Andy Parker: Owners of pit bull are pit bulls defending dogs

Portland,OR -- by Andy Parker, The Oregonian
Wednesday December 03, 2008, 5:00 PM

Andy Parker As you might expect, pit bull owners are bullish on their pit bulls.

Also as you might expect, dozens of them responded to my Monday column about recent pit bull attacks in the Portland area.

Predictably, I heard from people who say the problem isn't pit bulls, or any dogs. The problem is caused not by the dogs but by the irresponsible media and irresponsible pit bull owners and breeders.

"I just read your recent article and I have to say, I'm quite embarrassed for you," wrote Ellena Thomas, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Pit Bull Rescue. "Why would someone write such an inflammatory piece, which holds no merit or shares no facts?


"Why would someone write something that contains no education, no fairness and no viewing something from both sides of the fence? From reading it, one would think you, yourself, were for a ban of a breed that was once America's dog.

"If that be the case, I'm sorry that you would be that closed-minded. If that not be the case and you are willing to educate yourself about the breed and see what the real American Pit Bull Terrier is like, (not the 90-lb. AMERICAN BULLDOG in the Happy Valley case) ...

"I am the founder and Director of Pacific Northwest Pit Bull Rescue, I work at a local animal shelter, I do dog training and behavior consulting, my personal training dog has her Canine Good Citizen certification as well as her Temperament Test and is a shining example of the breed.

"This breed could use some good press, not just reporters capitalizing on the media hysteria that they, themselves, are creating. Do some good reporting, not just what will get readers reading."

Mary Mass, who identified herself as a Rottweiler mom, called to say the actions of irresponsible dog owners are magnified by the lack of funding for local dog-control agencies.

"First of all, owners make the dogs dangerous. Dogs are not born inherently dangerous. Dangerous dogs come in all sizes -- pit bulls, toy poodles, you name it.

"We should mandate that more money would be given to our animal control so they can actually do something about people who abuse their animals and incite dog fights.

"Instead, the one animal control officer we have for Multnomah County spends his time giving tickets to dog owners whose dogs happen to be on the sidewalk outside the off-leash area."

What's interesting about the pit bull debate is that the folks pushing for tighter control on pit bulls -- including Colleen Lynn, the woman in Seattle who started the DogsBite.org Web site cataloging pit bull attacks -- use the same line of reasoning as those defending the dogs:

The dogs aren't to blame, owners and breeders are. And we will never be able to afford the level of enforcement -- on the ground or in the courts -- necessary to get the problem under control.

On Monday, Lynn sent me an e-mail linking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal story describing the two most recent fatal pit bull attacks on young children there, including one the day before Thanksgiving.

In that attack, at least one of the two family dogs, described by police as pit bull mixes, fatally mauled a 2-year-old at his home while he was being watched by his grandmother.

The scenario mirrored an attack in September, when one of two family pit bulls attacked and killed a 4-month-old who was being watched by her grandmother.


Got a response, a question or a column idea? Call or write Andy Parker: 503-294-5945; daparker@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2008/12/andy_parker_owners_of_pit_bull.html

 

Colleen Lynn in an insufferable untruthful person (for lack of a better word that was work safe) with a particular stick up her butt against all pit bull type dogs. There could be dogs of other breeds biting people all year long and you'd never see it, especially if you used her site for help, which happens to be chock full of lies with most of her "facts" easily refuted. There is nothing worse than an ill-informed misguided fool with a will to do "good"

 

Yeah, Dogsbite.org is a waste of webpage.

I am still confused on the article. Seems like the guy just stopped writing.

 

Seems like someone always has something to say about certain breeds, but really has no education or knowledge on the breed itself. They like to hear all the bad then pass judgement. Sad reality & misguided thoughts being written far to often for all to read.