Pit Bulls

I know I shouldn't be doing this, but my husband wrote an article some time ago about pit bulls and the law passed making them persona non grata. I thought I might add my two penny worth and so am taking his spot for this blog.

I am from England where they also passed a law banning certain breeds of dogs. The difference between the law there and the one here is that England banned specific, identifiable breeds, not like here where a group of dogs were banned just because they looked like something else. Point in case is the pit bull. According to the Ontario law, this includes American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Bull Terriers, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Boston Terriers, Great Danes and Vizslas.

To my knowledge, there is no such breed as 'pit bull'. There are American Pit Bull Terriers. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, along with all the others mentioned above, were never banned in England. Only the American Pit Bull. The Staffie happens to be number 5 in popularity.

I owned 2 at different times and both were rescued at approx. 6 months old. I will be the first to admit that I spoiled them both
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When I became pregnant with twins, Sandy used to lie beside me on the couch, lay his head on my stomach and listen. Then he would get up, go round to the other side and lie beside me and listen again. He somehow knew there were two babies. He was six years old when I had the twins and when I was holding them I used to let him sniff and lick their feet. He was never left out of anything, which is why I think he never got jealous of them. He was still part of the family.

He used to play in the garden with them and their friends. When he became ill, the twins were 4 years old, and they spoiled him more than I did I was told by the vet that he would know when it was time to put him down as he would see it in his eyes. I knew too, but I couldn't tell the kids I was taking the dog to the vet. I left them with my parents and when I came home they were really upset. They loved that dog.

A few months later they asked for another dog so off we went to the R.S.P.C.A. to rescue the second dog. They saw this dog, same colour, same breed and they chose him, and called him by the same name. This one was just as daft as the first dog. People used to fuss him in the street, and though some were wary of him, once they got used to him he was fussed by everyone. It's funny that every time he was told to sit he would roll over for his belly to be tickled. I swear you could break into our house, steal the fine china and silverware and this bugger would lick your hand on the way out.

It seems to me that blaming the dog for being a dog and doing what a dog does is ridiculous. I'm no fan of American Pit Bulls, maybe they deserve the reputation they have, but on the other hand I've not had a great deal to do with them. From what I know they are the dogs of choice for drug dealers whose manly attributes fall far short of the accepted norm. Much like some people buy Camaros to make up for their own 'short comings'.

But to lump all the above named dogs into the same category is unfair and wrong, both to the dogs and their owners. I can't vote yet, but I hope that the vote at the other end of the leash sends this Orwellian Liberal government packing. The pit bull ban is just another piece of dictatorial legislation that needs to be amended at least, repealed at best.

Thank you and I now return control of this blog to my husband.

There you have it, folks. When my better half gets to feeling feisty, I listen. And to all you married guys out there, don't tell me you don't do the same.