Monday's Letters to the Editor

We asked readers to comment on the latest pit bull attack, in which an Animal Control officer was mauled when he responded to a call at a Lakewood home where five pit bulls were kept.

[Word Watcher]

I know one pit bull owner who has been bitten twice by his own pit bull. He says the dog was "just excited" when he did it. Apparently anothr pit bull who broke out of the apartment next door and nearly killed a small dog being walked by its owner was also "just excited." If all the pit bulls are such sweet, loving dogs, how do you explain the many actual cases of people and pets being mauled and even killed by them?

[LBCer]

Word Watcher wrote:

I know one pit bull owner who has been bitten twice by his own pit bull. He says the dog was "just excited" when he did it. Apparently anothr pit bull who broke out of the apartment next door and nearly killed a small dog being walked by its owner was also "just excited." If all the pit bulls are such sweet, loving dogs, how do you explain the many actual cases of people and pets being mauled and even killed by them?

I've seen the same thing. Most of these owners do have pitts that are loveable and will lick you to death BUT just as quickly they will at sometime go after small animals when that DNA kicks in. Most owners will tell you "my dog is friendly he just doesn't like cats" or something similar. It's not just the attacking of humans, which really doesn't happen that often, the resentment from the public comes from the fact that most (not all) pitts will have a 'pit moment' and attack other peoples cats or small dogs. It is unacceptable to have a pet that needs restraint when around other pets in order not to kill but I see it all the time.

[LBCer]

meanwhile wrote:

Dear Word Watcher,
I would feel safer in a room full of pit bulls, than huddled-together, with the current group of jokers in the City Council, Mayor Foster, included!
I hear the stories, too...dogs biting their owners. All I know is, I've never been bitten.
And I approach strange-dogs everyday.
It is prudent, I think, to ALWAYS blame the human.
joeedwardmack (dot com)

I would feel safe also but....
Would you feel just as safe in that room full of pitts if you were a small dog or cat?

[Concerned]

Most pit bull owners give thier pit bulls rag dolls to play with and tear apart. Now when a pit bull see a small dog or even a small child, and they want to play because they think that child and small dog are just like the rag doll. All pit bulls should be put down, they are not safe. If you people want to keep pit bulls as pets, remove their teeth, this way they can still eat, but not maul anyone with their gums.

If this doesn't work, scientist needs to invent a stronger pepper spray made especially for pit bulls that will knock themout and make them back off from attacking anyone.

[Alanis]

I was a Pitt bull owner, she was the most lovable and loyal dog I have ever had. I really think owners are at fault! You have to train and teach any dog breed good behavior. If you don’t dogs will get restless and find other ways to show there frustration. I have read over and over again Pitt Bull attacks, but we ignore the fact that owners train them to fight and be aggressive. My opinion is there are too many ignorant bad pet owners and there needs to be a stop to it. All dogs are made for love and companionship, not for fighting and your own entertainment.

[Word Watcher]

meanwhile wrote:

Dear Word Watcher,
I would feel safer in a room full of pit bulls, than huddled-together, with the current group of jokers in the City Council, Mayor Foster, included!
I hear the stories, too...dogs biting their owners. All I know is, I've never been bitten.
And I approach strange-dogs everyday.
It is prudent, I think, to ALWAYS blame the human.
joeedwardmack (dot com)

What in the world does huddling together with the Council and Mayor have to do with vicious Pit Bulls? You show the kind of irrationality that seems to go with owners of Pit Bulls.

[Word Watcher]

meanwhile wrote:

Dear World Watcher,
What I mean is, dogs are incapable of being, socio-paths...get it?
Joeedwardmack (dot com)

DUH?

[PORK CHOP]

if the "pit bull" ( there is no such breed of dog) had bitten a would be rapist.. or murderer we woul be giving the dog the keys to the city rihgt now. We "expect' dogs will know the Animal Control officer from a person bent on doing its owner harm. We "expect" too much. Dogs cannot discern who is "good" and who is "evil". Most PEOPLE cannot do that. Witness our current government and the laws they are tryng to pass to curb pet ownership. It is amazing to me how little people that actually OWN dogs know about them.. and even more amazing that those whose job it is to deal with animals know even less. Ther was no reason for this person who works for Animal Control to be bitten. And is you work for Animal Control you shold EXPECT to be bitten. Just as a peace officer is always alert to danger so should an ACO be.. it is their JOB...I would expect the PT to now report ANY bite by any breed in EVERY case of an ACO.. why shoud a "pit bull" ( no such breed of dog) be singled out by your paper. Fear mongering at best.. Fearmonering at worst.. Shall we now expect to the race and religion of each lawbreaker in the PT.? Let hope so.. after all fair reporting is fair reporting..
"Pit bulls" ( no such breed of dog) have been in the news as heros too. Some even worked 9/11. Guess we should breed them "out of extinction", especailly those who happened to find HUMAN victims.. Who needs them..??
People are "sheeple" and will believe anything.. if told long enough..the PT is doing a good job .. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ....the "big lie" theory works every time....it worked for Hitler.. it is working now.....Ban 'em Kill 'em.. destroy 'em.. then EVERYTHING WILL BE OK...what a joke.. it isn;t about the dogs.. but smoke and mirrors fool most of the people most of the time and that is all it takes..

[ICU2]

PORK CHOP wrote:

if the "pit bull" ( there is no such breed of dog) had bitten a would be rapist.. or murderer we woul be giving the dog the keys to the city rihgt now. We "expect' dogs will know the Animal Control officer from a person bent on doing its owner harm. We "expect" too much. Dogs cannot discern who is "good" and who is "evil". Most PEOPLE cannot do that. Witness our current government and the laws they are tryng to pass to curb pet ownership. It is amazing to me how little people that actually OWN dogs know about them.. and even more amazing that those whose job it is to deal with animals know even less. Ther was no reason for this person who works for Animal Control to be bitten. And is you work for Animal Control you shold EXPECT to be bitten. Just as a peace officer is always alert to danger so should an ACO be.. it is their JOB...I would expect the PT to now report ANY bite by any breed in EVERY case of an ACO.. why shoud a "pit bull" ( no such breed of dog) be singled out by your paper. Fear mongering at best.. Fearmonering at worst.. Shall we now expect to the race and religion of each lawbreaker in the PT.? Let hope so.. after all fair reporting is fair reporting..
"Pit bulls" ( no such breed of dog) have been in the news as heros too. Some even worked 9/11. Guess we should breed them "out of extinction", especailly those who happened to find HUMAN victims.. Who needs them..??
People are "sheeple" and will believe anything.. if told long enough..the PT is doing a good job .. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ....the "big lie" theory works every time....it worked for Hitler.. it is working now.....Ban 'em Kill 'em.. destroy 'em.. then EVERYTHING WILL BE OK...what a joke.. it isn;t about the dogs.. but smoke and mirrors fool most of the people most of the time and that is all it takes..

How many times do we have to tell you...
Take your meds "every' morning.
When you do, than the demons will stay away.
Now be a good boy & go to your room !

[Word Watcher]

PORK CHOP wrote:

if the "pit bull" ( there is no such breed of dog) had bitten a would be rapist.. or murderer we woul be giving the dog the keys to the city rihgt now.

...and IF people in hell had ice cubes they would feel cooler.

[Michele Fieldson]

I agree with every single person who is in fear from an irresponsible neighbor whose pit bulls are a menace. I agree that everyone should be able to walk the streets without worrying about their dog being mauled. What I absolutely disagree with is that this is typical pit bull behavior.

Pit bulls in general are the worst of guard dogs. They love humans to a fault. They are loyal, loving, and generous in their affection. Yes, not all pit bulls are friendly to all dogs. This is not, however, limited to only pit bulls. There are many other dogs that for a variety of reasons do not get along with other dogs.

The issue here is the irresponsible pet owners and our unbelievable inability to enforce laws to protect citizens. The woman who spoke of her dog being attacked requiring two surgeries and getting no response from the dog's owners, doesn't that tell you something about the character of these people? Wouldn't you be horrified and very concerned about the welfare of the other dog if your dog had done this? Of course you would. The dog owners are the problem here.

Saying all pit bulls are vicious is no better than racial profiling at its worst. Pit bulls rank among the highest of all breeds in temperament stability. What is very true is that many think having a pit bull somehow elevates them as people, they are somehow to be feared. They get these dogs as pups, abuse them, chain them, neglect them, teach them to be mean, let them wander the streets, do not spay or neuter them, and have a complete disregard for the well being of their neighbors. Who is to blame? Once again, how about the dog owners?

How many of these dogs found loose roaming the streets have dog tags, have been microchipped, or even have a dog collar? When these dogs are confiscated by Animal Control, how many people don't even claim their pit bulls? Would any of you loving dog owners out there leave your cherished pet to languish at a high-kill shelter? I'm sure you wouldn't, but these people do. Doesn't that tell you something?

To say you don't trust pit bull owners is another general stereotype. I'm a white female, over 50, who adopted a pit bull that had been at a shelter for a year and a half. I'm at a loss as to what there is about me, without knowing me, that you can mistrust. Pit bulls make excellent therapy dogs as well as search-and-rescue dogs. Are their owners to be mistrusted as well?

For all you afraid of pit bulls, approximately one year ago I was out running with my pit bull when a toddler opened the front door and a golden retriever ran out. Without hesitation, the golden jumped on my pit and started attacking it. The owner came out and attempted three times to pull his dog off mine. My pit left not a scratch on the other dog. I, however, was bitten by the golden, a deep gash in my calf, and blood running down my leg. Would that make news? No. Was the owner irresponsible? Yes. Should all golden retrievers be bred out of existence? No. But, then, retrievers biting people doesn't make the news.

If you ban pit bulls, these same irresponsible dog owners will just pick another breed to take its place. It will never stop. Let's put the responsiblity where it lies. Let's make strict laws and let's enforce them.

[Marissa Forrester]

I cannot believe how absolutely naive and just plain stupid most of you people sound. Do some research before you judge. Imagine this pit bulls were originally bred for bull baiting and later when brought to America they were bred to be nurse maid dogs. Wow they actually cared for the children in their families, they didn't eat them! Later when man kind became bored is when they were used for dog fighting. It is ignorant people that use and raise these dogs to be harmful. Although not all pit bull owners are horrible and irresponsible I know because I am one! I would trust my dogs around any dogs, and any humans including very small children. They are very well behaved and trained dogs. Please do research, any dog can be vicious and cause major damage. Pit bulls are just the choice dogs to pick on right now. Don't contribute to that by being ignorant!
FYI, Pit bulls are a recognized breed!

[Marissa Forrester]

Concerned wrote:

Most pit bull owners give thier pit bulls rag dolls to play with and tear apart. Now when a pit bull see a small dog or even a small child, and they want to play because they think that child and small dog are just like the rag doll. All pit bulls should be put down, they are not safe. If you people want to keep pit bulls as pets, remove their teeth, this way they can still eat, but not maul anyone with their gums.
If this doesn't work, scientist needs to invent a stronger pepper spray made especially for pit bulls that will knock themout and make them back off from attacking anyone.

You couldn't be more wrong! So your child bites another child I guess just pull out its teeth that would be the most humane thing to do right? This is nothing more than breed racism. I would hate to see how you deal with everyday life!!!!

[filet mignon]

PORK CHOP wrote:

if the "pit bull" ( there is no such breed of dog) had bitten a would be rapist.. or murderer we woul be giving the dog the keys to the city rihgt now. We "expect' dogs will know the Animal Control officer from a person bent on doing its owner harm. We "expect" too much. Dogs cannot discern who is "good" and who is "evil". Most PEOPLE cannot do that. Witness our current government and the laws they are tryng to pass to curb pet ownership. It is amazing to me how little people that actually OWN dogs know about them.. and even more amazing that those whose job it is to deal with animals know even less. Ther was no reason for this person who works for Animal Control to be bitten. And is you work for Animal Control you shold EXPECT to be bitten. Just as a peace officer is always alert to danger so should an ACO be.. it is their JOB...I would expect the PT to now report ANY bite by any breed in EVERY case of an ACO.. why shoud a "pit bull" ( no such breed of dog) be singled out by your paper. Fear mongering at best.. Fearmonering at worst.. Shall we now expect to the race and religion of each lawbreaker in the PT.? Let hope so.. after all fair reporting is fair reporting..
"Pit bulls" ( no such breed of dog) have been in the news as heros too. Some even worked 9/11. Guess we should breed them "out of extinction", especailly those who happened to find HUMAN victims.. Who needs them..??
People are "sheeple" and will believe anything.. if told long enough..the PT is doing a good job .. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ....the "big lie" theory works every time....it worked for Hitler.. it is working now.....Ban 'em Kill 'em.. destroy 'em.. then EVERYTHING WILL BE OK...what a joke.. it isn;t about the dogs.. but smoke and mirrors fool most of the people most of the time and that is all it takes..

"[Thursday, August 02, 2007]
Yesterday, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the City of Toledo's breed-specific ordinances are constitutional. The ordinances classify dogs that belong to a breed commonly known as pit bulls, or dogs that are pit bull mixes, as vicious. The court's decision effectively overturns a 2006 Ohio Appellate Court decision that found that breed-specific ordinances are unconstitutional.

The case, Toledo v. Tellings, involves Paul Tellings, a resident of the City of Toledo and owner of three dogs identified as "pit bulls." Mr. Tellings was charged with violating three city ordinances that severely limit the ownership of such dogs to one per household. In response, Mr. Tellings challenged the constitutionality of the ordinances, but the trial court found that even though pit bulls are not more dangerous than other breeds, there was sufficient evidence to support the city's claim that pit bulls present dangers in an urban setting. The appellate court later overturned the trial court's decision, holding that the three ordinances violated the rights to procedural due process, substantive due process, and equal protection, as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and Section 16, Article I of the Ohio Constitution. Upon review, the Ohio Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Appellate Court by finding that the State of Ohio and the City of Toledo both have a legitimate interest in protecting citizens from the dangers associated with pit bulls, and that the Toledo ordinances are rationally related to that interest and are therefore constitutional.

Justice Maureen O'Connor concurred in the court's rationale, but separately noted her disapproval of the Toledo ordinance that identifies pit bulls as vicious animals per se. "Dangerous animal behavior is the function of inherently dangerous dog owners, not inherently dangerous dogs.""
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm...

[filet mignon]

PORK CHOP wrote:

if the "pit bull" ( there is no such breed of dog)

"Pit Bull is a term commonly used to describe several breeds of dog in the Molosser family that were historically used for dog fighting. The breeds most often placed in this category are the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_bull

[Intelligent reader]

All dogs have the ability to bite, terrorize and do severe damage. Breed legislation
is no different than racial stereotyping. I say that as a well educated white single female pit bull mix owner. You can not, with one wide brush stroke, blame the breed, the color, the generation, etc. You must look at the surrounding conditions. Unfortunately many pits are purchased and raised for protection, ego, threat, nussiance and figting. However, this is the owners irresponsible actions and not that of the dog. With proper raising and proper responsiblity by the owner, a bully dog can be a wonderful family dog. They love people, are clowns, do extremely well with small children in the house as well as other pets in the home. My pit lives with three cat who rule the house. The kids in the neighborhood hang off of her, pull her tail, get kisses and love on her all day long. She is not the "unusual pit". They all have this inate ability to please. However it's often used in the wrong direction. Choosing to eliminate all pits is no different than eliminating one drug. Those that want this type of thing will find another source. What breed will you have to eliminate next. No, control the root of the problem not the symptom

[Heart for Pets]

After working at a shelter and local vets for many years I have seen it all. I have concluded that there are very few cases of animals that are genetically at fault to hurt humans verse the dog being designed by humans to do so. To clear up what I have said a bit lets look at a puppy. How many puppies have you seen that are aggressive? The environment that a puppy is raised in will determine its behavior later in life. Do not scold pits. They are not to blame. I have seen more chihuahuas, min pin and poodles act more aggressively. The only reason why you don't hear about them in the news is because a lost finger nail is not top story material. A lost hand is. People it is time to take training classes for pet owners. Understand your breed, work with trainers meaning you not the dog, neuter and spay, and don't be so quick to blame the dog when 99% of the time it will be a reflection of your work in that dogs behavior.