Pit Bulls Riskier Than Chicken McNuggets?

So, if you haven't heard already, McDonald's has ticked off a huge population of dog owners. Somebody in their marketing department thought they'd try to suggest their chicken nuggets are healthy by doing a negative campaign... comparing them to unsafe activities.

One unfortunate choice of comparisons was suggesting that trying their chicken nuggets was less risky than petting a stray Pit Bull.  No doubt some Einstein in marketing found this amusing, but legions of dog owners did not. Up sprung a Facebook page "Pit Bulls against McDonald's" which had 4000 fans in under 48 hours and has grown exponentially since then (over 11,000 in 5 days).  Since the Pit Bull is already a beleaguered breed, this was a particularly poor choice of breeds to single out.  The huge backlash is simply because the ad promotes the concept that Pit Bull dogs as a group are dangerous, a very detrimental and inaccurate generalization.

Breed specific legislation (BSL) banning Pit Bulls has been much in the news of late and Pit Bull owners are feeling vilified for defending their pets.  Many compare breed specific legislation (BSL) to racism, which seems an apt comparison.  Many shelters automatically euthanize all Pit Bulls and will not allow them to be adopted. Many city and county governments have banned Pit Bull dogs within their confines & made it illegal to own a Pit Bull within their borders. Notably, Miami-Dade has had such a ban since 1989 and it includes several related bull terrier breeds. The ban was a response to a mauling of a young girl, which was apparently quite horrible.  This ban is under attack right now as being unfairly discriminatory (see article). 

Unfortunately, if we banned every breed that ever viciously bit someone, there would be few breeds left.  Yes, when a Pit Bull bites, the damage is impressive due to the size and conformation of their jaws. But many other large breed dogs have mauled people in many places over the years. And many smaller dogs have attacked children viciously too… the damage is simply limited by their physical potential, not by their behavior. If you think back, we have had cycles of breed prejudice. When I was growing up, it was the German Shepherd. Then the Doberman Pinscher had the bad reputation for years followed by the Rottweiler. Now it is the Pit Bull's turn under fire.

Pit Bulls, like any other breed, are largely a product of their environment. They are often acquired by people who want them to be vicious and fight, even if it is not their nature. Abuse is a remarkably effective tool at converting  amiable and potentially social animals into fearful and aggressive ones. Just read about Michael Vick's "training" techniques if you want to be disgusted by a human's attempt to make dogs behave in an aggressive and vicious manner. Included are stories of beatings, electrocutions, drowning, hangings and general abuse.  And, of course, siccing the trained fighters on pet dogs for "sport".

Personally, I have witnessed one Pit Bull that was shot between the eyes for losing a fight.  He was the sweetest boy with a face and legs covered with wounds and gashes on top of inch thick old scar tissue. He even tried to give kisses during his examination for his gunshot wound. He clearly had not a speck of animosity towards humans despite being the product of severe abuse. The person who shot this dog did not serve any time in jail or prison although the court banned him from owning dogs for a whole year. Wow, bet that taught him a lesson!

In truth, the guy was fighting dogs again within a month; he simply kept them on someone else's property. The poor dog's fate, however, was grim. He was kept alive at the shelter (as evidence) until the court case was presented and then he was euthanized since county's shelter did not permit the adoption of Pit Bulls. They refused to allow him to be adopted even with a signed liability waiver. So, the dog loses yet again.

Thankfully, the majority of the Vick dogs have been rehabilitated (Vicktory Dogs). The biggest challenge in rehabilitating these poor dogs was not their level of aggression, it was their fear of humans. Quite a few of these dogs are now therapy dogs and several have been certified as Canine Good Citizens, which requires passing various temperament and obedience tests. These dogs did get a second chance even after being trained to fight. Yet negative press  and reactionary legislation continues to punish this breed. The controversy that surrounds Pit Bull Terriers and related breeds is not likely to end soon. 

But please, if you are not familiar with the breed, try to be open minded. They are indeed dogs... silly, lovable, playful and in dire need of responsible owners. They need socialization and training and attention just like every other puppy does, but they are not born to fight. We humans have taught them that.