I was a pit bull owner for 7 years. Unfortunalty I had to put him to sleep due to kidney problems. The hardest thing I've ever done in my life! Since haveing him I will not own another breed of dog. Currently I am in the process of adopting another pit bull. To be honest, when I first found out I was getting my first pit (Tye) I was nervous for the simple fact that they a big dogs, not voilent or vicious, just "big". After looking into his eyes and seeing his face I immediatly knew the stories and news reports were not all true. Yes, those dogs can hurt and be violent, but stop and think of why. Perhaps, the person who was attacked was taunting them in some way, or unfortunatly the dog ended up in the wrong hands. Yes, their are people out their who break the law and want a big dog for "violent" protection, or fighting purposes. Stop and think a moment, the dog was trained that way. Just like you could train a beagle or a cocer spanial in the same way. My mom owned a beagle, when it came to food she was the most ferocious animal I've ever come accross! So out of respect, we didn't mess with her while she was eating, respecting her space. Thats a key with any animal, humans included! So to sum it all up, pit bulls are getting a bad rap because the proper "research" has never been done on them,. Think about it, you only here bad thins on the news, murders, rapes, robberies, etc. As well as dog bites, pits in pituclar. I'm happy to see a petition fighting for the pit instead of against it. For more research purposes check out (I'm pretty sure this is the correct web site) gremlins.com or littlegremlins.com, testimonies for other pit bull owners. Please FOX news, do the research correct the discrimination thats against these wonderful , beautiful, gentle and kind animals. Thank you for the oppertunity to speak out.
We have two pitt bulls; a two year old and a five month old. They are our family, our pride and joy and are the gentlest dogs who are both afraid of the vacum cleaner! With the right training these dogs are just as friendly, trustworthy and kind as all the "other" dogs. We cannot imagine our lives without MoJo and Callie (Calpurnia)...
We have 4 pit bull family members, so I would consider myself an expert on the subject. They are wonderful family dogs. They have heart, are loyal and only want to please. They are so affectionate as pets, it is painful to fathom a world without them.The trouble with the breed is NOT the breed, but is a human problem.
In July, our grandson came to live with us & he brought his new puppy Apache, a pit bull, with him. At first, I was hesitant to have a pit bull in our home with our two old dogs. As it turns out, Apache is the sweetest puppy with an extremely friendly nature & she immediately won over our hearts. I know the apbt has a bad reputation through no fault of their own - I wish more people could be educated on this breed & be able to see their true nature - not just the negative side due to people who use them in illegal fighting, etc. After having Apache in our home for 4 months, I cannot imagine her not being here.
I have owned several pits over the course of my lifetime. All have been the most gentle and loving dogs anyone could want. I currently own 2, one of which was a rescue from the Animal Shelter. When people meet my dogs and see their gentle nature they can't believe they are pit bulls. I wish more people were educated on the real side of these incredible animals and not what people have turned them into by mistreatment.
I have a pit rescued from a fight ring in Fl. He has done great pr for the breed. Everywhere I take him to he makes friends and changes attitudes about the breed.
I know a few people that own Pittbulls and they are the sweetest dogs I know. Any dog can be turned into a vicious animal when mistreated and made to fight! It is time for people to learn about the goodness in these dogs!!
The real story here should be about the owners that train the pits to fight. Records will prove less pits are reported as biters than other breeds. The officer that adopted a Pit from the MASH unit that had his ears cut off that now lives with her children should be interviewed. Email me for contact information.
I rescued two pitts 2 years ago and they are the most unbelievably loveable dogs, and I cannot stand the negative and unfounded press about this breed. Any animal in the wrong hands suffers, please spread the good word about these wonderful dogs!!!
Too many people, esp. the young view Pits as worthless, to be used as fighters. When a child enjoys the suffering of an animal, he has no empathy or compassion. It is a dehunamizing effect that the violence has on children. Not to mention the cruelty that these poor dogs go through. It's the people that train the dogs, that should be punished, severly! Pits are loving and loyal. They are used as search and rescue dogs and therapy dogs in hospitals. How can anyone ban, beat or abuse an animal is beyond me. We need to do something now. Letters to our politicians are helpful, but too slow in waiting for laws to pass. We need public education, now!
Let them be seen as they are, a true family dog!
I've been around this bread since 1981, went through the Home Owner Insurance ban, and still deal with the misconsecption of this fine animal.
The person that placed the IPOD ad, get a life.
I rescue pitts and own two myself. I have had a lot of pitts pass through my life and not all of them come from good situations and it is amazing to me that even though these dogs have been beaten and left to die they still love people and crave your attention. The ignorance that envelops people about this breed sickens me to no end. As soon as the breed is mentioned they shudder and it's all because they are uneducated. Of course it is not all their fault being that the news only reports on the bad side of this breed and never on the good. For once you should do a report on a pitt that was starved and beaten and yet still has nothing but love for humans. It is not the breed that is aggressive it is the owners that make them that way. I have had dogs that were bred and raised to be fighters, I managed to take them away from that situation at a younger age and turn them into lovers. Punish the deed, not the breed.
The war against pit bull terriers and related breeds of dogs is a witch hunt based on ignorance and fear. Our society would be better served by making and enforcing strict vicious animal (not"potentially dangerous"-that's all dogs!) laws. This would go to the source: the bad owners.
The hype swirling around these dogs is enflamed by a media that has not bothered to research the issue thoroughly. I would hope that Fox News, in the spirit of its renowned "fair and balanced" coverage, would tackle this issue like true journalists, not tabloid writers!
Let me see...where to start...
I am 28 years old and have ALWAYS had a pitt ot two in my household and so have all of my familt members on both sides of my parents. Not ONCE adn I mean that , I we ever had a problem with any of our dogs being nasty or anything like what people say they are. It isn't just how they are raised but also how the parents are like too. Some dogs are born with an itch for being a bit tempermental and they should NOT be bred. Unfortunately they are bred by our local "back yard breeders" trying to make a fast buck when all they are doing is making things worse for this WONDERFULL breed! A good news story/coverage on how these dogs really are with families is surely needed to stop some of this "stigmata" that has been placed on them.I have to say that they are one of the most CHILD LOVING breeds you can ever find! I was just telling my friends on a local forum that there needs to be some sort of story on TV to get the REAL TRUTH out about Pitt Bulls. Maybe then people will have a better view of how GREAT a family member they can be. And that is all Ihope for. I will continue to support and defend my lovie Pitts till the day I die...
Me and my family have 2 pits a 2 1/2 year old male and a 9 month old female... I would trust my male with my 2 young children befor i would trust anyone or any other dog with them. He absolutely loves my kids and just about anyone who comes around, He would just as soon sit on mine or my husbands lap than to do much of anything else... I used to be one of those people that thought that all pits were bad but now i know better... My dogs are just as much part of my family as my kids and honestly i think i would be more worried about what my kids would do to another child before i would worry about my dogs hurting anyone.. PLease recognize that Pit Bulls are only dangerous when they are taught to be or if they are mistreated I believe they should not be banned but protected from idiots that want a "mean" dog
My last pit bull was a registered therapy dog and passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. My current pit bull is working towards the same goal. Both dogs were/are excellent companions for my 4 and 6 year old daughters. It is the irresponsible owners that need to be punished not the responsible owners and their dogs.
I have a pit perhaps a mix, she is now 9 1/2 years old. She has always been a hugger and a kisser. My 22 month old granddaughter can pull her tail, hug her, kiss her, and even sit or lay on her. My pit loves the baby. Never has she even curled a lip at her. It is all in how they are raised. My pit was taught to cuddle and even "time out". She and my rabbit were "best friends" until the rabbit died almost 2 years ago at the age of almost 10 years old. My pit was a surragate mother to the bunny. Like I said, it is all in how you raise them. Mine is a compassionite, loving, and caring pit. Wouldn't trade her for anything.
Pits, like any other breed, should be properly evaluated individually before being labeled as aggressive or unadoptable. Shelters and adopters should take the same precautions with any adult dog of unknown history. As a Pit Bull guardian and as someone who is partial to the breed you have to give respect to what a Pit Bull may be capable of doing. They are dangerous when handled and raised by the wrong people as any dog can be. But a Pit can do a lot more damage and everytime that happens it's another bad mark against the breed. It is a terrible thing what some people do to them knowing how people friendly and loving they want to be by nature. We need to focus on anti-breeding laws instead of trying to treat the problem. Prevention is the key. Insurance companies and legislators may just want to ban the dogs but since we are a free country we'll continue to let people breed them and sell them on corners or in the classifieds. If they are such a hazard then why allow anyone to breed and sell? I'd love to see in depth media coverage on the issue.
I agree with my daughter. Pits are great. They are not born mean stupied people make them that way or get rid of them if thier not mean enough.Spend time at your locel shelter and see the pitt bulls there. They nice and loving. Talk to people who rescue them. Open your eyes and you will see dogs are just like poeple. You have your good ones and you bad ones.Either way you are taught to be loving or mean not born that way.
Martha
I foster pitbulls. They are totally getting a bad rep. They love people. Its people who make them mean as any breed of dog. People need to be educated not scared of what they dont know. The media has the power to do this. I invite you to come meet mine.They are a very people loving breed.Please go meet some and help the pitts beforew you judge them.
U know it realy makes me sick to think in 2004 almost 2005 people can be so narrow minded. I worked at the Delaware SPCA for over 2 years and saw MORE Labs,poodles,chihuahuas,a nd the like come in to be put to sleep due to bitting thier owners or friends of the owners than I did pits. Out-lawing pits is like saying "you have brown eyes so you can not live in the U.S. It's stupied people that need not to own ANY KIND OF ANIMAL! I worked day after day seeing pits, shepards and the like come in mean as hell, but leave loving and caring dogs. All they needed was a nice person who cared about them and not them selfs to open the dogs eyes. I have a Aussie and Pit mix and she is the best dog I ever owned. I don't even consider her a dog, she is a member of my family and lent someone tell me I can't have her. I WILL never get rid of my baby. It would be like getting rid of my daughter who is 8 years old. Hell she is more affried of small so called family dogs than she is pits. Who ever is tring to get rid of them I think you are one of those stupied people. You are the most narrow minded person and think you should open your eyes. Sorry for those of you reading this and you think it sound mean but guess what I don't really care. This is my veiw. When I worked at the SPCA I used my time and money to get these wonderful pit to rescues so they could get a fresh start on life and I be damed if my efferts were all lost because of someone being narrow minded. I know I sound harsh but I have seen TOO much working there and when it comes to animals I get upset. If anyone has a problem with what I wrote feel free to e-mail me Piecedchick23@aol.com. I have no shame with sticking up for my friendly,lovable,misunder stood Pitty Bullies. Hell they were made by man now man doesn't want them, I don't think so. Oh these so called family dogs that turn on thier owners and the like don't make the news only the pits do even when thier not to blame.So lets start
Pitbulls are not naturally mean. They are trained to be mean by people who are either wanting to use them to fight or those who are uncaring and inhumane. It is the same with children who are either taught evil or are neglected. They were made, not born that way.
I have 4 therapy registered pit bulls. All have Cd's, CGC, and TDI. I wish everyone could experience the love this breed has to share. I wish with all my heart people would stop abusing them, making them out to be monsters!
Pit Bulls are just about the most docile dogs I've ever known (and I deal with multiple dogs every day)! A mean dog has been trained to be mean, or has been abused or neglected, which would make anybody mean. A dog kept chained up, for example, will become aggressive. Wouldn't you?
Pit bulls are not born aggressive. It is the owner who makes them that way. I own a pit and he is the most loyal, caring dog I've ever known. I would love the masses to understand the truth about this breed.
DOGS ARE ONLY MEAN IF U TREAT THEM OR BRING THEM UP THAT WAY, ALSO
IF THEY ARE BROUGHT UP BADDLY AND BITE SOMEONE THE OWNER SHOULD BE PUNISHED NOT THE DOG, BUT SOME INCOHERANT BASTARDS DONT UNDER-STAND THAT
Please be "fair and balanced" in your report about Pitbulls. Like any animal, they become what they are taught and can be the sweetest dogs if cared for properly but under other circumstances can be trained to be mean. Any animal can be trained to be mean. Please explain it is not the breed but the Owners.
Thank you.
I've seen pitties that were family pets that were just big babies, playing and cuddling with kids. They are wonderful dogs that deserve better treatment, fighting dogs is just abuse.
Anytime a segment is done on the news about pitbulls, it's ALWAYS negative. I have 2 pit bulls and the are the best dog I've ever had. They are both afraid of my cats! So what does that tell you? I guess they are not as agressive as people think they are. If you want to portray pit bulls in a negative way, make sure you do the same for the owner. Pit Bulls are ONLY mean when they are taught to be that way!
Please help us educate people. Please get the word out that Pitbulls are not naturally aggressive and mean. Pits are NOT bad but there are plenty of bad owners. They starve them, abuse them, fight them and use them to protect their drugs. This badly maligned breed should be given a chance. Pelase help to educate not only the general public but those in 'charge' who want to ban these dogs.
I have been an animal shelter volunteer since 1989. Pit bulls have a bad reputation. They are not naturally agressive dogs. Rather, they are taught bad behavior by scumbag owners.
As with anything else- in the natural world- mankind puts its hands on, the problem ISN'T the animals!! Rather, it's the laxative irresponsible people involved!! The time has come to hold the owners, of these innocent animals, accountable!!! I'm sure if we were to put the OWNERS of these animals to "sleep" every time they (the animals) act-up, not only would there be an uproar in the community, but a solution would be QUICK in coming!!!!! People, let's do the right thing- STOP the unnecessary slaughter!!!
This breed is loving and gentle by nature. Yes, they are strong. Those you read about were owned by terrible people who taught them to be aggressive by tormenting them and encouraging the behavior to fight. It is the people who should be banned, not the dogs... they deserve our love, and help...
I have a six year old Pitt Bull named "Malik." He has been like the son I've always wanted. It's sad when people pre-judge your pet before they get a chance to get to know them. Makes it hard for "us"(Pitt Owners) to take our kids anywhere without people making coments. It's getting old
