[Purple]

Who's killing the pitbulls?

Contributed by: Ben Drotar

The Biggest Battle
The Epidemic That's Killing The Pit Bulls
'Pit Puppies for Sale!'
Pit bulls today are fighting a very tough battle, and they're losing.

Twenty five years ago they were a rare sight on our city streets and few people owned them. But things sure have changed. Today, their popularity is - quite literally - killing them. This one breed is being produced by thousands of people across the country at a time when very few homes will keep them beyond two years of age. The Net is exploding with ads boasting new puppies, and everywhere you turn someone is building a new website to promote their brand new breeding venture.
The easiest way to see the casualties of this epidemic is at our local shelters where so many young adult pit bulls spend their final days. Every single day, abandoned, lost, and unwanted pit bulls pour into shelter doors; some shelters get as many as 10 a day. Most will never find homes.

Why is this happening?
The problem is simple arithmetic combined with human nature: Pit bull puppies are popular, desirable and easy to sell. But not every home is really prepared to keep their active dog for life. That once-cute pup becomes much more work as it matures into its adult size and strength, and homes give up on pit bulls all the time. It may get into its first accidental fight, landlords may evict it, it might develop bad manners due to lack of training, it may escape its yard. Many of the cute pit bull puppies sold today will end up in shelters before their second birthday. But before they go, chances are great that these same dogs will breed one or two litters of their own...Next season's shelter dogs. And the tragic cycle continues....

Whose Fault Is It?
The people that claim to love them the most are often the ones doing the most damage. Every single person who breeds and sells an intact (not fixed) litter and/or studs out their male dogs is contributing to the epidemic. This includes big name show kennels, 'Backyard Breeders' (BYBs) who sell puppies through newspapers and InterNet ads, people who breed their family pets and those who have accidental litters. It's all adding up. To make matters worse, not all of these pit bulls being produced have good genetics. This means defective dogs with undesirable traits are getting into the gene pool, hurting our breed even more.



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How Will It Stop?
Things will only start to change when enough people decide that pit bulls deserve better. It's taken thousands of people to create this problem, and it'll take thousands to decide that enough is enough. Do you love the breed enough to want to see a change?

What IF?

What IF breeders decided to create fewer litters and fixed all the non-show pups before they were sold? (Early Spay/Neuter).... What IF breeders microchipped their puppies before each sale in order to make sure they came back safely if they're ever lost? .... What IF the registries (AKC, UKC, ADBA) decided to limit the numbers of pit bulls that could be registered each year? .... What IF people who only wanted dogs for pets decided to rescue from reputable shelters and rescues instead of buying new puppies? .... What IF breeders and shelters made sure that homes were 100% prepared to own this breed before giving them a dog?

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What You Can Do to Help:

• Please don't breed! Fix your pit bull for free or cheap

• Don't support backyard breeders or show kennels that produce numerous litters

• Learn how show kennels make money off of studding out their dogs. Don't support this mass production of dogs!

• Do some in-depth breed research before you get one. Like many working breeds, they come with challenges.

• If you're ready to buy from a breeder, find out all you can about their reputation. Do they care enough to keep breedings to a bare minimum? Do they health test their dogs before they breed? Do they ask a lot of questions, inspect all homes and ask for references before giving over pups? Will they answer all your breed questions and support you through any behavior issues for the rest of the dog's life? Are they active in local rescue efforts? Will they still be around in five years if you have to give the dog back?

• Please consider the wonderful dogs in reputable rescues or shelters instead of buying.

• Don't get caught up in fads: Many blues are overbred and large, bulky body frames are unhealthy!

• Beware of kennels breeding white dogs. These dogs are usually deaf.

• If your female gets pregnant, find a vet who will give her a problem-free abortion. If you're selling a litter, please spay & neuter the pups before you sell them so they can't be bred themselves.

• Got a friend that wants to breed? Take him through a shelter and educate him about the epidemic that's killing pit bulls.

• Please consider adopting your next pet from Table Mountain Animal Center rather than buying from a breeder or pet store - you will save a life and gain a best friend!

Visit us online at www.tmac4pets.org or better yet, come by and visit us.
We are located at 4105 Youngfield Service Road. Right off I-70 and Youngfield Street exit. Call 303-278-7575 for more information.

Hours
Monday to Friday 11a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Adoptions stop 1 hour before closing, so please come early!
Consider Volunteering with us, your time will be greatly appreciated no matter what you would like to do at the shelter. We are always in need of dog-walkers, cat -cuddlers, help with cleaning, laundry or office work!

http://denver.yourhub.com/Golden/Stories/Pets/General-Pets/Story~392970.aspx

[jeoestreich]

Awesome post

[Alan]

I was watching a video last night and a man said that breeders should have to pass various classes and be licensed. I think that would be a great idea. They also spoke of mandatory spay and neuter but people with show dogs were very much against it. The kennel clubs are just starting to accept spayed and neuter dogs (I THINK). I think they should be doing this. IMO Championing a dog out is no reason to breed (at this point in time) as their are many who could do this. The dog probably came from a kennel who sells dogs for this purpose. Let them continue to breed champion dogs. If they tell you your dog is exceptional then let them pay you to a stuf fee and handle the litter. Thats just my opinion.

[screamin'eagle]

great read...thanks for posting.

[Miakoda]

The truth? "Pit Bull" owners alone are killing the breeds and the dogs. We (& I use the term very loosely) have damaged the breed and we are solely responsible for what they have become and what they are enduring in the media. No one else is to blame.

That's why I cannot stand it when people say "we all own 'pit bulls' so we all must stick together.....yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah." No we don't because there is no way in hell I'm going to stand beside another 'pit bull' owner who is a back yard breeder, an irresponsible pet owner (those who think Fido deserves to roam the street to visit his friends), and/or in denial that their dog is a menace to society. I will fight for my dogs with all I've got and if it means sacrificing someone else's 'pit bulls' to do so, then be it.

[Rai_77]

*Standing Ovation*

Excellent, excellent post. I cannot tell you how many people stop me and tell me that I should breed my boy 'because blues are so rare'.

I smile and say, 'he's neutered. I didn't want to contribute to the hundred of dogs JUST LIKE HIM dying every day in the shelter. In fact, if you visit the local shelter, 90% of the dogs there are purebred pitbulls' (very true in Sacramento)

[Alan]

That sticking together thing is a very debateable issue among most people. There are two sides to that issue. One side you brought out very clearly. The other side is that the more people fighting against BSL, the less chance of it passing. Its kinda like in WWE Wrestling and politics, two persons or organizations may totally disagree or even hate each other; but sometimes they unite to fight a bully bigger than the both of them because they both benefit from it and they feel it is the only way they can win.

[Michele]

While I partially agree with Miakoda, at this point, it's too late as far as this breed being kept in "the circle". The breed is out now to the public, so I think at this point, we have no choice but to educate as best we could and continue to fight BSL.

And the best place to get your education is by reading the history to know how these dogs are bred and what traits they have. This way, you know how to handle this breed.

As far as the BYB goes, they are the scum of the earth and the only reason i would stand by them, is to spit on them.

[Miakoda]

Originally Posted by Alan That sticking together thing is a very debateable issue among most people. There are two sides to that issue. One side you brought out very clearly. The other side is that the more people fighting against BSL, the less chance of it passing. Its kinda like in WWE Wrestling and politics, two persons or organizations may totally disagree or even hate each other; but sometimes they unite to fight a bully bigger than the both of them because they both benefit from it and they feel it is the only way they can win.

However, some of the people you propose fighting on the same side of to ward off BSL are the ones repsonsible for it in the first place. They let their dogs run loose, let them escape more than once (twice-shame on you!), breed litter after litter after litter, sell to anyone and everyone who has the cash or room on their visa or mastercard, insist on keeping their dog alive despite the fact it's already bitten someone all because "Fluffy doesn't like men in sunglasses and she got nervous", etc. etc.

I'm all for fighting BSL even in areas where I don't and never plan to live. I owe it to these dogs, especially Miakoda. And education is vital IMO.

However, if it means I've got to point you out to the general public and media as a bad 'pit bull' owner based on your actions and show them that it's irresponsible owners like yourself that are costing my dogs their lives then I will. And I'll shout it from the mountain tops if I have to.

**when I say "you", it's a completely general "you".

It's like teaming up with pedophiles to change the laws on consensual sex concerning people under the age of 17 with those over the age of 17. Never gonna happen.

[Alan]

I totally see your point and I cant disagree with it. Its just hard to explain to lawmakers that we are all not the same. They paint us all with the same brush. That is why I agree with you that we need to take out our own trash.

[Pitgrrrl]

That entire article was lifted from Bad Rap's site. See here:

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

Nice way to plagiarize there, Ben Drotar.