Pit bulls are, by far, the most feared dog. A “pit bull” isn 't an actual breed, the term originates from the American Pit Bull Terrier but also includes the American Staffordshire Terrier, the English Staffordshire Terrier, and any dogs that are mixes of these breeds. These dogs are stereotyped to the point that there have been laws instated that have banned the dogs in some cities. For decades the media has been using the pit bull hysteria for their own profit. This is an issue because so many people 's knowledge on pit bulls only comes from what they hear and read. This leads many to believe all pit bulls are inevitably dangerous. From my own experience and research, I believe that there are no dangerous breeds, only dangerous, individual
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Before pit bulls were perceived as the most dangerous dog, other breeds were in the limelight. Including German Shepherds, Newfoundlands, and Bloodhounds. In the book, The Pit Bull Placebo, Karen Delise, founder of the National Canine Research Council, writes about what she has found in her twenty years researching dog bites. Delise explains that before Bloodhounds were seen as lazy hound dogs, they were viewed as ferocious dogs. This is because they were used for tracking and killing slaves and Indian populations at the time (Delise 20). Therefore, they were more apt to attack people because a majority of the people who had them were training them to be vicious. Although German Shepherds are still seen as dangerous dogs, before the famous Rin Tin Tin, people thought of them as killers. Prior to Rin Tin Tin newspapers printed many articles about the bloodthirsty German police dog, but once Rin Tin Tin 's movies gained popularity they focused on the heroic doings of German Shepherds (Delise 76). Even today, the media still focuses on stories that involve the courageous German Shepherds who work as police dogs, service dogs, and military working dogs, possibly all because the way Rin Tin Tin changed the way the general public looked at the …show more content…
If someone was caught with a pit bull, Animal Control would confiscate the dog. In the documentary, Beyond the Myth, pit bull activist, Libby Sherrill, explained that the owner would get a fine, but they would be able to get the dog back (Beyond the Myth). If the same dog was caught again then it would be euthanized. Pit bulls are also not allowed to be buried in Denver, if the city catches anyone doing so they will dig up the remains (Beyond the Myth). Families are forced to either find another home for their dog outside the city, relocate themselves, or put the dog down. In 2004 a Colorado state law was put in place that prohibited cities from creating breed specific laws. Denver challenged the state, arguing that the law violated Denver 's home rule. According to The People 's Law Dictionary, a home rule is “the power of the local city or county to set up its own system of governing and local ordinances without the state of which comes with certain requirements and limitations” (Hill and Hill 1). A judge ruled for Denver and the law was reinvoked later that
Before pit bulls were perceived as the most dangerous dog, other breeds were in the limelight. Including German Shepherds, Newfoundlands, and Bloodhounds. In the book, The Pit Bull Placebo, Karen Delise, founder of the National Canine Research Council, writes about what she has found in her twenty years researching dog bites. Delise explains that before Bloodhounds were seen as lazy hound dogs, they were viewed as ferocious dogs. This is because they were used for tracking and killing slaves and Indian populations at the time (Delise 20). Therefore, they were more apt to attack people because a majority of the people who had them were training them to be vicious. Although German Shepherds are still seen as dangerous dogs, before the famous Rin Tin Tin, people thought of them as killers. Prior to Rin Tin Tin newspapers printed many articles about the bloodthirsty German police dog, but once Rin Tin Tin 's movies gained popularity they focused on the heroic doings of German Shepherds (Delise 76). Even today, the media still focuses on stories that involve the courageous German Shepherds who work as police dogs, service dogs, and military working dogs, possibly all because the way Rin Tin Tin changed the way the general public looked at the …show more content…
If someone was caught with a pit bull, Animal Control would confiscate the dog. In the documentary, Beyond the Myth, pit bull activist, Libby Sherrill, explained that the owner would get a fine, but they would be able to get the dog back (Beyond the Myth). If the same dog was caught again then it would be euthanized. Pit bulls are also not allowed to be buried in Denver, if the city catches anyone doing so they will dig up the remains (Beyond the Myth). Families are forced to either find another home for their dog outside the city, relocate themselves, or put the dog down. In 2004 a Colorado state law was put in place that prohibited cities from creating breed specific laws. Denver challenged the state, arguing that the law violated Denver 's home rule. According to The People 's Law Dictionary, a home rule is “the power of the local city or county to set up its own system of governing and local ordinances without the state of which comes with certain requirements and limitations” (Hill and Hill 1). A judge ruled for Denver and the law was reinvoked later that