52 Comments:

• What bunk, Most dogs will fight to submission. A Pit Bull is not satisfied with that;it must finish the job. Pit Bulls have killed more humans in America than any-other breed of dog. Most in California. We are not talking about bites here. We are talking about life disfiguring mauls and deadly attacks. This animal has a genetic fault. Because man created this dog, it is mans responsibility to provide stewardship over the animals he creates. We can not stand by while this specific breed continues to terrorise our communities. This aggresive trait can not be loved away. This bill will enact the very points the Pro Pit people always blame as the reason for the attacks. It will let communities decide if they want to enact neutering and spaying requirements nad will control back-yard breeders. The Pro Pit People need to there-for pick some new arguments. This is not an out-right ban. This is a reasonable and responsible bill. Something the Pro Pit Lobby is against and screaming that the sky will fall. They even claim this will create extintion in a breed. How lame of an argument. This breed is way over bred and will only make a law where as it will be more ethical breeding practices. Supporting this bill is being a responsible dog advicate.

  By  Anonymous, at 12:43 AM, July 04, 2005  

  ---

• I have read the arguement above but, I have to say how can you fault an animal that is trained that way? Your neglecting to say that most of these studies that have been done back in the 80's when their where many factors stating the conditions of things, such as heat, small confinements. I have never owned a pit bull myself but my boyfriend has one. I think it all comes down to training. I see more small dogs wanting to attack then pit bulls. People forget that all dogs needs their space and proper training. I think its more of a matter of owner responsibilities and more articles have shown that the owners where not equiped or knowledgabout about any animals. Also the conditions the dogs where in I don't think its right to have big dogs in the city in the first place, small dogs are take less room then their bigger relitives. Its a shame they have to put bans on a breed but, the next question comes up what breed next?

  By  alley_girl, at 8:29 PM, July 05, 2005  

  ---

• Thank you for creating Breed Specific Legislation. I am so tired of my dogs and myself being threatened by these ferocious dogs. There should be very specifically licensed breeders who can only sell dogs that have been spayed. It seems those who have them need to account to higher standards. The current laws don't bite as hard as these dogs do.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:29 AM, July 13, 2005  

  ---

• Contrary to the first post, pit bulls do not have a genetic fault; in fact, they were bred originally to be friendly and submissive to people. While they can display aggression to smaller animals, it is a trait that can be “loved” and trained out. Personally, I’ve owned a pit bull and I currently have an American Staffordshire terrier; she is absolutely lovely to people and every other type of animal, it so happens that her best friends are two cats. I am in the service and I move around a great deal, and often the threat of breed specific legislation weighs heavily on my mind. It annoys me to no end that I would have to live far away from a base because a certain county has placed a ban on a breed. However I do believe that stricter guidelines should be put into place concerning the bully breeds. It is unfortunate that ignorant, low-grade people abuse and torture these animals for gambling and sadistic purposes. They want to fight these dogs. I think micro chipping and stricter breed controls would be an immense help, not to people, but to the breed. They should not be banned. If a human abuses a child and the child acts in an adverse manner, people hold sympathy for this child; however these same people do not hold sympathy for abused animals. I’ve worked in vet clinics and such and almost every educated person is aware that bully breeds are not the problem, it’s the people. What about breeding restrictions on humans? It’s not dogs that cause ferocious attacks on humans. I would be amused to know if people who are pro breed restriction are also pro gun advocates. I bet many hate pits, but love guns. More guns kill people that dogs do, where does one draw the line? Ban one, ban the other. Also, all those people out there that hate pits, I have a question: Have you ever even touched one? Or do you just derive all your information on the breed from inflammatory media propaganda?

  By  Alicia, at 11:04 PM, August 09, 2005  

  ---

• You know, sadly the first submission is what most people think of pit bulls. They make wild claims that lack any evidenciary substance "Pit Bulls have killed more humans in America than any-other breed of dog". When in actuality you are more likely to be bitten by a Cocker Spaniel than a Pit Bull. These people are also unaware that there are 25+ breeds of dog that are categorized as "pit bulls".
  
  The issue isnt the dog, its the owner. Passing BSL isnt the solution, stricter punishment for dog owners that turn their dogs into attack dogs is the real solution.
  
  Also what is to stop the Government at the BSL? Why not telling people you can't have Parakeets because they might poop on you? Doesnt it seem strangely odd that a city like San Francisco that wants the Government out of their bedrooms, is asking the same Government to tell them what types of animals they are allowed to have.

  By  Anonymous, at 11:38 AM, August 15, 2005  

  ---

• People should really think before they write. I love people who judge the pitbull breed and never been around them. I am guessing this is where the ignorance in the first post comes from. Maybe we should make a law stating ignorant and nieve people shouldn't breed; that would be easier on us all as well. I agree that the owner is where the problem resides. If the the law inforcement officials would do their job then this would not be an issue today. Their are already laws and bills passed regarding viciuos dogs and fines for dogs that attack. Why the need to point fingers at a specific breed? They need a scapegoat. If a dog is loved and trained it will not become vicious. If the dog is beat and abbused it will - even the little dogs will become vicious! Chows and German Shepherds have a horrible reputation for biting. But we never hear about that! Just like the attack by two dogs on the child. One was a pit-mix - the story never stated the breed of the other one. Why not? Scapegoat. What was the other part of the pit-mix? Maybe the other mix was the bad part. With this legislation, there needs to be dog education put forth in the elementary schools. While some dog attacks are not provoked (as we see it) some are. There was an attack on a child several years ago and the child had been jabbing a stick at the dog through a fence. Finally the dog defended itself and attacked. I hate to tell everyone, but our dogs are not humans and they don't think like us. They don't see a child poking them as a child, they see the child as attacking them. If you were attacked you would defend yourself and that is what the dog does. Saying the attacks are "unprovoked" really has no ground because we do not know how dogs think. They are animals and ALL dogs go by a different set of rules than humans. If we are going to target specific dogs then we need to target all medium and large breed dogs; ALL of them! In regards to the post about your dog being bullied by pitbulls and I assuming other "big" dogs, deal with it. It is the animal kingdom and survival of the fittest is the overiding law. How do mean bullied exactly. You mean your little rat-dog barks at the big dog and when the big dog barks or growls back you are now being "bullied", please! We already have too much prejudice and racism in our country why does it have to come down to our dogs too?

  By  Anonymous, at 7:50 AM, August 23, 2005  

  ---

• I am not a dog trainer or any other dog professional, just a dog lover. I feel any law that bans or has restrictions for any breed of dog is unjust.
  
  As a dog lover, I've handled (trained, petted, etc) many breeds of dogs. I've handled some of these so-called aggressive dogs and NOT been bitten by german shepherds, rotties, american staffordshire terriers (pit bull), doberman, among others.
  
  I've handled "non-aggressive" dogs as well and HAVE been bitten: dalmatian, minature schnauzer, minature poodle, border collie, airedale terrier, rottie/aussie mix.
  
  Any breed of dog can bite. Any dog can kill. Even a pomeranin has killed an infant before.
  
  It's the owner's responsiblity to see to it the dog is properly trained and socialized. Look at some stats on the internet. Most of the fatal bites that occur are because the dog was chained up, not being socialized. Chaining can make a dog aggresive because they cannot run away when there is a threat. I don't know what restrictions apply to what areas, but some of them require that certain breeds of dogs be chained. Well, I just stated that it makes dogs more aggresive. There are also restrictions where "pit bulls" are not allowed contact with children, even as puppies. Well... isn't that just brillant!? Let's not socialize the dog at all and see how nice it is!
  
  
  Cats because cats can scratch people, horses kick people, and cars kill people too, so we should ban all of that! Now I've heard that there are more black males in jail than any other race/gender. So why don't we just... I don't know... kill all black males! Afterall, they are just going to wind up doing something horrible! /sarcasm

  By  Cindy, at 12:15 AM, September 24, 2005  

  ---

• I just read an article that said california forbides this from happening, when did that change? Every single person who posted made good points. To add alittle to the first I belive that a legislation for neutering and spaying an animal would be far more benefcial because it would help the animal shelters to reduce their size. It is not the breed it is how the dog is raised. I rescued a min dach and it bit me the rescuer, I then went back to the agency and we put it to sleep ,so any dog raosded mean will be mean.

  By  Sandi, at 1:11 PM, October 06, 2005  

  ---

• Sandi, to be exact, it changed the day before you posted, when Arnold Schwartzenegger signed Jackie Speier's SB 861, a law which lifts the ban on banning breeds. Confusing? Now you know why it got support. It pretends to be one thing but when unbraided turns out to be another. In this case, it's a law permitting breed specific legislation in cities and counties. Pretty soon we'll be like Italy: 92 banned breeds. Every time a dog bites, we ban its breed. Of course, the irony is that the humans just buy a different breed, and the humans are still free. It's a coward's law--you pick on harmless family pets so that you can avoid facing the bullies, the criminals. Jackie Speier and Gavin Newsom are cowards.

  By  Jackie, at 9:23 PM, November 10, 2005  

  ---

• Gavin Newsome, SF Mayor, said in an interview last week that Pit Bulls account for 5% of the canine population, for 50% of dogs euthenized, and more than 50% of violent attacks in his city. I don't know where he got his numbers from, but if they are even remotely accurate, they paint an ugly picture for the breed.
  
  Whether you believe the dogs are vicious or not, it is irresponsible breeding and caretaking that cause these problems. I, for one, am fully behind the spaying/neutering requirements.

  By  Anonymous, at 1:03 PM, November 22, 2005  

  ---

• How many Californians say "my pittbull is so gentle and sweet" before the dog tears off some kids arm. People who own them seem to have one thing in common, the IQ of a dead flashlight battery.

  By  Anonymous, at 5:38 PM, November 26, 2005  

  ---

• Speaking as someone with the IQ of a dead flashlight battery, I find it highly amusing that blanket statements based on second-hand information gleaned from journalists and politicians, of all people, is where these ignoramouses who believe all pits are vicious get their "facts."
  
  I have a pit. I also I have a master's degree. And I can swear, promise, guarantee, that my dog will never rip someone's arm off. Because he is trained, he is never alone, never off leash, and I am the alpha.
  
  That and the sheer, absolute truth that normal, well-breed pits are not people agressive. Do your home work. LEARN something! Instead of trusting former-pimple-faced-97-pound-weekling
  journalism majors who spent the majority of their lives on the school paper because they couldn't get a date, and skeevy jerks who became politicos because they were to dishonest to get real work.
  
  Call the AKC, the UKC, CDC, AVMA, the HSUS - somebody who knows what they're talking about before you around telling me I'm stupid.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:48 PM, January 06, 2006  

  ---

• People who think that there should be breed specific bans honestly make me sick! I have had a full bred pitbull, pitbull mix, and my aunt has a full bred pitbull. Dogs of this type have been in my family since I was a child! My dog is the sweetest dog, and no he won't rip your arm off. In fact I was walking him the other day and my brother jumped out from behind a car and scared us, my dog went yelping in a full sprint down the street. Pretty vicious huh!
  Pitbulls and rotties do make up for the most death related dog bites, but they are ranked one of the lowest when it comes to dog bites in general. Studies have also proven that the Pitbull is the most mistreated breed of dog, bred by thugs to fight. They are cut with razors all over their body, and alcohol is poured into their wounds to make them angry and vicious. A dog advocate once said that Pitbulls are the most loving of all dogs because they are so used to being abused and mistreated, that they will love and be loyal to anyone who shows them the least bit of affection.
  What we need is stricter legislation for those who turn these adorable loving companions into viscious deadly weapons!

  By  Anonymous, at 7:57 PM, January 06, 2006  

  ---

• If you truly want to be educated on this subject, you should read this article. This guy has a much higher IQ than a dead flaslight battery, probably higher than the person who wrote that.
  http://www.pitbullpress.com/ARTICLES/BSL.ACTION.KIT.html

  By  Anonymous, at 8:09 PM, January 06, 2006  

  ---

• all i have ask this aonymous person is have you ever owned a pit bull or any large animals. I have owned many pit bulls and i currently have three males yes males. 2 are nutured and 1 is a register stud for breeding. they all are the love of my life and families life. i take them everywhere. I totally agree with alley girl's comments. when i walk my dogs i always have to watch out for those little dogs. they come after me and my 3 big pit bulls. if you train them, give them space to play and run. the one thing any animal needs is LOVE. I live in the country and i wouldn't want no small dog protecting my family (though small dogs are more agreesive) my daughter works in a vet office/boarding and she deals with dogs all day. she says the labs are the attackers. if this pit lobby happens then what other animals are you going to pick on next. the owners of all animals need to take ownership.. animals are like children....

  By  Anonymous, at 8:27 PM, January 11, 2006  

  ---

• I thought this article was very interesting. I have lived with pit bull type dogs my whole life and i've found them to be wonderful. the only dog i ever had a problem with was actually a rottweiler mix, and a junk yard dog to boot. the pit i have now is really laid back and sweet, he'll let a small dog attack him and just look at it. (mostly because he lives with a cat who likes to chew on his face and he couldn't care less).
  
  http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060206fa_fact

  By  Kaila, at 12:05 PM, February 22, 2006  

  ---

• You people who think pitbulls are evil animals from the start are retarded. Pitbulls pick up things at a very early age so when u beat them and treat them bad they become spitefull of humans, when you love them and take care of them they treat any human as one of their own. So dont kill of these dogs they arent terrorfying, kill the owner! Look at what people have done over the years..hitler saddam if u think killing off these dogs for just doin what they think is right y dont we just kill every humand out there for killing people and being horrible? You people make me sick i own a pitbull and shes the sweetess nicest thing in the world and thank you all those people who have a brain and the mental capacity to understand dogs. everyone else can kiss my ass i hope u rot in hell fucken motherfucking cocksuckers who blame the breed you're all fucken faggots i hope u all get shot.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:51 AM, February 25, 2006  

  ---

• I think that anyone who thinks that banning Pits is a moran. Bad owners make bad dogs, Mean owners mean mean dogs. No matter what kind of dog you have! I have a pit that i have had for 5 years plus a little terrier, 3 cats and a Cockatoo! Oh yeah i 6 year old! Full house. She is the best dog that i have ever had! how bout get rid of the bad owners not helpless dogs. They only do what they are trained to do. what their owner tell them to do! I hope that everyone stands up for the dogs that can't speak and don't let this happen to this breed.

  By  tiffany25, at 8:49 PM, March 01, 2006  

  ---

• "You people who think pitbulls are evil animals from the start are retarded. Pitbulls pick up things at a very early age so when u beat them and treat them bad they become spitefull of humans, when you love them and take care of them they treat any human as one of their own. So dont kill of these dogs they arent terrorfying, kill the owner! Look at what people have done over the years..hitler saddam if u think killing off these dogs for just doin what they think is right y dont we just kill every humand out there for killing people and being horrible? You people make me sick i own a pitbull and shes the sweetess nicest thing in the world and thank you all those people who have a brain and the mental capacity to understand dogs. everyone else can kiss my ass i hope u rot in hell fucken motherfucking cocksuckers who blame the breed you're all fucken faggots i hope u all get shot."
  
  I guess dogs really are like their owners.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:32 AM, March 04, 2006  

  ---

• Anyone with questions or opinions on pittbiulls should first research the temper ment of dogs, breed specific. and when you have done so you will find that, pittbulls have a lower temperment that none other thatn the all time family dog the golden retriver! so once again its not the dog its the owner. Registration is an accepptable awnser to quell peoples misguidedd hype of the breed not mass extermination. and formore. to think that someone would honestly consider mass killing anything, it horrible. why dont you mass klill drug dealers who train thier animals to kill, and kill themselves either through thier buisness or thier vicious animals. please think and fully research, before voting to ban someones beloved pet.
  Eric Wilson, Truckee, Ca

  By  Anonymous, at 6:48 PM, March 04, 2006  

  ---

• I am a dog show handler,I work at a pet store, and I work for a veterinarian. I am around animals all day long, all week long and I own plenty of my own animals enough to know plenty of animal temperments. I can give an honest opinion that pit bulls are dogs, like any other dogs, they are not special in any good way or bad way. They are just like any normal dog, any normal animal, but these people who treat them and make them to be vicious are not normal people. These people need restrictions and these people need to learn that there are consequences for their actions so that they can learn from their mistakes. But it doesnt help when ignorant people push a bill they dont even understand. Ive met plenty of ignorant people and ive done my part to teach them about the correct way to treat and care for a dog. Dogs will treat you the way you treat them and they will learn most from their earlier stages just like a child would. So please...PUNISH THE DEED NOT THE BREED!

  By  michelle, at 5:42 PM, March 05, 2006  

  ---

• Obviously I'm moons too late to comment much on the situation in California, but I would like to address the notion that all individuals who support breed-specific legislation are uneducated about these dogs specifically and animal behaviour in general. I am a veterinarian and an animal behaviourist (that means that I have completed an additional 3 years of education beyond veterinary school to obtain a Master's degree in Animal Behaviour). I fully endorse breed-specific legislation and was one of the experts whose opinion helped to draft the Ontario BSL against pit bull terriers. What we never see in these conversations is the reasoned argument FOR BSL and I would like to present that. Pit Bull terriers (and for the purpose of this discussion I will lump in crosses and dogs that are closely related in terms of historical breeding) were originally bred for the purposes of guarding and bull-baiting. These 2 purposes required a dog that had an incredibly low threshold for "arousal" - in this context, we are talking about the arousal of a predatory or aggressive response - and an incredibly high level of response as well as a strong propensity to maintain that response (aggression) over a long duration (sometimes this is called "gameness").
  
  The historical pit bull was the epitome of these traits and the modern-day pit bull retains them well. What possession of these characteristics means in terms of human-canine interaction is that these dogs are aroused to aggressive behaviour by stimuli that might cause mild aversive behaviour (leaving or barking) in a different breed, such as a Golden Retriever. A good example of such a stimulus would be a small child screaming or running, both of which small children do frequently and with fervor. The pit bull also, because they were bred to have a strong and long response, is more likely than the Golden Retriever to savage rather than simply bite and retreat.
  
  Does this mean that every pit bull will attack a small child? Of course not, but if you took 1000 pit bulls and exposed them to a young child screaming and running, you would probably have 100 attacks, with 20 to 30 that were severe - resulting in critical injury or death. Contrast this with the Golden Retriever, wherein you would likely find 1-2 attacks of very minor significance (bite and release with retreat). In short, the pit bull and related breeds ARE significantly more likely to harm people, especially children, than are other breeds with different backgrounds. This doesn't make them evil, but in our society it does make them dangerous. That danger is, admittedly, compounded by irresponsible and ignorant ownership, but I must comment that the ongoing argument that any pit bull raised "correctly", whatever that means, is as gentle as a Golden Retriever demonstrates significant ignorance about the breed on the part of those making it. In short, BSL is a very defensible choice, in my highly EDUCATED opinion.

  By  TFH, at 10:32 PM, March 22, 2006  

  ---

• Honestly, this bill is disgusting. It is not the dogs fault that some owners choose to breed them for fighting purposes...And in fact, most Pitbulls are amazing, loving, protective animals, and can only be harmful if provoked. Maybe people should learn to respect them, and their territory instead of being ignorant. We know these dogs can be dangerous, so unless you're told otherwise, keep your distance. It's that simple. Don't punish the dog, or honest, loving owners because people are incapable of learning and keeping their distance. Any dog can be dangerous, not just Pitbulls. This is like Genocide. By doing this, you are welcoming back something that we disgraced Hitler for. Granted, these are dogs, and those were people. But it is the exact same concept. As I said before, any dog can be dangerous, and in fact, Pitbulls are not the most dangerous dogs in the US. Chows are. So you can take this bill, and shove it up your ass you ignorant fools.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:32 PM, April 10, 2006  

  ---

• TFH, excellent post - extremely informative and right on point. There's a reason people are targeting pit bulls and rottys and it is precisely because of what you explained. They have a predisposition for violence. Period. And that means that an owner’s margin of error for raising the dog shrinks. We can’t guarantee that all owners will be knowledgeable and responsible. The disproportionate death toll by these breeds is proof of that. This legislation addresses an actual problem (not fictional folks) and I support it.

  By  Anonymous, at 6:55 AM, April 11, 2006  

  ---

• TO the first poster:
  your anonymity is a sign of your cowardice. There's nothing wrong with pitbulls. YOu're probably one of those PETA fascists. Let's ban humans, they kill more people than dogs.

  By  kyle, at 9:01 AM, April 11, 2006  

  ---

• if you are scared of pitbulls, toughen up. Not all of the pitbulls are vicious and mean. Just because they have certain jaw configurations doesnt mean that they are a bad breed. Thats like saying just because Rob Blake is a bad person, all white people are bad. That would not be true at all. Pitbulls have killed more because owners are either scared or neglect them. there is a pitbull that lives down the street, and he is sweeter then my yellow lab. its all about breeding, and the owner. if the owner is scared of their dog, then the dog is overpowering the owner, and that owner shouldn't have a pitbull.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:20 PM, April 14, 2006  

  ---

• For every one of you that are so ignorant and think that you are threatened by pitbulls just because there are a select few that have been trained by the wrong ownders to be mean, they do more good then they do bad, I have 2 pitbulls and they are the nicest and sweetest animals i have ever had and they are the most loyal dogs you could ever have. You are only threatened by your pitbull if you infact yourself threaten your pitbull or abuse it. Think outside the box of ignorance for a minute and look at the bigger picture.

  By  Anonymous, at 7:22 PM, April 19, 2006  

  ---

• Pitbulls can be loving, Pitbulls can be caring, Pitbulls can be protecting...just like any good dog if it is with a loving caring companion who raises them right...any animal or person can grow up to be a tirant if they were brought up that way and abused

  By  StephanieTLC, at 6:17 AM, April 21, 2006  

  ---

• Pitbulls can be loving, Pitbulls can be caring, Pitbulls can be protecting...just like any good dog if it is with a loving caring companion who raises them right...any animal or person can grow up to be a tirant if they were brought up that way and abused

  By  StephanieTLC, at 6:17 AM, April 21, 2006  

  ---

• fuck you nazi bastard. ive got three pits and theyve never been aggressive at all. all the dog needs is to be treated like other dogs. you could fight poodles if you wanted too, but people dont. they fight pit bulls b/c of their size and reputation. its not the dogs fault, its the owners that made them that way.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:03 PM, April 24, 2006  

  ---

• Having owned a pitbull myself I have seen how gentle and sweet they could be if they were only raised to be that way. A dog is an animal, just as a cat or coyote. It is unfair to punish all owners on an entire breed because some people abuse their animals for sole personal benefits ($$$). I realize that pitbulls are powerful animals and have hurt many. However, it is not the general nature of a pitbull to attack people unless trained to do so. Therefore, I strongly urge everyone to imagine if this were their animal. For many people, losing an animal is just like losing a family member. The law should issue harsh consequences for owners who do not care properly for their animals (fence, proper care, etc.). This is a completely unethical intervention that avoids dealing with the direct issue. This is only going to lead to banning more breeds, and that could be yours. How would you feel?

  By  Anonymous, at 3:59 PM, April 26, 2006  

  ---

• Firstly I have not read all the comments. I dont have that much time in my day.
  
  But for people sitting her pointing the fingers at dogs and stating that humans created the problem.
  
  That is a load of bull!
  
  You know while we are at this BSL. Why dont we go out and find every weak link in society and kill them too? I mean after all people create psychopaths, wrapist, robbers, drug addicts, etc. Why not just do away with them and the people who created them?
  
  Yeah people created the problem. But people also have to deal with that. Not threw violence. Threw education. And 25 bucks for a dog bite. Thats disgusting! I can see if it was something like your dog attacked someone because they broke into your house or hurt a family member. Hello this is part of the reason people purchase dogs.
  
  But if your dog bites simply because you are a BAD owner. Then you should be penelized and your dog should be taken from you. I'm not saying it should be killed. Those creatures that are well off enough to be trained not to harm people that can be put in loving homes. Yes this should happen. Unfortuntly there are jerks like my neighbor who train dogs to fight. These animals those that are not safe with in society should be put to sleep.
  
  All animals (cats, dogs, rabbits, guine pigs, rats, etc) should be spayed and nueterd. It's safe and it's healthy.
  
  The only exception to this rule are breeders. And I'm not talking about any idiot out on the street. I'm talking about people who are licensed and go threw associations like the AKC (American Kennel club)and the CFA (Cat Fanicers Association).
  
  I think it is up to breeders to make sure that their animals are being placed in good and proper homes. This is the only way you can really regulate such a threat. By making sure that animals are placed with responsible intelligant owners.
  
  My aunt and uncle both breed rotts for 10 years. We have always had wonderful rottweilers and have never had a problem with them. Our dogs have never attacked a soul. Granted there have been times where the door was not properly shut and a stranger came up to our house to put a flier on it and they chased them. But that was it. Yeah scary as all heck. But the person had not done anything wrong.
  
  Our dogs did nothing wrong either. They saw someone they did not know and they chased them away so that stranger could not harm their family. Yeah we grabbed them asap. But still our dogs did no wrong. Even when the mail man maced our dog once when my sister had her she still did no wrong. She did not bark at him she did not fly at him in a blind rage. Instead she sat there and cried. And he emptied an entire container on her. Do I blame him. Yes and no.
  
  I wish he had not have sprayed her. My sister (15) had hold of her. But I do not blame him either. If an unfamilar dog came at me even if the owner had him I'd be scared!
  
  Dogs have been designed to protect their families. And there is nothing wrong with that. I grew up in a ghetto for more than half of my life. And thank god we had our Rotts. The street I lived on had two drug houses and a gang. Now tell me that is something not to be afraid of.
  
  My sister and my father have both had run ins with pitts because the owner did not train them. Do I blame the dog? Hell no! I blame the owner. Now owners who are just stupid. Welp I feel bad for the dog. And I feel that the owner should not be allowed to have a pet. Well maybe a fish. But I dont like it when people can't take care of any animal.
  
  Now people like my neighbor who TRAIN animals to fight. Yeah I think they should be shot. It's just flat out disgusting and wrong!
  
  It's like so many things in this world, guns, religon, cultures, animals. All these things have some really BAD aspects to them. But it's not those things are bad it's SOME of the people who make it bad. The vast majority is good and their is no problem. But for the small amount of jerks in the world. Man they really mess things up.
  
  If you want to create a law that will euthinise animals that have attacked people and can not be trained otherwise, to euthinise animals that have been breed to fight and to restrict their owners from purchasing animals in the future. Sure go ahead.
  
  But KILLING breeds of dogs just because they are alive is disgusting and wrong.
  
  We are always talking about endangered species. Dogs are species to. This is the same idea as genecide. Just because it is not a person does not make it any differant.
  
  Please if you want to stop attacks go to the source. Dog owners. The dogs are not the problem they are the tool. And anyone who thinks they are the problem is just as inhuman and disgusting as those who train dogs to fight against other dogs.

  By  Jess, at 2:18 PM, May 01, 2006  

  ---

• I have an IQ of 131 and I also have 4 american pit bull terriers. I have traveled all over the country and I have yet to see another breed of dogs who is better around children than the apbt. I have my dogs around children all day and they would never harm a child (unless they could lick them to death).
  Any dog that is trained to attack will do just that, to ban or euthanize a specific breed of dogs is cruel and unusual punishment. Since dogs are more loyal than man and sometimes more valuable it does not suprise me that man would try to ban this breed. Man has generally tried to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to them, so what do you expect.
  I personally would never give my dogs up without a fight and I'm pretty sure every other pit bull owner feels the same way, so good luck.
  Instead of wasting taxpayer money on such a ridiculous bill why don't you help out the hurricane Katrina victims, why don't you work on ending the war in Iraq, why don't you help stop police brutality? I know why because all of those things make sense, you would rather waste our money on a needless ban. Great job Terminator!

  By  Anonymous, at 12:20 AM, May 29, 2006  

  ---

• I'm all for this legislation. I too used to be a pit bull lover thinking that it was all about the training and love provided to the pit bull. Boy was I wrong! On 5/7/6 i was bit in the face by one and permanently disfigured. This was a dog that i knew well and played with several times. not 2 minutes prior to the incedent he was licking my face and wagging his tail. i was sitting on the floor next to him petting his side and wham...i almost lost an eye, the bones in my face were exposed, and he nearly broke my nose. i know all the pit bull lovers right now are thinking "well he mustve giver her a warning ie growling, tenseness etc. or she mustve done something to aggravate him, but your wrong. Every one who saw the incedent was in shock that this dog couldve done something like that and i was too. Since then I have spoken to several former pit bull owners whom loved and cared for their dogs only to have them turn on them. One man I spoke with actually had to kill his own pit bull on the spot to get him to release his leg and he too was disfigured. I am not a dog hater, i love dogs and have owned several in my lifetime, but I will NEVER own a pit bull. Even the most seemingly caring, sweet, innocent pit bull can turn on you at anytime. Please dont learn this lesson the hardway like I did.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:37 PM, July 12, 2006  

  ---

• All of you made very good points and right now I am studying to make a pro/con poster for a dog show poster competition. As of my stance right now(which could very possibly change) I am against BSL. I read the previous story, and even if you didn't get a warning, it could've happened with any breed of dog. Pit Bulls should not be discriminated against jusat because of the past. I have learned through many years of owning and 4 years of training that dogs as much as people deserve a second shot.
  
  I'm only 15 and I have a lot to learn, but I stand firmly for now. I know from experience any dog can be aggressive. I have a Parson/Jack Russell Terrier that will tear apart a 50lb Border Collie in 2 seconds. I have had a lot of problems with him including him snipping at me. A couple of times I wanted to get rid of him, but my parents never gave up on me and he needed the love just as much as I did.
  
  All of you out there that support BSL, I suggest you do some more research, and not just what breeds kill. Do some research on what happens to these breeds, what they go through, what owners do with them, etc. Research what you can do to help these breeds without banning them from a home they could really benefit from.
  
  All of you opposing BSL, I suggest you too do some more research. Try to understand where the other people are coming from. Research more fatal attacks rather than just dog bites, they are very different thngs.

  By  Anonymous, at 11:53 AM, July 28, 2006  

  ---

• Thank you everyone for your point of view and knowledge, especially THF. I stumbled across this site while doing research for a friend with a Presa/BullMastiff cross who fears that she may need to give it up before moving to Cali.
  As a Vet tech and owner of two Mastiffs I am somewhat divided on the BSL argument. Pit Bulls are not usually a problem at work. The last dog that bit me at work was a chocolate lab, and a mini dachshund tried very hard today. So I do not feel threatened by pit bulls unless the owners warn me.
  I do not feel that my insurance company or city should dictate what kind of companion animal I have. BUT, I recognize that certain breeds whether it is from size or comformation are capable of a lot more damage than others and therefore need to be held to a higher, more strict standard. I love my big Mastiff girls. They are house dogs, that think the couch is theirs, but they are trained for competetive obedience, because I think that when a person has a dog that outweighs them, they had better be in control.
  I also feel that any dog-bite, regardless of breed, should not be tolerated and the reprecussions against the owner and dog should be much harsher. Why hasn't anyone mentioned requiring having aggressive animals attend mandatory evaluation and training with a behaviourist? A professional could teach people how to control their animal and also make a judgement if the animal was a danger and needed to be euthanized. I have a friend who had a very sweet girl pit. She adopted her at six months and spent a lot of time training her and socializing her. One year ago, while she was out of town, her dog killed two cats. Because this was the one area that her socialization was somewhat lacking, while being devastated, she tried very hard to control her environment and keep her away from cats. Then two months ago, while away from the house for the day, her dog attacked her roommate's 6 month old puppy. Her dog had been living with this puppy since he was eight weeks old and they got along great. Because of her jaw conformation, neighbors were unable to break up the fight, but were able to get Animal control there before she killed him. He had to have extensive surgery and blood transfusions, but survived. After consulting with veterinarians and behaviourists, my friend euthanized her dog. She's heartbroken, but feels she did the right thing. I do too. I feel she saved someone else from future heartbreak and that we need more responsible pit owners like her.

  By  Anonymous, at 11:58 PM, August 19, 2006  

  ---

• My friend introduced me to her pit bull that she rescued. Let me tell you this was the sweetest dog and it really got along great with her german shepherd. Until out of the blue, the pit turned on the shepherd and mauled her so badly she had to be put to sleep. I saw the pictures and it was like a horror movie! The dog was inside out!
  Then today I found out today that my friends took their shiba inu to a dog park and it was attacked by a (surprise!)pit bull.
  I love dogs, but obviously something is wrong when you hear stories like this over AND over again!
  I would give 100% support to BSL.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:46 PM, November 03, 2006  

  ---

• To start, let me point out a wedge of hilarity here.
  Notice how many of the "Pit Bull Defenders"- the ones who claim that Pits are calm and loving if the owner is- are the most aggressive and abrasive people making comments?
  "Fuck you nazi, I hope you die" is totally non-agressive.
  
  Anyway, problem comes from this. Pit Bull Terriers are more aggressive. Point in fact. They were initially bred to be violent. You can check the Wikipedia article for yourself.
  
  Another point: Pit Bull owners are, more often than not, aggressive, defensive, or in some other way under the impression that they need some kind of physical powerhouse for a pet. Looking at this comment thread alone proves that; I haven't read any pro-BSL threaten lives, however I have read anti-BSL (who are also Pit owners currently or previously by personal admission) threaten, cuss, swear and otherwise act more aggressive than any other participant in the debate.
  
  But hey, what do I know, I just read and research on my own without automatically buying in to the first opinion stated. :D
  
  By the by, I'm for BSL as far as breeding restrictions, such as neutering and spaying, goes. Dogs are severely overpopulated and often overbred because of a lack of these mesures.
  
  -Daniel Werden

  By  Anonymous, at 9:05 AM, November 28, 2006  

  ---

• i think violent humans AND animals should be contained and /or punished by death depending on the crime.

  By  Anonymous, at 12:59 PM, December 08, 2006  

  ---

• IGNORANCE feeds this fire, folks. People who support Breed Specific
  Legislation are generally ignorant of the breeds it targets(i.e. American Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweilers, German Shepherds). Keep in mind pit bull's are more abused and neglected than any other breed, due to negative media attention and the overall ignorance of the public. There are Pit bull's that have saved their owners lives, saved other animals lives, but it doesn't get as much attention. Also, the media doesn't usually talk about the OTHER attacks/bites ---a golden retriever that mauled a boy, or the two cocker spaniels that mauled a toddler never got the attention that any random pit bull would get. There are 16 breeds that ignorant people often confuse for a Pit bull (and you may not believe it, but it's been proven). Pit bull's are the only breed I've ever seen that can still manage a happy wag of a tail after years of abuse and/or neglect--talk about a good attitude!
  I read something about Pit bull's "finishing the job"-- well they were BRED for bull baiting, to hold on until THE ANIMAL submitted. Terriers are known for their stubborn personalities. All it takes is some RESEARCH and understanding of the breed. Inexperienced and questionable personalities often buy pit bull's--the result is a pit bull who isn't trained and/or socialized enough and often abused and neglected--THESE dogs hurt the breed reputation. They sometimes have some dog aggression due to the way they've been bred, but NO DOG, regardless of BREED IS SOUND if they attack a HUMAN. BLAME THE DEED, NOT THE BREED. Every bite/attack should be handled on a case-by-case basis. It's unjust to punish an ENTIRE breed for the deeds for a few bad apples.

  By  Anonymous, at 6:38 PM, December 18, 2006  

  ---

• this is ridiculous.
  i've personally owned 2 pitbulls and they where the kindest and truely gentle animals. the problem is is that people TRAIN them to be attack and guard dogs. The germans did this with Pincers. does that mean the Pincers should be outlawed? how about rotweillers? they can be trained as vicious attack dogs. German Shepards are another great example. They where used by the allies in WWII as attack and guard dogs. The problem is only that legislators are using your fear to get votes and re-elected. dont be controlled by fear, more so dont be controlled by the media. Dont let these poor and mistreated animals be destroyed.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:02 PM, December 27, 2006  

  ---

• As a PitBull owner, I can say that with the proper care, upbringing and training; they are the smartest, most gentle and kind dogs I have ever worked with. I am a veterinarian who has experience working with all canine breeds; and more often than not, I have a small dog trying to attack rather than a large Rotty or Pit.
  Of course, if an animal is raised in a hostile, uncomfortable environment; it may develop a hostile personality itself.
  Also, do we kill human beings that get into fights ? No. If someone throws a punch and sends someone to the hospital... do we sentence them to death ? No. They are give a chance for rehabilitation.
  Why cannot we deliver the same to dogs ?
  
  P.S. There are more MURDERS by humans to humans in the US every year than there are "PitBull Attacks."

  By  Anonymous, at 2:57 PM, December 27, 2006  

  ---

• the vast majority of these comments are based on personal incredulity. just because you don't believe something doesn't mean it's not true.
  
  TFH had the best comment: rational, organized, and based on legitimate authority as someone with EXTENSIVE and RELEVANT education.
  
  i came to this site neutral, wanting to know more about the issue, after reading the comments i must agree with Daniel Werden's point that the defenders of pit bulls seem to be really aggressive.
  
  the person with the IQ of 131 made a good point about Katrina and the war in Iraq, but those are not Californian issues, proving that you can have a good IQ and still miss the point.

  By  ethan beckley, at 2:42 PM, January 05, 2007  

  ---

• TFH if you are who you say you are....then why not post your full name on here and where we can look up your credentials.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:17 PM, January 13, 2007  

  ---

• I must admit that I havn't read through all of the posts on this site, but I find the idea of BSL to be extremely cruel to those owners of Pit Bulls who raise them with love and affection. I am the current owner/mommy of an American Pit Bull Terrier and of all the dogs I have owned she is by far the most loving dog I have ever been around. She is a pure bred ABPT which my husband I rescued when she was a year old. She has never shown one speck of agression towards another human being or animal. I would like to point out that I also have three cats that live in my home and they are her best friends. The stereotype this breed has is very unfortunate. My husband I constantly joke with people that she would lick them to death before she tried to hurt them. When my husband brought her home I must admit that my first reaction was that she couldn't stay, but within 24 hours she had my heart. I wouldn't give her up for all the world. She is nothing more than a big baby. I don't know if anyone on this blog watches the Dog Whisperer, but if you do then you would see that there are plenty of dogs that are dominant and agressive, and very rarely are the dogs profiled on that show pitbulls. Those pitbulls that are nasty and agressive been raised by their owners to be that way and instead of punishing the breed you should be punishing those owners because they are guilty of animal cruelty.

  By  Anonymous, at 4:16 PM, January 19, 2007  

  ---

• Ok.. First.. Pit Bulls are one of the best family dogs. It may be hard to believe..but actually Rottweilers are a hell of a lot more dangerous than Pit Bulls. Rotties are known to turn on there owner, bite children, and be very territorial. Yet Pitt Bulls get the bad rep, because they are known for "dog fighting", and because they look pretty mean.. Come on.. an 90 pd dog, thats only a 2 feet off the ground, with a mouth and head bigger than a watermelon? Who wouldn't be intimidated??? Its all about how you raise your animals. Plain and simply.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:35 PM, February 01, 2007  

  ---

• Whoever said that last comment, you're a complete fucking idiot. Im guessing the ALL-TIME 'murders by dogs' in the history of man is say...maybe a couple hundred? I guess that excuses us for killing hundreds of thousands of people and millions of animals for no reason then, right? You're a complete fuckin moron, and so is California. They all need to grow tthe hell up and realize THEY are the reason America's laws don't work out, NOT dogs or anything else, just them causing poverty and discrimination. Look it up one day or look into it yourself; MOST crime is committed by the rich and the government, and I believe a couple ten thousand murders a year our government commits exceeds the couple of 'dog attacks' that happen because some asshole has to do something stupid to piss the thing off. Dogs dont randomly attack people;just the fucking idiots who mess with them; kinda like people, except people dont get sentenced to extermination for defending themselves...well thanks to our cheap-ass system, who knows.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:23 PM, February 16, 2007  

  ---

• My beautiful one year old cat was killed viciously by a pitbull neighbor's dog today. They never said sorry. This dog is vicious and could easily kill a child or human. I weighs at least 150lbs and the owner cannot control it. It scares everyone. It killed the other neighbors cat in June. I am tired of this. What can we do to protect ourselves and our animals. BAN PITBULLS! THen arrest them when they attack and euthanize them.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:33 PM, October 19, 2007  

  ---

• This is a bunch of bullshit. If people would pull their heads out of their asses and train their dogs we wouldn't have this problem. I for one, am NOT going to give up my beautiful girl, a 2-year old American Pit Bull Terrier who is a registered therapy dog, for some idiot who can't do research on both sides of the story and is entirely opinionated. Everyone who is for BSL needs to grow up and think about those of us that are responsible and own the real examples of the breeds and realize that it is indeed the owners fault when a dog attack happens. There is no "massacre" of people by the first comment up there happening. There is NO GENETIC FAULT IN THESE DOGS! I will die before I let some fool take away my girl. I have 4 year old twin boys and I swear shes better with them than I am.. Open your eyes...

  By  Anonymous, at 9:55 PM, November 25, 2007  

  ---

• first off whoever wrote this congrats to the rest of you who want simply put select breed extermination i love dogs all dogs hence a dogs nickname"man's best friend" not to mention the fact i was born an american they wont take away the right to bear arms but wanna take away the right to keep a dog of my own choice what if other states jump on this band wagon we are losing rights that make us american and thing people contest with are, im scared and tired of being terrorized us being scared i why we no longer control our future business men and politicians do and people who dont help are just as bad but your opinon is your opinon thats your right a dog doesnt have that option they have to hope we care enough to help them stay alive i agree if you dont treat your dog right it should be taken from you and give to someone who will thank you for your time

  By  itsbooda, at 2:51 PM, December 10, 2007  

  ---

• My neighbor has a poodle that terrorizes the neighborhood, but nothing is done about it. Any dog that attacks can disfigure, or kill. My number one question is "Where are the parents of these children when any dog attacks?" A dog attack is provoked in some way, shape, or form. (unless the dog has rabies) On any news story you hear about dog attacks the parents were not paying attention, or the person attacked tried to trespass. Dogs, in their nature are Territorial, even the annoying poodle next door will attack if you get to close, but you wont hear of that on the news because it is a small breed dog. It is just as much your responsibility to keep yourself away from the dog as it is, the owners job to keep the dog from you. It's funny to me that a dog bites once and has to be destroyed but a human can kill several times and still can get released from prison to do it again.
  
  1) Over the 32-year period from 1965-2001, Pit Bulls have been blamed for/accused of an average of 2.48 human fatalities per year.
  
  2) About 40 people (children) per year die by drowning in 5-gallon water pails. A person, during their lifetime, is 16 times more likely to drown in a 5-gallon water pail than to be killed by a Pit Bull.
  
  3) Approximately 50 children in the US are killed every year by their cribs - 25 times the number of children and adults killed by Pit Bulls.
  
  4) Approximately 150 people are killed every year by falling coconuts. Therefore, you are more than 60 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be killed by a PALM TREE than a Pit Bull.
  
  5) Each year, 350 people drown in their bathtubs. You are 151 times more likely to be killed by your bathtub than you are by a Pit Bull.
  
  6) Every year, more than 2,000 children in the U.S. are killed by their parents or guardians either through abuse or neglect. A child is more than 800 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than by a Pit Bull.
  
  7) It is estimated that 5,000,000 dogs per year are killed in shelters. Since in many places pit bulls make up 30-50% of the shelter population, and are less likely to be considered for placement than any other breed, guessing that 25% of those dogs killed are pit bulls is a very conservative estimate. Therefore, it can be assumed that roughly 1,250,000 pit bulls are killed per year. Therefore - it is at least a HALF MILLION TIMES MORE LIKELY that a Pit Bull will be killed by a HUMAN than the other way around.
  
  9) It can be estimated that for every Pit Bull who kills, there are 10.5 MILLION that DON'T! This country wants to ban/destroy 10.5 million innocent dogs for the actions of 0.94% of its category?
  
  
  Its about time everyone learnt to Punish the DEED not the BREED

  By  Anonymous, at 2:20 PM, January 09, 2008  

  ---

• I adopted a pit over two years ago. I found him under my car and was able to get him out but instead of running away, he jumped in my car. There was something about him that made my heart ache. He was skinny, scarred and terriefied. I never thought for one second that he was going to attack me. I took him to the pound and in 3 days he was mine. I had no intentions of adopting another dog, but he was going to be destroyed. I have had many dogs in my life so far, and Pete is one of the best! He loves my cats, other dogs, and even cuddles with my guinea pig! He was obviously fought because of the scarring on his body, but he was probably used for bait. He is the biggest woos you'll ever meet. I actually had a golden retriever that I rescued that was beaten so bad that if you raised your voice in the house, he would try to attack you. I 100% believe that a dog is not mean by nature but by how their trained! I could not stand the thought of any pit being destroyed.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:18 AM, January 29, 2008  

  ---

Post a Comment
Back to Homepage