According to an article in today’s paper, the Animal Rescue League is being overrun by pit bulls from the city of Reading. Does that come as a shock? It shouldn’t. The city of Reading has been dealing with this same issue for years while the Humane Society held the animal control contract for a long time until it (contract) was taken over the by the ARL back in 2008.
The pit bull has a bad reputation. Unfairly- but it does. The pit bull itself is a loving, loyal, people-oriented dog, contrary to popular belief. I hosted a show on this topic back in December- “Pit bulls- Bad Reputation or Bad Press.” You can view it here. My guests for that show wereVicky Hoffman and Valerie Berg who have both volunteered at the ARL.
I have to wonder why this issue of pit bulls has hit the front page of the Reading Eagle again when a very similar article was written approximately two weeks ago.
In this current article, Karel Minor, Executive Director for the Humane Society, stated that the city animal control contract was given to the ARL after the Humane Society challenged the city’s vicious dog ordinance.
Whether this reason is true or not for the ARL getting the city contract, the truth of the matter is, in my opinion, is that this contract placed tremendous presssure on an already inundated animal shelter which holds all of the animal control contracts in Berks County.
Remember, the expansion of the ARL was needed even before they got the city animal control contract. The reason for the expansion was to alleviate the overabundance of animals they already were getting in. Taking on Reading has exacerbated an already growing problem.
So my question to you is, why are all of these articles continually making the paper. What is really happening?
Does this have anything to do with what Minor opposed in 2008- breed specific legislation (BSL), which I, too, oppose? Now with the new members of city council, is there going to be another push to go back to the “city’s vicious dog ordinance” and all of the fines and permit costs that are included with it? And who would benefit form these fines and benefits- the city or the ARL?
No matter how you look at this issues, these pit bulls are paying the ultimate price with their reputations being targeted as being vicious and with their lives.