This ongoing fight between scared, uneducated people about these “dangerous breeds” has gone from annoying to heartbreaking and now … devastating. When a breed is put on this list it is most certainly a death sentence. Before the pitbull was the Rottweiler, the Doberman and many others that the media played up their “scary” qualities and made the masses afraid of them. Now as an owner of this breed you are put on a CONSTANT spotlight. Everyone around you will move away from you. People approaching will get noticeably terrified and most times react by allowing outbursts to slip out their mouths. Mother’s will pick their child up and mouth to you what a “monster you are” for having this breed of dog. The misinformation being spread by media outlets allows the ignorance to fester and grow without much hesitation.
But why are we so afraid of these dogs that we cannot even bear the look of them or to be near them? Because every news headline reads “VICIOUS PITBULL ATTACKS CHILD” when the dog just has a slightly blocked head so therefor, MUST be a pitbull. Pitbull isn’t even actually a breed, to begin with. Secondly, if a dog even slightly resembles one they are labeled as a pitbull and then headlines will push the agenda it INFACT is this breed. How often do we see “German Shepherd attacks girl and rips her lip off?” It happened to me last year, I was attacked by a German Shepherd at the rescue I volunteered at. I didn’t get headlines all about how I was disfigured and mauled… but I would have if I stated it was a pitbull. In fact, people take my dog attack and spin their own narrative on it and post online that it WAS a pitbull who attacked me and I am lying to cover it up. Can you imagine telling someone all about THEIR OWN trauma? Can you imagine telling someone who was alone, you were not around to see this attack take place, HOW and WHO hurt them without even listening to their OWN accounts? Do you know how frustrating it is that I cannot even be the author of my OWN TRAUMA? That fictional characters are added to my life changing experience because it doesn’t fit the dangerous pitbull narrative?
I’ve had 6 surgeries to reconstruct my face and never in this time, not one point have I ever blamed the dog. It was MY fault as the human…. Let that sink in for a second.
This needs to end. We are tired of this. There are correct and incorrect ways to own ANY breed of dog, and it is YOUR responsibility as a human being and neighbor to respect those around you who chose to have a pet you would not have. It is the dog owners responsibility to make sure that dog is trained and has a strong recall with their owners. Stop blaming a breed for something HUMANS are doing. HUMANS need to train their dogs. HUMANS need to let go of prejudice because something “looks scary.” HUMANS need to stop believing every click bait headline about pitbulls. HUMANS need to do better by DOGS.
