Hold owners to account, not an entire breed of dogs

Hold owners to account, not an entire breed of dogs

EDITOR

In response to Sunday’s letter regarding the Mahoning County Dog Pound and pit bull dog adoptions, let me say that I was shocked to see that a person as educated about animals as a veterinarian could make such unwarranted claims about pit bull dogs. While I do not agree with the pound’s policy restricting pit bull adoptions, since I do not have the power to change the rule I have to accept it. As a volunteer who occasionally walks dogs at the pound, I have heard first-hand the howls from the “unadoptable” garage area of the pound where “pit bulls” are kept. They are the howls and cries of beautiful pit bulls and pit bull mixes waiting to be euthanized by an inhumane heart stick. They cry because they are good dogs who are terrified and only want somebody to love them. They are victims of a stereotype perpetrated by the media — which last Sunday’s writer has fueled.

The so-called pit bull is a dog bred to be loyal to a human. Pits do have the potential to be same-sex-dog aggressive by nature, although this has been shown to be greatly reduced by spay or neuter and placing the dog in a home with a pet of the opposite sex. It is also irresponsible to say that dog aggressive equals people aggressive. Pit bulls that are raised properly are extremely loyal, eager to please their human and are wonderfully gentle with children of all ages.

It was unmentioned that several other breeds make the list with insurance companies requiring the $100,000 rider on top of existing homeowner’s insurance policies: Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds, to name a few. Those breeds, or crosses of those breeds, I am certain make up a far higher percentage of dogs adopted from the pound than any “significant percentage” of pit bulls and pit bull crosses.

The idea of an unpredictable dog being a ticking time bomb has been around for decades. In the 1970s it was the Doberman, in the 1980s it was the German Shepherd, in the 1990s it was the Rottweiler and today it is the pit bull. A very small percentage of dog owners who own pit bulls for status and illegal purposes, drug dealers and other criminals, have destroyed the image of wonderful pit bulls raised by responsible owners and caused millions of amazing dogs to be senselessly killed each year.

If a pit bull mix is mislabeled, and only DNA can verify this with certainty, then I consider the dog lucky to have made it out of the pound. Additionally, I wish all new responsible owners of pit bulls and pit bull crosses a lifetime of happiness with their new loyal and thankful friend.

CINDY DelSIGNORE

Struthers