subject: Pit Bulls, Misunderstood And Demonized [print this page] It was 4:30am July 31st, 2010 in southern New Jersey, when a Pit Bull began to bark. Although the dog was able to warn its family and save the lives of 9 people (including several children), the animal itself succumbed to the fire. Unlike most reports involving Pit Bulls, this story shows another side of the breed. How did Pit Bulls go from being well regarded to such a feared, criticized and abused animal? Does this breed really deserve the persona it has been given or is there more to this story?
Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls were not originally bred to be fighting animals. In fact, throughout most of their history, they were actually regarded as a loyal, affectionate breed ideal for families. It's only been more recently that their reputation has changed. Some claim that this new image came about because of an absurd cover story in a 1987 Sports Illustrated edition. Many people are surprised though when they meet a Pit Bull to discover that they are often very affectionate towards people. Unfortunately, as with all dog breeds, misunderstanding or abusing them can lead to serious consequences.
Despite the fact that Pit Bulls have less biting force than both Rottweilers and German Shepherds and that German Shepherds actually bite more, Pit Bulls have somehow gone from being a loyal and respected breed to a demonized one that has lesser and lesser chances of being accepted by society. Pit Bulls can potentially be dangerous but so can any strong breed of dogs. Nevertheless, once the media grabbed hold of sensationalized reports, hysteria set in and these animals became the victim of increased persecution.
Reports of "Pit Bull-like" breeds acting aggressively have skewed statistics and created a self-propagating bad rap for this animal. Although dog aggression can happen with any breed, because Pit Bulls have been singled out more, media coverage will tend to focus more on their acts of aggression than other breeds. As far as the notion that Pit Bulls are more dangerous because their jaws lock, this is simply not true. Their jaws are strong, but they do not lock.
Much more can be said in the defense of Pit Bulls but in the end what it comes down to is that Pit Bulls have more to fear from people than we do of them. Just as no dog should have to endure being forced to fight all its life, people should know better than to ever leave a kid, let alone an infant unsupervised in the presence of a large or powerful animal. Yes Pit Bulls loose on the street can pose a significant threat but a Great Dane or Doberman Pinscher chasing after you would be a great danger as well.
Unfortunately, the persona has reached the point where these dogs are no longer permitted in certain places and some insurers even charge more or refuse to cover you if you have one in your household. The result is families having to give up their pets as overcrowded shelters often mean the end of the line for many of these abused and once loved animals.
