City of Chicago - Pit Bull Petition
 

Please go to this website and sign this petition to help out owners of pit bulls in Chicago. It seems as though the city wants to ban ownership of pits. More information can be viewed on the site.

Pit Bull Petition

Thanks.

Hmmm. Are pitbulls dangerous though? Or more correctly easier in comparison to other breeds to train to be so, by irresponsible owners?

The plan incidentally reminds me of the Dangerous Dogs Act. This was a law passed in England a few years back. Might've been 1994 (this is all from memory). It was in response to some attacks by dogs on people - the politicians then acted. So it stipulated certain dogs were no longer allowed. Which meant rottweilers, pitbull terriers, tozers (sp?), etc had to be put down. What happened, was that nationwide vets ('veterinarians' :p) refused to do this, as they didn't want to put down healthy animals that were also loved family pets.

As the law was then unenforceable it (though it was already passed and had become law) was defeated and had to be repealed and the people could then keep their dogs.

I hope they ban them.

-Rudey

The thing with Pits and Am Staffs is that they're considered an agressive breed. But it's all about who owns them and how they are raised. My boyfriend and I have a 4 month old Am Staff (pics are in the what kind of pet do you have thread) and he's the most loveable dog in the world. It's the stereotype that brings the breed down. My aunt works as a nurse in the ER and she told me the other day that she gets more dog bites and dog attacks from labs and dalmations put together then pit bulls. So it's just about that specific dog and owner, not the breed that makes them who they are.

Why?

Stop crossposting.

And I answered your question in the other forum.

-Rudey

Whatever - I read it and I think you need to look up some more info on the breed first.

I have a pit bull mix and its one of the nicest dogs I've ever encountered. Its real smart compared to most other breeds and fun to be around.

i have to deal with this everyday in my work. ohio has a ban on county shelters adopting out pits, pit mixes, am staffs, AND am bulldogs. i work at a non county shelter, but we still are not allowed to adopt them out. you are also required to have a $100K insurance policy on this breed.

most crazy thing is that the american pit bull terrier represented the united states for many many years. you can see this in old political cartoons from ww2. to this day they are still considered the best family dog by the american kennel club. the reason these beautiful dogs have been given such a bad name is b/c of how they have been used in recent years. they are used for fighting b/c they are so good at it. a pit bull's bite is extremely damaging. more so than most other breeds. they lock down when they bite and usually bite to the bone.

regardless of how vicious or sweet they are, they should not be banned and they should not force owners to 'dispose' of their dogs like that. it's outrageous!

shelley j
sigma k

I am heavily involved in animal rescue and have seen this issue from both sides.

The "bully" breeds have a horrible reputation, sometimes deserved and sometimes not. Depending on their breeding, they can be wonderful, loyal, and safe family dogs when raised in a loving home.

Unfortunately, this is far too often NOT THE CASE! You know that bullies are commonly raised and trained by the most evil of our society to fight and kill.

These dogs are very commonly specifically bred to be vicious attack dogs, baited & trained to fight and inflict the worst possible damage. The worst, most aggressive dogs are chosen by dog fighters to breed, so these "bad" genes are perpetuated throughout the breed. Even the ones that wash out because they aren't mean enough are never safe enough to be placed in a pet home.

Yes, people are responsible for ruining this breed. Unfortunately, there is no way to really know if these dogs are safe unless you know the pedigree for many generations.

A related issue is that it is very common for dog fighters to steal pets to use them to "blood train" their fighting dogs. Aggressive bullies are also used to guard drug houses, creating danger for everyone in the community.

It is almost impossible to find and close down the dog fighting rings. Unfortunately the only way cities have to try to end this problem is to ban the breed.

So it's not ok to own guns but this is right? I mean hey you kill someone with that gun...the dog is trained by you to kill...same deal.

-Rudey

WHOA, did someone say it wasn't OK to own a gun?? I must have missed that.

Unlike a gun, a dog can attack & kill without human involvement. Not the same deal at all.

Guns are not dangerous all by themselves. They do not escape from the house & shoot people. Many of these dogs can and do escape and maul other animals and people. They often cannot be safely placed into adoptive homes. Pit bull rescue groups do re-home pitties, but they must be incredibly vigilant to ensure the dogs are not being released to the drug dealers & dog fighters who covet the breed.

I feel so badly for the people who have perfectly lovely pitt bulls. It's not the dog's fault.

I signed it.

I signed it too.

I've met some AmStaffs and pit bulls at the shelter down the street, at the local PetSmart, and at the dog park where I take Barney. They've been very sweet and very kissy! I agree, the dog is not born being vicious. It's the owners training them to attack and fight. It's the bad owners that should be cracked down on, not the dogs.

And I can't even tell you how upset the proposed order to dispose of the dogs within 30 days of enactment makes me. :mad:

I love all dogs. I don't think any breeds should be banned and I think all dogs can be friendly and loving rpovided they are treated properly and properly trained.

That being I said, I can't sign this petition. Unfortunately, these are vicious dogs by nature and many of the people who own these animals use them for fighting. They are not properly trained and that's when they attack people. So until everyone who owns one of these dogs can be responsible for them I can't sign the petition.

It's unfortunate and I'm not saying ztabchbum is irresponsible. It's just that the ones who are irresponsible have ruined for the responsible owners.