Breed-specific bans are bad animal control policy

Breed-specific bans are
bad animal control policy

EDITOR:

The recent slaying of pit bulls on the city’s South Side happened, why? Because of the ignorance of people regarding the breed as a whole. Pit bulls have become victims of a modern day witch hunt. Many owners fail to register or vaccinate, do not socialize, train or contain their dogs as required by law.

Breeders should be licensed by the state and subject to random inspections. A reputable breeder breeds for temperament, health, quality and preservation of the breed. Many will run background checks on perspective buyers and many visit the house they are selling to.

A “backyard breeder” will breed for quantity, money and aggression. They are a huge pitfall to the survival of the breed.

Breed bans will likely not faze irresponsible owners or breeders as they already violate many dog laws. The ones it will affect are the responsible people who truly love and respect the breed.

Goals should be to enforce laws and increase penalties for the people that violate them.

We favor of vicious dog legislation that is not breed specific and are in favor of severe punishment for people who force these dogs to fight to the death.

A true “pit” is not human aggressive; it is considered a major flaw and is not permissible by breed and club standards. Aggression is a trait that is human bred, not a true nature of the breed in general. Any dog can and will bite. Breeding, training and socialization will give any dog a better future and chance to become a good canine citizen.

Punish the deed, not the breed.

DENISE HARTMAN

AMANDA DILULLO

New Middletown

Making things makes wealth

EDITOR:

I just read an article where someone defined wealth as “our ability to make things,” in other words our manufacturing capability. Well, guess what. The U.S. Department of Labor has stated that the United States has lost 4.6 million manufacturing jobs during the past 20 years and during the same period a mere 200,000 manufacturing jobs were gained. Factories have closed. Once thriving communities have become virtual ghost towns. And laid-off workers have been forced to take lower paying jobs in hopes of keeping the wolf from the door. Meanwhile, the Bush administration has been by far the leader of the pack when it comes to companies moving overseas and downsizing operations to satisfy their greedy stockholders.

Here we have G.W., who is in love with the Chinese communists, and Dick Cheney, who can’t find anyone who will go hunting with him. Dick is the next in line for the presidency. Doesn’t that just scare you to death? These two should never be in charge of anything.

Gas is headed for $4 per gallon, a recession is setting in and we are headed for a crime wave of huge proportions and what is G.W. worried about — Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea. Whether we like it or not, we are dependent on the Middle East for a large portion of our oil and G.W. has made enemies of the whole region. So, don’t be surprised to see oil hit $200 a barrel.

When you read about all of this in newspapers, magazines, etc. don’t think of how it affects you. Think about your children and your grandchildren on down the line. Because the mess that G.W. and his cronies have got us in will be around a long, long time. And finally, when push comes to shove, with all of the lives lost and money wasted over in Iraq and Afghanistan, the only country over there to stick with us will be Israel.

BUD McKELVEY

Hermitage