Pit bulls go underground (banned in Denver, automatic euthanasia)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

150 dogs have been killed so far.

Covert network helps to take banned dogs to safe haven in Divide

By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News
June 11, 2005

Zena the buff, brindle-colored pit bull had been living the outlaw life, her fate haunted for nearly a month by the possibility of a death sentence.

She had been confined to her southwest Denver home, sleeping in her master's bed, playing in the backyard and gnawing on her chew toys.

They were all punishable acts as of May 9, when the city of Denver started enforcing its pit bull ban after a year's court-enforced hiatus.

Finally, her owners called the Pit Bull Underground Railroad - a network dedicated to secretly ferrying the dogs out of Denver before animal control officers confiscate them.

MKJ

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3847649,00.html

[intheflow]

1. 16 pit bulls just found in Denver suburban home.

Saw on the local Denver news last night that 16 pit bulls, some pregnant, were just found in a house in Aurora (Denver 'burb) during a drug bust. They may have banned pit bulls in the city proper, but there's obviously still a booming business of dog exploitation happening around this town.

Just to be clear, I don't think they should outlaw any breeds. But locking up people who breed dogs for fighting or train them to be vicious should be mandatory. It's not the dogs' fault!

*Edited to reflect the fact you fixed your link.

[acmavm]

2. The people in this country have lost it. Not one damn thing is done with

any intelligence anymore.

Truly, as much as I dislike most dogs, I have known two people who had wonderful pit bulls, and one person who's dog was a canine psycopath. So, should John and Cindy's dogs be killed because John Ms dog was vicious. I most assuredly don't think so.

There's no intelligent middle ground anymore. It's just radical insanity.

[seabeyond]

15. i have two kids living next to two pit bulls

one has already attacked the neighborhood rotweiller. the pit bulls get loose.

one is very aggressive

my kids would have a distance to make it to the safety of a house.

i feel a person should have the right and it is not my place to dictate to another.

i think my kids should be able to play outside without threat

this morning i told them not to go out, neighbor had dog in front yard. i know it has escaped from there in the past. so my children are staying inside today, or back yard

i hear ya

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

16. You got that right "radical insanity"...

sensationalism... media hype...

....total fucking garbage!

[beyurslf]

3. They don't ban them here but the city dog shelter won't adopt them out.

Even if they look like they have any part pit or chow. They will only release to an owner who can prove ownership.

[Modem Butterfly]

4. No animal is as dangerous or vicious as a human being

What breed will they go after next? Chows? Rottweilers? German Shepard Dogs? Mutts that simply resemble a banned breed? Your dog?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

5. first they came for the pit-bulls. . .

and i didn't care - because I didn't own a pit-bull. then they came for the welsh corgies. . .

sorry couldnt resist.

[Modem Butterfly]

6. It's been done before

I had a similar post which got moved to the lounge.

We have always had Chows and Shar-Peis, both of which have a nasty reputation. I take these sort of laws seriously because I am an animal lover and a dog person but also because I don't want to see my own dogs mis-labled as dangerous and banned.

Pit Bulls- the sad reality:

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/sadreality.html

[Protagoras]

7. A fellow Corgie Owner?

Welsh Corgies are a threat...they'll eat an entire neighborhood out of house and home and lick everyone to death.

Seriously though, there does seem to be something definingly different about most people who are drawn to pit ownership (probably all dog breed ownership).

I'm not for automatically putting any animal to death...but I also don't want animals that are an actual threat around.

almost...I say almost...I could believe that owning a Pit is "probably cause" for investigation and police search.

I feel so sorry for the breed that it's become the poster child for crystal meth dealers and animal abusers in our state.

[bluedonkey]

9. I own a pitbull

not because I wanted fierce,vicious dog,but because I found him as a tiny puppy and I didn't want him ending up in a fighting pen.That's how I got my German Shepard,Red Heeler,the Chows,and my Tasha,a Rottweiler/Shepard mix who passed away last year.I also rescue cats.
I would very much resent having my house invaded by police,because I own a certain kind of dog.
Where do we draw the line?

[Modem Butterfly]

10. Here's a nice article on Pit Bull Rescue you might like

It seems the biggest problems these dogs have are humans.

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/misc/acac.html

This, to me, is a very sad thing for them to die and never be given the chance to start over in a good home. When a good adopter thinks about getting a dog, Pit Bulls don’t come to mind as a good pet because they have such a bad reputation. But many have experienced Pit Bulls to be extremely good house pets. They are just as loving as any Lab, just as playful as any Boston Terrier, just as intelligent as a Border Collie, just as beautiful as an Irish Setter, and just as protective as a German Shepherd. They make such wonderful pets that many devoted owners have renamed the breed to “Pet Bulls.”

[bluedonkey]

22. I'm always amazed

by the cruelty of humans towards animals,just when I think I've seen it all....
I don't dare leave my dogs in the yard without me being home,I'd be to afraid someone will come in and steal them.
My Red Heeler,was thrown out of a van,when she was about a year old.She is almost 13yo now,but she never lost her fear of brooms.

[Protagoras]

11. Yep there are certainly wonderful exceptions

and I would not advocate police invading your home...but as I expressed above, it's easy to feel those kind of impulses (and hopefully control them) when a large criminal segment has decided to identify themselves with the breed.

It's a terrible thing for the breed and for good dog owners. I wish I knew a way to save the breed (all breeds) from this type of abuse...

I think one of the best ways to start is to much more strongly control breeding. Backyard breeders, unregulated and unlicensed breeders are the exponentially more likely to be the source for the BAD dogs supplied to the BAD people (people come first of course).

And the laws surrounding what police can and should do when they suspect animal abuse in these ways need to be radically revamped.

Currently in my county you can chain your dog on pavement...breed it like a rat, and kick it twice a day...and unless it has a demonstrable disease or has bitten someone there is essentially nothing the police can do.

If you are caught abusing it or if the dog bites someone...the dog is killed and the owner is fined.

That's messed up. The breed (pits, german shepherds, etc) can recover if they are stopped from inbreeding them and using them for drug guards...but that means empowering the police to do something...and empowering the courts to do a hell of a lot more.

Where do we draw the line? I don't know exactly...but I do think we draw it a lot farther down the tolerance line than we currently have it.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

i agree

i helped raise a GSD and I love those dogs. I don't think any type of dog should be banned. but i do feel if a pit-bull attacks or kills somebody then the owner should get a sentence of assault with a deadly weapon or murder, commensurate with the attack.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

13. not a corgie owner myself

i just thought the breed made kind of ridiculous example of banning dogs.

[Protagoras]

17. Once you have Corgi you never go back

:D

[Groggy]

25. love my corgi!!

really, mine would just shed all over you...he is the sweetest dog. Anyway, with pit bulls...I've tried to stay out of these threads because I really don't know anything about pit bulls, but I do admit that I'm afraid of them. But I'm sure there are some very sweet ones out there also, so I'm not sure banning an entire breed is the way to go. Perhaps having some regulations concerning treatment and breeding of them and anyone who trains ANY dog to be a fighter should be charged with animal abuse.

[Protagoras]

31. And animal abuse should have stiffer penalties

than personal marajuana possession. It should carry real, solid, jail time. It should carry immediate removal of all animals (and probably children) in the home. It should negate the ability of that individual to own further animals at least for a significant time until they'd completed diversion training.

The DUI model might be the START of a good format for dealing with animal abuse.

[Blue_In_AK]

23. They better stay away from our one-eyed toothless Shih-Tzu. n/t

[Mass_Liberal]

27. hahahaha

good one!

[bluedonkey]

8. Jeez,don't say that

I have a Pitbull,German Shepard and a Red Heeler.My son has Chows.

I hate people who fight dogs and I turned a few of them in,curious enough,the last time the SPCA had to be called six times before the picked up the dogs and arrested the guys.This happened after one of the dogs got off the chain,jumped my fence and try to break my door down.

Proper training of both,man and beast,is the key to a good relationship,but I would NEVER leave my dogs alone with a child.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

12. Fucking disgusting.

[Modem Butterfly]

14. Hi!

Check your messages. :)

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

18. Hi, backatcha!!

:hi:


I really hope this doesn't turn into another flame-fest. I cannot stomach another one of those about dogs.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. Disgusting!

How's about putting the owners who made them that way to sleep?! I am being facetious. But, the idea that the government can come and put your pet to sleep is foul. I know in Pennsylvania, Quakers (Monk Parakeets), if found, will be euthanized. They are also illegal in several states. All because of bad information and bad owners.

[MS68]

20. I love all animals...

In fact, I'm a vegetarian because I hate the methods we use to raise our meat these days. I'll go out of my way not to kill a bug -- unless it's a cockroach. I live in Florida, so they'll just wander on in your house.

Anyway...I've often said that I wish they would ban Pit Bulls because it's heartbreaking to see them getting carted off in the van on the news after an incident. However, I don't think they should euthanize the dogs that aleady exist, but ban any future breeding.

It seems like you do hear stories from time to time in which the dog wigs out and the family seems non-violent and the neighbors say the dogs were always friendly. Personally, if I had kids, I don't think I'd take the chance.

Like I said, I really do love animals, especially dogs, and I think it's best for the animals that they just outlaw further breeding.

The point about what breed is next is a good point though....

[SoCalDem]

21. The sad truth is this

EVERY DOG can and often does..BITE.
Our poodle bit completely through our oldest's upper lip..in a split second that it took for him to pull her ear..He was 2 1/2 and was in the same room, not 3 feet away from us. She had no malice towards him, nor he, her.. It just "happened". She nevr bit him again, and after putting ice on his lip, the tiny puncture wound was barely visible, BUT...the same thing could have happened if we had had a larger dog with more powerful jaws..

And no home or yard is "escape-proof". Once out of your control, it's imossible to know what your sweet doggie might do if cornered by an aggressive child, or if the dog gets frightened.

Denver is over-reacting, but at least they seem to be enforcing it across the board.

If a breed is deemed too dangerous to own, I would prefer an aggressive spay-neuter program, and confiscation, only if necessary.

Large dogs do not live all that long, and a program that grandfathered in the existing dogs, and banned FUTURE puppies, would have either forced the breeders to move out of state or quit breeding them , and it would have allowed the sweet ones to live out their natural lives, and the owners could have chosen a different breed next time.

The problem is this, though.. What breed will be next? Rottweilers? Dobermans? German Shepherds? Boxers?..any dog above a certain size/weight?

[Modem Butterfly]

24. The TRUTH About Pit Bulls

http://www.furryfriendsfoundation.com/Truth03/Truth03.htm

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

26. This brought tears to my eyes, thanks for posting. This breed has been

exploited and abused.

MKJ

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

It's refreshing to see that a few know the truth. So many have bought into

the hype...

Thanks!

[radwriter0555]

28. I was just at the South Central shelter in Los Angeles dropping off towels

blankets and toys since we're moving. So my friend and I did a walk through of the kennels. We did the quick math and more than 85% of the dogs there were pits and pit mixes... I was very glad every single one was in a cage. I didn't trust any of them.

9 countries have banned them.

[AngryAmish]

33. That is a slippery slope argument

The people of Denver have spoken through their elected officials. They decided that this breed is too dangerous to have within the city limits. If the people decide they don't want Labs, then Labs will go. You don't have a constitutional right to own a tiger or box turtle. Same with pit bulls.

I am torn about banning pits. I make money having these things around. However, the permanent scars and injuries they cause to mostly little kids breaks your heart. I suppose, mercenary motives aside, that banning pit bulls will cause fewer children to be scarred for life.

[Modem Butterfly]

35. Actually, it will do very little good

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/wolff.html

The commonality of fatal dog bites is size, not type or temperament, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fact is that big dogs are more powerful and can inflict more damage. That doesn't mean they are more aggressive or dangerous, said veterinarian Dr. Kim Blindauer, epidemiologist at the CDC in Atlanta. It means owners need to be more responsible.

"The number of fatal dog bites is minuscule," said Blindauer. "When it happens, people get upset and blame the breed, but there is no scientific evidence that one breed bites more than another."

"There is no scientific evidence that some breeds are more aggressive than others," said Blindauer. "In Texas in 2000, the chow was the breed that bit more people. In Lincoln, Nebraska, it's the lab (Labrador).

"There are literally tens of thousands of Rottweilers and pit bulls that are loving pets in homes with families. You can't single out a breed for aggression. What you can do is look at the owners who don't take responsibility for their pets."

Blindauer worked on a canine aggression task force with the CDC that found five factors that determine a dog's tendency to bite: heredity, early experience, later socialization, training, and the victim's behavior.

Also, more than 80 percent of the biters are male dogs that have not been neutered.

[SoCalDem]

36. My friend's daughters were attacked by Rottweilers

The kindergartner was attacked first, and when her older sister tried to intervene, she ended up with hundreds of stitches. The 1st grader who ran, had her calf torn.. These were pets that apparently "got out".. Luckily , the girls all recovered, and they were not bitten on their faces, but to this day, they fear dogs..

[GreenPartyVoter]

47. We have a rottie puppy in our neighborhood and he is a sweetie-baby, but

I am glad they are moving out because I am a bit nervous about having him around my kids when he's older. (There was a pit bull on our road that also moved away. Another relief.)

[tridim]

29. I'm not sure how to react to this

But I know for a fact German Shepherds CAN be just as vicious as pit bulls, yet nobody is banning/killing them. I've had two incidents with off leash German Shepherds that tried to kill my two smaller dogs. I've never had a pit bull attack. It's an owner issue 95% of the time.

[Mass_Liberal]

30. meh

S'a bit wierd, I will say that much. As far as I'm concerned, tho, they're doing this as a precaution, and the life of one baby is worth that of 100 pit bulls.

[Modem Butterfly]

32. Here's a few folks who are glad Pit Bulls Weren't Banned

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/alaska.html

A three-year-old pit bull named Marley is credited with saving a little girl in Alaska from a house fire in early December.

Marley, a black and white dog who looks like Pete from the Little Rascals television show, grabbed the back of six-year-old Autumn Marley's jacket to drag her out of the burning house.

Autumn alerted her mother who was cooking dinner that the entryway to the house was on fire. Julie Marley then forced open a seldom used back door so she and her two daughters could escape the fire.

As Ms. Marley left the house she turned to see Marley the dog pulling Autumn through the door to safety.

Jennifer Ingram, Marley's guardian, said that, "She's always been an awesome dog, but I didn't know she was capable of doing this." Ingram has raised Marley from a puppy.

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/leap.html

Anthony Romaro got the scare of his life Wednesday night when two Akita dogs, each weighing about 100 pounds, attacked him near his best friend's home in Coral Springs.

But another kind of dog -- a type also known for vicious attacks -- may have saved the boy from more serious injuries.

Witnesses said a 2-year-old pit bull named Missy played the part of hero during the attack.

Missy, witnesses say, pulled the two Akitas -- Cella and Baci -- off Anthony after several struggles during a 15-minute span.

Anthony, a 7-year-old Hunt Elementary School second-grader, is recovering after surgery at Coral Springs Medical Center. The dogs ripped much of Anthony's left ear and bit his skull before Missy fought them off of him, said Anthony's mother, Stephanie McGuire.

''He's doing better today,'' McGuire said on Friday.

Missy suffered scrapes and cuts on the shoulders and buttocks, received a few stitches, and is back home.

''Missy saved the day,'' said her owner, Scott , who asked that The Herald not publish his last name. ``She just went out there and broke the fight up.''

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

34. Do you know the stats?

ALL dogs account for about a few dozen fatalities a year. Acceptable? No. Some preventable? Of course! Worthy of further legislation and tax dollars? Debatable. This number has remained static, it's not rising.

Drowning is responsible for about 3200 deaths/year. Ban pools? Drain lakes?

Car accidents.... 34,000. Ban cars?

"Banning" a breed that is at the top of this list is silly and lazy and causes only a false sense of security. Another breed will take it's place. Yes, then ban that breed! See how that could get out of hand?

[countingbluecars]

37. By law I had to put at least

a four foot fence around my pool. My pool can not get out of my yard and attack.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

38. And... by law, dogs are to be restrained.

Are you arguing that banning is justified?

[countingbluecars]

39. I believe pit bulls are dangerous.

Do you watch your pit bull every single moment a child is near the dog?

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

40. I would with ANY breed. And if you don't.... you should.

[Modem Butterfly]

49. Good advice for both the child and the dog

Children often don't recognize how rough they can be with a dog. Dogs often don't recognize how rough they can be with a child.

[ls317]

41. Bad Rap

I know several folks that have pit bull terriers,personally they are not bad dogs if they are trained right and raised in a proper environment.
Not like these jackasses you see on the news that have used them for fighting and training bait for other dogs to fight.
Any dog can be dangerous in the right setting and mixture

[Merope215]

43. Exactly

Our shelter rescue is part pit bull, we think. He's a little neurotic from lingering trust issues, but otherwise a great dog. Like you said, any dog can be dangerous. Conversely, any dog can be a great one. It depends much more on the people than on the dogs.

[Eilondecodotcom]

42. I own a pit bull.

And I must say after owning many dogs, the pit bull seems to love me back the most. Go figure.

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

44. Perfect sentiment of every pit I've had the pleasure of knowing...

" ... the pit bull seems to love me back the most."

People are naive to the incredible INCREDIBLE mannerisms that are typical to the breed. And, they are typical.

[smbolisnch]

46. My good friend has a Pit - Mavis. She is precious.

She was just curled up on the sofa with me yesterday. I just called my friend and told her to give the dog an extra hug today after reading this. :cry:

On edit:
Welcome to Du!! :hi:

[newyawker99]

48. Hi Eilondecodotcom!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[KnowerOfLogic]

45. Euthanize the evil bastards that made the law, and the ones that enforce

it.