WHAT A CROCK OF BULL!!!

I couldn't keep silent once I read this article in the London Free Press. It isn't Shasta that would have needed the muzzling, it would have been me! I wrote her back and my reply is after her column.

Article by Lena Hassan

DEADLY DOG ATTACK SPURS NEED FOR BAN
Friday, June 2, 2006
Tag: 0606020337
Edition: Final
Section: Opinion Pages
Length: 29 lines
Page: A11
Memo: Lena_Hassan@hotmail.com
Column: Ink Blog
BY LENA HASSAN, LONDON FREELANCE WRITER

I don't claim to know everything there is to know about pit bulls, or the new law that places strict controls on ownership of the aggressive dogs. However with the tragic incident this week of a pit bull-cross killing its owner, I am coming around to supporting a full ban on this particular and similar breeds.

To hear of a family pet killing its owner is almost unheard of. And I know many people may argue this is an isolated incident, but how many isolated incidents have to occur before the ban is seen as legitimate in the eyes of those who are fighting it? 10? 20?

I have also heard the argument that it's not the dog, but the owner that truly shapes the aggressive nature of the animal. I know many pit bulls are naturally aggressive toward other dogs, while not necessarily aggressive to humans. But these dogs were originally bred to develop a brutal, fighting nature, and if pit bull owners aren't taking the time to properly train their dogs -- and pit bulls demand a lot of training -- then what is to be done?

It's too bad that a dog breed is now paying for human mistakes. When will we learn?

Ms. Hassan,

Your article has many flaws to your logic. First, let me note, that the only qualified organization to determine the different breeds is the Canadian Kennel Club. NOT the media or even a vet or even Animal Control.

You speak of Pit bulls as being dangerous. May I remind you, they also claimed the dog in fact, (in their amateurish opinion) was a lab/pit bull cross. How can anyone claim a dog has anymore of a breed in it as another? The dog is simply a MUTT. Not more of one breed than another. Characteristics by looks does not prove that dogs possess more of a certain breed than another.

Let me remind you of a recent story of the woman that has just had the first ever full bottom half of her face reconstructed as her dog ate her face off. Her dog I might add, was a lab. Not a Pit bull breed in anyway, yet your so called authority, the vet of the town of the elderly, 77 year old man said a German shepherd, or other dogs would not continue, where the Pit bull will.

By seeing the dog of the 77 year old man, it was a senior dog, not 5 years old and it was very over-weight. It hadn't been to the vet for 5 years and it's said the dog was 5 years old.

If it only took an instant for the dog to come to Nancy (as if it were protecting her), first I ask you why Nancy did not call the dog off her husband before the cab driver eventually came out of the car to find something to beat the dog off?

If the dog showed signs of aggression prior and the cab driver was told to never get out of her car, why was the dog roaming loose? Would you allow an aggressive dog to roam loose?

No dog, not even the pit bull breeds simply 'turn' on their loving owners without reason. Does anyone know what goes on behind closed doors? The dog for some reason, felt Nancy needed protection. Perhaps this innocent poking was not the type of thing going on in the home. Perhaps that's why Nancy didn't call the dog off her husband when she could have simply called the dog off in the first place and no injury would have occurred. But no, she waited until the cab driver finally came into the picture. How much time from the dog first going after the man to the time the cab driver finally decided to get out of the car past?

Yes, it did say Nancy was in shock, but do we know this for a fact? Was a doctor present? Or, was Nancy holding back as perhaps she was in batter woman syndrome that perhaps this was her escape? Many such women keep their secrets so quiet that it looks like the perfect marriage. Ask many woman and counselors in Battered Woman Shelters.

The media prints stories that sell papers. The Pit bull breeds are the dog of choice to blame right now. In the morning paper, the article said mixed breed. By the 6 0'clock news the headlines said PIT BULL KILLS 77 YEAR OLD OWNER. You read the article and it says Lab and Pit bull cross. Why? Didn't the earlier column disturb and uproar the general public enough, so they needed to exalt the breed to Pit bull?

You're understanding seems to lay in what you read to be the truth, but it's obvious the whole truth isn't being told in this story as all media stories don't. You honestly can read the article and don't find anything strange about it?
We will never know the facts, but the facts aren't in this article. By reading between the lines meets many unanswered questions.

There are many more of the Pit bull breeds that are in Search and Rescue, Therapy and Service Dogs, Drug and Bomb Detection, but do we hear of these in the media? There are pets (yes the Pit bull breeds) that save their owners and neighbours from burning fires, attackers and medical emergencies, but how often do you see these printed in your paper or hear of it on the news?

I'd like to add that I am one that is fighting against the ban, which I would assume you already know by my email.
But what you do not know is that I own an American Pit bull Terrier that was in the St. Johns Ambulance Therapy Dog Program that visited seniors and sick children. She went through extensive training on my part and my funds and brought many smiles to many faces as did all the other Pit bull types in the program.

She is also my Service Dog which I could not leave my home or talk to strangers since 1994, but she helped me over come these phobias, enough so, that I wanted to share her with others through the Therapy Program.
I have many disabilities and health problems. She carries my groceries home with a wagon and in the winter by sled. She takes my garbage out the same way. She alerts me to the door and knows the difference of a phone ringing from a caller or the phone ringing for the front entrance. The ringing is the same, yet she knows which is which.

She showed unusual obsessive licking behaviour when a friend came over that wasn't done previously. Me not understanding why the sudden obsession scolded her, but each time my friend came, it was the same behaviour. Two months later, my friend found out she had severe form of cancer that required immediate surgery and reconstruction done to her face. After that, the licking ceased.

I am still not able to go outside without her by my side and I abide by this absurd law of having her leashed and muzzled while in public. Because of the ban, I can not take public transit due to phobias because of her being 'restricted', as well as in stores where I need her help to help me with groceries and packages. Instead I have to risk tying her outside where she could be harmed or stolen. This worsens my anxiety as well as down time for days to weeks from me trying to get items from the store to her wagon as a 'restricted' dog is not allowed in places that other Service Dogs are allowed.

Her restrictions are my restrictions. She is trained to calm attacks I take that no human can. She has a sixth sense to my challenges and now the government has made it that much harder on me.

My dog is not unique. The majority of these types of dogs excelled at all they do, provided they are not brought up under the worst, irresponsible conditions.

These are the dogs the media writes about. But behind every dog attack is a human that has taught that dog in some way to be aggressive, whether for protection or criminal gain. Should a dog be banned because of these people, or are we better off dealing with the root of the problem which are these owners? A gun will only shoot if a person pulls the trigger.

It is stories like yours that add to the fuel the media and the Liberal government has already stirred up the public into scare tactics of these misunderstood breeds. The more this is done, then lives like mine and other such as myself are being effected. I can not simply replace one dog with another that understands me and my health problem to the efficiency of 3 1/2 years training we have already under gone.

You forget children that have grown up with their family pet. Should we be like Denver and snatch away their innocent, loving pets from them? How do you explain to a child that has never seen anything but love and loyalty from their pet and best friend, that their dog must be murdered (yes! I said murdered!) because of it's breed? Is this humane? Who is suppose to be civilized?

A dog is a dog and all dogs can bite. Small breeds have been known to kill.

Perhaps you would prefer us to live as in Italy with 94 breeds banned, even the little Welsh Corgi and miniature collie. Do you own a dog? It's probably on their list.

I would suggest prior to you writing, you gain some background of what you are talking about. At leash show you have done some sort of research to back up your story.

Yours truly,
Conners