Persuasive Speech On Pitbulls

a. Pit bulls aren’t the only breeds that have been discriminated against, the German shepherd, Doberman, Rottweiler and other bully breeds have also been and still are discriminated against. These dogs are still labeled as ‘dangerous’ and some dogs aren’t even allowed in certain states or counties. Many pit bulls and other breeds are surrendered to shelters because their owners insurance will not cover them.

b. Pit Bulls are descendants of dogs that used to be used in the British Isles in the 1800’s. The purpose of the dogs was to antagonize a bull. Later on this became illegal and people turned to dog fighting for their entertainment. People began breeding dogs because they wanted to create an elite fighter. Breeders began breeding

and teaching dogs to not bite. This was important so they could handle the dogs after and before the fights. This actually allowed the pit bull to gain a reputation of having a trustworthy nature when it came to humans. People soon began coming to America and the dogs became more of a companion to children and an essential part of hunting. They soon acquired the name ‘nanny dog’ because of the way they were with children. Dog fighting became more popular in the 80’s and the pit bulls image was tarnished and soon harmful stereotypes had arisen.
c.

Dogfighting is still an issue today. Although all 50 states have banned dog fighting it still happens. In 2007 Michael Vick was arrested after police found around 40 dogs chained up, a fighting arena, dog breeding equipment and other things that implicated dog fighting. Vick and three other men were being investigated, and soon began revealing details about what they had been doing. Vick admitted that they had hung and drowned the dogs that didn’t perform well. Later he admitted to killing one of the dogs himself. This is one of the better known cases of dogfighting, last year a dog fighting ring in Milwaukee had been discovered and broken up, and the people responsible are facing many

charges.
2. ”There are no bad dogs, only bad owners”
a. Dogs attacking people is sadly a somewhat common problem today. Aggression in animals that are pets is undesirable and extremely sad. But is this bad behavior and aggression genetic, breed related or is it that specific animal. Whether its dogs, cats horses, or any other animal, behavioral problems can happen and some problems can be fixed. All animals are inevitably unpredictable, but with training and being informed people can become more aware and stop a problem or altercation if something were to happen, between dogs or any other animals.
b. Of the 49 dogs that had been seized from Michael Vicks kennel, Bad Newz Kennel, only one of the dogs had to be euthanized because of extreme aggression. The others were rehabilitated and sent to sanctuaries and shelters so they could be adopted. Many of those dogs now live in homes with other animals and children, they have successfully adapted to life after the horrible mess Michel Vick put them through.
c. Owner responsibility is important when it comes to owning any animal, if someone owns a dog that has behavioral problems or is aggressive in any way, it’s their responsibility to try and fix it. Many people adopt animals because they’re cute and they don’t think about training or anything like that, and some bad behaviors are sometimes thought of as cute and then they don’t get fixed. An owner also has to work with their animal, if they have a dog that has anxiety which causes that dog to lash out at other dogs or people, they should think about ways were they can safely walk their dog and help the dog with the anxiety. Pit bulls or any dog that is chained up or locked up in a kennel all day with limited human contact can cause problems and when that dog is threatened they will lash out.
3. Education vs Ignorance
a.

In some states, owning a pit bull is not allowed, or if you have a pit bull there are extreme precautionary measures that an owner must take. In Miami, owning a pit bull or any variation of a pit bull is illegal, but owning a cougar or any other exotic pet is allowed as long as you have the proper paperwork. Some states like Wisconsin don’t require any permit when it comes to owning exotic pets. This is astounding that some states allow animals that are not domesticated into neighborhoods but they won’t allow a pit bull, which has been domesticated. Cougars, lions, tigers and crocodiles are popular large exotic pets. These animals are large wild animals, crocodiles are opportunistic hunters. This means that if they get the opportunity they will hunt and kill, they are the literal definition of a perfect predator. So why is it ‘safer’ to own a crocodile over a pit

bull?
b. Banning breeds creates bigger problems and is harmful in the long run. Banning breeds causes people to fear those breeds unnecessarily. The animals are labeled as dangerous and unpredictable, and then no one bothers to learn about that breed and actually move past the stereotypes that have been created. Healthy, well trained pit bulls are euthanized every day because no one wants to own such a dangerous animal.
c. Insurance companies refuse to cover pit bulls and other breeds, causing them to be surrendered to shelters.
Clincher: Breed discrimination is created out of fear and while this discrimination exists, these dogs will be portrayed as hate filled aggressive killers.