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Friends and Enemies

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Certain individuals, organizations, and companies deserve extra recognition for their efforts to support responsible pit bull owners and their dogs. There are others, however, who seem to have it out for the pit bull: politicians who spread lies and fear, irresponsible owners, and media sources, among others. I hope you will find this list useful when deciding where to spend your money or your vote, where to give your thanks, and where to voice your dismay. Note: If you decide to speak out, be sure you are mature, respectful, and calm at all costs. Do not reinforce the stereotype of "crazy, dangerous pit bull owner". For tips on communicating with others about pit bulls and BSL, see my suggestions here.

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Paws Up

Individuals and businesses that support pit bulls. (Pit bull rescue and advocacy groups are excluded - they would overwhelm the list.)
This list is too short. Send me more nominations!

Linda Blair - owns and rescues pit bulls and is very outspoken in support of the breed

Rick Reed - everyday pit bull owner made sure the media knew about it when his three pit bulls saved his family from a house fire

Paul Tellings - Toledo resident who took on Ohio's vicious dog laws (which declare pit bulls automatically "vicious") and recently scored a victory in the Ohio Appellate Court. Next stop - Ohio Supreme Court. Good luck, Paul!

State Farm - does not discriminate against homeowners based on their dog's breed.

Some pit bull owner at Petsmart - This young man looked and walked the part of a thug, complete with baggy pants and gold chains. I am horribly ashamed to admit my first thought, upon seeing him stroll out of Petsmart with his middle-aged pit bull, was: "Ugh. Another punk with a pit bull." Then my jaw dropped as he and his pit bull performed a flawless "sit" next to the busy sliding front glass doors. There they were, completely calm and quiet, the pit bull fully focused on his owner's face, a stark contrast to several other dogs who fairly dragged their owners in and out of the sliding doors. Then he said "okay" and the pair proceeded out the door with the pit bull at a perfect heel. Considering the distraction of all the dogs, people, and a constantly moving, squeaking door, that pit bull's performance was nothing short of astounding. The owner clearly had done a lot of training with his pit bull. He was no thug. Never, never, never judge a book by its cover.

Joe Remijas - adopted a pit bull named Taysia, got her therapy-certified, and got her good deeds publicized in the Chicago-area Courier News. Good press, yay!

Natalia Cancel, Lysette Garcia, Yaritza Rosario and Jasmine Zapata - these four eighth graders researched, developed, and proposed Illinois House Resolution 1026, which "urges municipalities not to enact breed-specific dog bans while encouraging laws that target irresponsible dog owners." (ASPCA Press Release, May 24, 2006)

Rachel Ray - Celebrity chef Rachel Ray, who has her own pit bull, publicly supports pit bull rescue efforts on her talk show. In December 2006 she firmly announced her support for a pit bull rescue group fundraiser calendar. (New York Post, Jan 7, 2007)

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Paws Down

Individuals and businesses whose actions or words have worsened the pit bull's plight, increased the prejudice against responsible pit bull owners, and/or endangered the public.

Nike - aired a commercial featuring a face-off between a Rottweiler and a pit bull in a brief but unmistakeable imitation of a street dogfight. Nike believed the commercial was "edgy" and has not, to date, made any effort to undo the damage, either by apology or public education.

PETA - a vocal supporter of BSL. More information.

Animal Advocates of B.C. - another animal rights group that supports BSL and considers pit bulls inherently dangerous. Like PETA's reasoning, their beliefs are based on media hysteria and stereotype, not scientific fact. They are also guilty of stereotyping. A quote from their website: "[Pit bull owners] have their reasons for owning this breed. Either they are criminals, using the dogs to protect their club house or their grow-op, or they fight them, or they are not very bright. Educated people are not attracted to pit bulls."

DMX and Jay-Z - both rappers who have glorified dog fighting in their music. Jay-Z's video "99 Problems" celebrates dog fighting. DMX pled guilty to animal cruelty after his arrest for possession of 13 neglected pit bulls. More information.

Maureen Faibish - mother of Nicholas Faibish, who was killed by the "family" pit bulls. Mrs. Faibish left her son alone with the dogs even though one had already bitten him (among numerous other clear signs of an impending disaster, all of which she ignored). Mrs. Faibish actually blamed Nicholas for his own death. The tragedy ultimately led to BSL in California. (June 2005)

The Village Voice - carried an article about a NY man who was breeding his mongrels to be as human aggressive as possible. The article was basically an advertisement for the breeder - the man was identified by name and the article's tone was actually reverent. The article also incorrectly identified the dogs as pit bulls - even though the breeder specifically described them as mixed - thereby cementing the concept of pit-bull-as-human-aggressive in every reader's mind. I won't post a link to the article here because I don't want to give this breeder more publicity. I'm sure demand for his curs skyrocketed after the article came out. (August 2005)

The Commerce City Gateway and Kathy McIntyre (editor) - in an unethical, outrageous, hateful move, Kathy published the addresses of Commerce City pit bull owners in order to "protect the public from dangerous dogs". Full story. Kathy was very active in the effort to ban pit bulls in Commerce City, imparting such gems of wisdom as: "The (dog's) history shows us that they will not back down, they will not take commands from their primary owners." My favorite: "Pit-Bulls kill the same amount of kids as fireworks which are banned in the City." Well, I know some things that kill more kids than fireworks and all dog breeds combined: cars, parents, bicycles, plastic bags, swimming pools... Why isn't she trying to ban those?

Why don't you give her a call, send her a letter or fax, or stop by her house with your friendly pit bull? Note: I have heard that some of her replies to people have been very unprofessional. If you choose to contact her, be polite and mature no matter what. Please don't stoop to her level and confirm the stereotype. (January 2006)

Reader's Digest - In several recent stories about animal attacks, RD managed to squeeze the words "pit bull" into the article, even if pit bulls weren't involved. The most recent example comes from the April 2006 issue. In "Cornered", we hear the gruesome story of a woman mauled by a mountain lion. Lo and behold, on page 182, we read: "(Dr. Robert Schwarcz) had operated on victims of pit bulls trained to tear human flesh..." With this one phrase, RD has 1) drawn a link between pit bulls and wild predators, 2) mentioned pit bulls even though the story had nothing to do with pit bulls, 3) alluded that pit bulls are so vicious that their victims need major reconstructive surgery, 4) singled pit bulls out as the most dangerous type of dog. The woman who was mauled by the mountain lion actually had facial injuries that were probably more similar to the French woman whose face was ripped off by a Labrador Retriever. Wouldn't that have been a more appropriate comparison? Regardless, this is not the first subtle anti-pit bull article to be published by RD. I can recall several in recent months. Paws down, RD! (March 2006)

Harry Smith, CBS News Early Show co-anchor - Harry has done his fair share of biased reporting against pit bulls. In his own words: "I can't help but believe part of the allure of owning a pit bull is the danger. If it's not, then why bother?" Talk about offensive. What Harry doesn't seem to realize is that he's stereotyping both dog and owner. Responsible pit bull owners love their dog because of the companionship, love, and light they bring into our lives. Does Harry honestly think we're all thugs and criminals who get a thrill out of intimidating others? My dogs are trained, socialized, controlled, and temperament tested... if the "allure" of pit bull ownership is in the "danger", why would I bother making my dogs so darn safe? (Jan 2006)

Derick Oliver - this Marion, Ohio pit bull owner failed to muzzle his pit bulls in public (as required by law in Marion) and decided to run from police when confronted. He claimed that in doing so he was pursuing "equal treatment for pit bulls", but after his arrest, it was discovered that he had pled guilty to dog fighting charges several years ago. Examination of his dogs and his home revealed he still had ties to the cruel activity. And one of the dogs was registered to a home where subsequent investigation revealed crack cocaine and resulted in more arrests. With "champions for equality" like these, who needs BSL? People like this only reinforce the stereotype and make matters worse. They should not own pit bulls. (March 2006)

Miami Herald - published the "locking jaw" myth. Exact quote: "Pit bulls have extremely strong jaws that lock when they bite. Once the pit bull bites, it sometimes has trouble letting go." Unbelievable! Will they publish a correction? Until they do, paws down. On top of that, they have an online poll asking the question "Should pit bulls be banned?" If you click on the link to the poll, your response is automatically recorded as "Yes". Gee, is it any wonder that the "yes" responses have overtaken the "no"s? (Apr 2006) Update on the faulty poll: after I issued a public complaint on their discussion boards, the Herald confirmed and fixed the problem and re-started the poll. To date the results are exactly opposite, with "No"s far outpacing the "Yes"es.

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Breed-Specific Legislation Proponents and
Politicians Who Hate Pit Bulls

California

Senator Jackie Speier - author of CA SB 861, which allows municipalities in California to implement breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter. The bill passed, and she's running for Lt. Governor in 2006. Update 6/7/06: I have heard that Speier did not make it past the primaries. She is out. Good job voters!

Assemblyman Tim Leslie - Quoted in the LA Times as saying ""It's time to get rid of these pit bulls. I think we ought to string 'em all up..." In fact, Tim, some people do "string them up" - and those people get prosecuted for animal cruelty.

Colorado

Aurora, CO Councilmember Bob Fitzgerald - explained the need for a citywide pit bull ban thus: "We don't want 'those people' here." Apparently he feels that people who own pit bulls are somehow socially unacceptable, abnormal, anti-social, possibly criminal... do I detect a hint of racism, too? And yet another fine quote explaining his support for a pit bull ban: "The thought of one kid getting hurt is too much for me." But Kate-Lynn Logel was killed by two Alaskan Malamutes, and Fitzgerald is not pursuing a ban on Alaskan Malamutes. I guess only kids bitten by pit bulls register on Fitzgerald's sympathy scale.

Denver City Attorney Kory Nelson - apparently has a personal vendetta against pit bulls. Denver's pit bull ban isn't good enough for Kory; he pushes for BSL in other cities across the United States. But I have to wonder - why is he so fixated on pit bulls? In 1996 Kory Nelson was quoted in the Rocky Mountain News saying, "'There's no doubt in my mind that chows or chow mixes by far are the No. 1 bite dog in Denver. The numbers are just overwhelming." And yet, Kory doesn't seem interested in eradicating Chows. What's up with that, Kory?

Senator Lewis Entz - author of S54, which would permit BSL in Colorado. The bill died in committee but Entz is still in office... for now...

Colorado Municipal League - lobbying group which asked Senator Entz to write S54. They really hate pit bulls.

Illinois

Representative Jerry Mitchell - co-author of HB 1128, which would permit BSL

Representative Larry McKeon - co-author of HB 1128, which would permit BSL

Representative Michael Tryon - co-author of HB 4213, which would permit BSL

Representative Mark Beaubien Jr. - co-author of HB 4213 and HB 4761, both of which would permit BSL

Chicago Alderwoman Ginger Rugai - strong BSL proponent

Michigan

Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson - proposed a pit bull-specific ban

Missouri

Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal - author of H1686, which creates BSL targeting "pit bulls". Notwithstanding the fact that it's BSL, it's also incredibly poorly written and actually creates a sizeable loophole whereby dog owners can get out of the entire thing simply by claiming they are "breeders". Of course, responsible owners of speutered dogs can't claim to be breeders, so they are the ones who have to deal with all the burdensome restrictions and harsh penalties. Who in their right mind would own a speutered "pit bull" if this passes?

New Jersey

Senator Sharpe James - introduced SB 801, the "Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Licensing Act"... Section 3b1 is truly bizarre, allowing municipalities to ask pit bull owners "whether (their dog) is of a long- or short-haired variety..." I have never seen a long-haired pit bull. Either Sharpe does not know what a "pit bull" is supposed to look like, or else he is intentionally allowing for a vague and all-encompassing definition of "pit bull" so that almost any breed or type of dog could be labeled a "pit bull". Other requirements that are ripe for misidentification and rights violations: allowing the "municipality" to determine the dog's breed by looking at a photo of the dog, and forcing the owner to prove their dog is not a pit bull.

New York

Waterton Mayor Jeff Graham - Here's what he has to say about people who adopt pit bulls: "those who go to shelters seeking out breeds like Pit Bulls have an agenda that goes beyond just having a family pet. They are looking for something that is linked to violence, something that is intimidating…. . ." Wow, that describes me perfectly, doesn't it?

Queens City Councilmember Peter F. Vallone Jr. - proposed a pit bull ban for New York City

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani - has been urging a pit bull ban in New York City since 1999. Now a possible presidential candidate for 2008.

Ohio

Entire state - "pit bulls" are automatically considered "vicious dogs" under state law. A recent appellate court ruling may change that - they concluded that there is no scientific evidence to prove that "pit bulls" are more dangerous than other breeds - but first it's going all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court. Fingers crossed.

Dog Warden Tom Skeldon - an avid supporter of BSL, especially when it comes to pit bulls. He even goes out of his way to travel to other municipalities to speak in support of BSL.

Toledo Municipal Court - has ruled that Presa Canarios and American Bulldogs are both "commonly known as a pit bull". Say what? What planet are they on?

Oklahoma

Representative Paul Wesselhoff - determined to pass a statewide pit bull breed ban. Wesselhoff has no problem using scare tactics and sensationalism. Some of his more famous quotes about pit bulls, pulled straight out of the pages of urban myth: "They are nice warm pets until something (goes) off in their brain..." “They are a land shark. They are a walking time bomb...If something sets (a pit bull) off, it can kill. It wants to kill." "Each year we lose 10 children and two elderly people because of pit bull attacks nationally." (Where did he even get these numbers? No dog bite studies back this up.) Wesselhoff has no idea what he's talking about, but that's not stopping him. His two pro-BSL bills are H2657 and H2658.

Senator Cliff Aldridge - wrote S1569, which would allow BSL in OK

Senator Susan Paddack - wrote S1702, which would allow BSL in OK

Texas

Senator Rodney Ellis - sponsor of SB 349, which would allow BSL in Texas

Killeen Councilmember Eddie Vale - is pursuing BSL against pit bulls and Rottweilers despite the fact that state law prohibits BSL. The city's own animal shelter supervisor clearly stated that neither pit bulls nor Rottweilers were responsible for the most serious reported bites in Killeen, and that the biggest problem the city faces is free-roaming dogs. The city attorney came up with several non-breed-specific suggestions. So why does Vale continue to press for BSL in the face of such opposition? He "believes most people who own that type of dog (pit bulls) are very irresponsible." Um, can you show me the statistics that back up your theory? Vale is firmly committed to the pit bull and (pit bull owner) stereotype, not reality.

Canada

Ontario, Canada Attorney General Michael Bryant - championed the Ontario pit bull ban. He was unable to identify a pit bull out of a lineup. He also ignored all of the testimony from countless experts in areas of animal control, welfare, and behavior, all of whom were advising against the ban.

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Politicians and Communities to Thank

Olathe, KS City Council - rejected BSL and decided in favor of non-breed-specific dangerous dog ordinances.

Colorado Legislator Debbie Stafford - joined the Pitbull Band in protesting Denver's reinstated pit bull ban. She was instrumental in passing Colorado's state law prohibiting BSL.

New York Senator Dean Skelos - wrote legislation that would stop insurance companies from discriminating against homeowners based on their dog's breed

Virginia Senator Edd Houck - wrote a strong non-breed-specific dangerous dog law to increase the punishment for dog owners whose dogs maul or kill. The bill passed in Jan. 2006.

Parker, CO City Council - rejected BSL and is now looking into alternative, non-breed-specific dangerous dog ordinances.

Canadian MPPs Joe Tascona, Garfield Dunlop, and Jim Wilson - all support Banned Aid and their fundraising efforts to fight Ontario's pit bull ban

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