I am sick and tired of waiting. The time to speak up is now. The reputation of Pit Bulls is destroyed and I am sick of it. I am sick and tired of explaining that my dog is friendly, when it is clear to others that she is. I am sick and tired of being denied housing because of my Pit Bull. I am sick and tired of picking up the newspaper and seeing PIT BULL MAIMS CHILD. I am sick and tired of the constant struggle I face with discrimination. I am sick and tired of seeing Pit Bulls abused, and their abusers walking free. The time to act is now.
I recently read an article that I would like to share, in hopes to inspire you to stand up and act. A father in California woke up in the middle of the night to his Pit Bull barking frantically, like she has never done. To his horror, his home was on fire. He was able to drop his enfant daughter out of the second story window to safety, but he and his oldest daughter could not escape. They covered themselves under a mattress to await rescue. They both suffered smoke inhalation, and the father was treated for third degree burns. Diamond was injured as well, suffering third degree burns, and also has permanent nerve damage to her leg. She was badly injured in the fire, because she layed on top of the mattress to protect her family. For Diamond's courage and loyalty, she was a finalist in the HSUS Dogs of Valour Awards. Now Diamond is homeless. Her family lost everything in the fire, and is looking for a home to rent. He has been rejected by over 20 landlords because of Diamond, a recognized hero. Diamond is currently staying with his sister until she can be reunited with her family that she so bravely protected. The family will not give up looking for a home for all of them. If you know a way to help this family, please click on the link below, and contact them.
This is outrageous. The time to stand up and act is now. To all you Pittie lovers, what have you done today to save your breed?
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/hero-dog-now-homeless/
i an owner and lover of all dogs am very outraged by this. i have been bitten by a pit recently and still love them but maybe thats because i study behavior and am close to starting my career in the area of training and behavior consultation. but still a hero dog is a hero dog regardless of breed... heck a hero is a hero regardless of species.
ReplyDeleteGreetings all! I have been working with animals as a behaviorist for the better part of 4 decades and I will say the following without equivocation: generally speaking, Pit Bulls have as much or more heart, loyalty and passion for life than any breed I have ever met. This is a very complicated and emotionally charged issue, and coming to a conclusion by only looking at dry statistics is neither a fair nor accurate way to judge the situation. For the most part, in my opinion, people are to blame for their bad reputation, therefore people have the obligation to reverse this trend. Thankfully, there are those like Katie and Cheryl who have really stepped up and are doing terrific work to bring balance, reason and fairness to this issue. We should stand and applaud the dog in this story, but also we need to thank and support these two special women who spend so much of their time producing this website and organizing the Bully Walk and all the other activities they promote. If you care about this issue then please show up for the Bully Walk on April 3rd. Don't just talk the talk, people, walk the walk! You don't have to have a pit to participate...show up and walk with us! See you all there! Happy trails and thanks! Dave
ReplyDeleteI am doing my part, but I want more. I want their blood! I know that this outrages so many people, so lets stand up against housing discrimination!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Katie. It is our responsibility to put our best foot forward and do all that we can to promote what we know to be true..that our dogs are amazing!
ReplyDeleteEveryone who is interested in this issue should read this book, available online:
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Pit_Bull_download.pdf
It is titled "The Pit Bull Placebo-The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Agression"
This book which includes decades of research is a wealth of information. See you next week!