class companions. The

USA admired this breed for qualities that it likened in

itself; friendly, brave, hardworking, worthy of respect

and they became, the “All American Dog”. During

WWI and WWII, Pit Bulls were used as the nation’s

mascot. Their image of bravery and loyalty was

displayed throughout advertisements during war

time. The more notable of the first war-dogs

was Sergeant Stubby. Sergeant Stubby has been

called the most decorated war dog of WWI and the

only dog to be nominated for rank and then promoted

to sergeant through combat. He served 18 months on the front lines in 17 battles

and 4 different campaigns. Sergeant Stubby is just one example of the many other

Pit Bulls that have served their country in war time.

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In addition to their war time contributions, the Pit Bull became America’s sweetheart. Frequently being used for commercial advertisements and products, in company logos and in popular television shows. Perhaps the most famous Pit Bull was Petey, the adorable ring-eyed cutie featured on Little Rascals. The pit bull was also a favorite among politicians, scholar and celebrities. Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, and Humphrey Bogart, just to name a few, all had pit bulls as companions.

After WWII, Pit Bulls began to be seen more as “regular dogs”. They were given attention neither more or less than any other breed. Surely, underground fighting must have taken place, but it seemed this was a rather small percentage. The vast majority of American Pit Bull Terriers were used for herding, hunting or guardian purposes, but most were bred and kept primarily as companions.

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So what changed?

In 1976, the Supreme Court passed the Animal Welfare Act of 1976. This groundbreaking act made dog fighting officially illegal in all 50 states. Today, dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In most states, the possession of dogs for the purpose of fighting is also a felony offense. Unfortunately, many times when an act is made criminal, it draws the attention of criminals.

As dog fighting began to re-emerge in the 1980’s, animal advocates put an increased focus on the cruel, barbaric and illegal sport. The unfortunate side effect of this new movement was that some people began to seek out Pit Bulls for illicit purposes. The criminal set began trying to squeeze these dogs into a mold they were never designed to fit. The breed that was once bred to treat every stranger like a long-lost friend was now being used as guard and protection dogs and were being fought in underground fighting rings. The demand for pit bulls led to many owners breeding their own dogs without concern for temperament or socialization and for the purpose of making a profit, rather than providing a responsible home. Soon Pit Bulls were associated with poverty and crime. They were viewed as money-making commodities instead of family members and companion

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While there is no defining moment in which to point to and say “here is where it all went wrong”, many trace the turning point to 1987 in which a Time Magazine cover story was titled “The Pit Bull Friend and Killer”.

Thanks in large part to the media, the All American Dog began to be exploited at new lows and stereotypical images like what was seen on the infamous Sports Illustrated issue, “Beware this Dog”, seemed only to confirm for the public that these dogs were to be feared and should not live in homes.

The Pit Bull, seen by criminals as items to be discarded and now being seen by the public as a danger, began to fill shelters at an alarming rate. The media portrayal and demonization of the Pit Bull paved a perfect path for the onset of breed specific legislation. (The first recorded city to pass BSL was Hollywood, FL in 1980). BSL began to crop up in select places as the dogs began to be used as a political platform by opportunistic politicians

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Why are there so many pit Bulls in shelters? One, overpopulation: Whether it is backyard breeding or casual breeding or just plain breeding, there’s way too much breeding of Pit Bulls going on. It doesn’t help that Pit Bulls tend to have large litters, anywhere from 6-12 puppies per litter (sometimes it’s more, and sometimes it’s less).

While there may be more families now than ever who are willing to bring Pit Bulls into their homes, it’s not always possible for them to do so. Many landlords refuse to rent to families with Pit Bulls. Many insurance companies allow the denial or cancellation of coverage if a homeowner owns a Pit Bull. (Note to pro-Pit Bull home owners: Go with State Farm, Farmers, United Services Automobile Association, Chubb Group, or Auto-Owners Insurance.) Sometimes families with Pit Bulls lose their homes, and they find it next-to-impossible to find Pit Bull-friendly apartments, which ultimately – and tragically – leads to them surrendering their dogs to shelters. It’s this kind of prejudice that makes it more difficult to adopt out Pit Bulls from shelters. People are afraid to adopt them for fear of how it’ll affect their living situations. In some cases, they’re completely incapable of adopting them. And until we deal with these issues, Pit Bulls will continue to be the most commonly euthanized dog in shelters, to say nothing of the intake.

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The second reason? Breed Specific Legislation and Pit Bull Prejudice - BSL/prejudice, which can make it extremely difficult for families to take in – and sometimes keep – Pit Bulls.

What is BSL?

Breed-specific legislation (BSL), also known as breed-discriminatory legislation (BDL), bans or restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs.

A breed ban usually requires that all dogs of a certain appearance (”targeted breed”) be removed from the area where the BSL has been implemented.

Breed-specific restrictions may require an owner of a targeted breed do any of the following or more, depending on how the law is written:

Muzzle the dog in public Keep the dog on a leash of specific length or material Purchase liability insurance of a certain amount Place signs on the outside of the residence where the dog lives

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Problems with BSL?

BSL has been proven ineffective in reducing the number of dog bites in areas where BSL is enacted.

The Netherlands (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1993)—Dog bites continued to rise after a breed ban was enacted. The ban was repealed in 2008.

Province of Ontario (Ban on pit bull type dogs since 2005) – The Toronto Humane Society noted in 2014 that the only thing that changed were the breeds of the dogs involved: Restricting breed ownership has not reduced the incidence of dog bites. A survey of reported dog bite rates in 36 Canadian municipalities found no difference between jurisdictions with BSL and those without. Likewise, a 2010 Toronto Humane Society survey found no change in dog bites in Ontario in the years before and after Ontario’s BSL.

Other Issues:

Owners of targeted breeds feel that BSL violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

A municipality’s breed-specific legislation contradicts state law Breed-specific legislation violates the federal Americans with Disabilities

Act

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MYTH: IT IS UNSAFE TO GET A PIT BULL FROM A RESCUE OR SHELTER BECAUSE THEIR PAST/GENETICS ARE UNKNOWN.

The Pit Bull at the shelter will often be a wonderful pet. It is important to know the general behavior of the dog.

Has it shown any aggression towards humans? Most Pit Bull rescues will not accept or adopt out Pit Bulls with any level of aggression or excessive shyness towards humans. How does this dog do with other dogs? Has it shown any undesirable behavior or habits?

It is suggested that a potential adopter of a Pit Bull bring the whole family to meet the dog. Often, shelters and rescues will allow you to take the dog for a home visit to see how they respond to the new surroundings. Most adoptions of a Pit Bull are amazing successes, and the adopter is not only receiving a pet, but they are also saving a life!

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Though media outlets successfully created an air of terror around Pit Bulls, there was a spectacular turn of events, though brought about by one of the most horrible atrocities. In 2007, Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels were raided and for the very first time, Pit Bulls had the opportunity to be seen as individuals. Previously deemed as unable to be rehabilitated, pit bulls that were seized were typically euthanized. However, several groups like Best Friends Animal Society and Bad Rap took a chance on these dogs and found that almost all of them (48 out of 51) were able to be placed in foster care or re-homed. The media couldn’t help but take a new look at Pit Bull type dogs when the Vicktory Dogs emerged as successful loving members of society, and the public happily embraced their stories of recovery. And if these fighting dogs could be rehabilitated, what about all the other ones who just got dealt a bad hand or ended up in shelters…

Twenty years after the breed took its first major PR hit in the media, Sports Illustrated returned to show us a different face of the dog, one that invokes sympathy and even surprise from a re-educated public.

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Today, Pit Bull type dogs continue to receive more and more positive media attention, due in large part to education and advocacy organization devoted to promoting an accurate image of these dogs. They are loved and owned by several prominent figures such as Jessica Biel, Rachel Ray, Jennifer Aniston and many more! They can be seen in the show ring, in various dog sports including agility and weight pulling, in law enforcement work including narcotics detection, in search and rescue, in the armed forces, as service dogs, in our homes and as therapy dogs, like Love-A-Bull’s Pit Crew, reaching out and offering comfort to people in hospices, children’s hospitals, veterans programs, women’s shelters, etc.

Pit Bulls are once again becoming the All American Dog!

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