July 4th, Freedom: for Whom?
Spanky (top photo) - the first week she was a foster in my home after being saved by Cape County Sheriff, Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and Pit Bull advocate, Melanie Coy. She was NOT fought - she was "just" tied to a tree without water and food and left to starve. On my website is a photo which won third place in an art contest for animal legistation - Spanky looked worse, if you can imagine - the photo is how the rescuers saw her and her companions in the woods left to die. The photo on the bottom is Mimi, Beagle extraordinaire and Spanky, enjoying some downtime. All Spanky needed were groceries, minimal vet care and love. She now has both - I failed Fostering 101 (again) and adopted her. People come to my house and say, "so, what's with the Pit Bull among all these hounds?" These photos are one reason why. The other reason is, while she was
extremely neglected, she did not seem emotionally scarred; neglect is a serious form of abuse. I believe she was someone's former pet - she has always been housetrained and knew exactly what that couch was for :).
My point here is this: Pit Bulls are among THE most abused group of dogs in the country and world. Why? Why bully type dogs who, in England, are nicknamed "nanny dogs" because they are so good with children? For the most part (and yes, there are always exceptions), Pitties are NOT HUMAN AGGRESSIVE. They are abused and trained to be aggressive and fight other dogs while humans are in the fight ring with them. Let me re-phrase that: the abusers who fight Pitties are in the ring with them, so they have to have a type of dog who will not turn on them. Pit Bulls are perfect - thus are horribly abused, then carry that UNEARNED stigma with them whether they were fighting dogs or not. Here is a link to a story from KFVS12 developing in Hayti: "Police Confiscate Dogs in Home."
The first thing people say when they see Spanky is "what a pretty dog!" They pet her, then ask what breed she is. When they find out she is a Pit Bull, they are shocked and surprised. I let them know (as they are still petting her - Spanky has yet to meet a stranger) her story, how many Pit Bulls are abused by fighting and how much legislation turns a blind eye to their pain and suffering. A Pit Bull was recently inducted as a police dog in Chicago. Her handler stated Pitties are not normally used in police work "because they are too people friendly." I recently tried to give a fellow parishioner a ride home from church - Spanky was fine - yeah, no strangers! but a hound with us would not let him in "her" car.
Too many Spankys are suffering and dieing because we are PREJUDICED against a breed type most of us cannot even identify, who are allowed to be abused because of rampant negative media coverage (who has the most bites? Goldens and Labs, not Pitties) and because we are lazy, myself included. So, among the hounds at Silverwalk is a Pit Bull. Sometimes she makes me crazy - not because she is a Pittie, but she is a terrier and I forget the different sense of humor terriers have compared to hounds. PLEASE, write to your representative, be alert in your neighborhoods, be vigilant as always for dog abuse which includes human sanctioned dog fighting as a "sport." It is not - it is abuse. Remember Spanky, remember Vick's dogs, many of whom are now in homes. We all thank you.
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