| |
|
|
| |
The American Pit Bull
Terrier was the most popular
family dog during the first part of the 20th century.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The
wrong people realized this breed is extremely loyal and eager to please.
Pitbulls on TV
Now: Click
here to see the ABC Channel 7 News segment |
Then: |
Petey of the Little Rascals was a Pit Bull
|
|
Helen Keller owned a Pit Bull
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| According to the American Canine Temperament Testing Association, 85.3%of the American Pit Bull Terriers that took the temperament test passed, compared to a 81.9% passing rate for all breeds on average. In the test a dog is placed in a series of confrontational situations. The first sign of aggression or panic is a failure of the test. Pit Bulls have achieved the fourth highest passing rate of all 122 breeds tested. Click here to view an article on the new Alabama Supreme Court's ruling that there is no genetic evidence that one breed of dog is more dangerous than another. |
|
| It is estimated that there are 60,000 Pit Bulls in the City of Chicago alone. This number is so high because people are breeding them for the wrong reasons. Most of them are living in hostile surroundings. It is an amazing testimony to the breed that although the majority of these animals suffer abuse/neglect, we rarely hear of any problems. One analogy is, if there was a sudden increase of people being injured by red cars, would we ban red cars? No! common sense would dictate that red is more popular color choice. |
|
Dog fighting is the number one abuse towards animals in an urban environment. This is why when you watch Animal Precinct on Animal Planet , almost every arrest made involves cruelty towards pit bulls. Read the article Betting on Cruelty that shows the connection between animal abuse and crime.
"Its time people stop closing their eyes to the source of the problem start to face the reality. The pain you see in the eyes of the dogs in this section IS the sad reality of too many Pit Bulls.
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/sadreality.php |
|
|
|
It is the very qualities that make the American PitBull Terrier an outstanding companion dog-intelligence,loyalty,courage, trainability - that attract the criminal element to this breed and make it the most commonly VICTIMIZED. At criminal hands , pitbulls are trained by brutal methods to fight other dogs to death, and to protect their owners during drug deals. Taunting, beating and starvation are common. People's pets(cats, dogs, rabbits) are used as baits to increase aggressive behavior. One dog had actually metal bottle caps sewn under the skin of his neck to ensure he was in constant pain resulting in vicious behavior. Complete lack of socialization (being kept in garages, backyards, abandoned buildings) further exacerbates the situation. |
|
|
| Dog fighting is a sadistic "sport" in which two dogs are placed into a ring and forced to fight until one of the dogs is either severely injured or killed. Fighting dogs are torn apart alive. If the loser survives the fight, he/she may be set on fire, left to die, suffocated or worse by a frustrated owner. One dog that lost a fight was attacked by a mob that raised a car and crushed the dogs head under the lifted wheel. Typically thousands of dollars are wagered on a single fight. This form of gambling is considered less risky than selling drugs. There are only three police officers in the entire city of Chicago assigned to stop this cruelty. Thousands of dogs are fought in Chicago every night. In addition to being an animal welfare issue, this is a child welfare issue . The adults involved in dog fighting often bring their children to watch. Children are further desensitized to violence in an already violent society. Cruelty investigators report that dog fighting attracts individuals involved in gambling, drug dealing, illegal weapons, gangs and prostitution. The correlation of animal Cruelty/Abuse with Serial Killers can clearly be seen by clicking here . |
|
 |
|
The Chicago Police Department's Animal Abuse and Control Team .
Sergeant Steve Brownstein and his officers work tirelessly on a daily basis to investigate animal cruelty claims and put an end to dog fighting on the streets of Chicago. Their dedication and hard work has lead to an increased rate of prosecution for dog fighting and animal abuse misdemeanors and felonies. Since May of 1999 the Animal Abuse and Control Team has saved over 1500 animals and has filed over 300 animal cruelty-related charges.
"Hats off to the Chicago Police Department's Animal Abuse and Control team" .......... |
|
 |
|
During World War I , the Pit Bull was often used to represent America. In the photo to the left, the Pit Bull (representing the American military) is protecting kittens (representing the American people) from the German Mastiff (representing the German armed forces). |
|
|
| |
|
| It is not accurate to assess a dog based on appearance, pedigree or history. Every individual animal needs to be evaluated on its own merits. There is no reason to assume that because a dog has been injured and scarred that he/she is unadoptable, or should be termed a "fighter". Most pit bulls that end up in animal shelters bearing heavy scarring are there because they would NOT fight, and were discarded by dog fighters. These victims deserve special consideration, not condemnation. Some animal shelters condemn any dog that has a pit bull look as "unadoptable" without any evaluation. This death sentence is unfair and unsound. |
|
| Owner education and careful animal selection is the key to successful adoptions . All animal shelters must be careful to protect the American Pit Bull Terriers from owners who are incapable and unwilling to provide responsible ownership. |
|
| |
|
|
Popsicle, drug sniffing dog for the federal government.
Click here for his story.
|
|
STUBBY, Pit Bull Terrier mix, WWI. The most decorated war dog in U.S. history. |
|
She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses and a cat
during a flood in Southern California. Click here for her story.
|
|
|
| What can we do to help regain this wonderful breed's former popularity and reputation? |
 |
|
"Hey Harper, Lily's sneaking a drink out of your sipper cup!!" |
| |
|
|
Write to the Mayor and the Superintendent of Police requesting more officers be assigned to the Animal Abuse Control Unit.
Honorable Richard M. Daley
Mayor of the City of Chicago
121 N. LaSalle St., 5th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602 |
|
Superintendent of Police
City of Chicago
3501 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616 |
*ADOPT a pit bull from a pit bull friendly shelter and be a good ambassador for the breed. It is estimated that only one out of 600 pit bulls gets a home in the US.
*Help us educate the public that these wonderful animals have been receiving poor publicity for too long and deserve a fair chance and a good, loving home.
Please read this wonderful and informative article " Bad Reputation " by Cindy Wolff |
Click here to read the fantastic article in City Talk. We're guessing the photo above is Maddie's (to the right) long lost ancestor because the resemblance is uncanny. |
|
|
|
|
Education about the American Pit Bull Terrier is such an important part of how we can help this breed regain it's reputation we have made the information on this page available in letter form for you to print, copy and share with others .
Click here |
|
|
| |
1.) Since 1998, the breed most involved in fatal attacks has been the **********(don't want to put any other breeds on the spot), not the Pit Bull.
2.) Although there are no accurate or even near accurate census records for dogs in the U.S., in some populations pit bulls are estimated to comprise some 30-40% of the dog population, making it by FAR the most popular breed. Considering that there are an estimated 53,000,000 dogs in the U.S., and assuming that pit bulls make up 20% of that population, there would be approximately 10,600,000 pit bulls in our society. In 1998, five pit bulls were involved in 2 fatal attacks.
That is roughly ONE dog out of 2,120,000 - or .00004716 percent of the pit bull Population.
3.) Over the 32-year period from 1965-2001, Pit Bulls have been blamed for/accused of an average of 2.48 human fatalities per year.
4.) About 40 people (children) per year die by drowning in 5-gallon water pails. A person, during their lifetime, is 16 times more likely to drown in a 5-gallon water pail than to be killed by a Pit Bull.
5.) Approximately 50 children in the US are killed every year by their cribs - 25 times the number of children and adults killed by Pit Bulls.
6.) Approximately 150 people are killed every year by falling coconuts. Therefore, you are more than 60 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be killed by a PALM TREE than a Pit Bull.
7.) Each year, 350 people drown in their bathtubs. You are 151 times more likely to be killed by your bathtub than you are by a Pit Bull.
8) Every year, more than 2,000 children in the U.S. are killed by their parents or guardians either through abuse or neglect. A child is more than 800 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than by a Pit Bull.
9) It is estimated that 5,000,000 dogs per year are killed in shelters. Since in many places pit bulls make up 30-50% of the shelter population, and are less likely to be considered for placement than any other breed, guessing that 25% of those dogs killed are pit bulls is a very conservative estimate. Therefore, it can be assumed that roughly 1,250,000 pit bulls are killed per year. Therefore - it is at least a HALF MILLION TIMES MORE LIKELY that a Pit Bull will be killed by a HUMAN than the other way around.
10) The average Number of people killed by a Pit Bull each year is 3.
11) It can be estimated that for every Pit Bull who kills, there are 10.5 MILLION that DON'T!
This country wants to ban/destroy 10.5 million innocent dogs for the actions of 0.94% of its category?
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE MISCONCEPTION ABOUT PIT BULLS!!!
MANY WONDERFUL, SWEET DOGS ARE IN DANGER OF BEING KILLED! |
|
THE PIT BULL PAPARAZZI
A study by the National Canine Research Council reveals biased reporting by the media, its devastating consequences for dogs and the toll it takes on public safety.
Consider how the media reported four incidents that happened between August 18th and August 21st:
August 18, 2007 - A Labrador mix attacked a 70-year-old man sending him to the hospital in critical condition. Police officers arrived at the scene and the dog was shot after charging the officers. This incident was reported in one article and only in the local paper.
August 19, 2007 - A 16-month old child received fatal head and neck injuries after being attacked by a mixed breed dog. This attack was reported two times by the local paper only.
August 20, 2007 - A 6-year-old boy was hospitalized after having his ear torn off and receiving severe bites to the head by a medium-sized mixed breed dog. This attack was reported in one article and only in the local paper.
August 21, 2007 - A 59-year-old woman was attacked in her home by two Pit bulls and was hospitalized with severe injuries.
This attack was reported in over two hundred and thirty articles in national and international newspapers, as well as major television news networks, including CNN, MSNBC and FOX.
"Clearly a fatal dog attack by an unremarkable breed is not as newsworthy as a non-fatal attack by a Pit bull" says Karen Delise, researcher for the National Canine Research Council.
People routinely cite media coverage as “proof” that pit bulls are more dangerous than other dogs. Costly and ineffective public policy decisions are being made on the basis of such "proof". While this biased reporting is not only lethal to an entire population of dogs; sensationalized media coverage endangers the public by misleading them about the real factors in canine aggression.
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
|
FATAL DOG ATTACKS: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TRAGEDY
Extensive research and investigation has conclusively identified the ownership/management practices that are at the root of the rare, but perfect, storm when a dog becomes dangerous.
Function of Dog –
Owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of the household for purposes other than as family pets (i.e. guarding/ protection, fighting, intimidation/status, irresponsible and negligent breeding).
Owner Management & Control of Dogs –
Owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs.
Reproductive Status of Dog –
Owners failing to spay or neuter animals not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program.
In 2006, 97% of the fatal attacks were the result of one or more of these reckless or criminal ownership practices.
Karen Delise
National Canine Research Council
All statistics can be cited or referenced by the National Canine Research Council upon request.
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
|
| |
Dont Bully My Breed fully supports and practices the pit bull code of ethics for rescuers below
CODE OF ETHICS FOR PIT BULL RESCUE
I. Introduction and Mission Statement
Introduction: This Code of Ethics was compiled by a committee of seasoned rescuers and members of the Pit Bull Owners Alliance. It
serves to provide guidelines for Pit Bull Rescuers. The term “Pit Bull”as used throughout this document refers to dogs believed to be
purebred American Pit Bull Terriers (or American Staffordshire
Terriers). Foster homes employed by signers of this Code of Ethics
shall also be bound by the guidelines set forth herein.
Mission Statement: The Ethical Pit Bull Rescuer holds restoration of
the pit bull breed as paramount to their mission and activities. He/she
holds public perception of the pit bull in the forefront of each decision
and endeavor, and strives to place only the best representatives of the
breed into homes that are fully capable of providing adequate care and
training. Additionally, the responsible Pit Bull Rescuer understands that
such activities require extensive knowledge of pit bull history,
temperament, and behavior, and therefore educates themselves to the
fullest extent before presenting themselves as a qualified, ethical
Rescuer.
II. Guidelines For The Pit Bull Rescuer
SECTION 1: Selection of Rescue Dogs For Potential Placement.
SECTION 2: Care & Handling of Rescue Dogs.
SECTION 3: Placement of Rescue Dogs.
SECTION 4: General Professional Conduct.
SECTION 1: Selection of Rescue Dogs For Potential Placement.
1. Only accepts and places breed ambassadors that meet the
Standard for Pit Bull Temperament. (See ITEM 1 - below)
2. Conducts preliminary temperament evaluations before
accepting new dogs. Continues to test dogs in a variety of
settings after they are brought into rescue. Holds dogs for at
least a month before placing them up for adoption.
3. Will choose among many available dogs for the one(s) that
best fit the skills of the Rescuer and within the scope of available
resources.
4. When a Pit Bull Rescuer is selecting dogs that are clearly pit
bull mixes, he/she will opt for those dogs that are predominantly
pit bull and display classically sound pit bull temperaments. (See
ITEM 2 - below).
5. Will carefully select and place puppies based on the guidelines
set forth in ITEM 3 of this document.
6. When presented with a dog that is not potentially a good
candidate for future adoption, Rescuer will either encourage
humane euthanasia of the dog, or, if reasonable, will take legal
possession of the dog in order to facilitate humane euthanasia.
7. When taking custody of dogs already in the legal possession
of an owner or organization, the Pit Bull Rescuer will require the
submission of a signed surrender form which clearly states
transfer of ownership to the Rescuer.
SECTION 2: Care & Handling of Rescue Dogs.
1. Will provide adequate vet care, nutrition, housing and daily exercise, as well as basic training for each dog.
2. Willing to humanely euthanize any unsound or unadoptable pitbull in his/her possession if the dog presents highly undesirable behavior and/or is incurably ill beyond reasonable veterinary
care.
3. Spays and neuters all dogs (including puppies), administers
rabies vaccine and microchip prior to placement.
4. Does not breed rescued dogs.
5. Socializes pit bulls with other dogs based on individual
temperament. Socializes pit bulls with many people in many
situations and environments. Teaches acceptable leash manners
around other dogs and trains them to behave as ambassadors
before placement.
6. Uses proper containment to prevent dogs from running at
large, including: sufficient fencing, crate, dog run and/or kennel
at home, and proper use of leash and collar outside of the home.
Insists that adopters use the same methods.
7. Acknowledges, understands, and accepts pit bull dog
aggression as a breed trait and will follow standard protocol
which includes separating the unsupervised pit bull from other
dogs to prevent fights and ensure successful interaction between
dogs in their possession. Requires the same from adopters.
8. Acknowledges, understands and accepts that aggression
towards animals other than dogs is also a trait in the pit bull
breed and will carefully manage dogs in their possession to
prevent injury to other animals via standard protocol which
includes separating the unsupervised pit bull from other animals.
Requires the same from adopters.
9. Will not allow pregnant females to go full-term when late term
spay resources are available.
10. Will manage, care for, and place puppies based on the
guidelines set forth in Item 3 of this document.
SECTION 3: Placement of Rescue Dogs.
1. Screens potential adopters through an application process, interview, home check and reference check. Provides extensive
pit bull breed education to the potential home and only places
with qualified, stable, competent homes that are able manage a
pit bull in a manner consistent with the guidelines set forth in
this document.
2. Understands that adult dogs make better adoption prospects
over puppies. Educates adopters to the fact that a dog's true
temperament and dog aggression potential is not known until
maturity (approximately 3 years of age). Does not place dogs
under 12 months of age for full adoption. Does not place dogs
that have been in the possession of Rescuer for less than one
month.
3. Does not place dogs in pairs or groups.
4. Uses legally binding contracts that ensure safe and secure
homes for dogs that are adopted. This document shall also
provide legal grounds for repossession of dogs that are not being
cared for in a manner consistent with the guidelines set forth in
this document. The Pit Bull Rescuer will follow up on placement
and continue to keep in touch with adoptive homes for an
indefinite period of time in order to monitor the dog's progress.
Reclaims adopted dogs from situations or circumstances that
prove to be neglectful, or unsafe for the pit bull, other
dogs/animals or humans, or from homes that can no longer care
for them. Reclaims dogs that begin to present with abnormal
human aggression.
5. Remains a resource to the adoptive home for the life of the
dog. Will work with adoptive home to help remedy any problems
and/or issues that arise due to adoption of a pit bull in order to
ensure successful life long adoption, if this is reasonable and
realistic. Otherwise refer to Section Three: No. 4 above.
6. When using foster homes, the Pit Bull Rescuer will require the
submission of a signed foster contract which allows the Rescuer
to maintain full control and possession of the dogs.
SECTION 4: General Professional Conduct.
1. Works closely with local animal control and shelter staff to
establish good rescue relationships and will offer breed
knowledge and support to shelters and other rescue groups
where possible.
2. Presents themselves professionally and responsibly.
3. Acts as a community resource for breed education and
information, and provides materials and public outreach where
possible.
4. Will not buy dogs to 'rescue' them, as this only serves the
breeder.
5. Will label pit bulls and pit bull mixes (see Item 2) as
accurately as is possible and will not misrepresent a dog's
breed/mix in order to boost adoption interest.
6. Will not label dogs as 'bait' or 'fighting' animals without
substantial evidence and/or witnesses (the mere presence of
fight wounds does not indicate that a dog was used as 'bait' nor
as a 'fighting dog').
III. Additional Information
ITEM 1: THE STANDARD FOR PIT BULL TEMPERAMENT:
The ‘Temperament Correct’ pit bull: seeks out human interaction; is
responsive, biddable and eager to please; may be genetically
predisposed to aggression towards other dogs or animals; is
appropriately submissive; is well balanced and optimistic; enjoys
handling; presents good eye contact; is able to be calm in the
presence of other dogs on leash or - if initially leash reactive - can
learn how to tolerate their presence; is willing to connect with handler
during high arousal; can be handled safely even in times of high
arousal; accepts a reasonable amount of confinement; drops arousal
levels quickly when removed from a stressful situation; is social with
people of all types; is responsive and good natured; is never
aggressive towards humans.
ITEM 2: Pit Bull Mixes:
A. When dealing with Pit Bull mixes, the Pit Bull Rescuer should
adhere to the same standard and code of ethics they do when
dealing with purebred pit bulls. Pit Bull mixes should exhibit the
same temperament as purebreds or be considered unsuitable
rescue and adoption candidates.
B. The Pit Bull Rescuer should clearly label Pit Bull mixes as
mixes and attempt to identify exactly what breeds the dog is
mixed with when labeling.
C. Rescuing pit bulls mixed with guarding breeds is strongly
discouraged. Extra caution and care should be taken when
selecting and placing those dogs that are mixed with guard dog
breeds including but not limited to Neapolitan Mastiffs, Dogue de
Bourdeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Presa Canario, Cane Corso,
Rottweilers, German Shepherds and others. Since the
temperament of the pit bull is very different than the
temperament of breeds in the guardian category, such mixes can
create unique handling and placement challenges, and should be
considered candidates for experienced homes only.
ITEM 3: Puppies
A. Strong preference for puppies that have both littermates and
a temperament correct dam (See ITEM 1)
B. Will not rescue the puppies of a dam of incorrect
temperament.
C. Considers puppies under 6-8 weeks of age to be high-risk and
will not rescue unless moved directly into a setting that includes
at least one healthy, vaccinated and well-adjusted adult role
model dog able to provide appropriate dog-pup socialization.
Due to the possibility of cross-contamination of fatal puppy
disease it is recommended that puppies from various litters not
be mixed until the health of all puppies is confirmed and
adequate incubation periods met.
ITEM 3, Sub Section One: Care of Puppies.
A. The Pit Bull Rescuer will be well-versed and fully supported
and be able to provide comprehensive socialization and
evaluation.
B. If a litter arrives without a dam, efforts will be made to
socialize puppies remedially through the age of 16 weeks to as
many healthy and appropriate adult dogs as possible. This is of
particular importance with litters under 8 weeks of age.
C. In the case of single puppy, the Pit Bull Rescuer will attempt
to locate healthy, same-aged pups for pup-on-pup interaction
after the new puppy's 10-day health quarantine has expired.
D. The Pit Bull Rescuer will maintain puppies in-home throughout
the socialization period (16-20 weeks). This practice allows the
Rescuer to maximize socialization, and provides opportunities to
observe problem behavior as it may develop.
E. Socialization with humans should be considered a prime
concern for puppies.
F. Despite best efforts to nurture pups properly, Pit Bull Rescuers
must be aware of the influence of nature (genetics) and be
willing to humanely euthanize those pups that demonstrate
incorrect Pit Bull temperament.
ITEM 3, Sub Section Two: Placement of Puppies.
A. Adoptions shall not be finalized until the puppy is 12 months old and temperament evaluation period is complete.
ITEM 4: Qualities to Look For in Adopter Candidates.
1. Has already done good breed research. Asks good questions. Shows willingness to learn more.
2. Is realistic about breed challenges: Dog-on-dog aggression, high energy level, strong willed personalities, pulls on leash,
strong and pushy, need to keep socialized to dogs, attracts negative attentions from some public.
3. Shows a stable, mature, open-minded personality.
4. Happy to be interviewed and receive a home inspection.
5. Physically capable of handling a strong dog and demonstrates
a calm, confident way with the dog.
6. Wants an indoor pet as a companion animal/family member only.
7. Has had some dog experience, including basic obedience training.
8. Has a reasonably active lifestyle and is prepared to satisfy dog's daily exercise needs.
9. Owns a home or has a secure rental that will allow a pit bull
(check those leases!)
10. Homes must provide safe containment: tall, secure fences if
yard is present and working latches on gates.
11. The entire household is involved in the decision and is able
to help manage the dog (roommates, children, seniors too)
12. Other pets in the home are a good match. No same sex pit
bull placements and home understands that pit bull must be
separated from other pets when not supervised.
This document is endorsed by:
Lotus Pit Bull Rescue (www.realpitbull.com), New Jersey
BAD RAP Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit bulls
(www.badrap.org), CA
Caped Dog Services, CA
PitSmart, APBT Education/Rescue Resource
American Pit Bull Terrier Rescue and Referral (apbtrr.tripod.com), NC
|
|
|
 |
| |
All content on this website is the property of Catherine Hedges. The content may only be used for educational or noncommercial purposesif you would like to add a link to this website, include any material on this site on to your website or in printed material for sale, please send an email to the webmaster at webmaster@thetruthaboutpitbulls.com for receiving permission. |
|
|
