How Do You Spell Responsibility?

Puppy available to rescue only at the City of Dallas Texas Animal Shelter.

Once again the notion that holding a dog responsible for the crimes of humans will make our streets safe and solve the problems facing our society, has reared its ugly head in a very big way.

I am not just talking about the report Monday, February 7 from KFVS 12 regarding the proposed state legislature in Illinois that would allow each community to enact whatever ordinances they feel necessary to insure their citizens are safe from the dreaded Pit Bull. Oh no, the State of Texas has topped that one.

First the representative from Marion Illinois has introduced a bill that would change the statewide ban on banning dogs by breed. This was initiated because of a Pit Bull attack on a young boy playing in a city park. Or is it possible it was initiated to take the focus off the humans who played as much a part in this child's injury as the dogs that did the actual damage?

These dogs did not drive into this neighborhood to rent or buy a house where this park is located. They were brought in by humans. The same humans that failed to take responsibility for socializing and training these dogs. The same humans that did not bother to keep these dogs contained. In this case, I also hold the breeder of these dogs responsible because of the ignorance that allowed them to breed dogs with human aggressive tendencies, then sold them to people too stupid the keep them up.

But what about the animal control officers in charge of enforcing "leash and other animal laws already on the books"? In case you missed the interview, that is a direct quote from the online, written copy on the KFVS 12 website. The police chief is quoted as saying he already had the power to insure this did not happen but enforcement was lax at best.

I travel to many different communities and almost always find this same story. The power to insure these attacks do not happen is already there if some one would simply do their job and enforce the laws. It is irrelevant what the breed of dog may be....ALL DOGS HAVE THE POWER TO HURT YOU!

Next we move on to the State of Texas where the debate is over a proposed piece of legislature that would result in owners of Pit Bulls being guilty of a third-degree felony for owning a Pit Bull.

Justin's Law was drafted by the attorney of a family that lost their 10 year old son because of the same scenario as happened to the family in southern Illinois. Two Pit Bulls, bred by idiots and owned by bigger idiots, allowed to take a child from his family. Again, a human being was too lazy to do what it took to not only keep the dogs safe but to keep the community safe.

No one denies there is a problem in our country. The debate begins when dogs are considered more criminal than the humans that are supposed to be in charge of them. These are not just the foolish people that do not have enough dog sense to know about training, these are also the agencies charged with the powers granted under animal control laws.

Here is another thought, what about the dogs being tortured by these same individuals that are projecting their guilt onto the very dogs being condemned? We allow criminals to walk free every time we choose to enact breed bans and restrictive ordinances instead of attaching the guilt and responsibility where it belongs. Human beings are the top of the pack and the only way to change the pattern of abuse is to address the responsible party.

Some suggested reading into what kind of abuse these dogs are enduring at the hands of the people being allowed to walk our streets would be the story of Tatiana the Pit Bull beaten, hogtied and left for dead on the frozen ground in Lansing Michigan. I will spare you the details of what happens when a dog's flesh freezes to the ground.

Or the case of Serita the Pit Bull found with her mouth taped shut and thrown out on the exit ramp of I-64. This took place in Morehead Kentucky. Kentucky, the state that has led the nation in animal abuse cases for three years running, aka part of our tri-state area.

These people are getting away with atrocities too horrifying to talk about yet we allow our law makers and enforcers to focus on the victim first in the line of abuse, instead of the monsters walking among us.

For stories you will not read in the papers or hear on the evening news, please go to

http://www.thedogfiles.com/2011/02/03/stray-pit-bull-saves-woman-child-from-atta.... This link was sent to me by my friend Kevin. Thank goodness someone still believes in the positive!

PHOTO BIO: This is a 10 week old female Pit puppy found by a Dallas Texas police officer. This pup's ears and tail were cut off by something dull. She was then thrown away. When the officer found her, she was covered in dried blood. She can only be pulled by a licensed rescue.

For more information please contact Officer Mark Cooper, rescue coordinator for the City of Dallas at (214) 670-8298 or by email mark.cooper@dallascityhall.com.