Exactly one week ago today, history was in the making in Cleveland, Ohio. For nearly 25 years, Pit Bull dogs were declared vicious in the the city's dog ordinance. The last quarter of a century, Pit Bull dogs were deemed too dangerous to live without special requirements, including liability insurance, to protect the public in the event one bit, or even worse, killed another person...But what if a dog other than a Pit Bull attacks...? What preemptive safety measure protects those people? After all, other types of dogs are innocent unless, or up until, that dog does bite. Pit Bulls are Guilty 'Til Proven Innocent the day they take their first breath at birth.
Each year, thousands of "Pit Bulls" are killed in shelters and pounds due to being...Pit Bull, or for just "looking" like one. Discrimination hasn't been socially acceptable for decades in respect to people. At some point the people spoke out against the injustice being handed to them. But these canine victims of suppression and cruelty remain voiceless, at the mercy and solely dependant upon the people to talk for them. What man doesn't understand he fears, and what man fears he kills, couldn't be more true. Meanwhile, laws that kill for looking a certain way continue to be carried out and hope seems trampled by the inevitable defeat.
But with change, a new page of the book turns to a another chapter. And on June 6, 2011, Cleveland City Council passed the removal of its Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), creating a breed neutral law that puts all dogs and dog owners on the same, level playing field, effectively ending the Pit Bull prejudice and calling it history.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Against All Odds
I have written about him several times previously in more structured articles, but with rules on length and choice of words. This is the first time I'm publicly able to tell his whole story as I know it to be. He remains my biggest inspiration to the message I try to relay.
What a shame...What a shame it would have been had they succeeded in killing him.
Although much of the details of his past remain unsolved, or at least untold, what we do know is Preston was saved from a house during a drug bust in the Akron, Ohio area, where they used him for fighting, baring fresh open wounds attributed to the crime upon entry into the shelter sometime mid-year in 2006. Not many dogs survive the type of background Preston came from. Once rescued, most dogs confiscated with dogfighting connections are liberated permanantly from existence. The very association of the blood "sport" deems them gulilty as an accessory to the vicious subculture. But, shelter workers quickly fell in love with the little black dog they named Eeyore, buying him time for a second chance at life as the court case trial against his previous owner concluded. Each day that passed, the prospect of survival grew less likely, and the other two dogs he came in with subsequently were euthanized due to the most restrictive state laws in the country regarding ownership of Pit Bull dogs.
In the final hours of his pending final day, a Cleveland Pit Bull rescue stepped up and pulled Preston, providing him the opportunity he needed to prove his worthiness. Over the next two years, Preston learned what it's like to live in a house as a family pet, setting him up for success once he reached his forever home. He completed basic obedience training and even earned his AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification, but nobody came inquiring about him during adoption events, as certain variables seemed evident for the reasons, including the percieved challenges of his early life experiences...until the day I met him. I instantly fell in love and knew he belonged to me, like parents of a newborn child. I have always had a special place in my heart for the ones who physically looked abused, and was especially attracted to Preston's zest for life, even all that has gone wrong in his short time on Earth, putting in perspective just how valuable life really is.
These days, Preston is spoiled rotten, trying to make up for lost time we will never get back. His daily dinner includes rice, chicken and baby carrots, along with a Fresh Factors vitamin. I sometime look at his dinner and mine, and realize he is actually eating better than me. He gets daily walks in the park, plenty of playtime in the house, and car rides everywhere. Through the last few years together, I've seen the impact he has in my life and others who encounter him. His scars are all that remain of his former life, but they serve as daily reminders of how important it is to judge dogs on an individual basis, and not by looks or breed. And like underdogs that came before him, against all odds, Preston is the precious rose that grew from concrete.
What a shame...What a shame it would have been had they succeeded in killing him.
Although much of the details of his past remain unsolved, or at least untold, what we do know is Preston was saved from a house during a drug bust in the Akron, Ohio area, where they used him for fighting, baring fresh open wounds attributed to the crime upon entry into the shelter sometime mid-year in 2006. Not many dogs survive the type of background Preston came from. Once rescued, most dogs confiscated with dogfighting connections are liberated permanantly from existence. The very association of the blood "sport" deems them gulilty as an accessory to the vicious subculture. But, shelter workers quickly fell in love with the little black dog they named Eeyore, buying him time for a second chance at life as the court case trial against his previous owner concluded. Each day that passed, the prospect of survival grew less likely, and the other two dogs he came in with subsequently were euthanized due to the most restrictive state laws in the country regarding ownership of Pit Bull dogs.
In the final hours of his pending final day, a Cleveland Pit Bull rescue stepped up and pulled Preston, providing him the opportunity he needed to prove his worthiness. Over the next two years, Preston learned what it's like to live in a house as a family pet, setting him up for success once he reached his forever home. He completed basic obedience training and even earned his AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification, but nobody came inquiring about him during adoption events, as certain variables seemed evident for the reasons, including the percieved challenges of his early life experiences...until the day I met him. I instantly fell in love and knew he belonged to me, like parents of a newborn child. I have always had a special place in my heart for the ones who physically looked abused, and was especially attracted to Preston's zest for life, even all that has gone wrong in his short time on Earth, putting in perspective just how valuable life really is.
These days, Preston is spoiled rotten, trying to make up for lost time we will never get back. His daily dinner includes rice, chicken and baby carrots, along with a Fresh Factors vitamin. I sometime look at his dinner and mine, and realize he is actually eating better than me. He gets daily walks in the park, plenty of playtime in the house, and car rides everywhere. Through the last few years together, I've seen the impact he has in my life and others who encounter him. His scars are all that remain of his former life, but they serve as daily reminders of how important it is to judge dogs on an individual basis, and not by looks or breed. And like underdogs that came before him, against all odds, Preston is the precious rose that grew from concrete.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
When we were young, there were always two types of kids on the playground during recess...the bully's and the people they tormented with name-calling and shoves to the ground. In an effort to demoralize or weaken their victim, the bully gets a sense of power, even if it’s just superficial. Most people associate this type of behavior to that of a juvenile, so it should come as a shocking surprise that grown adults feel the need to stoop to the level of a 3rd grader, with about as much creativity, education and vocabulary as one. The only difference here is the "bullies" are the victims of this small, irrelevant group of people with an obvious vendetta against the most misunderstood type of dog in canine history...the Pit Bull terrier. These haters bring about as much bark and bite as the fictional "Pit Bull" they claim terrorize and cause a public safety concern, which should make us wonder who the real danger is.
Like childish insults that came before, Pit Nutter is the word coined by DogsBite.org leader and infamous Pit Bull hate monger, Colleen Lynn, which describes the people who defend the incorrect reputation and myths surrounding Pit Bull dogs. Acting as a dog bite support group, Lynn claims her site is a "public education website about dangerous dogs - specifically pit bull dogs." and "putting the safety of humans before dogs" (as if you can't have both...). In this statement alone, there is reason for concern. Lynn would have you believe that Pit Bull dogs are the root cause of evil, and if we abolish them to extinction, all of our problems would vanish into thin air. Unfortunately, dog bite prevention is much more complex and encompasses several variables, none of which is breed.
Even Colleen herself admits to relying on media reports (newspapers, magazines, news casts, etc.) as the resource for her "studies" in a link posted on her site (http://www.dogsbite.org/newsroom-dogsbite.htm - March 27, 2011) below:
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2011/mar/27/kb_pitbulls_pro_032811_133868/?news&local-news
It reads: "As far as human fatalities go, pit bulls accounted for 59 percent of 88 dog-bite deaths in the United States from 2006 to 2008, according to a review of media reports done by dogsbite.org."
When you try to approach Colleen, as I have numerous times, and attempt to civilly discuss the inaccuracy of what she is relaying, she blocks your email address and hides behind the fiber optics of her virtual world.
But it doesn't stop with just Ms. Lynn, she has apparently teamed up with "Animal People" editor Merritt Clifton. Clifton is notorious for his compilation of a so-called study titled "Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada September 1982 to November 13, 2006"
(http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/Dog_Attacks_1982-2006_Clifton.pdf). I have seen him or this paper being quoted numerous times whenever Breed Specific Legislation is being discussed in a community, and because of that, I feel I must discuss the validity of it. If this topic wasn't so serious, this would be comical.
Besides the numerous misspelled dog breed names, and complete disregard and lack for using spell check, which any professional journalist and especially a self-proclaimed "animal person" would use, he completely fabricates a collection of newspaper clippings and passes it off as a reputable resource. Merritt supposedly documented severe attacks by dogs that needed medical care or were fatal. This one spans approximately 24 years, and during that timeframe he recorded 2209 attacks doing bodily harm. Pit Bull and Pit Bull mixes account for 1182, more than half (53.5%) of that total. But the troubling part of these figures is in the amount collectively by all dogs. If we were to divide the total number of bites doing bodily harm, which would typically mean a trip seeking medical care, this would mean that on average only 92 bites occur each year needing treatment. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) tell a different kind of story. In their "National Dog Bite Prevention Week" factsheet (see: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/dogbite-factsheet.html), they report that 4.7 million people are bitten every year, 386,000 of which require treatment in an emergency department. Hmm, I wonder where Merritt obtains his information from...Merritt's studies simply have no merit.
Mr. Clifton seems particularly fond of German Shepherd dogs. He continually and persistently defends when German Shepherds "have a bad moment." He goes on by giving a brief history of the GSD, followed by the distinction of their 3 types of bite:
"the guiding nip, which is gentle and does not break the skin; the grab and drag, to pull a puppy or lamb or child away from danger...; The reactive bite usually comes only after many warning barks, growls, and other exhibititions intended to avert a conflict."
First off..."to pull a puppy, lamb or child away from danger"... What is he even talking about?
Next, he mentions of the "German Shepherd mauling, killing, and maiming cases I have recorded, there have almost always been circumstances of duress: the dog was deranged from being kept alone on a chain for prolonged periods without human contact, was starving, was otherwise abused..." Now this is truly offensive as a dog lover in general. For some reason, he is in a way blatantly condoning the bad behavior of the GSD's that have attacked because of their living conditions, as if they are the only type of dog to be mistreated. Anybody in the dog rescue world would and should agree, that there is arguably no dog more abused than the Pit Bull terrier, and abuse of dogs is not breed specific to just German Shepherds. How many other breeds did he go the extent to research and uncover reasons to defend for their behavior...?
Last, he explains how Pit Bulls differ behaviorally than other dogs, and notes that "they are notorious for attacking seemingly without warning, a tendency exacerbated by the custom of docking pit bulls' tails..." Pit Bull tails were never customary for docking, which makes me wonder if he even knows what a Pit Bull is. Clearly this report cannot be used as evidence when creating policy on breed bans.
They come in all shapes and sizes with one mission of destroying a breed once revered in American history, repeating the same rubbish like a broken record and instilling fear as the tactic to gain the attention. They mislead the public and defame anyone who opposes their way of thinking, referring to all Pit Bull owners as breeders and dog fighters, which is completely inaccurate and a slap in the face to the countless bomb and drug sniffing, search and rescue, therapy and other service Pit Bull dogs assisting every day in our communities across this country. When all else fails, they turn to name calling and photoshopping pictures, all things you'd expect to find in any elementary classroom on any given day. But they're only doing these things because they know the times are changing, and they are heavily outnumbered by compassionate, open minded and level headed people.
My final message to all who oppose Pit Bull dogs...Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me...
Like childish insults that came before, Pit Nutter is the word coined by DogsBite.org leader and infamous Pit Bull hate monger, Colleen Lynn, which describes the people who defend the incorrect reputation and myths surrounding Pit Bull dogs. Acting as a dog bite support group, Lynn claims her site is a "public education website about dangerous dogs - specifically pit bull dogs." and "putting the safety of humans before dogs" (as if you can't have both...). In this statement alone, there is reason for concern. Lynn would have you believe that Pit Bull dogs are the root cause of evil, and if we abolish them to extinction, all of our problems would vanish into thin air. Unfortunately, dog bite prevention is much more complex and encompasses several variables, none of which is breed.
Even Colleen herself admits to relying on media reports (newspapers, magazines, news casts, etc.) as the resource for her "studies" in a link posted on her site (http://www.dogsbite.org/newsroom-dogsbite.htm - March 27, 2011) below:
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2011/mar/27/kb_pitbulls_pro_032811_133868/?news&local-news
It reads: "As far as human fatalities go, pit bulls accounted for 59 percent of 88 dog-bite deaths in the United States from 2006 to 2008, according to a review of media reports done by dogsbite.org."
When you try to approach Colleen, as I have numerous times, and attempt to civilly discuss the inaccuracy of what she is relaying, she blocks your email address and hides behind the fiber optics of her virtual world.
But it doesn't stop with just Ms. Lynn, she has apparently teamed up with "Animal People" editor Merritt Clifton. Clifton is notorious for his compilation of a so-called study titled "Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada September 1982 to November 13, 2006"
(http://dogbitelaw.com/images/pdf/Dog_Attacks_1982-2006_Clifton.pdf). I have seen him or this paper being quoted numerous times whenever Breed Specific Legislation is being discussed in a community, and because of that, I feel I must discuss the validity of it. If this topic wasn't so serious, this would be comical.
Besides the numerous misspelled dog breed names, and complete disregard and lack for using spell check, which any professional journalist and especially a self-proclaimed "animal person" would use, he completely fabricates a collection of newspaper clippings and passes it off as a reputable resource. Merritt supposedly documented severe attacks by dogs that needed medical care or were fatal. This one spans approximately 24 years, and during that timeframe he recorded 2209 attacks doing bodily harm. Pit Bull and Pit Bull mixes account for 1182, more than half (53.5%) of that total. But the troubling part of these figures is in the amount collectively by all dogs. If we were to divide the total number of bites doing bodily harm, which would typically mean a trip seeking medical care, this would mean that on average only 92 bites occur each year needing treatment. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) tell a different kind of story. In their "National Dog Bite Prevention Week" factsheet (see: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/dogbite-factsheet.html), they report that 4.7 million people are bitten every year, 386,000 of which require treatment in an emergency department. Hmm, I wonder where Merritt obtains his information from...Merritt's studies simply have no merit.
Mr. Clifton seems particularly fond of German Shepherd dogs. He continually and persistently defends when German Shepherds "have a bad moment." He goes on by giving a brief history of the GSD, followed by the distinction of their 3 types of bite:
"the guiding nip, which is gentle and does not break the skin; the grab and drag, to pull a puppy or lamb or child away from danger...; The reactive bite usually comes only after many warning barks, growls, and other exhibititions intended to avert a conflict."
First off..."to pull a puppy, lamb or child away from danger"... What is he even talking about?
Next, he mentions of the "German Shepherd mauling, killing, and maiming cases I have recorded, there have almost always been circumstances of duress: the dog was deranged from being kept alone on a chain for prolonged periods without human contact, was starving, was otherwise abused..." Now this is truly offensive as a dog lover in general. For some reason, he is in a way blatantly condoning the bad behavior of the GSD's that have attacked because of their living conditions, as if they are the only type of dog to be mistreated. Anybody in the dog rescue world would and should agree, that there is arguably no dog more abused than the Pit Bull terrier, and abuse of dogs is not breed specific to just German Shepherds. How many other breeds did he go the extent to research and uncover reasons to defend for their behavior...?
Last, he explains how Pit Bulls differ behaviorally than other dogs, and notes that "they are notorious for attacking seemingly without warning, a tendency exacerbated by the custom of docking pit bulls' tails..." Pit Bull tails were never customary for docking, which makes me wonder if he even knows what a Pit Bull is. Clearly this report cannot be used as evidence when creating policy on breed bans.
They come in all shapes and sizes with one mission of destroying a breed once revered in American history, repeating the same rubbish like a broken record and instilling fear as the tactic to gain the attention. They mislead the public and defame anyone who opposes their way of thinking, referring to all Pit Bull owners as breeders and dog fighters, which is completely inaccurate and a slap in the face to the countless bomb and drug sniffing, search and rescue, therapy and other service Pit Bull dogs assisting every day in our communities across this country. When all else fails, they turn to name calling and photoshopping pictures, all things you'd expect to find in any elementary classroom on any given day. But they're only doing these things because they know the times are changing, and they are heavily outnumbered by compassionate, open minded and level headed people.
My final message to all who oppose Pit Bull dogs...Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me...
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