1999 Article

Hey all, I just finished reading this article that was written back in 1999. I took interest in one particular paragraph. I found the last sentence within it very amusing. I figured I'd share it with all of you and see what do you guys think.

Three distinct classes of irresponsible—or, more accurately, abusive—owners are the source of the CACC's flood of pit bulls. First are the drug dealers, who use pit bulls, or pit-bull crosses, as particularly vicious sentinels. New York City cops had to shoot 83 dogs to death in 1997, most of them pit bulls guarding drug stashes. Burkhart showed me a few such sentinels in the center's dangerous-dog ward. Lunging against their metal cages, these pit bulls were the most ferocious animals I'd ever seen: pure animal fury. "This one would bite my head off if he had the chance," Burkhart said of one Schwarzenegger-muscled dog, brought in from a police raid on a crack house. Intimidated, I kept as far from the cages as I could. "Some of the pit bulls coming in will actually have their vocal cords removed in order to surprise someone lurking around a crack house," Burkhart noted.

 

can you provide a link to the rest of the article?

 

From my understanding about removing the vocal cord, its effect is only limited. From what I've read, most vets don't like performing such surgeries. The dog's bark is still audible especially for a "surprise intruder" sneaking around. It's quite a long article. Anyhow, here's the link http://www.city-journal.org/html/9_2_scared_of_pit.html

 

Once again...Sh!tty people giving the breed a horrible name. Crack dealers...Go figure.

 

I know that you were more interested in the vocal cord thing, but I must say that was one ignorant and inflammatory article. I am not from NYC, and they may have a legitamate problem with dogs and irresponsible owners. This article does though propogate many myths, and is thus quite biased. I know that it's old, but statements such as..."the pit bull is an innately aggressive breed, often owned by someone who wants an aggressive dog, so they're going to encourage it." That's steroetyping at it's finest. It goes on to list probably every other popular pitbull myth there is...

It states, "Pit bulls seem extra-sensitive to endorphins and may generate higher levels of the chemical than other dogs. Endorphins are also addictive: "The dogs may be junkies, seeking pain so they can get the endorphin buzz they crave," The Economist suggests."

WTF? Im no scientist, but I guess all of the drug dealers now own junkie dogs also.

"The trainers preparing a pit bull for a fight throw a rope over a branch with a bag tied at the end; inside the bag will be a live cat," Watford explains. "You'll see a dog hanging from the bag, and it'll be a cat he's killing inside it, giving the pit bull the taste for blood." That's the old Dogs need to kill kittens and puppies to become better fighters one.

Pit bulls can inflict such terrible damage because their massive skulls and powerful jaws give them almost super-canine biting power. That's the old pressure per square inch myth.

and finally..."pitbull owners train their animals to fight by having them lock their jaws on rubber swings in children's playgrounds." Although the dogs are tenacious they can not lock their jaws...

The author of this article is obviously biased, and intimidated by the pitbull. I don't know what kind of periodical the city journal is, but it is obviously anti-pitbull. Wow, but I have no idea about the vocal cord thing. Thanks for the article.

 

Isn't That Why They Said About The Dog Didn't Bark When The Little Girl Was Abducted From Her Bed In California? They Said They Did It Because The Dog Barked All The Time. Too Bad., Their Kid Might Still Be Around Today.
OH, THIS WASN'T A PIT EITHER.

 

Chloesredboy might know more about this than I do. After all she is in the vet field. But I do believe and from what I've read, the bark is still audible to a degree. And that is sad that the girl was abducted.