BSL was brought to city law makers in Parkersburg in WV. It was shot down. The city of Charleston tried to pass a law about 6 years ago saying that any pitbull in public would have to be muzzled, no exception. But it too was shot down because of many reasons. Mainly that some of the larger pits couldn't get a muzzle big enough for them.

The last dog I owned was a pit mix that was abandoned and my aunt brought him to me. He changed so many peoples opinons about the breed. Other dogs that would attack any other male dog would play with him all day, (No he wasn't fixed either). People were amazed at how shy and playful he was. Even still he was shot and almost died because he was on the main road in front of someones house. I live outside of city limits. Everyone lets dogs roam. The person that shot my dog (and has shot others) has animals of his own that would come into my yard and fight my dogs and steal thier food, and were nothing but skin and bones. Called the police and humaine society on him, but the shelter worker at the end of the road vouches for him (for whatever reason) and he has never been in trouble.

Anywho he went missing about 6 months back and I figure that either he was picked up by someone that thought he was a full blood, or he was shot agian. I'd love to have another pit but I don't trust the people where I live and can't get the backyard secured untill next summer to get another pit. They are a wonderful breed when cared for and raised right. They are loyal to thier owners and very protective espically of children. BSL is just another instance of the goverment and private citizens are too ignorant to fix the problems so we will just ban them to fix the problem. I always try to help shelters find homes for these kinds of breeds that are harder to house than more popular/smaller breeds. BTW I always sign agianst BSL when and where I can.

Funny how the goverment would ban a breed of dog that was a decorated war hero that did a foreign tour in WWI and met two presidents! Read up on USMC Sargeant Stubby.

 

Oh wow, I never knew that. That's actually pretty neat.

 

Alot of people don't know about it. I just became a huge pitbull fan in the last 4-5 years and done alot of research. There is TONS more positive things about pits. But people just know about the handful of bad things that the media reports on.

CNN would'nt run a story on Sargeant Stubby. But if an unattended kid gets into a area with a pit that isn't raised and socialised right and slaps it in it's sleep, it's the "blood thirsty pitbull that ravished a innocent little girl". Dogs are like children. There is always the rare exception, but when they are in a loving, structured home they will behave as such. The same way the parents should accept some blame for what young children do, owners should accept the blame of what the dogs do. Don't kill the dog, it may have just been defending it's home and owner in it's mind.

Sorry, lol. I get emotional into stories and interests in this genre.

 

I just a bit of reading on SGT Stubby. Mighty impressive!

 

My first memory is from when I was two years old. I was playing outside in my grandmother's front yard with my oversized red baseball bat (my entire childhood I wanted to be Bam Bam from The Flintstones). Next thing I know is I'm being drug from the front yard to the back by a neighbor's pitbull that had my entire arm in its mouth. When my dad got home that day he shot that dog in the guy's yard and broke the owner's nose. Before you jump on my dad for his actions, think about what you would do if it were your kid.

That being said... I'm not for or against BSL. I see both sides and thats coming from someone with a legitimate reason to not like dogs. I am however in favor of ALL dog owners being required to take their dogs to obedience school and all non professional breeders being required to have their dogs fixed. I think those actions would solve a lot of problems and make owners more responsible.

 

you know. I dont get it, theres all this hype about pitbulls.....do you all know that the number one dog that attacks people are rotties? NOT ONLY THAT but like 90% of the time it is the family that owns the dog thats getting bit....not poeple on the street, and why do you think that is? PROBABLY because 20% of the people who SAY they love animals and love their pets dont know **** about taking proper care of them OR how to treat and dicipline them. Alot of people beat or hit the dogs, people let their kids abuse the dogs........People dont relize that Pit bulls are terriers LARGE ONES, they require more play time and walk/run time....they have more energy...people never think about that, its like those little tiny squirly terriers that are little ankle bitters and tear through the house....its that energy in a LARGE dog...they need an outlet....too many people have them chained up in the yard....they cant get any of it out...

well anyhow...thats my rant....pisses me off.

 

^ And thats why I think as an alternative to BSL it should be required that any potential dog owner go through obedience school with their pet. So they understand the psychology of a dog and the responsibilities that come with pet ownership.

 

AND!!!! when I was 2 we went on vacation and left our 200LB st bernard home with a sitter....the idiot neighbors teen age boy threw fire works at her and she went squirly....we did not know untill I was outside with her and started sqeekin her ball for her to come play and she snapped, picking me up BY MY HEAD! My mom screamed and she dropped me. I remember crying through the stiches and all the way to the pound saying I did not want to put her to sleep, she didn't mean it.

I was never scared of dogs after that....I understood why she did it even as a toddler.

And yes I remember all of that....my first memory was my sister coming home from the hospital....I was 18 months old...Im a freak. LOL

 

Phil, hate to hear about that whole situation. I agree they shouldn't be banned but they should have some regulation over them. Espically the backyard breeders! Some of these people are crossing diffrent breeds not even studying the backgrounds of the animals. And they are ending up with mentally and physically impared animals all while trying to make the "biggest baddest looking pit." Just like with the designer dogs. I forget the breed I think it's the Peek-a-poo, mix of peekanise and poodles. Both breeds have tendencies of going blind and breeding those two together is a bad idea. But they want to create "the cutest dog to match my purse bag"....

Banning pits because of some people's neglegence is just rediculas. Why not ban sodas cause they make kids fat? Ban tobacco and alcohol cause it makes people dangerous or makes them sick? Ban turbos and cold air intakes cause of street racers crashing and hitting spectators? Anywho...

But that's some good thoughts Phil. Thanks for posting that!