I'll keep digging around to see if I can find more of this type story. It's very encouraging to see successes like that and they can serve as a model for other communities. Did you notice that Winograd is preparing a report for them to see if no-kill is possible for them? That guy seems to be everywhere LOL. I didn't find the story by looking for things about him but was researching kill rates in shelters. Did you get the chance to read more from the link I posted from the Best Friends site? They are sending out copies of his book in an effort to promote attaining a no-kill solution both here and in other countries. I'm thinking of trying to compile some of this, maybe along with some copies of his book, and presenting it to our county Board of Supervisors, who have jurisdiction over our shelter. At least it will be planting a seed in their minds.
I'm glad you liked the quote. I've read it many times and it becomes more meaningful to me with each read.
I don't watch a whole lot of video on dog fighting, animal cruelty, etc. any more. I went through a phase where I did and I think I got an overload of it. I think it was all the factory farming videos that did it, but it's all embedded in my brain.
I think the Pitt Bull is a wonderful breed but has gotten into totally the wrong hands. Breeders breeding for the most aggression and owners using them as an extension of their 'manhood' have created a huge problem. My son owns a Pitt and a Pitt mix and they're both sweeties. They're not dog aggressive, either. He also has a poodle and 2 chi/dachshund mixes and they all get along. The first Pitts I encountered were in the early '80s and those were two my neighbor had. He had them for all the wrong reasons and they were raised to be aggressive.
Those dogs conducted a campaign of terror in the neighborhood for a while. Once, they climbed out of their yard, climbed a neighbor's fence and attacked their Cocker Spaniel. I heard the ruckus and jumped the fence and beat the dogs off him but it was too late for the Cocker. The owner of the Pitts just laughed about it.
At that time, I had a wolf hybrid (Pagan) and another neighbor had a black Lab (Ben) that were both puppies. Those Pitts came after me and Pagan more than once when I was out walking him. They had also gone after Ben. Well, one day after they were both grown, Pagan and Ben both climbed the fences out of our yards and climbed the fence into the Pitts' yard. It came to my attention when the Pitts owner came banging on my door, his pants torn and bloody...all sweaty and excited, telling me, "Jim, you gotta come get your dog off my dogs!!" I ran over just in time to see Pagan grab one of the Pitts by the neck and toss it in the air. Ben was rolling and tumbling with the other one. I got them broke up and back in their yards. Do I have to say that was the end of the 'Pitt problem'?
So that was my first experience with Pitts but I've since met quite a few with good owners and I have come to really admire the breed. There are quite a few Pitt attacks in our area but I know it's the result of irresponsible owners. Some want anti-Pitt legislation but it's really the owners that need to be regulated. If you outlaw Pitts, another breed will just take their place and the result will be the same due to whacked-out owners. |