This is Rosie, a pitbull, who was found emaciated at a dumpster in another state with nine puppies. She and her pups were saved.
I received an email from Shana Burke of the Gage Foundation letting me know about State Representative, Robyn Driscoll (D) of Montana who has decided to introduce House Bill 191 that calls for the elimination of all pitbulls in that state. If this bill would become law, owners would have to surrender their pitbulls. The dogs will be euthanized within 10 days. For those people who don’t give up their dogs to be killed, any peace officer will be authorized to obtain a search warrant and get the dog.
I don’t believe this task has ever been accomplished. There are pitbull bans in different counties in other states but no ban in an entire state. The pitbull breed was banned in one Maryland County. This was a very costly endeavor- $560,000 in one year to be paid to animal control officers and law enforcement.
Let me make one thing clear ~ for me, this legislation is ridiculous and I find it incomprehensible for any legislator to make this a law. But I have learned never to say never. P.E.T.A. would like the pitbull breed destroyed completely. I hope they don’t get involved with this issue. Having said that, let’s look at the reason why Rep. Driscoll decided to do this.
According to sources, there were three fatalities in Montana from dog bites from the years 1965-2008. Ironically, all three tragic cases involved dogs that were not pitbulls. Perhaps, they were a mixed breed or another breed that resembles a pitbull. Many people confuse the pitbull breed with other dogs- a common but significant mistake. If this is the reason, there is no justification for her proposed bill.
Honestly I can’t figure out why Driscoll wants to do this. It makes no sense. Do pitbulls bite-yes? Can they cause serious damage? Yes. Larger breed dogs can inflict larger and more serious wounds compared to their smaller counterparts, but don’t ever underestimate the bites of smaller dogs. They can be quite severe.
Recently a woman and her husband had just begun to take their dogs for a walk on leashes when a dog (a pitbull) the neighbor was dog-sitting,broke out of the backyard and severely attacked their one dog. When the woman intervened by placing her hand between the dog’s mouth and her dog’s neck she got mauled too. (Experts say the best way to break up a fight is to grab the tail of the dog. Trying to break up a fight by getting in the middle results in you getting bit- but it is a natural reaction.) Four male neighbors came out and all of the men kept punching and kicking the dog without the dog budging. The pitbull started to drag the woman and her dog down the street. The husband retrieved a kitchen knife and plunged it up into the abdomen twice, killing the dog. The woman’s hands were mauled and the dog has severe wounds that will take months of recovery. The husband did the right thing.
No, I’m not trying to convince you that pitbulls are bad. I’m making the point that pitbull bite stories receive more attention than other breeds. Did you know Golden Retrievers have attacked and bitten people? Do you hear their stories? Did you know St. Bernard’s have been known to bite? Chows are also known to be nasty and bite. Since there is no central reporting agency for dog bites, it is difficult to ascertain which breeds are the worst but as I said, what we hear in the news has focused on pitbulls more than any other breed. This is the breed of choice for dogfighting, for gang members and gives a person a good rep on the street for having one particularly in Reading. It’s a status symbol. Does the name Michael Vick ring a bell?
Over twenty years ago, according to reports, the Doberman Pinscher was the dog of choice to be concerned about hurting people? Rottweilers have also received much scrutiny for their bites. I don’t hear stories about them. So what is the underlying problem with dog bites which by the way, three fatalities by non-pitbulls does not constitute a ban on the breed? All dogs have the propensity to bite no matter what the breed.
What is the solution? Stronger leash laws, muzzles for the dogs, enact ordinances, ban the breed? I’m not the expert but I think the experts need to look at the reasons why dogs bite.
Dogs that bite have these characteristics in common:
lack of socialization as a puppy, no obedience training, their genetic make-up, quality of care and compassion by the owner, current levels of socialization with the family (are they chained to a dog box), behavior of victim and are they spayed or neutered. Over 75% of bites come from unneutered males. All of these factors play a role in the incidence of dog bites.
Banning the breed will not make a difference in my mind. Pitbulls when raised properly are loyal, fun, loving dogs. They love people! Yes, you may find that hard to believe. But it comes down to the people who raise them. Those people who treat their pitbulls as part of the family and treat them responsibly by socializing them and training them, take care of their dogs. And in return, these dogs are very well-behaved. They don’t use them to intimidate people and certainly don’t use them in dog fights.
But one has to remember and fully understand a pitbull is not a dog for everyone. This dog has to be with someone who understands the breed completely.
If a ban would be put in place, those who use their dogs as status symbols and in dog fights, will find a way to get and keep a pitbull regardless of the law. Same goes for guns. Take them away and the gangs and thugs will still get them. It’s quite simple. The irresponsible people won’t care about any ban.
Banning the breed, any breed, is not the answer, particularly in Montana. There has been no ongoing problem with pitbulls which brings me back to my point – there is no justification for Rep.Driscoll’s actions. Was she bored? Does she want notoriety? Only she can answer. I would like to know. I have emailed her with no reply.
Think about how you would feel if someone said your breed of dog is going to be banned and you must give up your dog to be killed and if you don’t they will get a search warrant and take your dog. Do you realize how insane that sounds? I don’t have pitbulls but no one will ever take my dogs away. I am a responsible pet “mommy” and can’t imagine how responsible pitbull owners in Montana feel if this ridiculous house bill passes into law? What would you do if this happened to your breed of dog who has become a member of your family and has never caused harm to anyone?
Montana has a small population of approximatley 900,000. Berks County has a population of approximately 400,000. If you look at it in this perspective, one thinks it could be possible if Rep. Driscoll can get the other legislators to agree with her. This is scary.
If you feel this ban is outrageous and want your voice to be heard, you can contact Rep. Driscoll by emailing her at rdriscoll@peoplepc.com or you can call her @ 406-534-4874. It is requested that all correspondence be polite. Click here to read more about this story.