Dogs have impacted the lives of 44% of American families and homes. People use dogs for much more than just a family friend. Dogs are used for special needs, assisting police, and hunting and tracking. Dogs should be appreciated and never taught to fight or be neglected. Dog fighting is unethical because man’s best friend shouldn’t have to fight for their lives.
The origin of dog fighting came about when Romans invaded Britain in 43 A.D. Both sides brought fighting dogs to the battlefield for the next 7 years of war.
This sparked an intense canine market amongst Roman and British villages. People started importing dogs not just for war purposes but for public amusement. As time went by large audiences would gather to watch gladiator dogs trained
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Dog fighting grew within parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia but the concern about humaneness still remained. By the 1860's almost all states outlawed the sport but it continued to flourish through the 20th century throughout the general public. While Japan and parts of Russian still remain legal Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society, says at least 40,000 people are involved in dog fighting domestically.
Roughly about 30% of all dogs are pit bulls that are taken to shelters which depending on the area that figure can raise up to 60%. Not every pit bull rescued were a part of dog fighting but John Goodwin, of the Humane Society, says most of the dogs have scars and marks to show for their fights. The fate of these dogs remain to a judge that determines whether the fight dogs need to be euthanized. Since these dogs were trained to be aggressive and attacks other animals 9 times out of 10 they are to be put down. The dogs that haven’t been a part of dog fighting fit into a family and shows no sign of
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Some techniques used involves injecting steroids to make them stronger artificially. Trainers go even farther by sharpening the tips of the animal’s teeth and nails to do greater damage against their rival. Some trainers cut their dogs ears off to prevent other dogs latching on to them. Most dogs that win fights are kept and used for breeding females for the hopes to make money off selling the puppies. This goes to prove some dogs spend their whole lives surrounded by pain and torture by being born into the sport. The dogs that loose fights are used as “bait” to die in the next fight as easy targets.
Most dog fighting rings have dirt or the more popular have carpet flooring for better traction when two dogs are fighting. During a dog fighting two dogs that are usually close is size are released onto one another. These fights can last 5 minutes if the dogs are lucky or hours upon hours if both dogs are relentless. Some fights can go as long as days until one dog is to hurt to keep fighting or dies. When police investigate dog fighting sites they claim either rings of blood are found or remains of
Pit bull terriers have a long track record of attacks against people and animals. A 1987 study of a particularly savage attack against a child was documented by four doctors in the hopes...
Pit bulls, like any other dog, grow into their temperament. The way the dog is raised rounds out their character and general temperament. According to the “American Temperament Test Society: Pit bulls pass temperament tests 84.1% of the time, which ranks them slightly better than golden retrievers (83.8%) and cocker spaniels (81.7%), and well above miniature schnauzers (78.6%),” (The Biting Truth). Myths have generated atrocious attitudes towards this breed for years. The nature of the dog to be a protector to children and the bulky build of pit bulls makes them a very easy breed to target. These opinions ...
The misrepresentation of Pit Bull breeds in the media has been reflected in American culture. As these dogs were incorporated into World War I propaganda, they were perceived as symbols of courage and strength, the archetype of American dog breeds5. When, in the 1920s and 1930s, American Staffordshire Terrier “Pete the Pup” starred in the comedy Our Gang, later known as The Little Rascals, Pit Bulls were considered “nanny dogs” and family-friendly pets7. When the media focused heavily on illegal dog fighting rings and gang culture in the 1970s and 1980s, Pit Bulls were called demonic and unpredictable. Through their many roles, they have shown versatility and resilience, and lately they have suffered greatly.
One of the biggest issues with BSL is breed identification. A law that bans a “vicious” being is too broad and can encompass many individuals as it is a personality trait rather than a breed. These laws would then be dependent on what the legislators would define “vicious” to mean. Likewise, there is confusion on what breeds are dangerous. Dogsbite.org claims that breeds such as wolf-dog hybrids, dogo argentinos, presa breeds, cane corsos, and especially pit bulls are indeed dangerous animals and should be banned. However, there are discrepancies involved in even that statement. Of the listed breeds perhaps the most commonly targeted is the pit bull. But what exactly does anyone mean by pit bull? Merriam Webster defines “pit bull” as follows, “a dog (as an American Staffordshire Terrier) of any of several breeds or a real or apparent hybrid with one or more of these breeds that was developed for and is now often trained for fighting and is noted for strength and stamina”. On the contrary, the United Kennel Club has recognized the American Pit Bull Terrier, also called APBT, as a standalone breed since 1898 when UKC founder C.Z. Bennett registered her APBT Bennet’s Ring (Uk...
This produced a dog with a high prey drive with a medium-sized, stocky build and powerful jaws. Contrary to popular belief, the dogs were originally used in the sport of bull-baiting, where dogs would attack the cattle - not other dogs. Since the sport was executed in a pit, the dogs were dubbed ‘pit bull’ and that name has stuck since. When the sport was banned in 1835, the people who relied on these dogs for an income turned the dogs against each other. Their family friendly reputation changed, “around 1976, when animal-fighting venues were added to the Animal Welfare Act, according to Donald Cleary of the National Canine Research Council. Pits--often trained as combatants--came to be seen as dangerous. Throughout the next two decades, stories about vicious pits mauling innocent children appeared in news outlets across the country” (Tullis 3). Interestingly enough, pit bulls were not always the breed under fire by society. In the 1800’s, bite reports by bloodhounds, which were often used to hunt down escaped slaves, flooded the Northeastern newspapers. After World War ll, there was an increase of bite reports by German Shepherd Dogs, a breed used by the Nazis. Pit bulls are the most recent breed of dog to be misjudged. People began to fear pit bulls, this fear
Most of the dogs on this list are common household pets, like the Labrador retriever, and are normally non-aggressive and very friendly. Many times these dogs show no sign of aggression and pose no threat to society. Perspective One Breed-specific laws were put in place with the expectation to help prevent dog bites and attacks. The State and Federal government both came to the conclusion that this is a positive way to promote safety from dog attacks. “Both state and federal courts consistently uphold the constitutionality of breed-specific pit bull laws.... ...
They can suddenly become killing machines and destroy everything including kill people. They even hurt their owners when they are unhappy. The dogs stand about 50cm high and weigh between 25kg to 40kg. If they want to hurt people, nothing can stop them. Steve Austin, who is elite dog trainer, said, “Anyone who has a pit bull would never admit it.” In April 26, 2014, the events is from the Daily Telegraph reported by Janet Fife-Yeomans. Pandelis Germanos, who has Caeser and another four pitbull-type dogs which is to prevent his house was got hurt from his Caesar and another four Pitbull-type dogs. When she tried to pull Caesar off her mother, she lost his two fingers. Another true event happened in 27 May, 2013, this events’ source is from The Daily Telegragh. Three vicious dogs savaged a man who is jogging. Due to a neighbours’ help, he did not die. Chris Thompson who was one of the people that fend off the dogs said that he had grabbed a pot plant and cracked it over one dog’s head and the shock made them disperse but then they came back and latched onto another person’s hand. A hard pot plant cannot cause any injury on the dog. Mr Keith Kirkpatrick, who is a Brisbane dog trainer and adviser to Brisbane City Council has said, “They’re not a good guard dog because when they bite they switch off. You can tap them on the head but there’s nobody home and their plan threshold is
Are all pit bulls subjected to the life of gangs or forced into a fighting ring? No, but it is the dogs that are and have become violent because of their mistreatment that get in the media which leads to the public fearing all pit bulls. There are often cases of apartment buildings, rental homes or even whole towns banning the breeds without question. A case that is reaching media today is in Moreauville Louisiana, the town passed a ban that originally stated that everyone who owned a Pitt bull (or Rottweiler) had to get rid of their animals before the first of December or the “vicious” animals will be confiscated for "further disposition” and the owners will be forced to pay a fine. One of the dogs who is in danger from this ban is Zeus, a pitt bull who acts as a therapy dog for his owner O’Hera Owens who has severe neck problems that leave her in a brace and wheel chair. (Greenquist) Zeus is a loving member of his family who is being discriminated against just for his breed. Is it fair for a family to lose someone they love just because of how other dogs have acted? Or how the monster’s at the ends of their leashes forced them to act? Zeus is a prime example of two things, one that bans are doing more harm than good and that with the right upbringing pitt bulls can be sweet and loving animals once given the chance. However not all pitts even get that chance to have a loving home like Zeus – shelters across the country are full of Pit bull terriers who need homes but rarely get them because of their
...e of their loyalty to their owners and how they did well with their job (Foster 54). During the World War I, pit bulls were asked to warn soldiers of gas attacks, found wounded men and even listened and warned soldiers of artillery rounds. Even in movies and advertisements, pit bulls were also famous in the campaigns of Levis, Buster Brown Shoes and even Wells Fargo. And even during the World War II. President Theodore Roosevelt kept a pit bull. During the World Trade Center incident of 9/11, pit bulls were asked to look for survivors.
...ports Illustrated cover photo of a pit bull (Pit Bull Rescue Central, "Breed Information”). Dog fighting made a comeback during the 1980s and the pit bull became the favorite macho dog for dog fighters. The dogs were trained to kill or be killed. Pit bulls were also the preferred guard dog for gangs, thugs and criminals. Since the supporters and detractors of pit bulls hold such disparate opinions regarding the ferocity of the breeds, it is only hoped that further discussion and education will help resolve the sad fate that awaits these unfortunate animals. Simply placing all the blame on the breeds will not solve the problems of dog fighting, overbreeding, aggressive training, and excessive euthanizations. Lastly, the biased, sensationalistic publicity of horrific dog attacks which has destroyed the reputation of the once beloved All American Dog must cease.
What do you think of when I say the word pitbull? Do you picture a cute happy dog, wagging its tail happy to see you? Or do you see a mad dog, foaming mouth lunging at small child? If you are a owner of a pitbull then you probably see the happy cute dog. But if you don't own one then chances are you see pitbulls as mean dogs who are a threat to society. The media has painted a picture in our heads that it's in a pitbulls blood to be aggressive. Due to this false accusation, certain cities have banned breeds labeled as “aggressive”. If someone is caught owning a banned breed, the dog is usually euthanized. This is known as Breed Specific Laws or otherwise known as BSL.
Even though pit bulls are the majority of dog attacks anybody hears about, they are loyal and caring dogs. All they want is the love and approval of their owners. They will do anything that they are told to do. Their strength, stamina, and speed fuel the passion they have for their owners. Pit bulls are not vicious by nature; they are good guard dogs fueled by the love for their family; and, they are definitely loyal friends. They have a lower temperament than many other well-known breeds; therefore, they are not vicious by nature at all. They are very strong guard dogs. Pit bulls are known to be a scary breed, so people stay away from them. They have an amazing amount of speed and stamina that they can use to chase predators away, too. Pit bulls are the best friends anyone could ask for. They are loyal and loving creatures that just want to please their family. They are good dogs to train to be around children. If the children are a part of the dog’s family, then the dog will protect the child at all costs. Pit bulls are a good breed to have as a family
Pit bulls face such a high degree of discrimination, that they have become the most common breed in shelters throughout the United States. Over 700 cities in the U.S. have banned pit bulls within their communities giving them the name, “America’s most reviled dog” (Tullis). Steps to prevent the prejudice of not only pit bulls but all dog breeds have proven effective. As of 2014, 17 states passed laws which prevented “breed-specific legislation” (Madhani) within their towns and cities. Regardless, pit bulls still remain the least adopted and most commonly euthanized breed in the United States. Every year up until 1998, the CDC would take a census of dog attacks and the breed responsible. This caused a wide variety of controversy in the dog
---. “Dog Fighting General Overview.” Animal Legal and Historical Center. Michigan State University College of Law, 2005. Web. 20 Feb. 2011.
In the past, dogs were probably used for hunting and herding. While this is still true today, dogs