AN APOLOGY TO BREED BAN ENTHUSIASTS

I'm sorry you are frightened of my dogs and are trying to have them killed because they are pitbulls.

I'm sorry you lack the understanding of this breed's true history,
gentleness with people, wonderful temperament, intelligence and
behavioral conformation. I'm sorry you won't read the ATTS stats
regarding our breed's true temperament, putting it in the top four
for temperament, scoring better than breeds like Golden Retrievers
and Cocker Spaniels.

I'm sorry that you side with and protect animal abusers by marking
the breed of dog and not the irresponsibility of the owner. I'm
sorry that by your logic I could steal a car, run some people over
with it, and then you can blame the make of car for the accident as I
walk free.

I'm sorry you generalize one breed of dog with one group of people.
I'm sorry you can't see the love and determination that many often
highly educated, non-criminal, and "normal" types of people show
towards this breed and the great personal sacrifices that they make
to take care of their dog responsibly.

I'm sorry you cannot go into the shelters and see the hundreds of
abandoned and abused pitbulls, dying only for the inane "crime" of
being born the breed they are. I'm sorry you cannot see the look of
disappointment in their eyes as someone walks by their kennel, and
refuses to consider adopting them based on an ill-educated fear
mongering reporter. I'm sorry that you cannot be there when the
animal looks at a human for the last time, and in spite of being betrayed
by all humans they have met, their tail still wags as someone
approaches with the syringe of Euthinol.

I'm sorry you cannot be there when law enforcement shoots one of your
dogs dead inside its own home in front of the children it mutually
loves for simply getting off the dog bed and walking over to say
hello with its tail wagging. I'm sorry you cannot be there to rescue
pitbull puppies from a plastic bag in a dumpster, dumped there by
someone switching their illegal and inhumane activities to another,
more lucrative breed.

I'm sorry you cannot understand the difference between canine and
human aggression in the way that this breed can. Yes, I'm saying my
pitbull is smarter than you.

I'm sorry that the medieval witchhunting genetics of intolerance,
generalization, and racism make you feel the need to vilify a breed
of dog. I'm sorry that justice, equality, tolerance, common sense are
all things you hold dear as a fellow Canadian and expect from
others, but do not yourself offer toward a pitbull or its
caregiver. I'm sorry that you don't take the constructive time to
petition changes in the Canadian animal cruelty act and in the
criminal code that would deal out serious punishment to the real
animal abusers.

I'm sorry you cannot see the disappointed look on a puppy's face when
the people petting it quickly frown and walk away when you tell them
it is a pitbull. I'm sorry you feel the need to terrorize my family
and my dogs for crimes we never have and never will commit. I'm sorry
you don't have to live in fear of your dog's safety from hysterical
and mentally unstable people trying to inflict all manner of evil
upon your dogs.

I'm sorry that you cannot see my breed working in some of the best
Search and Rescue groups in the world, saving countless lives each
year. I'm sorry our media censors and refuses to print the breed
name "pitbull' when in connection with a positive act such as saving
a person or child from a burning house, drowning, wild attacking
animals, etc. I'm sorry you cannot see the many pitbulls registered
as therapy dogs and bringing so much joy to another misunderstood,
neglected demographic in our society, the senior citizen.

I am sorry you can't see a pitbull kiss a child, step carefully over
a kitten, or play in a sunbeam. I'm sorry you cannot wake in the
morning to feel a warm pitbull cuddled next to you in bed, and know
that you are their total world, and even if the house caught fire and
trapped you, they would stay with you to the end.
But, now that I really think about it, I'm not at all sorry you don't
own a pitbull--you do not deserve one.

Rob MacBean
The Mongrel Hordes
Lake Cowichan BC
(Permission granted by me the author to crosspost as long as it stays
intact, and with my name on it.)


I agree with this whole heartedly. I work at an animal shelter and I put to sleep over 1000 dogs and cats per year. I'm only 19. I'm not looking for sympathy I'm asking for understanding. Most people who have breed specific prejudice have never even met a pitbull. The media has portrayed pits as monsters but they have eather been misinformed or put the term in to make the story more interesting. Im not saying pits have never attacked anyone but many times the dog is a breed that looks alot like a pit. For example in my town a story was written about two pits attacking and mauling a young boy. However, I later found out that the dogs we're a chow mix and a german shepard. But lets face it Pitbull attacks sell more papers.
In a study of over 100 dog breeds most likely to bite people pitbulls we're 4th..... FROM THE BOTTOM! Labs and cocker spanials are statistically more likely to bite you.
All I ask is that you become more informed about the breed before you condemn them to death. In my shelter only 1 in 20 pits make it out the front door. Please give pits a chance.
If your still on the fence about the breed try watching this video without crying. Warning its not for the faint of heart but it sends a good message.

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