I was perusing the website for All-Star Auto Glass after they did a wonderful job replacing our windshield, and I noticed that not only is the company owned by Jamie Moyer from the Seattle Mariners (not that this means alot to me as I am not a huge fan of baseball), but he and his wife also founded the Moyer Foundation. The Moyer Foundations main aim is to "offer encouragement, comfort and support to children and families enduring a time of profound emotional, physical or financial distress while providing opportunities for enhancing overall wellness, stability and quality of life". As I was reading this I assumed, or even questioned whether this couple had experienced something devastating to be so concerned about others - or whether they just had a great idea and ran with it.
So what does this have to do with the actual statistics about pit bull attacks? You'll see...
It seems that people, including myself, become more concerned about the suffering of other people if we have suffered in a similar way. I, for instance, volunteer with the Seattle Police Departments VST Program to assist victims of Domestic Violence. I feel a great deal of empathy for people in these situations, because I was in a d.v relationship and was also stabbed after I involved myself in someone else's domestic violence situation. So this enables me to have some sort of understanding of why people are in, and often stay in domestically violent relationships, and not just accept the myth that the victims - both men and women - could just walk away if they wanted to. Easy as 1-2-3.
Take the myth surrounding pit bulls for instance. Before owning a pit bull I knew that people often associated them with being vicious dogs who attacked people - and usually nothing positive. As much as I did not believe these accusations, I didn't really think much more about them until I adopted an American pit bull from the Seattle Animal Shelter. She is a sweet natured little girl and would not hurt a fly, but this did not prevent people from glaring at me when I walked down the street JUST because of her breed. Now if the worse thing that I had to deal with were a few stares from people that I don't even know then I could deal with that. But it doesn't end there. Instead, in many states within America it has led to nothing more than a witch hunt. The naive mentality of many people has led to many states initiating BSL - breed specific legislation - that not only discourages people from owning pit bulls because of the heavy insurance required, or the fear of being discriminated against from Home Owners Associations or even when trying to rent a property. Some place will force pit bull owners to muzzle there dogs if they are out in public - if they are friendly or not does not matter.
The funny thing - if there is anything funny about condoning such discrimination - is that any breed can bite, any breed can cause serious injury to people, and any breed can kill - if so inclined to do so. So why pick on all the dogs that come under the umbrella term of 'pit bull?'
Why? Because it is easier for people to paint a picture of fear on the face of a pit bull and fear only 'pit bulls' then it is for them to face the fact that any dog could be a potential attacker. It is easier for people to think that a pit bull could maul their baby, then it is to think that the labrador down the street could tear off a woman's face so that she is unrecognizable - as was the case with the labrador in France who tore off the owners face because she stepped on it by accident.
I have always known that pit bulls are great dogs BUT now I can say that I have seen firsthand, on a daily basis, that these dogs are sweet, loyal, playful and will do anything to please you. Unfortunately, the pit bulls that make the headlines are often owned by thugs, drug dealers, or people who have not properly socialised them - a fact I am noticing more often with many other breeds I am meeting on our daily walks, even thought I do not see them coming under the same persecution as pit bull owners. Just the other day I tried to walk Zoe down the street and we were confronted by a family with two retrievers who were nearly frothing at the mouth to try and attack my dog - who, I might add, walked past without even looking in their direction.
I would like to encourage people who dislike pitbulls to at least get to know one before you start fighting for BSL. As I said previously, there are now parts of America, and even some counties within Seattle that have placed a ban on owning pit bulls. When certain ordinances are in place the city then has the right to enter those premises who have pit bulls and euthanize them. I am not talking about city officials entering a meth house where vicious dogs are roaming around. I am talking about these officials who enter the homes of families with children who have owned the family pit bull for many, many years, and order it to be destroyed because of legislations - where is the justice!
Ok, I think I have ranted for long enough....
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