Maybe people who want to own pitbulls should be screened like people who want to own gun are, in most places
I AGREE! I think anyone who wants a dog should be screened. There are very mean people out there who get dogs, be it a pitbull or a labrador, for the wrong reason. They get the dog on a whim, and get tired of messing with after a month, or have established that they're a ''bad a$$ in their ''hood'', and the dog gets tossed aside.
And I don't believe in defending a dog that does attack a human. No dog is ''naturally vicious'' toward any human. If it is, then there is something wrong with the dog mentally or psychologically and should be put down immediately, as was the cocker spaniel that bit me.
Here is another example of what mistreating a dog can do...
My boyfriend, Matt, was in the backyard with our 2 dogs a few months ago. We have a bassett hound and a pitbull. Our neighbors next door also have a pitbull, but they keep it tied to a tree outside, never play with it, never walk it, and it is only used for breeding. They MIGHT let the dog off of the chain every now and then the dog always gets through a hole in their fence that has been there forever and terrorizes the neighborhood. Anyway.....Matt noticed that the neighbor's dog had gotten out and climbed over our fence into our yard. Immediately, our pitbull, Marv, goes over to investigate. Not growling or showing teeth...just sniffing around. I was talking to Matt on the phone while this happened, and he told me what was going on. I said, ''Matt, go get Marv RIGHT NOW and take him inside. That other dog is sketchy, and he's liable to snap.'' So he hung up with me and this is what went down...
Matt went to go get Marv and take him inside. The 2 dogs were basically just staring each other down at this point, waiting for the other to make the first move. When Matt got close, the neighbor dog lunged at him (Matt) baring his teeth. Immediately Marv stepped in and snapped at the neighbor dog. Then a all out fight insued. Matt ran and grabbed the baseball bat and hit the neighbor dog OVER and OVER again, but it didn't even phase him. Matt called 911 and the cops and animal control were there in less than 3 minutes. The cops used their sticks to break the dogs apart. Finally neighbor lady comes out and asks what's going on. Matt said, ''You're damn dog attacked me!'' She starts going on about how that's NOT HER dog, it's her SON'S DOG....blahblahblah. The cop told her that if this happened again and someone got hurt, the judge wasn't going to give a damn about who's dog it is. She'll be held liable b/c the dog is on her property, so she'd best get that fence fixed. And you know what the saddest thing is? The animal control man KNEW the dog because he had been called on him SEVERAL TIMES before. Matt asked why the dog hadn't been put down yet, and apparently animal control isn't high on the list of priorities on Horn Lake, MS.
The part that broke my heart was how our dog, Marv, acted after this incident. Matt said that after it was all over and everyone had gone home, Marv seemed to be in shock. He wouldn't even accept a treat, which he loves. He just sat there looking at Matt like, ''Daddy? What just happened? I didn't like that.'' This was a dog that was bred to fight! And he didn't even like it!
He's fine now. Just a few scars on his chest and muzzle. We don't even think he remembers the fight at this point. We will always love that dog more than anything. He probably saved Matt's life.
~luv, jojo