Breed Specific Legislation

Over the years I have been doing some light research on a personally troubling issue. Breed Specific Legislation is a way to impose a punishment upon an entire breed of dogs, because of the actions of the OWNERS of a few dogs. Let me explain. The most poster dog for breed specific legislation is the vicious pit bull, with it's teeth gritted and beast-like drool dripping from it's impossibly sharpened teeth. The picture painted by legislators pushing this bill is that without these dogs around, dog attacks will cease to exist. That is not a solution. It is unfair to every last bit. This is a slightly personal issue for me, I will give any critics that. However, listen to the story first.

My family was dogless for years after my black lab puppy ran away when I was around 4 years old. I begged my parents relentlessly for another dog for years and years. Constantly getting a no, and oftentimes being sent off to my room to force me to see a punishment in nonstop badgering. Eventually, my parents decided it was time to give owning another dog a whirl. We went out and looked around at local shelters for a dog needing a home that was not too old. Eventually we settled for a mutt named Shiloh. He was part blue tic hound, and black lab. He was 3. I loved Shiloh to bits and pieces, but he had a problem. Shiloh was very agressive, especially if it came to his food. He would bite any hands trying to stop him from snapping up the food that had fallen to the ground. My family loved Shiloh, so we tried to ignore his problem. All was well until the night he bit my younger sister...in the face. Every night she would go out to the mud room (an extension of our kitchen we blocked off to keep him from destroying the house in our sleep). She would give Shiloh a hug and a kiss and then return to bed. This night, she went out, as usual to give him a hug and a kiss, and he turned and bit her. He bit her hard enough to break the skin, but luckily not enough to do permanent damage. I was totally devastated. My parents but a rush on taking him back to the shelter. I cried and made childish threats, but in the end, my friend, was gone. I gave up, even though they promised we would get another dog.

So the hunt began..again. We checked out the uncle henreys for puppys, and called local veterenary hospitals to see if any puppies were born and not too expensive. Somehow, fate brought us 2 hours away, to another dog shelter. We had gone to see a lab/beagle mix. My mom was curious about her breed. We walked her, and found that she was not the type of dog we were interested in. I was taking the dog back to her kennel, when I noticed another young dog sitting back in a corner kennel. She was so cute, ears perked, tail wagging. She was not jumping on her door or barking like the other dogs, she was just..waiting. I saw immediately that she was at least part pit bull, and quickly asked the lady. She confirmed the suspicions that left my heart sinking. I knew my mother would never want a dog that is anything pit bull, not after a dog that was part LAB bit my sister. I opted not to say a word. My mom went back out to look at the dogs, and found the same sweet girl just sitting there. My mom fell in love with her eyes I believe. We took her for a walk, and immediately we saw that she was an excellent candidate for a family pet. She adored attention from anyone, and she did not pull you over when on a leash. We took her in, and my mom asked some questions. Apparently my mom was not as perceptive as I about her breed. When my mom heard pit bull she did as I feared. She started to not want the dog. My dad was taking her for a walk at the time, to see if he liked her too, as it was a family choice. When he returned, it was clear he loved her too. We decided to go out to lunch to talk about the choice. My mom was very reluctant to adopt a dog with a breed that is heard to be vicious. I reminded her how much she loved the dog before she knew what she was. My mom eventually caved, and we adopted out husky/pit bull mix. Her name is Mello. She has to be one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met.

So, that is the personal bias. I did my research on this bill. If passed in a city, any dog that is pit bull must be euthenized or moved to a new city. I can not immagine a dog like my girl being put down just because of what breed she is. Compared to our part lab, she is an angel. She is great with children, somehow understanding that they are more fragile than their adult counterparts. She knows how to be gentle. And this dog, has NEVER bitten anybody, and we have had her for 7 years now. We taught her young that we were in charge. When she was a pup, she got into SO MUCH trash, and we would literally stick our hands and fingers in her mouth to pry out her prize, and she let us. That dog is not vicous. One fourht of July, I was at a fireworks event, and met a man with a pit bull, I asked if I could pat his dog. The man said sure go for it, the dog literally rolled over for me to scratch his belly with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. That dog was no attacker either.

My father and I got into a debate. He asked me what my solution is to a mother whose child got mauled by a pitbull. I understand that it hurts to see your baby hurt by anything, dog or otherwise. I understand the full rage of a parent. Wanting to seek vengence for the pain or death of their child. It would be strange if that did not happen. My solution is such: Put the dog(s) that commited the act down. Then arrest the owner and put them in jail, and take their rights to owning dogs away. Do not just slap a FINE on them! For their dog to become so awful that it could maul a human being, there is a LOT that that person neglected to do for that dog. You cannot blame an entire breed for the handful of careless owners out there! My dog loves anyone, and it breaks my heart to know that she would go, tail wagging, to give doggie kisses to the same people that would love to see her put down. I have made it sort of my mission, when I see another pitbull, to pet it and so far, I have not encountered one that does not love people, or the attention they get from them.

I don't know how to stop this from happening. I just want to say that it is unfair. We don't punish an entire human race for one killer. We do not even go as far to punish that killer's bloodline. Just because one guy is a socio-path does not mean his mother was, or his children will be. So why should we punish an ENTIRE breed for the actions of neglected dogs?

I did a report on this. I looked up one instance in Topeka, Kansas, where the bill was passed. A pit bull breeder had to get rid of all his pit bulls. Did that stop him from breeding? No. He went on to breed a dog more specifically targeted for gaurd dog, and known to have a much more vicous streak than a pit bull. The bill really did some good there wouldn't you say?