Irresponsible ownership is to blame in situations of dog violence. labrador retreivers can become violent if treated improperly. Pit bulls and the associated breeds are wonderful, loving, gentle animals and responsible dog owners and the breed should not be made to suffer for the irresponsible and cruel actions of a few.
A dog's behavior is determined by the way it is raised. A loved dog will be loving-an abused dog will be abusive. Punishing all dogs based on a fraction of the breed's behavior, it's just like punishing all people based on criminal's behavior-it's not fair. People need to think before they act and chaining/muzzling all dogs will only cause more problems.
Punishing a whole breed of animal for the actions of some is bigotry. But, sadly our great country is founded on that. If you all really care about letting your animals stay in georgia, then signing this petition is not enough. Make your voice heard, and make your points clear. I do not believe that the state has a right to place a ban on one breed of animal. Why not just place a ban on one race of human... or is that just too wrong.
I may be asked to move to Georgia in the near future, but I will not take my substantial taxpayer dollars to a place where breeds are banned on sensationalism rather than pure fact. Do your research and you will find this ban is unjust and unconstitutional.
It's such a shame that this is even being considered as an option. The breed of any animal has NOTHING to do with the irresponsibility of their owners. It is the owners fault the breed has such a bad name and you can't punish the animal for the owners lack of respect for their pets, the public's safety and the laws. Some dogs may have aggressive personalities, but it is up to the owner to care enough and take time to ensure the safety of their pet and everyone else. It's also sad to see the extent of effort spent on trying to ban this animal....maybe if more time and effort would be spent on more crucial issues, our society wouldn't be in the decline it is now.
Breed Specific Legislation is discrimination against certain breeds of dogs, regardless of temperament,behavioror training. BSL is unfair to good natured,loving Pit Bulls that pose no threat to the community! I am a proud owner of a sweet APBT who has done nothing wrong. I have a friend that has a certified therapy Pit Bull. BSL is not fair to us responsible owners and our sweet dogs. My dog is my best friend, I don't know what I would do without her, it would break my heart if my sweet girl had to ware a muzzle. Please introduce a bill that would target dangerous dogs regardless of the breed. Canine good citizens should not be punished for the deeds of other just because they were born a certain breed.
dogs, all animals are as equal as us. people who don't believe that deserve to die. animals are caring. humans came and messed up the whole circle of things. we need to fix it. animals never get to be able to have a say in things. they're being abused. people are supporting this by not fully exposing puppy mills and buying animals from pet stores. its wrong and all of it needs to stop. not just with dogs, and cats , or ferrets and birds, rats, pigs all animals need to be safe and have a home where they can be. save our animals. you can't just kill dogs. you should kill the idiots who think you can. i have a pitbull and i save the animals in danger that i find. i'm a vegetarian, and that odesn't even matter, but people who slaughter and kill animals are idiots, they thin kthey can just make up laws. pitbulls are sweet, just because they are strong doesn't mean they're gonna kill you. they'll help you. pitbulls are trains by asses who think that they can make some money. those stupid republicans think they own everything, well, all animals are incredible and are as free as humans. humans messed up the whole circle already. they shouldn't be killed i guess but they need to be stopped. noone made up a rule to kill animals. this is the most stupid thing. these idiots are pinning all the blame on the animals not the ones who trained them. the pitbulls are innocent. they're really sweet and caring. they need a good home.
Breed bans solve nothing. Go after the cause: irresponsible owners. There is nothing wrong or bad with pitbulls besides the fact that a lot of irresponsible owners have them.
Dogs were created for our companionship and these dogs are no different. I have 3 APBTs and two are Canine Good Citizens and one is a Certified Therapy Dog. If you took the liberty of getting to have my dogs away from me, you would be taking the life away from others! There are other alternatives. Choose wisely!
AROOOOOOOOOOOOO! THIS PETITION STARTER ROCKS! American Pit Bull Terriers are my FAVORITE pet dog, and it will stay that way. It's a shame for what they were created for...but they are now bred mor enicely, and are very gentle. Pit Bulls, if agressive at all, are mean towardas other animals. they were bred to kill, after all. All Terriers were. So that means your little Froo-Froo the Cairn Terrier is still out there hunting (no offense; I love all dogs). to help the breed known as American Pit Bull Terrier, we must inspect the BREEDERS and OWNERS of the dogs, not the dogs themselves. Okay, you know how Boxers are on America's Top 10 Popular Dogs List? And how Boston Terriers are VERY sociable and friendly (as well as Boxers)? If this "fair law" passes through, you'll be seeing some unhappy Bull Breeds, because they'll be seen in th enew fashion of DOGGY MUZZLES! And then I'll be bullied on about being, "Not the chosen one to have her favorite breed hah they suck anyways" stupidity. Not to mention I wear a studded dog's collar, which adds to it more!
If we want to save the American Pit Bull Terriers, we must join together.
Ever think of licensing for all dogs? If we can't get people to spay and neuter their pets, how are you ever going to legislate who can own what kind of dog? And, who are you going to get to enforce the law?
Discriminatory bans like this are ridiculous and accomplish nothing except punish responsible dog owners of the breed. They are really wonderful dogs. Address the real problem--the owners!
Enforce existing controls on dog-fighting and irresponsible owners, don't punish a specific breed! Bad dog behavior is due to bad owner behavior. There are many families who love their well-behaved pit bull family members. These dogs and families need not be punished by mass prejujudice, which is also lazy legislation.
I have delt with three generations of pitbulls. Not one time has my dogs made me or someone else feel threatened. This particular breed has been featured in movies and used by the military. This shows that the animal is intellegent, resourceful,and freindly.
I know many Pit Bulls who are wonderful pets and great with children.Breed bans are NOT the answer! It has been proven that BSL does not work it only hurts responsibe owners and their beloved pets.
Breed Specific legislation is an ineffective and lazy way of dealing with real problems arising from irresponsible ownership. It also creates a false sense of security for the public. Have to courage to confront the REAL issues. Using this breed as a scapegoat for your ineffective enforcement and legislation against irresponsible ownership will not solve the problems in our society. Wake up and do things right!
Every single major canine welfare group is against breed-specific legislation. This includes the HSUS, AKC, ASPCA, NACA, AVMA, NADOI, APDT, ADOA, NAIA, and the IAABC. The National Animal Control Association (NACA), the ASPCA, and the HSUS constantly deal with dangerous/vicious dogs in their animal-control related roles, so you'd think they'd be the first ones to support BSL if it actually worked. Maybe legislators should listen to the experts instead of falling for hysteria and irrationality.
Legislators wake up and look in your own backyards! After all, most of the attacks are happening in your communities. EDUCATE people about how to properly handle and maintain these animals. Also, do something to stop all the backyard breeders that are ruining this breed.
Pit bulls that are properly raised are some of the sweetest dogs that you can find. As a breed, they pass the temperement tests that are used to determine whether a dog is aggressive or not with flying colors. They have a higher passing rate than labradors - maybe you should try to ban them?
banning pit bulls or passing bsl's will not take care of the problem. All it will do is punish responsible owners. What we need to do is actually punish the irresponsible owners, stop just giving them a slap on the wrist. If someones dog (no matter what the breed) attacks a person, the owner should be held accountable. If the dog kills someone, the owner should do jail time. We need to enforce the leash laws already on the books. We need to regulate breeders, & pass manditory spay/neuter laws. We need to make it illegal to chain dogs up outside (chained dogs are the 3rd most likely to attack)We need to educate people, especially children, about dogs. They need to be taught bite prevention, and how to properly care for animals. Banning pit bulls is like putting a band aid on a broken leg. It does no good. This is a stupid law that just makes it looks the our representatives care about us. It is any easy way out. This way they do not have to actually do anything to fix the problem. It has been proven that bans and bsl's do not work (remember what happened in Dekalb county a couple years ago- that ban worked real well, NOT!) Let's come up with some laws that actually work, without punishing the wrong people!
There are plenty of dangerous dogs out there besides pitbulls. Make the owners responsible for their dogs instead of punishing the rest of the law abiding good citizens by banning their beloved pets.
Maybe someday it will be a pet that you own that will be banned. Put yourself in those shoes and ask how you would feel?
This ban is ridiculous. The breed is not the problem, the bad breeders are. And, the bad owners are. Every Pit Bull I've ever met, that belongs to a loving owner, who has the dog's best welfare at heart, has been the best dog you could ask for. They have been gentle in nature, have great personalities, are quite the little characters, and are very loving and loyal to their owner and the entire family. They are great around children, and love meeting new people. Please ban backyard breeders, irresponsible breeders, and people that have ever used a Pit Bull for fighting or other abusive purposes from owning the breed. Do not penalize the caring and loving owners who only want to continue to love this wonderful breed. Thank you.
If we ban the pit-bull then criminals will just switch to another breed of dog. What will we do then, euthanise all of those dogs too?!?
As for the dog bite stats, I agree that they show that pit-bulls attack more often than most other breeds. What it does NOT show is that pit-bulls are inherently more aggressive.
As any statistician would suggest, all the data shows us is that the kind of scum who do not de-sex their dogs (proven to make them 2.6 X more likely to bite), do not obedience train them (proven to make them more likely to bite), and do not socialise them (again, making them more likely to bite) are more likely to own pit-bulls than any other type of dog.
Not suprising really, is it? I mean, do people really think criminals keep labradors or standard poodles to protect their meth labs? If one breed of dog is abused more often than another, then of course it's going to skew the bite statistics!
What we need is a study that investigates whether desexed, obedience trained pit-bulls from law abiding middle class homes are more likely to bite than the average dog. Only then can we prove whether or not pit-bull dogs are inherently more vicious than other dogs. However, I suspect I already know what this study would show - that if you raise a pit right, it's no more likely to bite than any other dog.
Lets get right to the point. I can take my son and teach him to hate or teach him to love. People should wake up if we let others dictate how we live then we have lost as a free coutry. My family has been in every war that the U.S. has fought. Some come home and some don't. All FOR FREEDOM. If we as a people let this law pass then whats next? LOOK SAY WEAR DO WHAT YOUR ARE TOLD. Not me thats not why my family died for this country. Dogs will always be dogs just as boys will be boys but we don't cut their [well you know]all it takes is 1 vote. I love my dogs and it will take and act of congress and then some. So from me and my dog BITE ME. Joesph Peebles
I own one pure breed pit bull & one mixed breed pit bull.I have been around pit bulls all my life. The dogs are not the liability, it is the people who abuse & misuse these dogs that are the liability!!
Imagine this crime reported in your local news:
Police bust a guy for possession of pit bulls. They find the canines concealed in his truck after it's checked by a pit-bull-sniffing dog. They say the pit bulls have an estimated street value of $5,000 -- or more, as the dogs' price may be boosted by Georgia's banning them.
"The term 'pit bull' means any dog that is an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds."
Can you pick a pit bull from a puppy lineup?
The Humane Association of Georgia says up to 25 breeds are mistaken for pit bulls. That's the first flaw in a pit bull ban.
Then there's this paradox: Branding the pit bull undesirable makes it more desirable to the "undesirable people" who made it undesirable to begin with. And if they can't get pit bulls, they'll misuse another kind of dog, and then it will be undesirable, too.
But focusing only on the type of dog ignores more critical factors contributing to attacks, particularly "owner negligence". Listing only fatalities leaves out all other dog bites -- 4.5 million a year, with only about 20 deaths.
Both the Humane Association of Georgia and the Humane Society of the United States oppose breed-specific dog laws, urging authorities instead to target owner negligence. The veterinary journal made that same recommendation, noting even the dachshund has killed.
Treated affectionately, a pit bull makes a gentle family pet.
Abused and provoked, a cocker spaniel can kill someone.
Dogs aren't born mean; people make them that way.
My nephew has the sweetest dog I've ever met, and of course she is a pit. Its the people who raise threatening dogs that deserve persecution, not the animal!
WE HAVE RAISED OUR GRANDCHILDERN WITH PITT BULLS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. IT IS STUPID TO BLAME A BREED OF DOG FOR WHAT HUMANS HAVE DONE TO THEM.OUR PITT BULL DOGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAMILY PETS AND VERY FRIENDLY, THAT IS THE INBRED NATURE OF THE BREED. IT IS HUMAN ABUSE OF THESE DOGS THAT HAS GIVEN THE BREED A BAD NAME. WHY NOT PUNISH THE HUMANS FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THE BREED , INSTEAD OF BANISHING THE BREED.
DELORIS STUCKEY
These dogs arenot naturally bad dogs. As with ANY breed of dog it is all in how they are raised. The owners of the dogs should treat thier dogs with respect and train them correctly.
These dogs arenot naturally bad dogs. As with ANY breed of dog it is all in how they are raised. The owners of the dogs should treat thier dogs with respect and train them correctly.
I volunteer at two shelters. Pit Bulls are some of the sweetest most lovable dogs. We just need responsible owners. Ban bad owners from adopting any dogs.
I volunteer at two shelters. Pit Bulls are some of the sweetest most lovable dogs. We just need responsible owners. Ban bad owners from adopting any dogs.
I used to be scared of Pits because that was what I was taught to believe by the media and other people. When I got married my husband put in to get a pit and I resisted for a small amount of time. Until I went and visited the parents of my 2 year old pit. They were sweet and adorable. I know have two pits my two year old and an 11 week old. I also have a Great White Pyrenees that WILL eat you up if you enter my yard when I am not home. My pits would only slober all over you kissing you unless you laid a hand on my kids. To be quite honest with you I like that about them. By the way when I was 10 I was bitten by a Chow do you think you could ban them too? Or maybe you should tell me what color of pants to wear on a specific day? Or better yet. How about what church I should attend and what I should believe in? But I guess Georgia Legislation should be as ASSinine as Florida letting Michael Schivo murder his wife and get away with it. I really think that Legislators should be working on the problems that their laws can fix like drugs, child molesters, and murderers. Lastly I want to say that my Pits are not only the sweetest and most loyal dogs I have ever had but that they are like children to me. But more than that they are like children in the fact that if you raise them right they will be right but if you don't discipline them and put a raising on them they will turn out like they were raised. Some children are raised to mind and respect people and some are not therefore we have problems with them. Dogs are the same way if they are raised to respect and mind they will. It is about DISCIPLINE and OWNERSHIP NOT THE BREED! PUNISH THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS NOT THE BREED. You can rest assured ALL legislators that I need to contact will be hearing from me and shortly!
I used to be scared of Pits because that was what I was taught to believe by the media and other people. When I got married my husband put in to get a pit and I resisted for a small amount of time. Until I went and visited the parents of my 2 year old pit. They were sweet and adorable. I know have two pits my two year old and an 11 week old. I also have a Great White Pyrenees that WILL eat you up if you enter my yard when I am not home. My pits would only slober all over you kissing you unless you laid a hand on my kids. To be quite honest with you I like that about them. By the way when I was 10 I was bitten by a Chow do you think you could ban them too? Or maybe you should tell me what color of pants to wear on a specific day? Or better yet. How about what church I should attend and what I should believe in? But I guess Georgia Legislation should be as ASSinine as Florida letting Michael Schivo murder his wife and get away with it. I really think that Legislators should be working on the problems that their laws can fix like drugs, child molesters, and murderers. Lastly I want to say that my Pits are not only the sweetest and most loyal dogs I have ever had but that they are like children to me. But more than that they are like children in the fact that if you raise them right they will be right but if you don't discipline them and put a raising on them they will turn out like they were raised. Some children are raised to mind and respect people and some are not therefore we have problems with them. Dogs are the same way if they are raised to respect and mind they will. It is about DISCIPLINE and OWNERSHIP NOT THE BREED! PUNISH THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS NOT THE BREED. You can rest assured ALL legislators that I need to contact will be hearing from me and shortly!
This is an embarrassment to to an already too ignorant Georgia! I have raised many dogs in my lifetime and have NEVER found one breed to be any more aggressive than another. Show me a chihuahua who is friendly and maybe we'll talk about dog breeds! I would also like to sign a petition to implement the DEATH penalty for anyone caught abusing a dog, and training them for meaness is abuse. Meaness is completely different than training for protection.
my mum and dad owned a pit bull for 17 years and she was like a child to them the are the most loving dogs i have ever met, they are also very loyel and loving she was 17 and a half when she died, she was even trained to lead my father as he was blind and she did an excellent job. we all miss her very much, they are like humans they will only take so much before they get upset but this goes for all lliving things.
How can the government be so cruel? The owners need to train their dogs to interact and behave correctly. It is the owners that need to take full responsibility just like with any other K-9. Perhaps, it is these ignorant people that sit around with nothing to do but come up with outlandish proposals that should be muzzled and kept from society. See how they end up.
Where are all the bright people gone? Do they not realize that other dogs will turn on people? That if handled improperly any dog is likely to be dangerous.
Ridiculous. Bad behavior comes from bad treatment and care! Punish the true criminals... the owners! Just because a dog "looks" tough doesn't mean it is. Some of the toughest looking dogs are the BEST pets (especially with children!).
What next? Will they ban how many children we can have? This is not a communist regime, it's a democracy. As with any animal, it's proper training, discipline and love that guides an animal's characteristics, not genetics. My life would never be the same without my dogs - they are my babies, and asking me to give up my dogs would be asking me to give up my children.
I believe it is all in how you race a dog. So are you going to say you cant raise a dog because ppl fight the dog. How about fighters? Why not "attack" the ppl that are fighting the dogs and not the breed.
Wendy
I can't belive that the law makers in Georgia don't have better things to do than make extinct a breed of dog as wonderful as the Bully Breeds.I have raised my childeren since birth with these kinds of dogs with NOT ONE bad experince.It is really starting to feel like I live in a communist country!! When the goverment can find nothing better to do than pick on my dog.Go make Terrorism extinct.Leave the bullys to us!!!
When I was 7 years old, I was bitten by a toy poodle....... When I was 10 I was bitten by a Labador retriever. I have NOT been bitten by any of the Bulldog breeds I've been around. Lets ban all those killer Poodles and Labs..... Think People!
I THINK THIS IS THE JUST ONE OF MANY STEPS THAT CARRER POLITITIONS ARE TAKING TO LIMIT THE FREDOMS THAT SO MANY AMERICANS HAVE DIED FOR IN OUR HISTORY.IF THEY WANT TO HOLD SOMETHING ACCOUNTABLE SEND THE OWNERS TO JAIL WITH LONG JAIL SENTENCES.THIS IS NO DIFFENT THAN BANNING ALL FIRARMS BECAUSE SOMEONE IS SHOT IN TH COMMISION OF A CRIME
Pit Bull and Pit Bull Mixes can make wonderful pets as long as they are raised and cared for properly. By passing this law it will just make it all the more desirable for those looking to fight pits to get them as it will be more of a taboo.
Prosecute the owners who raise vicious dogs, don't persecute the breed. I have a darling Pit that has the sweetest personality and I know for a fact she is much, much smarter than the politicians that support this bill. While every Pit Bull attack makes the news, German Sheperd and Doberman attacks are much more frequent. Do some research lawmakers.
Making the bully breed illegal or enforcing strict laws an breed specific owners will not solve the problem. Law abbiding citizens are not the ones causing bully breed problems.I am a law abiding citizen who owns two wonderful pit bulls. My dogs are people and dog friendly . The laws to punish those who commit crimes against the dogs need to be enforced not laws banning the breed , its not the dogs fault they ended up with a crappy owner.The type of person causing the breeds bad rep will own the dog regaurdless of any law or ban this would only cause the euthanization of innocent dogs and create more problem Punish those torturing the breed and making them fight. Punish those who force their dogs to fight and teach their dogs to fight. Punish those who beat their dogs to make them mean , starve their dogs to make them mean or neglect their dogs. Do not punish those who cherrish their dogs and spoil their dogs. Do not punnish those who love their bully like the child they are , go after those who make my dogs life misserable by torturing their dogs turning them in to monsters all at the cost of my dogs good name. Licensed legal dog owners are not those turning their dogs loose in a dog fight. In maryland this is just as bad and I am sorry but my dog is my child Pit Bull or not and I think it absolutly rediculous the amount of prejudice the breed receives because of political and social ignorance.If my dog is so viscious how is it she received her AKC Canine Good Citizen Award . She shurley didn't get that title in a dog fight. Note to government :Take off the blinders and do your jobs , protect the breed dont kill it! Stop pointing your finger at the dogs and take a look in the mirror . Stop the abuse and solve the problem!
Please keep Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers legal in the state of Georgia. I have owned two American Staffordshire Terriers and one Pit Bull. These are among the gentlest, safest dogs there are. the best dogs I've ever owned were my Pit and the two Staffs. Please e-mail me who I need to get in contact with to ask them to vote against this bill, also the sponsors so I can be sure they'll never get my vote! Thanks!
I own a 2 year old PIT BULL and she is very friendly and docile. The problem is not the dog, its the monsters that get them and treat them badly. ANY dog can become dangerous if they are treated that way!
The thought of the government forcing a beloved pet out of his or her own home is unfathomable and despicable. I am the proud owner of a Pit Bull and this dog wants nothing more than to be pampered and petted by anyone who is unprejudiced and willing to give her some love and attention. STOP TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM THE OWNER, WHERE IT BELONGS. If these dogs were so dangerous and unpredictable, they would left to the wild like wolves. These are loveable, trainable canines who were respected as normal family pets before the 1970's. This nonsense against them must stop since it lacks logic, reason and education.
I am the proud owner of two beautiful female pit bull terriers. They live in a home with three other dogs and I have never had an incident. They are loving and caring dogs who don't know how to be mean.
My sister has two wonderful pit bulls who are very loving and SAFE dogs. She has raised them to be loving, kind, and friendly members of our family. Don't punish her for the evil things others do. I would like her to come live with me some day and if there is a ban on pit bulls, she won't be able to come stay with me.
I beleive that HB 78 is not only unconstitutional, because it is unfair to attempt to govern dog ownership and breeding for that matter in any one breed. I do agree that there should be more intense penalties placed against irresponsible ownership in every breed. Punish the deed not the breed. Pitbull are very loving animals and are one of the best pets you can choose to have in your home. Please vote against HB 78.
