Breed Discrimination: The Misunderstood Pit Bulls

Dog breed discrimination is an epidemic across the globe that causes 1.2 million dogs each year to be euthanized in the United States alone. Pit Bulls arguably tend to receive the worst of breed discrimination. In fact, of the 1.2 million dogs that are euthanized in the United States each year, 40% are Pit Bulls (Moore 2019). But not only is it harder for Pit Bulls to be adopted due to the prejudices people have about them, about 75% of American municipal shelter euthanize Pit Bulls upon intake before they even have a chance to be adopted (Save-a-bull 2015). However, this is not an issue that only the U.S. faces. Pit Bulls are also banned or restricted in Germany as well as 40 other countries around the world (Banpitbulls.org) and there is talk that Germany’s breed bans and restrictions will expand to all the countries in the European Union (Strand 2012). This causes Pit Bulls to be abandoned in the streets and killed by the dozens in German animal shelters (Strand 2012) and this will continue to happen in various more countries if these bans and restrictions continue to spread.

           So, what are Pit Bulls and why are so many countries placing bans or restrictions on them? Pit Bull is actually not even a real breed of dog. It is an umbrella term that refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, any mixes thereof, and any dog that vaguely resembles these dogs (Moore 2019). The distinguishing characteristics of Pit Bulls are that their broad chests, square heads, and large jaws. Pit Bulls are often referred to as “vicious” dogs due to the spike in using Pit Bulls in dog fights in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. However, before this spike in dog fighting, Pit Bulls had a very good reputation. In fact, during the first half of the 20^th century, they were the closest thing America had to a national dog. They were companions of many famous Americans such as Theodore Roosevelt, Hellen Keller, and Laura Ingalls Wilder (Dean). However, after Sports Illustrated made the cover of one of their magazines an ultra-sensationalistic image portraying Pit Bulls as dangerous fighting dogs, their companion history was forgotten (Dean), leaving only the myth of their vicious demeanor.

However, despite this unfortunate past, most Pit Bulls still have the gentle temperament of a companion dog. For example, in a study done by the American Temperament Test Society, they tested the tolerance levels of different dog breeds and found that Pit Bulls scored in the highest numbers (Moore 2015). This test showed that they displayed the second to lowest aggression, avoidance, and panic levels of all dog breeds with only Labradors scoring higher than them. This demonstrates that they have better temperaments than many dogs that are often thought of as popular family dogs such as Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Therefore, it can be assumed that owners are more responsible for aggression in Pit bulls than the breed itself. For example, 84% of dogs involved in fatal attacks were neglected or abused (Moore 2015). This proves that if fatal attacks are due to the behavior learned from the owner, then there is no causation between a breed of dog and their likelihood of attacking. This discredits any logic behind making breed discriminatory laws and restrictions. Therefore, Pit Bulls are innocent victims of the world-wide epidemic of breed discrimination.

Citations:

Banpitbulls.org. “Where Are Pitbulls Banned and Restricted Internationally.” Ban Pit Bulls, banpitbulls.org/where/where-are-pit-bulls-banned-internationally/.

Dean, Tonya. “A Brief History of the American Pit Bull Terrier.” Pitbulls.org, pitbulls.org/article/brief-history-american-pit-bull-terrier.

Moore, Benjamin. “Here’s Why You See So Many Pit Bulls In Shelters.” Arm The Animals Clothing Co., 4 Feb. 2019, www.armtheanimals.com/blogs/news/here-s-why-you-see-so- many-pit-bulls-in-shelters.

Save-a-bull. “Pit Bulls and Euthanasia Rates.” Saveabullmn.org, 12 Nov. 2015, saveabullmn.org/pit-bulls-and-euthanasia-rates/.

Strand, Patti. “Germany Bans Breeds, Reactions Evoke Holocaust Memories.” Animal Welfare – National Animal Interest Alliance, 9 Jan. 2012, www.naiaonline.org/articles/article/germany-bans-breeds-reactions-evoke-holocaust-memories#sthash.SX4Ptbii.dpbs.