STOP Breed Specific Legislation!!

Breed Specific Legislation is taking away an animal that we as Americans have come to love as pets, family, companions. It’s punishing a totally innocent animal of something it had no control over. What happened to not having animal cruelty? And abuse??

Putting down an animal because of its “breed” is cruel and unusual. If a dog has already been made mean, or bred to fight, I can understand it needs to be put down. There wouldn’t be any sense in endangering anyone any longer. But what about those dogs that have been raised right? With love and compassion. Or raised with children who it loves and protects?? There is NO need what so ever in taking these animals lives, taking them away from good families that love them.

BSL should not be an issue in the lives of pet owners. Not just Pits, but all aggressive breed dogs are being exterminated. They are not pests, or disease infected rodents. They are DOGS. PETS. FRIENDS. And FAMILY. Some are even used as handicap dogs, and police dogs. They are highly intelligent animals and also can be very sweet and loving. And most will die protecting their family.

As far as their temperament goes, they have passed temperament tests with flying colors, scoring better than Chihuahua and even Golden Retrievers. They can be taught and trained correctly. But unfortunately they can also be destroyed just as easy.

A dog is only as good as it’s owner. When a dog attacks someone or is fighting another dog, it is just simply doing all it knows how to do. What it was asked to do. What it must do to make a HUMAN happy.

This is where BSL needs to take a better look. A dog’s family life should be well looked at. It should be taken into consideration that, if it is living with a good family that takes care of it, trains and raises it well, it’s life should be spared. And the emotions of its owners spared as well. If it’s a questionable situation, and maybe an unfriendly dog, it should be taken away from the person, and perhaps admitted to a rescue, where people who love them can work with them and try to make a difference in the “unfriendly” personality.

As for the owners of these dogs, THEY need to be the ones punished. Especially if proof of fighting or illegal breeding is going on in their regards.

If we focus on getting a handle on these people, cracking down more on finding where dogfights take place, or where these dogs are being bred, not to mention abused.. (which is illegal, correct?) It would take a huge strain off dog owners who love their dogs and treat them well. People that have Pits as wonderful family pets and don’t wish to loose them because they have the “potential” to be mean. Even for people who don’t care for the breed could become less worried about them if they knew the only ones around them were going to be well managed, well trained animals. They would not have to fear them… IF the people who abuse them, were no longer around.

Putting a stop to Breed Specific Legislation will be giving aggressive breed dogs a fighting chance to NOT be fighters. But to be LOVING, LOYAL dogs. Also a chance to reach their true “potentials” as smart, wonderful dogs.. not mean ones.

Here is a list of links giving information on, and supporting the need to STOP BSL:

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/aruslweiss2001.htm

http://www.dogwatch.net/index.html

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/legislation.html

http://www.badrap.org/rescue/

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/

http://www.myspace.com/fight4yourpit