What's the deal with all the pit bulls?

[ChadTower]

I can't believe this conversation is happening again.

[RayB]

Chad!! Hi!

[CCM]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/07/23/dnt.ca.pit.bull.attack.kron?hpt=T2

[usedelectronics]

Any adult that would let a toddler out with 3 65pound dogs (of ANY breed) should be jailed.

The myths surrounding American Pit Bull Terriers are ridiculous.  Keep in mind, before the idiots (Typically Hispanic/African American thugs) started fighting these animals, they were extremely well respected and even used as the United states "Mascot" during wartime.

As a Pit Bull owner, I face the realization that society wants to put a bandage on the vicious dog issue by severely restricting or banning various breeds. We must come to our senses and realize that it is the irresponsible owner who is truly at fault. It has been proven by numerous studies that the Pit Bull is no more inheritably aggressive then any other breed. In August 2002, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a decision that pit bulls were no more inherently dangerous than any other breed in WAF/Sheila Tack v. Huntsville, Alabama. On March 7, 2006 the Sixth District Court of Appeals in Ohio ruled that BLS (breed specific legislation) violated several constitutional rights of dog owners. The court also ruled that there is no evidence to prove that Pit Bulls are any more dangerous then other breeds, thus restrictions on Pit Bulls were found by the court to be " unreasonable and discriminatory."

In 2000, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), joined together to investigate whether or not breed specific legislation (banning individual breeds, such as pit bulls) is effective. Dr. Julie Gilchrist, of the CDC Injury Center in Atlanta, concluded that, " We learned breed specific legislation is not the way to tackle the issue of dog bites. Instead, we should look at the people with the dogs responsible for the bites."

Organizations against breed specific regulations include: American Veterinary Medical Association, The American Kennel Club, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Animal Control Association, and the Humane Society of the United States. According to a recent aggression test of 122 dog breeds by the American Temperament Testing Society, Pit Bulls achieved an above average passing rate of 83.9percent based on their temperament. Golden Retrievers received an 83.2 percent score, Beagles 78.2 percent, and Standard Schnauzers scored only 63.5 percent.

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/myths.html

It's the extremely biased media, and people that spread the "locking jaws" rumors (with NO actual research into the breed) that give this otherwise EXCELLENT animal a bad name.

It isn't "Exciting" or "Rating boosting" to report  on any of the maulings or Killings committed by the other breeds, hence the reason you hear so little about them.

Blame the deed, not the breed.

[shmokes]

In August 2002, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld a decision that pit bulls were no more inherently dangerous than any other breed in WAF/Sheila Tack v. Huntsville, Alabama.

I just looked up this case to see what the court said.  Here is the full text of their decision:

"AFFIRMED. NO OPINION."

Lol.  I don't know Alabama law, but appellate courts in general will not make decisions regarding questions of fact (such as whether Pit Bulls are inherently more dangerous).  They correct mistakes of law.  They typically correct facts only when they are clearly erroneous on their face or there was an abuse of discretion by the judge.  Otherwise the findings of fact by the trial court are simply taken as true, even if the appellate court suspects they are ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow---.

The second case you mentioned was slightly more difficult to find since you didn't give us party names.  But the 6th district case in question is: Toledo v. Tellings.  Unfortunately (for you), that case was overruled the following year on appeal.  Here are some fun quotes from the Ohio Supreme Court version of Toledo v. Tellings:

. . . legislatures have broad police power to regulate all dogs so as to protect the public against the nuisance posed by a vicious dog.

Pit bulls posed a serious danger to safety of citizens, such that the state and city had a legitimate interest in protecting citizens from dangers posed by pit bulls and pit bull mixed breed dogs, as would support a finding that statutes and ordinance regulating pit bulls and defining them as vicious dogs were a legitimate exercise of state's and city's police power under the Ohio Constitution

pit bulls that attacked were more likely to inflict severe damage than other breeds

pit bulls had killed more Ohioans than any other breed

city's police officers fired weapons at pit bulls more often than at people and other breeds of dogs combined.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL [Emphasis mine]

Statutes and city ordinance regulating ownership of pit bulls and defining pit bulls as dangerous animals were rationally related to a legitimate interest in protecting citizens from dangers posed by pit bulls and pit bull mixed breed dogs and, thus, did not violate substantive due process and equal protection rights of pit bull owners.

So . . . yeah.  Maybe you shouldn't push the legal angle too far.  What's this 83.9 percent temperament score?  That sounds promising.  Wait . . . The American Temperament Testing Society.  Who are they?  

Oh . . . ROTFLMAO

[Rusty Shackelford]

There is a pit/english/staff bull craze here in the UK. Its basicly guys who want to look the hard man while out walking the dog. I dont have a problem with any breed of dog its just that now this certain kind of dog is associated with a certain type of person ( the non working yobo type).

[shmokes]

There is a pit/english/staff bull craze here in the UK. Its basicly guys who want to look the hard man while out walking the dog. I dont have a problem with any breed of dog its just that now this certain kind of dog is associated with a certain type of person ( the non working yobo type).

There is an objective reason that the pit bull has the effect of making these guys look/feel tough.  It's not some giant coincidence that these types of people happen to be selecting this particular type of dog.  Think about it.  This is not some highly organized worldwide conspiracy against pit bulls in which both the pit bull haters and the pit bull lovers are plotting against the breed.

[Rusty Shackelford]

There is a pit/english/staff bull craze here in the UK. Its basicly guys who want to look the hard man while out walking the dog. I dont have a problem with any breed of dog its just that now this certain kind of dog is associated with a certain type of person ( the non working yobo type).

There is an objective reason that the pit bull has the effect of making these guys look/feel tough.  It's not some giant coincidence that these types of people happen to be selecting this particular type of dog.  Think about it.  This is not some highly organized worldwide conspiracy against pit bulls in which both the pit bull haters and the pit bull lovers are plotting against the breed.

Prehaps agents from Japan are trying to discredit and bring down the price of pitbulls and then flood the market with Akita's?

[ChadTower]

You can't debate anything with a dog owner.  When I had a paper route as a kid I got bit by a dog that the owner didn't know was outside.  My leg was pouring blood.  The white dog had blood all over its chin.  I had a legal right to be in their yard as they were paying me to put the newspaper between their screen door and main door.  In fact they would call my boss and complain if I put it anyplace else.

When I knocked on the door this was roughly the conversation:

"Hi, can you get me a towel, your dog just bit me."
"My dog doesn't bite."
"I'm bleeding pretty bad, just get the towel."
"Whose dog bit you?"
"Yours."
"My dog doesn't bite."
"I'm still bleeding here.  And your dog has my blood on his face."
"Oh, that's not your blood."
"Whose blood is it then?  Can I have a towel or not?"
"No.  And my dog doesn't bite."
<grabs the paper from my hand and slams the door>

I ended up going to a neighbor's house, getting a towel, and calling the cops from there.  It should be noted the person had thrown their dog in the car and left by then.  My boss told me to let the issue go or he'd fire me so I did.

You can't talk about a person's dog with them.  Their dog is always perfect.  It doesn't matter what evidence is present.

[jamesjones626]

You can't debate anything with a dog owner.  When I had a paper route as a kid I got bit by a dog that the owner didn't know was outside.  My leg was pouring blood.  The white dog had blood all over its chin.  I had a legal right to be in their yard as they were paying me to put the newspaper between their screen door and main door.  In fact they would call my boss and complain if I put it anyplace else.

When I knocked on the door this was roughly the conversation:

"Hi, can you get me a towel, your dog just bit me."
"My dog doesn't bite."
"I'm bleeding pretty bad, just get the towel."
"Whose dog bit you?"
"Yours."
"My dog doesn't bite."
"I'm still bleeding here.  And your dog has my blood on his face."
"Oh, that's not your blood."
"Whose blood is it then?  Can I have a towel or not?"
"No.  And my dog doesn't bite."
<grabs the paper from my hand and slams the door>

I ended up going to a neighbor's house, getting a towel, and calling the cops from there.  It should be noted the person had thrown their dog in the car and left by then.  My boss told me to let the issue go or he'd fire me so I did.

You can't talk about a person's dog with them.  Their dog is always perfect.  It doesn't matter what evidence is present.

the guy probably didn't want to get in trouble that why he denied so much

[gryhnd]

Ah, to hell with it. I'm going to thread jack and inject a little fun into this. Mods may delete if you like (well duh, right?).

So my father in law is rather ill, and a couple months ago we started taking care of his golden Luke. Probably a permanent situation...but that's O.T.

A tennis ball to Luke, being a golder retriever, is like crack. He has to have it. When he doesn't have it, he's looking for it.

Thank doG for the invention of the Chuck-It.

Our beagle, OTOH, didn't really care much for tennis balls until Luke showed up. Now he can't get enough, and all he can do is run his little legs off and bark like a fool trying to get the ball  

The whole thing reminds me of Spike and Chester

(fwiw, he rarely barks or bays otherwise)

Anyway, here's a taste of "the deal with beagles and goldens", recorded today up at our Maine camp while the wife and I were decompressing from recent events.

This was made for family, so it might understandably be a bit boring for the rest of you.

[AtomSmasher]

This was made for family, so it might understandably be a bit boring for the rest of you.

Since Youtube added the ability to play the game Snake within videos, it makes any video fun to watch