City's pit bull focus is wrong

[Marty]

Springfield,MO -- I have a 3-year-old son who has grown up with four pit bulls and a Rottweiler. I have always been an advocate for animals; however, last week my son was attacked by a mutt chained up in his baby-sitter's yard — she is no longer my baby-sitter. These people have yet to contact me and take responsibility for the actions of their dog.If this had been my pit bull and someone else's child, my dog would have already been euthanized and I would be facing charges of some sort.

I feel that because this dog is not a pit bull or what the city considers a "vicious dog" that nobody cares about my 3-year-old son who was rushed to the emergency center and had to endure painful lidocaine shots in his head, ear and finger. He was unable to enjoy his pool and going outside for two weeks.

Bridget Lacy, Springfield

Readers' Letters

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060817/OPINIONS03/608170327/1006/OPINIONS

[Attila]

that should go nation wide. thanks bro

[ghost 1]

she needs to report it,,, so they can banned mutts


she can go to the city council and have it(the dog) added to the vicious dog ordinance they have,,,,once a bite has occurred all she would have to do is have it added,,, its in there vicious dog ordinance,,, and she should,,,if they don't add it she has a hell of a lawsuit

[Attila]

you're on to something there. If they banned mutts and mixed breeds that would really hit the nation. It would be like dropping a bowling ball into a five gallon bucket of water. Imagine all those mutt owners scrambling to stop that crap then. Peekapoo's are mutts and all those other stupid named dogs. I see more mutts than not in public.

[Gangsta]

Imagine this, many of you consider the larger bullies mutts and to the public they are still pitbulls, so what you classify as a mutt to me, to the public there is no difference.
Sad, and what's worse is that people don't teach their children not to go around dogs that aren't there's and to add to that people don't train there dogs properly. That dog should be a goner by now.

[ghost 1]

you're on to something there. If they banned mutts and mixed breeds that would really hit the nation. It would be like dropping a bowling ball into a five gallon bucket of water. Imagine all those mutt owners scrambling to stop that crap then. Peekapoo's are mutts and all those other stupid named dogs. I see more mutts than not in public.
you see what i'm saying AM,,, the way this visious dog ordinance is written, any dog can be added,,any,, (vicious dog ordinance all these cities adopted) are off the same one,,,a lab was the one i wanted added(bit my oldest boy in the face) and they liked to have flipped out here,, but i had a police report and a emergency room document and to get the new ordinance voted in here they would of had to put it in there,,, so guess what happened,,,, i can keep my ol bulldogs,,,,lol,,, it's the loop hole that everyone needs to use when this happens and get the ordinance struck out,,,did alot of research and spent some $$$$ to beat ours,,,

[bahamutt99]

Yeah they need to drop those stupid laws so I can start getting my gas in Springfield again instead of having to move those road trip "pit" stops elsewhere. BSL messes everything up.

[Attila]

I do see what your saying. It is crazy. There have become so many stupid laws it is hard to find the good ones. And even those are stupid to a point.

[sedaliapitbulls]

I dont buy gas in springfield anywhey just for the fact I dont like paying for my gas before I fill up. I feel they are calling me a thief when they do that so I just drive 1 hour down the road to buffalo to get gas when i am down that whey.

[misterdogman]

Springfield,MO -- I have a 3-year-old son who has grown up with four pit bulls and a Rottweiler. I have always been an advocate for animals; however, last week my son was attacked by a mutt chained up in his baby-sitter's yard — she is no longer my baby-sitter. These people have yet to contact me and take responsibility for the actions of their dog.If this had been my pit bull and someone else's child, my dog would have already been euthanized and I would be facing charges of some sort.

I feel that because this dog is not a pit bull or what the city considers a "vicious dog" that nobody cares about my 3-year-old son who was rushed to the emergency center and had to endure painful lidocaine shots in his head, ear and finger. He was unable to enjoy his pool and going outside for two weeks.

Bridget Lacy, Springfield

Readers' Letters

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060817/OPINIONS03/608170327/1006/OPINIONSWell self euthanasia is always an option....thats what I would do...just to be honest.

[miakoda]

there is no difference.
Which is we are fighting tooth & nail to make the public see & understand the difference. For instance, for an upcoming city counsel meeting this Mon., I'm armed with the factual, written APBT standard (not the UKC crap that changes with the fads) & pictures & descriptions of all the "pit bull" breeds. To me, a pit bull is not a breed but a generic term used to lump any stocky kind of dog into. It's the same way with the public. I've got a posterboard completed with pictures of all different yet similar looking breeds to help drive the point home that the general public cannot pick out an APBT to save their life.

And I'm tired of my APBTs taking the blame for what 90+lb pit bulls are doing.