Explainer fetches the facts on pit bulls.

1. Is this the face of a killer? According to many countries, states and provinces the answer is yes. In Canada there is pit bull-specific provincial legislation in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and PEI. Ontario is the only province with a total ban, while in this province Chapais, Chibougamau, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Lachine, Kirkland, Outremont, Ville St-Laurent, Saint-Geneviève and Sherbrooke have banned the breed. Ontario passed its ban on March 1 and now prevents anyone from acquiring any dog classified as a pit bull. Those who already have one are required to muzzle them. Michael Bryant, the province's Attorney General, said: "People want to be protected from the menace of these dangerous dogs. Some of these dogs are nothing but a loaded weapon waiting to go off and so we are taking action to make our communities safer." Three years ago, a pit bull named "Killer" attacked a young boy in Montreal. His mother is now suing the owner for $280,000. Some say banning a breed is wrong - it's the owners who should be punished for not controlling their dogs. "These dogs should not be banned," says Joe Rosen, the owner of J.R.'s Dog Training in Dorval. "They should throw the book at the owners who let them become aggressive and don't them lock them up or muzzle them." Rosen has been training dogs for 26 years and has had many pit bulls in his classes. "All of the pit bulls that have been brought to me have been trained and they turned out to be great dogs," he says.

2. The average pit bull lives between 11 and 13 years and weighs between 30 and 70 pounds. Their colour will vary and they are generally 18 to 22 inches high. Pit bulls were initially bred to fight other dogs and to control bulls. "They are prone to fighting other dogs because they were bred to bait bulls back in the past," says Rosen. "They might have that tendency, but I have trained so many pit bulls that are gentle, fantastic dogs." In addition to the pit bull ban, Ontario's law also increases fines up to a maximum of $10,000 and allows for jail sentences of up to six months for owners of dogs that bite, attack or "pose a threat to public safety."
 
 

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Barking up the wrong tree     The origins of the Rottweiler is well-known. This breed was developed by the Romans to guard their camps and attack enemies during the heyday of the Roman Empire. Rottweilers are very strong and robust animals and their feral instincts are still pretty strong compared to other breeds of dogs. Or so goes the popular belief. While its physical qualities are uneniable, I don't think that this particular breed is any more dangerous than other dogs. The only problem is that, since those dogs are stronger, the consequences of their attacks can be more serious. But banning a specific breed of dogs is pointless : disrespectful owners who simply want to display dangerous animals in order to fulfill their need for violence will turn to other breeds. Even relatively "benign" ones. Take the French poodles, for instance. If trained to attack, it can be dangerous to bystanders. After all, during the reign of Louis XIV, this particular breed used to be trained to serve as bloodhounds on the battlefield and on royal grounds. It is those irresponsible owners who are the real problem and are the real threat. It is not only so-called "dangerous" breeds who should be kept on leashes. All dogs, when they are not in the confines of a house or in a park designed specifically for them, should be kept on a leash. Dogs, even well-trained and obedient, are animals with the instinct to attack. For instance, the rythmic moves of children playing in a park can spark the attack instincts of dogs. They do so not because they are vicious ; they simply respond to their instinct. It is up to humans to make sure they do not cause problems.
Sylvain Provost	{9 votes}	March 22nd, 2005
Breed specific legislation is ineffective, unworkable and expensive     An animal's behaviour, regardless of breed, is controlled by its owner. An irresponsible or criminal owner will, through neglect or abuse, create a dangerous dog, regardless of the dog's breed. What is needed in Ontario is not breed specific legislation but sensible proactivity - bite prevention for children and adults, spay/neuter for "pet" animals, a bite registry so there are accurate statistics, dog owner education and municipal zero-tolerance for licensing and enforcement - as well as appropriate "after the fact" punishment for the deed. Calgary is a sterling example of a jurisdiction with all-breed legislation that has an enviable record of public safety due to a zero-tolerance attitude towards licensing and enforcement, and its animal control is self-sustaining. Ontario's law will not provide any greater measure of public safety because it does not provide proactive measures, it only oppresses resonsible dog owners and dogs of a certain appearance. A dog bite by a dog of any breed is serious, and Ontario's legislation does nothing to reduce the possibility of a dog bite by any breed. The legislation itself is a horrendous piece of work, putting many dogs and responsible owners at risk due to its draconian breed-specific provisions. Please tell your MPP to repeal Bill 132 and to implement sensible, proactive dog bite legislation that is NOT breed specific.
Dianne Singer	{12 votes}	March 21st, 2005
No puppy     Definitely the fault of the owner and not the animal itself. The animal is already having a tough time adapting to our environment, and as they say, animals will be animals. We take them in as pets wanting them either to be what we want to them to be or training them to become vicious animals and as mentioned in the article naming them such names as "killer". Therefore, humans are to blame for this fault. I feel bad for the dogs that are put through this just because we have decided to bring them into our environment.
Melissa Yu	{13 votes}	March 20th, 2005
Human error     the fact of the matter is that the pitbull is an animal that has been bred for decades (if not centuries) by people to be a tough, violent dog. i admit that the violent nature of a particular dog usually has to do with the treatment it receives from its owners, but there is a certain amount of aggressivity that is inherent, because of the horrible things we bred these dogs to do. it would be very difficult to have all dog owners screened, as a previous comment suggested, just as we can't check out or 'liscence' people before they have babies. local communities could require dogs to be licensed, and follow up on how they are being kept. but if we ban pitbulls, must we not also consider other breeds? what about rottweilers? dobermans? i once knew a shiba inu (dog of japanese origin, originally bred as a guard dog), who was well treated by her owners, but one day out of the blue turned on the man, and jumped for his throat. but then i have heard other more positive experiences with most of these other breeds. it would be interesting to see what the impact would be if municipalities, or other levels of government required obedience training for dogs. but, when all else fails, we may have to admit that breeders made an error... that pitbulls are dangerous dogs, and must not be allowed in neighborhoods where an unfortunate sittuation could occur.
Erica Wallace	{16 votes}	March 18th, 2005
Mans best friend needs some good education and lots of love.     Why would you even call your dog killer. Don't blame the dog blame the owner. You have a dog then you are responsible for your dog. I have had dogs all my life and I never had a problem that was caused by my dog. You have to care for your animal and you have to give it love and affection. Don't cage him up and make sure he is socialized and don't chain him outside or tie him to a pole infront of the grocery store.Think before you act and think about your pet and his needs too. Having a dog is like having a child , you have to protect him and you have to teach him and care for him. You want something to protect your property get an alarm don't use an animal. You have to respect every living thing. Yes we need laws to protect people and we need laws to protect the animals. If you have taught your dogg to attack , you have abused him and you should be made to pay for you actions. If you can't control your dog then don't have one. All dogs can bite, all dogs can attack and hurt if threatened and if put in a position where he has to defend himself ,his owner or his territory. Pit-bulls are just as dangerouse as Boxers, German Shepherds and Dobermans or Rotewellers. It is not the dog but how you have raised him that should be the question here.If you talk to any vet you will here the same thing , it is how you take care of your animal that makes the whole difference.
Maria Cecillia Silva	{10 votes}	March 18th, 2005
The name of the dog says it all...     Killer. That was the name of the dog that attacked the young boy. Does the fact that the owner named the pitbull Killer give you an idea about what kind of person he/she is? It should bring a clear image to your mind. It's not the first time that I hear about a pit-bull with an aggressive name attacking someone. Yes, they were used to bait bulls in the past, making them aggressive by nature and by over-breeding. But there are many good-natured pit-bulls out there. I've seen them. Pit-bulls named Percy, or Poochy or Winnie! Mind you, I've also seen little women trying desperately to hold their pit-bulls back with little, itt-bitty leashes! Good luck if you pass these dogs on the street! Do you think they're able to hold them back from attacking someone? If they're trained to attack and be vicious, it's a guarantee that they won't be cuddling with you any time soon. It is the intention of the owner to have their dog behave in this way. Therefore, it is the owner who is responsible. They are basically walking a weapon on the end of their leash if they're trained in this manner. It is their responsibilty to muzzle their dogs. I think that there should be careful screening processes for dog owners at training schools before any training begins...
Claudia Melchiorre	{7 votes}	March 18th, 2005
Something to Chew on     It's imperative that potential dog owners be screened before purchasing any breed of dog. Behaviour traits -vicious or otherwise - are a direct by-product of the environment where the canine is expected to be integrated. Is this dog suited for this family or individual? Does the would-be owner have time or will the dog be kept in a cage all day until the owner comes home? Is there sufficient room for this particular breed? Is this breed nervous or anti-social? Are they suitable for senior citizens or children? All these questions, as well as many more, have to be answered before any breed of dog can be labelled dangerous. Too often pet store owners don't ask the right questions. A buyer just walks in and purchases a dog on a whimsy. We need stricker standards put in place at the reatil level. Let's eradicate these puppy millsonce and for all.
Heather Lee	{20 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Genetics and environment understood.     in his special theory of relativity, albert einstein fused space and time into spacetime, and spoke about how space and time are relative to the position of the observer - ergo whether space and time was being measured by an observer standing still or by an observer in motion within space and time. the arguement over whether the pit bull represents a danger and menace to society, because of genetics and breeding, seems to be an arguement based upon fear and ignorance. the arguement about nature versus nurture has been an arguement that has attempted to verify and validate the belief that a bad seed can only create more bad seeds, and these bad seeds will only create more bad seeds, without any consideration about the nature of the environment. any dog ill-trained becomes a menance. just as any driver that sits at a bar, and drinks continuously and then attempts to drive becomes a menance. to blame the booze, to blame the bar, to blame the automobile, to blame the parents of the drinker for conceiving the drinker, seems to be an act of ignorance to the highest levels. small dogs such as terriers can be a menance to children if not trained properly, and small children not taught by parents to be respective of dogs can also become a menance. the pit bull issue becomes a forum for individuals to sit down and deeply consider. the owners of pit bulls need to consider the stigmas attached to pit bulls (stigmas also attached to german shepherds in the seventies: doberman pinchers in the eighties; and rottweilers in the nineties..), and use strong intelligence in assuring that their pit bull becomes well trained. individuals consumed by fear about pit bulls need to step back, and consider the basic understanding that genetics are at best, only fifty percent of the equation, whereas proper training and ongoing behavioral modification principles are equally important components to apply to all breeds of dog. fear and ignorance of the variables needn't be applied.
Gary Womac	{20 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Of every breed, this is the one to ban.     I love dogs. I love my dog. I've met the friendliest and most adorable dobermans and rottweilers. I've met bitchy cockers and vicious schnauzers. I've met bassets that bite and Shepherds that don't even gnaw on their tail. I'm a firm believer in nurture over nature in terms of dogs. I believe that dogs behave as they were raised, and that you can train and control your dogs. I believe that dogs should be leashed at all times in wide open areas, and should not be free around children - especially young children. And I believe that owners should police their dogs and should be responsible for what their dogs do - a dog should not be put down because its owner raised it with violence, didn't watch over it, allowed it to get loose and maul someone. Especially if that dog was left alone with kids, who are prone to provoking dogs, often unintentionally. But pit bulls were bred for violence. More than any other dog, this breed was bred to be vicious, to be as strong as possible, and to be fiercely loyal to nobody but its owners. They took the biggest, meanest dogs and bred them to make the most volatile, angry and short-tempered fighting dogs. And what we have now is a breed that is extremely loyal to its owner, sometimes to their family, and usually little else. I've seen otherwise gentle pits go off in a split second, usually because they felt provoked by the slightest thing. And often with little to no warning. As well, even though they may potentially have a gentle demeanor in the occasional household - usually an exception - they are the breed that is most likely to end up in the wrong hands, and to do the most damage in those wrong hands. I'm not saying we should go out and cull them all - but why not simply force people to spay them - which they should anyhow? Owners who currently have pits can be grandfathered, and ban them from being bred, saving the next 5-year old from getting their face chewed off...
Ben Kalman	{14 votes}	March 17th, 2005
What gives you the right?     What give you the right to throw pitbulls out of ontario? If those jackasses who banned them lived with one for 1 year they wouldn't give them up! Its soo stupid the fact that some people complain about some little thing and its taken care of but when theres a REAL problem you all ignore it! What about drunk drivers? or even suicide and murdeR? You could care less about those iusses and more about maybe 10 or so fatal do bites? i've been bitten by so many dogs and I don't hate them. If everyone was scared of these dogs then why do so many people own them? I think the govorment is only changing the little things because there to pig headed to see the Real iusses.No wonder vote turn outs are so low.
Sarah Roesner		November 3rd, 2005
Searching for middle ground...     tandboth sides of this argument. On the one hand, if these animals are dangerous, I agree that they shouldn't be allowed where they can do real harm. On the other hand, I can also see that they can potentially be wonderful pets if properly trained. Perhaps a reasonable compromise would be to place legal responsibility for taking care of the animals more firmly on their owners. Make sure owners understand and agree that they will be responsible for their pets. Perhaps allow ownership ONLY with a permit, possibily requiring the animal to undergo training. Forcing owners to make an effort to be allowed to own the animals might ensure that only those who are willing to put the time and effort into controlling them are allowed to have them. Maybe...
Karen Sollazzo		March 20th, 2005
Natural born killer     It is fascinating how an easy question could become a long-lasting issue to answer. Although everybody acknowledges that pit bulls are naturally loose canon and need to be seriously trained for not becoming even more aggressive, still some authorities balance out the pros and the cons. I am not reassured by trainers saying it only requires to train pit bulls a certain way, so they won't be dangerous... If the security of the average pedestrian depends on trainers' precaution while training these dogs before setting them loose - and assuming there are always uncertified trainers claiming they are masters in that field! - it is not surprising to be told about kids' serious injuries, when not disfigured and crippled. Why should we take risks over that matter, knowing the very dangerous potential of an average pit bull? Why don't we follow other States' and provinces' example as to ban the breed, instead of waiting after statistics proving one on one what we all know right off the start? As a matter of fact, in a so-called civilized society, does someone need pit bulls to defend himself against villains? I don't want to believe we are at this point where anybody could take the law into one's own hands, like a sheriff, and rule on the spot with a pit bull on one's side. The right to have a pit bull, so far, is comparable to the right of wearing guns.
Alain Gauthier	{3 votes}	March 19th, 2005
Control and training...     About 2 months ago my friend has been attacked by a pit bull. The owner (an old lady) couldn't control her dog and my friend had to pay the price by spending some time in the hospital. Yes pit bulls can be dangerous but if well trained thay can be the cutest and most loving companion. But I do think that if you can not control your dog you should at the very least muzzle them and avoid walking your dog near schools or other places where children play.
Ekaterina Frank	{3 votes}	March 19th, 2005
Poor puppy?     Is the breed evil or just misunderstood? Gotta say that I've never liked this breed myself. The whole terrier breed has always looked like a bunch of canine psychos to me but is that a reason to put them in the doghouse? Guess you've gotta ask the right person, the owners or the victims' families when the mutts go nuts and try to kill someone.
Vladimir Joseph	{4 votes}	March 18th, 2005
Protecting Us From Animals     The Montreal Transit Commission has a great idea where they require that all animals be they cats or dogs must be transported in cages on the buses and Metro cars. The single exception for seeing-eye dogs is sensible since they are very well trained and are important to provide independence and mobility for vision-impaired people. Yet these well behaved dogs are not to be petted which should also be true for any dog you meet on the street. You must keep your distance from these animals. There should be a law that all dogs when outside must wear a muzzle and be on a leash with big fines for lawbreakers. I was wondering if there are tranquilizing pills that could be given to vicious dogs so they would be less prone to attack innocent people. And we should never forget that some mad people have also been known to bite into human flesh. We need to be vigilant at all times. It is a dangerous world out there!
Stephen Talko	{3 votes}	March 18th, 2005
Pit Bulls need love, like any other dogs     It is sometimes really suprprising to read that some people want a ban on the brred of dogs known as, "Pit Bulls". I feel that these dogs, are strong and more strong and more of the hunter dogs breed. The people owning these breed of dogs need to be more careful about them, that's it. Banning a breed is like a genocide, without a cause...
Shafquat Sheikh	{1 vote}	March 18th, 2005
Why take the chance?     To me, this is a no brainer. On the one hand you've got the rights of dog owners to breed and raise their dogs how they want. On the other hand, youv'e got the rights of parents who don't want their kids to be eaten up by Fido (the dog not the phone). And even still, you've got people like myself who don't want to be eaten or even bit! So, let's see.... dogs or kids... people or animals.... It isn't a choice, and I can't even believe people would debate it. Kids are annoying! Keep the dogs! No, I'm kidding. There is no reason for people to own dogs that are dangerous. There is more than enough evidence out there to show that having a Pit Bull is akin to Russin Roulette. It simply isn't worth the chance!
Eric Wilson	{9 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Bow Wow     I love dogs and so do my children and whenever they see a dog, they want to touch it. But of course I'll tell them not to, because you never know if the dog will bite you and it can be any type of dog. Once while I was bike riding with my husband, the gate was open to some factory and 2 German Shepard dogs chased us. I was terrified and thank God my husband was able to chase them away. Every dog should be either on a leash or locked in their backyards with fences high enough that they cannot escape. If pit bulls need to be banned, so be it. Everyone should be safe to walk around without having some dog attack you.
Rita Reale	{4 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Any dog can be dangerous     Any one who has a dog should take precautions to prevent their dog from attacking someone. Any dog is capable of biting someone. Any dog is capable of being vicious, especially a frightened dog. Any dog that is taken out in public should be on a leash that provides the owner with good control ( a promise leash works well). I've seen large dogs that are pussycats and small dogs that are nippy, and vice versa. I've seen a docile dog try to bite someone because that person approached it too quickly. The owners should be held accaountable when their dog does something wrong.
Nancy Garbish	{4 votes}	March 17th, 2005
It's the owners and breeders faults     Any dog can become vicious. There is not certain breeds that are and certain breeds that aren't. I know a shit tzu that will bite your hand off if you try to take his toy away or try to touch someone sitting on his couch. I also know some dobbermans, german shepperds, chow chows, and rotweillers that are so gentil and won't hurt anyone, unless someone is trying to hurt them, but they would not viciously attack anyone. A dog becomes vicious because of its owner. Dogs that are never socialiazed with people or other dogs become vicious. Just like a person, if you do not socialize your child, it will have no social skills, they will be withdrawn, scared, and aggressive. Same goes for dogs. Tying your dog outside all the time, will not make a very good guard dog. If you want a guard dog you need to have him or her specially trained, and sociallized. Alot of dogs also attack because they are scared. Hitting your dog to make it an attack dog will only make it scared and unpredictable.To sociallise your dog you need to start when they are young. Bring your puppy to the dog park often. Bring your puppy whereever you go as much as possible. This way your dog gets used to being around other dogs and people.
Shari Colbon	{2 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Is this a joke!     Why should we follow the wonderful province of Ontario, they set such a great example. You might as well start banning snakes and reptiles too. It's a dog, its not a hampster. Some dogs are vicious and some are not. If you are walking down the street and someones dog attacks you while this dog is on a leash then by all means their is a problem but don't forget that these things are animals and not human. If they were human they could go around injuring or even killing others without the greatest of consequences. Anyways back to the dog discussion. It's your dog, in the city which is already not a place for dogs, it's your responsability.
Marco Facchin	{5 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Canada's provinces working on slowly taking a species off the earth?!     SAVE THE WHALES, SAVE THE SEALS, ADOPT A POLAR BEAR (comes complete with pictures of your bear and a plush polar bear toy...oooooh)... This is what you see on tv, hear on the radio, see in papers, junk mail, etc...and yet, HEY!! Let's disallow people to have a certain breed of dog...slowly...everywhere....and *poof*, they are gone too. How quaint. Idiots. I totally agree with the fines and jail time being imposed now in Ontario...if you mistreat your dog or improperly train the dog...you should pay a fine, but in so far as completely banning the breed, that is simply ridiculous. Impose a law that anyone who wishes to own one of these dogs need to take them to a special dog-training facility, and have their temperament verified every X period of time...that makes sense. What's next?...every time someone gets bitten by something, it's should become banned??! I guess I will have to have my mother put my cat down for taking a swipe at me when I was playing with him the other night...or that cute lovebird at the pet store from the other week that snapped at me when I got too close to the cage...God forbid it may be a vicious, dangerous bird....might maul someone next time. Idiots.
Tina Sirkin	{2 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Face the facts     It's rather unfortunate that we are seeing the extinction of a newer breed of dog as a consequence of the human's inability to properly train and nurture the pit bull but it is common fact of life that is all too common in today's society. It can be easily associated to parents hitting their children or not giving them the attention when they need it the most. Not surprisingly, the pit bull can lash out when it suspects thatit is being threatened by anybody including a child who's only intention is to play with the cuddly (well almost) animal. I personally don't like pit bulls but does my personal prefernce make it acceptable to kill off an entire breed? People should be protected from the greatest menace of them all: other people's ignorance.
Ronny Pangia	{1 vote}	March 17th, 2005
A pitbull named Killer attacked a kid. Surprise surprise.     Owners of pitbulls will turn to other dogs. They won't turn to poodles but most likely to german shepards or other dogs that have been known as "guardians". And those who turned their pitbulls into loaded arms will turn other dogs into 4-legged threats. I had a friend who had the most gentle dog I had ever seen. That dog was a pitbull. When I read that a pitbull named "Killer" (not Rex or Lassie but Killer), it comes as no shock that the dog attacked someone. I can just imagine the comments and the tone of those comments addressed to the dog. Comments like "Attack, killer!" or other similiar peaceful comments. I don't know pitbulls well enough to know if it is appropriate to ban them but I know that, just as people should never be parents, some should never become dog owners.
Marc Charette	{3 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Pitbull fan     Well I for one am a huge fan of dogs. My parents had 2 pitbulls at different times when I was a child and I have fond memories and pictures of me riding them and pulling at their ears and tales so fortunately I have good experiences with these beautiful, strong, intelligent, loyal dogs. Sadly the Pitbull gets a bad reputation because people and dogs have been hurt by Pitbulls. The strange thing is that many other dogs hurt other people and pets alike, however, they don't get the media hype the Pitbull gets. I do think the blame is on the owner because it is important to socialize your pet, provide discipline, love encouragement and safety for that animal and for others. To ban this breed is upsetting. I fear what else governments may ban because people cannot safely control their behavior or that of their pets.
Renessa Cabrera	{4 votes}	March 17th, 2005
When all else fails...     Utimately, it's the owner's responsability to control his/her dog. Unfortunately, very few people do. Actually, any pet comes with its share of responsibilities. I have two cats and cleaning out the litter box several times a week is the price I have to pay for fuzz-purr-therapy. The same goes with dogs. We have an older gentleman in our neighbourhood who owns two dogs, pardon, two pests who crap everywhere and bark at anyone. He makes no efforts to control his dogs (nor does he pick up their poo) and, if I had a child, there is no way I would let my kid even look at his barking mutt, much less get near it. His selfishness and lack of respect for others has made me secretely wish that the mutts would end up underneath a car. And I'm a pet-lover. Dogs usually love me and I love them. The same goes with pit bulls. If you're going to own a dog that is prone to fighting, it's your job to train that dog to be very obedient in order to be able to control it in almost any situation. If you are not willing to invest the time, energy and money required for that intensive training, you shouldn't get a pit bull. Unfortunately, if we can't oblige owners to train their dogs properly, the only other solution is to ban the breed. Better safe than sorry wouldn't you agree?
Natalie Dzepina		March 17th, 2005
His Bark is not Worse than his Bite     I'm all for the banning of pit bulls. All the horrendous stories I've heard of innocent children being attacked by the dogs are enough to convince me. Why would anyone take the chance of owning one when I've heard they have even turned on their masters and attacked them. They're not even lovable-looking. When was the last time you heard someone say" Oh what a cute pit bull!" ?
Heath Abram	{4 votes}	March 17th, 2005
No Quick Fix     Banning pit bulls would not solve the problem of dog attacks. While I agree that dog owners bear the primary responsibility for their pet's behaviour, and stiff sentences should be handed out in the case of attacks, I wonder where the breeders are in all of this. Responsible breeders do not mate aggressive animals-- they breed for temperment as well as physical appearance. Sadly, I have witnessed aggressive dogs of many breeds, the products of irresponsible and money-hungry breeders. Quebec has a shameful record of animal abuse and neglect, from its many puppy mills and other disreputable animal industries. It's time the law got tough with all HUMANS involved in perpetuating this industry, instead of blaming the victimized (and innocent) by-products.
Stephanie Ein	{3 votes}	March 17th, 2005
Owners enjoy the the menace of the dog.     There are two reasons to buy dogs, for love and that all so cuddly wuddly feeling you get when hugging one and for protection. The first reason is the reason most people buy dogs but there is a small minority that buys it for the sake of protection. Now let's ask ourselves that do we really live in a town where a violent canine is needed to protect us from the evils of the world? I would certainly think not. But then again some people believe such a thing is needed, and in fact enjoy the fact they have a dog that can maul people. In fact any dog can maul a person. So owners train dogs attack dummies, to hurt any stranger, because you know how all of us random people walking in the street just has murder in our hearts. That's there belief and it makes them happy. In the west island one dog (behind a fence) constantly tries to get at me when I'm walking home, barking like a mad dog. I'm sure if the fence wasn't there he'd jump me. But there are occasions where the dog itself is just violent. I saw one tiny little mutt once attack a big golden retriever, scarring it a bit. AND it was the little dog attacking (it must have size issues) first without provocation. However the owner of the little dog blamed the golden retriever. It show's where the blame has to be put. Just like Children, parents, owners have to take responsibility if the dogs do something wrong rather than blame something else. Dogs aren't the problem it's the owners who are. The owners who trained them to "protect" them(like owning a gun the dog's a tool) and those that don't take the necessary steps to control violent dogs. It's time for owners to finally like up to the responsibity they took in buying a pet.
Alexander Yu	{2 votes}	March 19th, 2005
Don't ban the dog!     I don't agree with the banning of a breed. I think it's ridiculous. It is the fault of the owner not of the dog or his breed. If the owner doesn't treat his dog well or pushes it to violence obviously that dog may be a threat. In that case the owner should assume the responsibility and muzzle the dog or put it away if they know it's dangerous. There has been other dogs than pitbulls that have been violent and attacked kids or people. It was just the easy way out for Ontario to ban pitbulls, are they going to ban every breed that attacks kids???
Melanie Renaud		March 18th, 2005
Pit bulls     The owners of pitt bulls that get caught fighting their dogs should be euhtanised right along side the dogs that they trained to fight . If there is no tolerance for the dogs then there should be no tolerance for the owners. I dont know the story behind the attack but if the parents of the boy that was killed by the dog left their son unattended then shame on them also.
Fillmore Thomas	{2 votes}	March 17th, 2005

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