A pit bull named Cain saved a woman from a fire over the weekend. Yes, a pit bull! The woman,Jackie Bonasera, was drying her hair in an upstairs bathroom as a fire began to sweep from the front of her house to the back in Long Island, New York.
Cain came to the rescue by his continuous barking. Because of the attentiveness of this hero dog, this woman was able to escape the burning house. As you can clearly see, the house was extensively damaged.
Without thinking, the woman left her dog in the burning house. She knew it was her turn to save his life – “He saved my life, I have to save his.”
“So I just put my robe over my face and I ran back in and I grabbed the dog and then I stood out here and I watched my house burn,” she said.
According to the woman’s daughter, Alexus Stallworth, Cain is “the town hero.” “He’s a pit bull, too,” said Stallworth. “They have such bad reps, but he’s such a good boy.”
“More than 70 firefighters were needed to stop the fire. Although the cause of the blaze has not been determined and the arson squad is investigating, police don’t believe it’s suspicious.” Nevertheless, an extremely bad fire that could have had deadly consequences had it not been for one determined pit bull named Cain.
Pit bulls get an undeserved bad reputation through the media and even through animal groups. They are one of the most surrendered breed of dog in shelters today. According to a survey by Dogsbite.org, 80% of pit bulls at shelters are surrendered by their keepers. The others are impounded either for behavior or as victims of abuse and neglect.
Why does this breed garner so much negativity when testing this breed shows the American pit bull terrier scores an overall temperament rating of 83.9%, compared to the 77% score of the general population according to a December 2010, American Temperament Test Society?
The truth about Pit bulls. They have been bred for hundreds of years for strength, agility, high pain tolerance and absence of aggression toward humans! They have been bred to be affectionate towards people. Let me state that again. They have been bred to be affectionate towards us! They are very intelligent and take their cues from humans.
What myths are perpetuated by the media about pit bulls?
Pit bulls have locking jaws. I’m sure you’ve heard this one. FALSE! There’s nothing anatomically different about a pit bull’s jaw. Their jaws cannot lock,” . But like other terriers, “they are more likely than other breeds to grab a hold of something and to shake.” It doesn’t mean they won’t let go, but owners need to know how to break up a fight.
They can tolerate alot of pain. FALSE! “Pit bulls are incredibly wimpy in many respects – they don’t like to go in the cold and rain.” “When aroused or agitated, they may be less responsive to pain.” When they are taught to participate in dog fighting, they are taught by humans to keep fighting, no matter what they endure.
They’re unpredictable. The popular notion is that pit bulls can be fine their entire lives and suddenly snap and turn on their owner. It has been proven that pit bulls are no more likely to do this than any other breed. Unfortunately, it appears the media is biased against this breed and has the propensity to dwell on this breed if there is a dog attack.
I don’t hear about the German Shephard or the Golden Retriever mix that each killed someone on the news. The truth is that all dogs have the proclivity to bite. Because of this fact, we are all responsible to teach our dogs what is acceptable and what isn’t. It’s up to us to socialize our dogs. Lack of socialization is a major cause of biting.
You must take an active role in teaching your dog not to bite through trust and respect. These are important components that must be addressed. Without them, the chances of your dog biting someone rises significantly.
A pit bull isn’t a breed for everyone. When in the right hands, this dog will be one of the most loyal and loving dog you’ll ever have. Your dog may even be a hero, like Cain!
The bottomline is to be responsible for any pet you have, no matter what the breed is.
If you want to read stories about outstanding pit bulls, click on this link. Be sure to read about Peaches, the pit bull, who helped people after the Boston bombings.
http://bslnews.org/pit-bull-heroes-hall-of-fame/
This woman is one lucky person to have a pit bull save her life! Why am I not hearing this on the news? Interesting. Don’t you think?
Too many pit bulls are being killed in shelters. Between them and chihuahuas, these are the two most killed dog breeds in shelters today. Irresponsible owners are the cause and reason for this. Look at Cain. He is a hero. How many more heroes sit on death row in a shelter waiting for a home. Please consider adopting a pit bull? They were taught to be mean. Look at Michael Vick and so many more dog fighters like him. They were taught to fight until the kill. It’s not in their nature to do this.
Thank you for sharing the good features of pit bulls. There are too many bad stories that make it to the news and hardly any good stories about this breed. Pit bulls can be one of the gentlest dogs, in the right hands.
I love my pitbull. I don’t care that I’m a man who can say he loves his dog. I treat my dog right and don’t believe in treating any dog badly. Pit bulls are used because they will fight to please their owner. The owners are the morons who cause this breed to be vicious. All dogs can bite. It doesn’t matter what breed. As much as I love my dog and as much as others do, dogs are still dogs. They can bite. We have to be vigilant and careful. Never allow your child to go up to any dog and pet it. The child is a stranger and the dog could feel threatened. I see parents make this mistake too often. Be a responsible pet owner.
I am sick and tired of the media giving this breed a bad reputation! Other dogs bite too. Where are their stories. Because of the media, people hear the words, pit bull, and they become scared.
They are featured negatively in movies.
Look at the rapper, Pitbull. He didn’t pick that name to be looked upon as Mr. Nice Guy.
Here we have Cain, a hero for saving his owner’s life from a fire. This is what we need to hear more of.
Cain deserves a medal for his heroism. Look at the house. The woman would have died. A pit bull saved a life!
Studies show that more than 85% of pit bulls have a great temperment. Why isn’t that reported? No, we have to images of pit bulls who have been taught to maul and bite other dogs. This breed is killed the most in shelters. How sad when I go through a shelter and see so many pitties knowing how many are on death row. I look at them and they’re wagging their tail hoping I will adopt them. I wish I could but I already have enough pets. Shame on the owners.
The owner of Cain has done a great job and is now a hero!
This is a wonderful story about a good breed of dog. If the media ran more positive stories about pit bulls, their perceptions may start to change. The media is biased and causes this bias towards this unfortunate breed. They don’t deserve all of the negative press. It is idiots who use them for dog fighting that has caused them the negative publicity. I watch as tv anchors and reporters have a bad attitude toward them. They don’t take the time to get the facts and report them. There is no excuse for that.
Way to go, Cain!
Michael Vick. Need I say more?
Pit bulls get a bad rap for many yrs. People want to blame Michael Vick but the reality is dog fighting has been around alot longer than Vick’s been around. His notoriety as a NFL football player catapulted the world of dog fighting into the spotlight.
Since this breed is used for this pathetic ‘sport’, attention is given to it by the news and other prgorams and ignoring many other breeds have bitten and cause damage to people, including death.
The fallacies off locking jaws is peerpetuated by the media without them researching the truth.
The media needs to be held responsible for writing fiction when it comes to pit bulls. They aren’t for everyone just as jack russell terriers and labrador retrievers aren’t for everyone. Each has their ow unique set of traits that isn’t a good fit for everyone.
For me, it’s a great fit. I teach my dogs basic commands and respect. Respecting me allows me to control my dog when I need to.
Glad to hear a good story about a pit bull instead of one being bad. Thank you, on behalf of pit bulls and their owners.
I don’t want a pit bull in my home. They do bite and I won’t allow this breed in my home around my children. My children are my world and I won’t take any chances of putting them in harm’s way.
I fear pit bulls and a pit bull would pick up on my fear. That wouldn’t be conducive for a healthy environment for my children or the dog. At least I’m smart enough to know this. I’ve adopted other animals and will always do that.
I can’t get past the part of how they the ability to maul. There are others who are looking for that trait in a pit bull. That’s why so many are euthanized in shelters. They are used for all the wrong reasons.
I’m not saying a pit bull isn’t right for some people bu the breed isn’t for me. Don’t you think that’s a smart move on my part?
All pit bull haters, I hope you read this story!
The hero stories are astonishing. Why aren’t these stories listed on the news or in newspapers? I think people would be astonished to know the good pit bulls do for man and other animals. I’m not shocked that they don’t cover these stories but I am disappointed and angry that they won’t do more stories that showcase their attributes. I guess those stories won’t sell. Journalism is out the window. No one seems to care about the truth anymore.aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
“Pit bulls have the reputation of being vicious fighters, liable to snap and attack without a moment’s notice. You might be surprised that this reputation has been forced onto pit bulls by human misinformation, rather than earned through behavior. As Rebecca O’Connor writes for National Geographic, pit bulls used to be America’s darling breed.
“An American favorite, the pit bull was featured in army recruitment posters during World War I and there were several famous pit bulls that served in the American military. They were a dog that was seen as a protector, a friend and an athlete, the sort of dog Americans aspired to have by their side…Pit bulls were also seen as a child’s best friend. On the silver screen the pit bull was a constant companion to the adorable kids in the Our Gang comedies, as well as with Buster Brown.”
How times have changed. Now pit bulls are villainized, abused, and shunned. Owning a pit bull is prohibited by many homeowners’ associations and apartment complexes. Perhaps you yourself have feared or suspected the pit bull, but how much do you really know about this controversial breed? There is too much misinformation circulating on the internet.
When facts are separated from fiction, we see a misunderstood animal that deserves love and protection just like any other.”
Why pit bulls are dying!
Did you know that “Pit Bulls” are currently the number one bred dog in the United States? Ironically, they are also one of the hardest breeds to find homes. It is estimated that there is a current average of 3 million “Pit Bulls” living in the United States and only 1 in 600 will successfully find a “forever” home. Sadly, for every 1 “Pit Bull” placed in a loving home there are 599 killed. Shockingly, that statistic unfortunately does not exclude puppies!
Roughly 200 “Pit Bulls” are killed each day in Los Angeles alone because there are not enough homes for the ever-growing population of unwanted dogs in that area. This is a frustrating problem due to over-breeding either intentionally or accidentally. Either way you look at it, it comes down to irresponsible actions by irresponsible and or greedy humans. Many people may not realize that any dog not spayed or neutered is a potential contributor to this terrible problem. The average fertile dog can produce 2 litters in one year. The average number of puppies in a canine litter is 6-10. In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs..many or most of which will end up dead.
There are between 4,000 and 6,000 animal shelters in the United States. The number of cats and dogs entering those shelters each year is roughly 6-8 million! However, only 30% of the dogs and 2%-5% of the cats are actually reclaimed by their owners. This means the total number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters annually is 3-4 million! It is estimated that 1 million of those dogs are “Pit Bulls”.
Shelters in large cities across the U.S. typically find themselves with a “Pit Bull” population of anywhere from 40% to 60% of the total shelter population and a national average of 33%. Many shelters needing more space will opt to euthanize “Pit Bulls” before any other type of dog due to this overwhelming number. 75% of shelters nationwide will euthanize all “Pit Bulls” entering the facility without ever giving them a chance to be adopted…some more lenient organizations may give the dogs a mere 24 hour grace period before administering the lethal injection. A study done by Animal People reports that the “Pit Bull” euthanasia rate in shelters is at approximately 93% on average which means that ultimately only 7% of all homeless “Pit Bulls” in America will find a “forever” home.
.The 23,000+ “pit bulls” [Ed. note: In 2004, this was “only” 7,000 or so] you can find through the above Petfinder link are a very small fraction of the homeless pit bulls out there. Notice that on Petfinder, only Labrador Retrievers—long hailed as the most popular American dog breed—come close to the combined numbers of adoptable ”pit bulls,” AmStaffs, and SBTs.
No other breed or type of dog is as prevalent in the shelter system as the “pit bull.” Shelters in large cities across the nation report a “pit bull” population of anywhere from 40% to 60% or more of the total shelter population (national average is 33%).
Because “pit bulls” are stereotyped as vicious dogs, responsible dog owners and loving families do not usually seek out shelter pit bulls as pets. Out of fear, they may actively reject any shelter dog that has been labeled a “pit bull” or “pit bull mix.” Thus, shelters and rescue groups struggle to rehome homeless “pit bulls.”
Shelter policies and laws can compound this problem. Many shelters needing more space will opt to euthanize pit bulls before any other type of dog. Some shelters don’t bother to put pit bulls up for adoption at all. Some rescuers and adopters believe that “pit bulls” are behaviorally different from other types of dogs, and have put in place special requirements for adopting “pit bulls.” Some cities have passed breed-specific laws that make it difficult or even impossible to own a pit bull, further limiting the number of good homes available to pit bulls.
Even shelters and rescue groups are misinformed and misguided about this breed. This makes the situation worse for this misunderstood breed which, in turn, leads to more pit bulls being euthanized every day of the year. The so-called pros need to be taught what is correct. The media also goes to them for information. Do you see how convoluted and twisted all of this is? In the end, it’s the dog who pays the ultimate price of other people’s ignorance? This is so blatantly wrong. There are groups like Good Dog Adoption Agency which help this breed. We need more like this agency to educate the public and the media.
There are alot of great stories about hero pit bulls. If you get a chance, please read them and share them. They save people’s lives. Share, share, share to hear about the good about pit bulls. They make great pet when with the right people.
This is one of the reasons why I love pit bulls!
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