Imagine banning one type of person based on the fault of others. This is what we did to Pitbull Terriers in 1991. This ban has cost many innocent and harmless dogs their lives. Pitbulls get labelled as an aggressive dog breed, but with good ownership and proper care can be one of the most gentle and affectionate companions. Pitbulls aren’t born to fight but get trained to do so for human entertainment, these dogs are also made to look threatening as they commonly have their ears cropped by irresponsible owners. It’s going to take a lot of convincing to change people’ opinions.
To begin with, the Pitbull is seen as the most violent dog breed, this has made them the most popular dog found in shelters across the world. These types of dogs occupy large amounts of shelters. Due to their false reputation Pitbulls would not be the first choice for most families, leading to over one million Pitbulls being euthanized every year. Most of the dogs put down are innocent, but stereotypes mean more to people than the dog itself. some would say that it is the consequence of being a monstrous breed but in reality, they are one of the most loyal and family-friendly dogs.
Generally, aggression within a dog stems from mistreatment, poor training and lack of interaction with other animals. This is usually the fault of the previous or present owner, showing how large of an impact bad ownership has on the behavior of a canine. “A well-socialized dog is less likely to feel scared so is less likely to be aggressive”, - reports the PDSA. Others would argue that they are born vicious however several sources state that Pitbulls are not inherently dangerous. Therefore, this is something they’re taught, as dogs are a product of their environment and unfortunately, violent dogs live in a cruel environment. We need to take action against these neglectful owners and make sure these dogs are given the best care and the beautiful breed is portrayed in a positive light.
We can start this change by preventing docking their tails and cropping their ears, this is used to make them appear intimidating and unnatural. Although this can be a medical procedure used for disease of the ear, unfortunately most of the time it is not beneficial and is only for aesthetic purposes. The RSPCA states “Ear cropping is painful and completely unnecessary”. So, why do this to your pet? The alternative argument is that humans get cosmetic surgery all the time, the difference is we choose to do so whereas dogs do not get this choice. By forcing the dogs to get these operations, you are making them fit the conventional aggressive Pitbull look. It’s said we fear these animals but make them look more frighting. Doing this to any pet is irresponsible and evil.
The stereotype around Pitbulls not only taints their reputation but also other large breeds such as Boxers, Dobermans, American Bulldogs etc. As looking like a Pitbull is seen as a bad thing in today’s society, because Pitbulls are seen so negatively, this leads people to believe all larger breeds are threating and should be used in dog fighting, we need to inform the uneducated that no dogs, including Pitbulls should never be used for such a brutal sport. We kill over 16,000 dogs annually through organized dog fighting, but we ban a breed for killing less than 10% of that in many years.
Unfortunately, the heinous ban on Pitbulls Terriers remains a law, it’s time for us to stop stereotyping the breed and identifying that the owner is at fault not the dog. Only then Pitbulls will be seen as animals and not monsters. This is why I strongly believe that Pitbulls should be allowed as pets, as they are also man's best friend.