"A breed of satin and steel. Pit bulls are a mixture of softness andstrength, an uncanny canine combination of fun, foolishness,andserious business, all wrapped up in love."
"Max, The Shelter Dog" is the story of an energetic and playful (pit bull) pup surrendered to a shelter by his owners, as told from a dog's perspective. Max is heart broken as he struggles to run after his owner as she flees through the shelter doors. Left behind, Max has no choice but to endure his journey through the shelter system in the hopes of finding a forever home.
This children's book is centered around a pit bull puppy. It starts with an introduction of what Ace did the first few months of his life and then he starts to keep a diary online of his adventures. The diary will contain drawings and photos of him and his family.
11-year-old Mackenzie has got one friend in the whole world: Cash, his brown-eyed pit bull. His dad won the runt after a long night of drinking and gambling--ever since Mac's mom died, that's all he seems to do, and soon he erupts in a rage at the innocent pup, takes her away in the trunk of his car, and dumps her in the middle of nowhere. Mac vows to find Cash and bring her back home--he has to: All strays are about to be outlawed! Little does he know that while he searches for Cash, she's surviving her own adventures and proving in the process that all dogs--even pit bulls--are born good.
Beyond the Myth is a film about pit bulls and those who love and defend the breed. It explores the contributing factors behind the public's generalized fear of pit bulls and examines the conflict existing between advocates and opponents of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). It also investigates the myths associated with the breed and asks the question, "What exactly is a pit bull"?
Website of San Franciso based pet photographer, Mark Rogers. Check out his page and look at the pictures he has taken of the Michael Vick dogs Uba, Jonny Justice, and Grace - as well as other BADRAP pit bulls. Vote for your favorite!
"People have no idea that at many animal shelters across the country, any "pit bull" who comes through the front door goes out the back door -- in a body bag...This news shocks and outrages the compassionate dog-lover. ..Here's another shocker: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the very people who are trying to get you to denounce the killing of chickens for the table, foxes for fur, or frogs for dissection, supports the pit bull policy..."
Those who argue against the euthanasia policy for pit bull dogs are naive.
I have scars on my leg and arm from my own encounter with a pit. Many are loving and will kiss on sight, but many are unpredictable.
People who genuinely care about dogs won't be affected by a ban on pits. They can go to the shelter and save one of the countless other breeds and lovable mutts sitting on death row through no fault of their own.
We can only stop killing pits if we stop creating new ones. Legislators, please take note."
•PETA supports breed specific legislation.
•Not just for pit bulls, but for ANY breed. They specifically mention Rottweilers, Dobermans and other "guardian" breeds. They see it as a first step to banning the ownership of any pet animal.
•PETA lawyers work hard to bring breed specific legislation to jurisdictions, as well as supporting the wholesale killing of all bull breed or animals which happen to share bull breed characteristics in "shelters".
Best Friends Animal Society is working throughout the country to help pit bulls, who are battling everything from a media-driven bad reputation to legislation designed to bring about their extinction. Best Friends hopes to end discrimination against all dogs. Dogs are individuals and should be treated as individuals.
With Vick, Ed Block Courage Awards dinner won't be the same.
The Ed Block Courage Awards dinner is an annual event at which fans can mingle with the NFL players who have been singled out by their teammates as positive role models and pillars of the community.
This year that won't be the case, thanks to the presence of Michael Vick.
Vick, who was -- stunningly -- voted as the Eagles' recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, will attend the dinner on Tuesday. And the Baltimore Sun reports that because Vick will be there, the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation has beefed up security and scrapped the long-standing tradition of having the athletes mingle with fans and sign autographs.
Multiple organizations, including the American Kennel Club and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have said they think it's inappropriate for Vick, a convicted felon who admits that he ran a dog fighting ring, to be honored as a role model. The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation is concerned that protests of Vick's presence could cause problems, and the added security and nixing of the autograph signing is the result.
The sad thing is that there are 31 other NFL players who actually deserve to be honored for their achievements on and off the field, and Vick's presence at the Ed Block Courage Awards dinner will keep the attention off them. If Vick were an honorable man, he'd decline to attend and let those 31 NFL players receive the recognition without any distraction.
So expect Vick to be there.
Maryland SPCA’s Executive Director Aileen Gabbey released the following statement about the decision to give the Ed Block Courage Award to Vick today....
“The Maryland SPCA remains shocked and disappointed that Michael Vick will, indeed, receive an award for courage from the Ed Block Foundation after being nominated by his team. Mr. Vick does not deserve this honor. He has been convicted of horrific crimes against living creatures; he has served jail time; he has somehow been re-employed. His attempts to speak on behalf of animals have been half-hearted and disingenuous. None of this warrants a special award."
“No truly courageous or honorable person would say ‘Yes, I deserve an award.’ Yet, this is precisely what Mr. Vick has done, defending his nomination and claiming that he has suffered hardships. He has never suffered the hardships, or torture, that his poor dogs did at his hands. The honorable thing for Mr. Vick to do would be to not accept this award. This would actually show some courage and that he is serious about being on the road to atonement for his terrible actions against innocent lives.”
AMERICAN These dogs originally came to America from our British forefathers. After breeding them in America they became the American Pit Bull Terrier.
PIT refers to where the dogs fought (fight). The fighting pits were small and usually only contained the two owners/handlers (and maybe a "referee"). When necessary, owners would have to pull the dogs apart. If a dog redirected its aggression on a human and bit its handler, it was killed. By using this method, breeders and owners successfully bred out human-aggressiveness.
BULL refers to the early Bulldog from England. These dogs' early job was baiting bulls for the butcher. This later became sport, and when that was deemed "inhumane," owners took their dogs to the pits and turned the dogs on each other.
TERRIER refers to the Black-and-Tan Terrier and/or the English White Terrier with which the early Bulldog was crossed. As you may know, terriers are known for their high activity level, tenacity, etc. Owners who wanted their dogs to fight (and win) wanted to breed in this “feistiness.”
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead
Here are some examples of letters and a copy of an excellent NON-breed-specific Dangerous Dog law that you can e-mail/snail-mail/fax/read to legislators.
10. They will steal your spot on the couch while you are up getting a soda.
9. They will take the treat you give them and bury in the back yard like a paranoid crack head hiding their stash.
8. They will jump on your bed with muddy feet. Making you do the laundry...again!
7. They will lick visitors with an uncontrolled passion only they understand.
6. They will cause children to smile.
5. They will make you feel horrible for not walking them by looking at you with deep sad eyes.
4. They will look at you like you committed a crime against them if you don't let them lick your ice cream bowl.
3. They will cause wide spread happiness in large group settings.
2. They will crack you up by shaking their butts so hard you think they are going to snap in half.
And the number one reason why you can't trust vicious Pit Bulls...
1. They will steal your heart like a thief in the night, showing you complete and pure love that only a Pit Bull can show.
1. Never allow your Pit Bull to roam free. Dogs are just like human children. When not supervised, the decisions they make are often not for their best interest. When a Golden Retriever runs up to a person, they say, “How sweet!” When a Pit Bull does the exact same thing, people say, “Vicious dog!” The public doesn't wait before calling animal control or even the cops when they see a Pit Bull on the loose. Due to their bad reputation, these dogs are frequently killed by police officers. This is an unfortunate truth. Let’s not make the reputation of the Pit Bull worse than it already is. For the safety of your dog and the general dog population, keep your Pit Bull behind a fence!
2. Always keep your Pit Bull on leash. Even if you believe you have full control of your dog and a good recall, you can't predict his/her reaction if a cat or a squirrel runs in front of him. Keep in mind that those dogs are "Terriers". A high prey drive and urge to chase other animals is an inherent trait of the breed.
3. Take your Pit Bull to obedience classes. In the eyes of the general public Pit Bulls are menacing creatures. The more socially acceptable they are by having impeccable manners, the better the reputation they will have. And remember, once is NOT enough. Ongoing obedience classes are best.
4. Socialize your Pit Bull as much as possible before and after they reach maturity. A shy Pit Bull is a pathetic creature indeed. Not only is being shy an abnormal Pit Bull trait, it also could be dangerous. You want your dog to be able to handle new situations with confidence and pleasure. As with obedience classes, once is not enough! Ongoing socialization will ensure your dog’s happiness by showing him the world is a wonderful place. And please remember, socialization does not mean your dog running around with other dogs off leash! An obedience class in which he may never get to ‘say hi’ to any other dog is socialization!
5. Spay and neuter your Pit Bull. Altered pets live longer, "happier" and healthier life. They are also more stable and easier to raise when not triggered by their sexual hormones. To date, no fatal dog attack by an altered dog was ever reported. It also keeps pit bulls out of shelters!
6. Understand that Pit Bulls may be dog-aggressive. The breed was initially created and developed for the sport of dog-fighting. As a result, Pit Bulls have an important predisposition for dog-aggression. Take precautions and use common sense. Don’t allow your Pit Bull to run up to unknown dogs and never allow unknown dogs to run up to your Pit Bull. Remember, you are the leader! Pit Bull owners should not expect their dog to be friends with unfamiliar dogs. Some Pit Bulls cannot be around any other dogs at all. With Pit Bulls you cannot ‘train out’ the desire to fight another dog anymore than you can ‘train out’ the desire to chase running rabbits in the Greyhound. You can curb this behavior and often control it, but not stop it altogether. As long as you understand this and can love your dog for who and what he is, you’ve got it made!
7. Keep your Pit Bull in an enclosure that is escape proof. Pit Bull proof your fence. Those dogs are very strong and resourceful. Pit Bulls should be kept in the house in crates when home alone. This is the utmost in safety. Just make sure your dog cannot get out to roam. If your dog makes a mistake, all Pit Bull owners pay for it!
8. Exercise your dog everyday. Pit Bulls are high energy dogs that need some way of burning off that pent up energy. Even a short 10-15 minute walk or game of fetch in the backyard will help burn off energy that can lead to behavior problems.
9. Avoid dog parks. Dog parks are a breeding ground for disaster. Young dogs have been killed in dog parks by bigger dogs and taking your dog to a dog park is simply not a good idea at all. A better choice is to enroll your puppy into puppy socalization classes. If you have a rescue dog I would also recommend these types of classes as well. Some trainers do have them for older dogs. Your dog will have a far better chance at proper socialization in one of these classes than at a dog park.
10. Adopt! Don’t breed or buy while shelter animals die. With thousands of Pit Bulls dying in shelters, don’t be a part of the problem. Be part of the solution! First time Pit Bull owners should think of adopting an adult dog.
"Every negative incident involving a Pit Bull adds to the breed's reputation and jeopardizes our right to own these great dogs - Keep your Pit Bull out of trouble!"
- PBRC.net (Pit Bull Rescue Central)
In a recent study of 122 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society, pit bulls had a passing rate of 83.9%. That was better than miniature poodles (76.6%), beagles (80.3%) and collies (79.4%).
A correct Pit Bull will never be aggressive with people. The Pit Bull has been bred for centuries to be a human-friendly dog. It is not a guardian breed, and therefore should not display suspicion towards strangers or view them as potential threats. It is uncommon for a Pit Bull to be overly shy. The Pit Bull is likely to meet all strangers with an open heart and a wagging tail. A normal Pit Bull looks upon all people as friends unless their actions prove otherwise. Generally Pit Bulls are submissive with people and confident in their surroundings, making for a well-adjusted family dog. Since times past when the Pit Bull was used for hunting of large game and as a farm dog, it has been a cherished fixture of family life.
Breed specific legislation or BSL for short, is on the rise around the world. BSL targets specific breeds of canine and either (A) restricts them severely or (B) completely bans them from areas.
Countries like Germany, Australia, England, and France have bans on the American Pit Bull Terrier and the ones that were already living in the country are restricted.
Usually the law states the dogs must be muzzled and on a very short 12 inch leash when out in public.
BSL is very much alive in the United States and the APBT is the number one target for such laws.
Expensive insurance is also required in many of the cities were BSL as been accepted. Sometimes it can be as high as $200,000 per dog. Hundreds of cities, towns, and states are implementing BSL.
As time goes by supporter's for this ridiculous band-aid approach are getting the laws passed with ease.
The number one restricted breed in the world is the American Pit Bull Terrier or any cross thereof. Meaning, even if your dog is suspected of having APBT in it's blood it can fall under the power of these laws.
BSL is nothing more than breed profiling and as of yet it has not worked to curb the amount of serious dog attacks it was put in place to stop.
Matter of fact, the only thing it has done is make life hell for ordinary law abiding dog lover's.
Why breed specific legislation will never work
BSL is a flawed concept from the moment it is conceived. In most cases the dogs are targeted leaving the owner, which is the responsible, rational thinking party, out of it.
Some impose fines along with their laws but are often not enforced to the maximum so the owner gets away with a slap on the wrist.
Dogs are not the problem and BSL does not recognize this. People are the problem and until we find a way to punish people for their neglectful actions which allow dogs to bite and terrorize the public we will never stop the problem.
First problem is, take one breed away, these people will find another breed to replace it.
Since the APBT bans the Rottweiler is now on the rise as the most popular breed.
Now these dogs are taking heat from the general public and the BSL supporters. Again they are restricting the dogs and not the people.
BSL can be compared to gender profiling or racial profiling. Simply because a dog appears to be a dog on the restricted list it is treated as one.
What if you were driving down the road and the police took you to jail, sentenced you, and placed you on death row just for looking like a certain ethnic group? BSL does exactly that to dogs.
So why is it then that more BSL laws are implemented daily? God forbid a person have to take responsibility for their irresponsible actions and BSL supports these people by not placing very harsh punishments on them.
We have to fight!
Fighting BSL is the only way to keep all breeds safe. Soon BSL will encompass any dog that can bite (which is all of them) so where does that leave the dog lover?
Supporter's of BSL will argue that it works, but there is very little evidence of this as many laws are drawn up to encompass several breeds and their crosses.
Even experts of the American Pit Bull Terrier have a hard time identifying a mix from a purebred. Sometimes it is obvious, but in most cases it's not that easy.
Experts are needed to enforce the BSL law and testify in court that an offending dog is the breed restricted. Results can be manipulated to fit the agenda.
For example, you can poke a dog in the face until it growls or snaps at you. Now the dog is deemed vicious. Fair? Not at all.
In short BSL has nothing to offer the public but confusion and loss. BSL will not and will never be a practicable means of regulating vicious dogs and severe attacks. Until the law makers see this fact of life we will be faced with more BSL laws.
Related Links and Resources
Breed specific petitions you can download, sign and pass around to family, friends, and co-workers. click here to go to the Breed Specific Legislation petition page.
A very good site about BSL which includes area's where BSL is imposed can be found by going to the following web site: www.understand-a-bull.com/.
Another good BSL site is http://www.stopbsl.com/.
StopBSL.com is a web site devoted to the breed specific legislation issue. You will find BSL information, alternatives, and outstanding links to BSL related and Pit Bull related web sites. Visit them today and show your support.
Their ancestors were brought to the United States in the mid - 1800's by Boston-Irish immigrants. Originally bred from a variety of bulldogs and terriers, American breeders increased his weight and gave him a more powerful head. A forbearer to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, they were originally bred to be a fighting dog. Bull baiting was banned in England in 1835 and these dogs are no longer being bred to fight. There is some complication in registries of this breed. The AKC considers the American Staffordshire Terrier as separate and distinct from the American Pit Bull Terrier, yet the UKC will register both as American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs).
In America, the Pit Bull flourished. It was one of the most popular breeds, highly prized by a wide variety of people. The Pit Bull was used to represent the US in WW1 artwork; popular companies like RCA and the Buster Brown Shoe Company used the breed as their mascots. A Pit Bull named Petie starred in the popular children's television series, Our Gang; a Pit Bull mix named Stubby became a decorated WWI hero. Pit Bulls accompanied pioneer familes on their explorations. Laura Ingalls Wilder of the popular Little House books owned a working Pit Bulldog named Jack. Famous individuals like Theodore Roosevelt and Helen Keller owned the breed. It was during this time that the Pit Bull truly became America's sweetheart breed, admired, respected and loved.
In 1898 the United Kennel Club was formed with the express intent of providing registration and fighting guidelines for the now officially-named American Pit Bull Terrier. Later, those who wished to distance themselves from the fighting aspect of the breed petitioned the American Kennel Club for recognition of the Pit Bull so that it would be eligible for dog shows and other performance events. The AKC conceded in 1936 but only under the stipulation that the dogs registered with them be called "Staffordshire Terriers", the name of the province in England the breed supposedly originated in. Upon acceptance of the breed, many people dual-registered their dogs with both the AKC and the UKC. Lucenay's Peter (the dog that starred in the Our Gang series) was the first dual-registered Pit Bull/Staffordshire Terrier. The UKC evolved, eventually beginning to register other working-type breeds, and later holding shows similar to those of the AKC. Currently, the UKC is the second largest purebred dog registry in the United States, complete with strict bylaws that ban anyone who is convicted of dog fighting. The American Dog Breeders Association was formed in 1909 because of certain fanciers' opinions that the UKC was not doing it's job protecting and preserving the Pit Bull breed as they felt it should be preserved. The ADBA's goal is the same now is at was then: to register, promote and preserve the original American Pit Bull Terrier fighting-type dog.
The AKC eventually closed it's studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. They allowed registration only to those dogs with parents registered as Staffordshire Terriers. For a short period in the 1970's, the AKC reopened its studbooks to American Pit Bull Terriers. In 1973 the AKC added the prefix "American" to the breed's name in an effort to distinguish it from the newly recognized Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Today, only those dogs with AmStaff parents are eligible for registration. Both the UKC and the ADBA allow registration of AmStaffs, but in these organizations the dogs carry the original name, "American Pit Bull Terrier."
Today the Pit Bull has evolved into a marvelous working and companion dog, used for purposes as varied as those it originally performed. Pit Bulls are employed as police/armed services dogs, search and rescuers, therapy animals, and livestock workers. They compete in all manner of organized dog sports, from herding to agility to conformation to obedience and the bite sports like Schutzhund and French Ring. They make loving pets for children and seniors, and everyone in between. The are indeed one of the most versatile breeds on the planet. Much of this is owed to the activities it once performed. The harshness and physical demands of the activities molded a strong, healthy, stable animal, one anyone should be proud to own.
Famous Pit Bulls:
Helen Keller and her pit bull
World War I poster
Petey from the “Little Rascals” TV show was an American Pit Bull Terrier.
The Pit Bull is the only dog to have ever graced the cover of Life Magazine three times.
"Pit Bulls have locking jaws." The jaws of the Pit Bull are functionally the same as the jaws of any other breed, and this has been proven via expert examination.
The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of Pit Bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any [other] breed of dog. There is absolutely not evidence for the existence of any kind of ’locking mechanism’ unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier, says Dr. I. Lerh Brisbin of the University of Georgia (from the ADBA booklet, “Discover the American Pit Bull Terrier.)
“Pit Bulls don’t feel pain.” Pit Bulls have the same nervous system of any other breed, and they can and do feel pain. Historically, those dogs that would tolerate or ignore discomfort and pain and finish the task they were required to perform were the dogs that were bred and the sort of dogs breeders strove to produce. This is the trait of “gameness” that so many breed fanciers speak of, which may be defined as, “The desire to continue on and/or complete a task despite pain and discomfort.”
“Pit Bulls attack more people than any other breed.” Bite statistics are difficult to obtain accurately. Dogs that are referred to as “pit bulls” in statistical reports actually are a variety of breeds and mixes all lumped together under the “pit bull” heading. Also, many people have a difficult time properly identifying a true Pit Bull, so added to the statistics are those dogs that have been misidentified. Considering these factors, the actual number of attacks attributable to American Pit Bull Terriers is considerably lower thanrepresented. Also important to understand is the extreme popularity of the Pit Bull and pit bull-type breeds. By some estimates, numbers-wise they are the most popular of all dog breeds. It is only logical to assume that the breed with the higher number of individual dogs would be represented with a higher number of bites. Viewing older statistical reports for the Center of Disease Control, one will see that trends in breed popularity reflect in the number of bites attributed to a specific breed during a specific period of time.
“The only thing Pit Bulls are good for is dog fighting.” Unfortunately, a large amount of attention has been brought to the fact that the Pit Bull was originally created for fighting other dogs in the pit. Since the breed was selectively bred for and excelled at this task, there is a common assumption that fighting must be all for which the breed is good. The truth of the matter is that the Pit Bull is one of the most versatile of canines, capable of excelling at just about any task his owner asks him to complete. This breed is routinely used for: obedience trialing, conformation showing, weight pull, Schutzhund (a German sport which requires dogs to perform in obedience, tracking and protection phases of a competition), agility, and have even been known to participate in herding trials, search and rescue work, and a variety of other tasks including police and armed services work. But fanciers will argue that the task this breed performs best of all is that of a beloved companion.
"Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs are aggressive towards people." Human aggression in dogs is entirely different than aggression directed at other animals. Inter-dog aggression is a normal trait of the breed (as it is in many terrier breeds, among others). Historically, humans were always in the pit, handling fighting dogs closely, while the animals were in full fight drive. A dog that was a danger to people and prone to biting was not feasible, and therefore carefully selected against.
