Pit Bulls are undoubtedly one of the most featured dogs in the news. However, more often than not, the news is rather depressing , and many times, downright horrific with a pit-bull squarely in the cross-hairs.
But Pit Bull owners and lovers have recently started to campaign to counter the continually and dramatically reported negative news about the original ‘ nanny dog ‘ to thousands of American homes. The bitter truth is American Pit Bull Terrier, once the nation’s beloved “nanny dog,” is without question the most over-bred, abused and neglected canine.
Perhaps owing to the overwhelming negative publicity about the breed, the Pet Shelters are currently overflowing with unwanted pit bulls. The Pit Bull advocates and ‘Bully Breed’ supporters are perhaps rightly aggravated, primarily because these canines seldom find new homes and are being increasingly euthanized to curb the ‘menace.’
Are these Pit Bull lovers overreacting? There has certainly been a dramatic rise in pit bull attack incidents. Many pit bulls or pit-bull look-alikes have been reported to have injured, mauled, or even killed other dogs, kids and infants.
However, the Pit Bull advocates point out that while the news is focused on the attack, it never bothers to investigate the condition of the dog in question. Pit bulls are regularly made to fight in illegal dog-fights and almost all sustain horrific injuries. These injuries are seldom allowed to heal fully before these dogs are forced into the ring again. No wonder these dogs develop a very nasty and foul temperament.
If not in the ring, pit bulls are still tortured and killed in the most horrific ways every day. In the backdrop of such treatment meted out to the Pit Bulls, no wonder the individuals have been maimed and dogs killed in a sad spate of attacks by dogs described as Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes, reported Philly .
But the news coverage is almost always overly dramatized and sensationalized, claimed the supporters of the breed as they protested in front of a news organization. About 80 people and two dozen dogs came out to rally against what they said was unfair coverage. Chris Baker, a pit bull advocate who organized the event, said,
“The reports failed to acknowledge the reality of an average pit bull’s existence; alone, on a chain or left in a yard in what is described as “resident” status, not “family” status (i.e., curled up on your bed at night). An under-socialized, undernourished dog on a chain is a recipe for disaster,”
Perhaps the best argument in favor of the pit-bull was put forth by Jess Blouch, vice president of the rescue Pitties. Love. Peace,
“Dogs don’t bite for no reason. People are irresponsible.”
It’s just unfortunate that Pit Bulls are being specifically targeted by the media since they look menacing, and hence, can be naturally assumed to be the ruthless attacker.
[Image Credit | Stubbydog.org and EAPL-Westminster Evergreen Animal Protective League , Felicia Walls via Pinterest]