Pit Bull Plaza

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The Pit-Bull Problem

America's most-maligned dog wants to be sweet and docile, but well-meaning humans mess it all up.

By Joan Raymond | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Oct 30, 2009

 A 10-acre stretch of land just outside Los Angeles is pit-bull Nirvana. It's called Villalobos Rescue Center and it's run by Tia Maria Torres, an unabashed pit-bull lover. Torres has found homes for thousands of pits since the rescue opened its doors 15 years ago. Some of these animals were abandoned. Some were shelter dogs slated for euthanasia. Others were confiscated in drug busts or fighting rings. And some—like Mouse, a small white pit bull—are victims of nature, the so-called
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'Pit Bulls and Parolees'

It's a 24/7 job, but Torres gets help from a posse of volunteers, her four children, and six ex-cons, who she calls her "pit bulls on legs." Her work is chronicled in a new six-part documentary, Pit Bulls and Parolees, airing on Animal Planet, the first of which premiered on Friday night. You'd have to carry a cold heart to not feel something for what these dogs have endured.

But I have a problem with pit bulls. And it has more to do with the two-legged creatures holding their leashes (if there is a leash).

Because of their sheer numbers—estimates show that there are anywhere from 5 million to 10 million pit-bull-type dogs in the U.S. today, out of about 61 million total dogs—pits have become the dog du jour for a lot of people, not just gangbangers and wannabe thugs who use a pit as proxy for toughness. About 20 percent of dogs in ASPCA shelters are pit mixes.

I've seen those who adopt these dogs for all the wrong reasons. The fearful might get a pit because they want a great guard dog. (Pits make lousy guard dogs. A well-bred pit is just too human-friendly to protect your property.) Some get a pit because Rachael Ray has one and they want to rescue a dog. (Why didn't you take up cooking instead of getting a dog that you know nothing about?) And the trendiest pet owners spend thousands of dollars for a "blue" pit because the dogs are rare. (No, they aren't, and you just got swindled by an unethical breeder who contributed to the overpopulation problem.) But pets aren't purses, and people who jump into pit-bull ownership without the requisite training and education can often do more harm than good. That's why when I see a pit off-leash and I'm walking Turk, my 20-pound schnoodle, I'm scared.

Let's face it: pit bulls are public enemy No. 1. That's quite a comedown for a pup once considered "America's dog." They were owned by the likes of Helen Keller and Teddy Roosevelt, and when I was a kid, a wiry American pit-bull terrier named Sam endured the indignity of being called a "horsy" as he pulled me around in a wagon on an upstate New York farm. But in talking with pit-bull experts, it's clear that some current owners are too easy to spook, are too ill-informed, and have unrealistic expectations of what pit bulls can do.

Torres knows all about the pit bull's people problem. "Oh, my God, I see it all the time," she says. "Some of these people are completely clueless. They get a pit and then they want to get rid of it if it grabs and shakes a toy and barks. They don't understand why it loves everybody, but scraps with dogs. It's insane. And it's hurting the pit bull."

Some of the so-called pit problems are directly linked to the dog's history. Today's pit bull can trace its roots back to bulldogs, which were used for bull baiting, a gruesome spectacle in which the dogs would try to pin a tied bull by latching on to its nose. When bull baiting was outlawed, these bulldogs were then bred with small terriers, feisty dogs known for their drive. The end result was the original pit bull, a "canine gladiator" bred specifically for dog-on-dog combat.

Though the majority of pit bulls today are no longer being purposefully bred along fighting lines, pit bulls still can be dog aggressive (as are many other types of dogs). How that plays out will vary from pit to pit, and the dogs need a smart owner to keep them in line. Dog aggression can be managed by getting a pit into a training program that offers structured, controlled socialization, says Mary Harwelik, a certified dog trainer and founder of The Real Pit Bull, a pit advocacy and education organization in New Jersey.

Pits are also among the most human-friendly canines. In tests conducted by the American Temperament Test Society, which evaluates stability, friendliness, and other traits in several hundred dog breeds, the American pit-bull terrier scored 85.3 percent, higher than a golden retriever. Their human-friendly nature remains strong even in horrific circumstances. "I thought I was going to meet a bunch of Tasmanian devils," says Dr. Frank MacMillan, a veterinarian with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary who is working with some 20 pit bulls rescued from Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels. "I was stunned at how sweet they were."

That inherent sweetness toward people can lead well-meaning humans to be too permissive with their precious pooches. Because of its tendencies toward dog-on-dog aggression, Torres advises pit owners to keep their dogs out of mosh-pit, free-for-all dog parks. "Not a lot of pit owners want to hear that," says Torres. "If there's a fight, no matter what dog started it, the pit will be blamed."

At Villalobos, Torres does an exhaustive interview with potential adopters. She wants to know what kinds of dogs they owned in the past, whether there are kids in the house, if it's a multidog household, if they have a cat, and what they want from their pit. Once they answer those questions, Torres tries to match them up with the right pit bull. "Everybody thinks they want a Ferrari, when they really need a Yugo," she says. "The good thing about a pit is that some of them can be high energy, others just want to watch TV. "

Despite laws in many parts of the country that place restrictions on pit ownership, things might be looking up for the breed. "People are having a lot more empathy for the pit," says Torres. "They understand that this is a great dog that is enduring a lot of hell." If you want to rescue a pit bull, Torres's advice is simple: Make sure the dog is the right one for you, and you are right for it. Get the dog spayed or neutered, obey leash laws and any local regulations, and do ongoing training. That's smart advice for any dog owner, even if you want a yappy Shih Tzu.

 

Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from Attacker

Pet Pulse Staff Reports  

 November 5, 2008

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her "guardian angel."

The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon.

The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as "Angela," was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements.

Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled.

"I don't think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman," Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse.

"I don't know what this man's intentions were, but it is very possible this dog saved her life."

The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend.

"You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid," Jones said. "He was like her guardian angel."

After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene.

The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners don't step forward within five days, Jones said, Angela and her family plan to adopt the savior she named "Angel."

Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament.

"It's funny, that someone's irresponsibility could have saved someone's life," Jones said of Angel's possible owners.

For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most.

"I don't know what his [the thief's] intentions were -- I don't know why he did it, but I'm glad that -- we call him Angel -- I'm glad that Angel showed up because I don't know what would have happened," Angela told NBC2 News.

For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot.

The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake.

"It's funny, because we aren't a big place," he said of the Gulf Coast town. "And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It's been a busy week."

Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired.

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 11, 2009

Happy Tales for Former Fighting Dogs
Dozens of Pit Bulls Rescued from Dogfighting Rings are Finding Homes

(AP) Dozens of American pit bull terriers netted in the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history are finding homes despite some who predicted aggression or trauma would make them unsuitable as pets.

More than 120 of the animals have been placed in foster homes or are headed there this week through the efforts of pit bull rescue groups throughout the U.S. An additional 117, like the scarred but smiling Tulip, await their turn.

"They are not a vicious animal. They are the victims of abuse," said Debbie Hill, vice president of operations for the Humane Society of Missouri. "That face and their eyes tell the story. They only want to be in someone's home, on a couch, or sleeping at someone's feet, maybe chew up a rug or two for entertainment. They're learning for the first time how to be a dog."

In the days leading up to the July 8 raid, the Humane Society secured a cavernous industrial warehouse in St. Louis that it transformed into an emergency shelter for the hundreds of dogs seized in Missouri and Illinois. About 100 dogs seized in other states were taken by rescue groups elsewhere.

Once at the Missouri shelter, dogs were tested by a national team of certified animal behaviorists, taken on walks, and allowed to chew on bowling balls stuffed with peanut butter. Some finicky eaters were treated to home-cooked chicken breasts to supplement meals of dog food.

The Human Society offered The Associated Press first access to the site Tuesday. During the tour, puppies born since the raid took turns playing tug of war with a chew toy in a play room. Humane Society staff members pulled a catering cart down a long row of dog cages, calling animals by name as they slid them bowls of food.

Some, like Pacific, were shy, quivering in fear of new visitors. Others were extroverts, springing on hind legs to say hello.

The foster homes will acclimate the dogs to the noises and rules of a household, and teach them basic manners.

Animal behaviorist Pamela Reid, who was part of the team that evaluated the dogs, said a surprising two-thirds tested well for nonaggression and adoptability. She's fostering one puppy, although one of her favorite dogs had to be euthanized because he showed aggression toward men.

Hill said 160 dogs were put down because of injuries, illness or behavior. None of the puppies showed aggression, Reid said.

Tim Rickey, who heads the Humane Society's anticruelty task force, said the raids proved the underground dogfighting industry is pervasive.

"We scratched the surface," Rickey said. "We could have done several of these (raids) in Missouri alone."

Happy Tales for Former Fighting Dogs - CBS News

Legislature rejects pit bull ban

Posted: Jan 21, 2009 05:22 PM MST

Updated: Feb 4, 2009 05:04 PM MST

Kay Rossi for KXLH in Helena
Kay Rossi for KXLH in Helena

A proposal to ban pit bulls in Montana was quickly rejected by the Legislature Thursday, amid criticism it was an ineffective way to deal with the problem of dog attacks.     

The plan would have allowed the current owners of pit bulls to register their dogs and keep them, but no other pit bulls could be purchased or bred in the state. There would be certain exceptions for dog shows.

Critics sharply criticized the proposal; and the House Local Government Committee rejected it on a voice vote about an hour after hearing from dozens of opponents.     

Lawmakers began discussing the possibility of a substitute plan to increase penalties on the owners of vicious dogs, although no firm initiatives were in place for such a bill.

Rep. Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) proposed the bill that would have banned several types of breeds as well as mutts that are considered "pit bulls" in the proposal. Driscoll said the dogs have been banned in a number of cities and in some other countries.

Driscoll said her e-mail has been full of insulting messages from people who oppose her idea.

House Bill 191 would have banned Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club."

 

 

A proposal to ban pit bills in Montana is drawing opposition from fans of the breed.     

A legislative hearing on the idea was packed to overflowing Thursday. Opponents say it is unfair to single out a single breed.  Supporters say the state should ban a breed that is responsible for a disproportionally large share of attacks on people.

Rep. Robyn Driscoll (D-Billings) proposed the bill that would ban several types of breeds as well as mutts that are considered "pit bulls" in the proposal. Driscoll said the dogs have been banned in a number of cities and in some other countries.

Driscoll said, "Are some pit bulls loving companions? Absolutely. But it's important to bear in mind that families that come to a shelter are rarely seeking a pit bull. The vast majority of people who want pit bulls are attracted to the macho image of the breed as a living weapon."

Driscoll says there have been two pit bull attacks in her district since 2007.

The bill would allow the current owners of pit bulls to register their dog and keep it. But no other pit bulls could be purchased or bred in the state, Driscoll explained.

Driscoll said her e-mail has been full of insulting messages from people who oppose her idea.

House Bill 191 would ban Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club."

Montana's proposed ban does not apply to people who have owned pit bulls and registered their ownership with the county government and obtained a license tag, identifying the dogs as a registered pit bull dog, on or before the date the bill goes into effect.

Also protected under the bill are pit bulls that are being transported through the state and those that are being shown in a dog competition.

Pit bulls that are permitted must at all times wear tags that identify them as registered pit bulls, according to the bill.

Unless a pit bull meets these exceptions, it will have to be surrendered, under the bill. If a person refuses to surrender the dog, a search warrant can be obtained and the dog can be seized.

The dog will then be euthanized within 10 days. Also, expenses incurred by the animal control agency must be paid by the owner of the pit bull dog, the bill states.

 

 

(From Jan. 21, 2009)

The image of the pit bull has changed drastically over the years. While many may remember lovable Petey on The Little Rascals, their perception of the breed may now include the vicious fighting machines trained by an NFL Superstar who was later sent to prison for the dog fighting ring.

Now, a Billings legislator wants the dogs banned in Montana. 

Robyn Driscoll's bill would give broad authority to police and animal control officers to confiscate and kill pit bulls regardless of behavior. 

House Bill 191 would ban Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs as well as "any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics that substantially conform to the standards established for the breeds listed in this subsection by the American kennel club or the united kennel club."

What a dog looks like is a poor indicator of what breed it is and this bill will not prevent attacks, according to Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter Executive Director Margie Taylor.

Defending challenges to the law will have a huge financial impact, Taylor added.

Montana's proposed ban does not apply to people who have owned pit bulls and registered their ownership with the county government and obtained a license tag, identifying the dogs as a registered pit bull dog, on or before the date the bill goes into effect.

Also protected under the bill are pit bulls that are being transported through the state and those that are being shown in a dog competition.

Pit bulls that are permitted must at all times wear tags that identify them as registered pit bulls, according to the bill.

Unless a pit bull meets these exceptions, it will have to be surrendered, under the bill. If a person refuses to surrender the dog, a search warrant can be obtained and the dog can be seized.

The dog will then be euthanized within 10 days. Also, expenses incurred by the animal control agency must be paid by the owner of the pit bull dog, the bill states.

Montana's pit bull ban will be considered at a hearing in Helena at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Similar bans have already been enacted in places, including Denver, which has one of the harshest bans on the dogs. Nearly 300 dogs have been slaughtered since the ban took effect

In Milwaukee a ban had to be expanded to include vicious dogs of any breed.

- Mark Martello reporting for KBZK in Bozeman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning pit bulls into patrol partners
Jeremy Pawloski
The Olympian

Diane Jessup of LawDogs USA rescues pit bulls from animal shelters and dog- fighting busts nationwide and helps turn them into crime fighters at her Thurston County kennel.

The Washington State Patrol uses eight pit bulls that were donated by Jessup as narcotics-detection and bomb-sniffing dogs, said Trooper Steve Gardner, a K-9 trainer for the patrol.

Jessup said the pit bulls she gives the patrol for specialized training are trailblazers in K-9 law enforcement, in which breeds such as Belgian Malinois, German shepherds and Doberman pinschers traditionally have dominated.

"My pit bulls right now are Jackie Robinson," she said. "They're breaking a barrier down."

Pit bulls are unfair victims of negative publicity because some bad owners breed and train them for aggressiveness, Jessup said. Pit bulls are naturally friendly and good natured, she said.

"If a pit bull kills a cat in Kansas, you'll hear about it. A lot of antisocial people own them," she said. "It would be nice if people saw the reality that most pit bulls are good."

Jessup has about 10 pit bulls — as well as some pups — on her property, which she calls "the pit bull paradise park." Jessup, 48, a Seattle native, said she has loved dogs for as long as she can remember. She said she has been breeding and raising pit bulls for about 35 years, and she worked as an animal control officer in Olympia for about 20 years.

At Jessup's kennel Friday, some of her dogs ran loose and played, showing no aggression toward visiting strangers.

Jessup founded LawDogsUSA in 2004 when she sneaked a pit bull out of Ontario after a law was passed in Canada banning the dogs. The law would have subjected the dog, Neville, to euthanasia or life in a research facility, she said. Instead, he is working to protect Washington's ferries for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Jessup said she picks certain pit bulls that might have the right stuff for law enforcement training by measuring how good they are with people and whether they enjoy playing with a toy. It's important for a pit bull to love toys because they're used as rewards during training, she said.

Jessup said suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's recent guilty plea to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge has drawn attention to the fact that pit bulls often are mistreated. "They're finally seeing pit bulls as victims" instead of villains, she said.

Jessup is checking whether she can get custody of any of the dogs that were seized from Vick's kennel. One of the members of a team assembled by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to evaluate the surviving dogs from Vick's kennel has worked closely with Jessup, and she is going to determine whether any of the dogs would be appropriate for LawDogsUSA, Jessup said.

She said she also has put in a proposal with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to see if it will award her custody of any of the pit bulls from Vick's kennel that show an aptitude for detection work. The choice is up to the feds, she said.

Two puppies from Law DogsUSA are about to enter the State Patrol's K-9 training academy, Gardner said. Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, there has been a sharp increase in the number of dogs used for detecting explosives, Gardner said, and using the pit bulls donated by Jessup is one way the State Patrol is working to meet the need for qualified dogs.

 

Little Litter Dog: Pit Bull Doing Its Part to Keep City Clean 

You sometimes can't help but attract attention if you're a dog...

"No, she doesn't get ice cream if she does a good job," Anne Vaini tells the three kiddos clustered around her dog, Emma.

But when you're a dog that picks up litter from the sidewalk, runs to the nearest garbage can and drops it in, you're pretty much guaranteed instant fame.

"I just wondered what it was doing,” says Justin Webb, the owner of Midwest Tattoo on Water Street. “I’d just see it walk up and down the street and pick up trash."

"The first reaction is always 'oh my gosh! Did I just see that?' Yeah, you did. She does that and puts it in there by herself," Vaini tells us laughing.

You're best bet to catch Anne and Emma walking Water Street: Friday or Saturday nights when there's more people and more litter.

"When the students came back, I noticed the street was looking really trashy and really dirty,” Anne tells us. “I though 'hey, I have a dog that can pick things up and put it in the trash cans.’ I thought it'd be good training.”

Vaini’s hope: That Emma will one day leave her trash tasks to help someone in a wheelchair.

"I love it because a lot of people think American pit bull terriers can't be trained and I can show them very quickly, without having to pull their leg or tell them that whole story that 'yeah, it's a dog and it can be trained.'"

And trained well. Emma was a little out of practice after a recent surgery. But, after a couple seconds of prodding she picked right up on her litter picking skills; much to the delight of the Water Street faithful.

"At least somebody is picking up the trash," laughs Webb. “There's a lot of it left here at night. Maybe we can get some more dogs down here picking up the trash."

But, it's not all work for the little litter lady....

"Emma is absolutely a love bug. She's always ready to give kisses," Anne says cuddling her pup.

Making Emma one itty bitty pit bull with an extra large heart.