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SeeBee,
It's not INTRACTABILITY, it's AFFORDABILITY. I resent your assertions that I'm putting MY dogs at risk just because I can't AFFORD to run out and hire contractors to build a fortress around my property since pit bulls entered the neighborhood. NO, my dogs do NOT get out via the front fence (the back fence is 6 foot.) I have thorny rosebushes along my 4 foot fence. I am disabled and on a fixed income. I can afford to take care of myself and mine but I CANNOT afford to react to neighbors' stupidity and their vicious dogs.
When I went out to dump trash in the trash toter in the street this evening, out ran the pitbulls barking and growling at me. Thank God a neighbor came out to help me and he yelled at the owner, too, who was outside the whole time. I was going to go over and speak with the owner but the dogs were still loose. He still didn't contain the dogs -- all he did was yell and swear at them. NO WAY was I going to risk getting bitten. Animal control will get another call from me tomorrow.
Now I suppose you'll suggest that everyone else in the neighborhood should get enclosed "popemobiles" to accommodate the pitbulls when we need to take out the trash.
You can defend pitbulls all you want, but when you try to make me out to be some sort of neglectful pet owner, my eyes glaze over. THE POINT IS that dogs like this should NOT be allowed in a residential neighborhood. If people want to own them, they need to move out where no one will be at risk if their precious pits get out.
For once we agree, Teatime! The idea that WE should have to protect ourselves and our pets from dogs that have no reason to exist is ridiculous.
And it IS the breed AND the owner. These people who say I F this or that happens and IF the owner is responsible and I F , I F IF, and the reality is that IF pit bulls are outlawed less people will be maimed and killed.
Yes, pit bull owners should move out , way out in the country where it's perfectly legal to shoot dogs that harrass livestock or wildlife
SeeBee,
It's not INTRACTABILITY, it's AFFORDABILITY. I resent your assertions that I'm putting MY dogs at risk just because I can't AFFORD to run out and hire contractors to build a fortress around my property since pit bulls entered the neighborhood. NO, my dogs do NOT get out via the front fence (the back fence is 6 foot.) I have thorny rosebushes along my 4 foot fence. I am disabled and on a fixed income. I can afford to take care of myself and mine but I CANNOT afford to react to neighbors' stupidity and their vicious dogs.
When I went out to dump trash in the trash toter in the street this evening, out ran the pitbulls barking and growling at me. Thank God a neighbor came out to help me and he yelled at the owner, too, who was outside the whole time. I was going to go over and speak with the owner but the dogs were still loose. He still didn't contain the dogs -- all he did was yell and swear at them. NO WAY was I going to risk getting bitten. Animal control will get another call from me tomorrow.
Now I suppose you'll suggest that everyone else in the neighborhood should get enclosed "popemobiles" to accommodate the pitbulls when we need to take out the trash.
You can defend pitbulls all you want, but when you try to make me out to be some sort of neglectful pet owner, my eyes glaze over. THE POINT IS that dogs like this should NOT be allowed in a residential neighborhood. If people want to own them, they need to move out where no one will be at risk if their precious pits get out.
My statements were in response to your saying you should not have to do any kind of adjustments to your arrangements. You did not say that you could not afford to fix your fence. Those are two completely different things. Please do not try and turn this discussion into something it was not.
You spoke about one thing, that you SHOULDN'T HAVE to do anything. Did I not agree with you several times? My comments on what you wrote were logical responses to your statements.
Again, these "helldogs" as you called them, "run out" and bark and growl at you, and the owner did not contain them. Were they on your property? And, you were frightened. Forget animal control, teatime, call the police. I guarantee you, if an officer saw what you are inferring happened, those would be dead dogs.
I think you are so angry, that you are misreading, or not reading these posts in their entirety. All of this has already been gone over.
P.S.: Popemobiles? Hmm...you might have something there
THE POM was the one racing up and down the other side of the fence, barking and creating a scene.
LOL. When I had my rottys, behind a six ft. fence, my neighbors little dog would get out of their yard come over and run my fence like that then happy he created a scene would turn and go back home. It was kind of funny, but if it had been the other way around im sure I would have been in big trouble.
All dogs can do a great deal of harm if they are not kept under control. There was a Pomeranian that killed a child... there are many, many other examples...
When bad dog laws are passed, it doesn't just effect a few owners. All dog owners are effected. I moved from a city where their dog laws were so extreme that a dog could be considered "vicious" for barking over the fence - even if provoked... The police there shot a child's dog in their own yard, because it growled at them.... You had to live in fear of accusation - which is all it took to lose your dog.
Teatime said that her dog had retrieved someone's small dog. Even though nothing happened, if there were extreme dog laws on the books - her dog could have been taken from her... and worse... The fact that she's a responsible, loving owner would make no difference in a court of law. All that has to be proven is that something happened. There are no grey areas. Something happened, it can be proven... "you're guilty". The end. And, talk about expensive... lawyers cost about $200 per hour. But, the truth is... you're wasting your time and your money. They write these laws in a way that they can not be defended against.
All of the people that are asking for BSL need to understand that along with it comes bad dog laws that have many unintended consequences. Under the law, a tiny scratch is equal to a mauling... When they start taking away personal property and equal protection under the law - where will it stop?
I moved away from that BSL town to a rural area where most people let their dogs run free. I now have a neighbor whose large dog has bitten three people that were at my house for various reasons. I've spoken to them about their dog.. (the dog is sweet and gentle to me and to all of the neighbors). It appears that this particular large dog has also exhibited this behavior on other people's property... The owner refuses to build a fence or to confine him. There are delivery people who refuse to deliver to one of my neighbors because of our neighbor's large dog. When I have work done, I go find their dog and chain him at their house to protect their dog - and to keep him from doing anything. All of the neighbors are protecting that dog because it's owner will not... (None of us should be doing what we're doing for this dog, I know)
Teatime, my point is that if this were any other large breed dog, you would feel the same way about the behavior that is being exhibited toward your dogs, on your property... It seems to me that we, dog owners, should try to leave the breed out of the discussion - whenever we can.
All dog owners must be held responsible for their dogs... If the owners are not controlling their dogs, call animal control. But, please, let's deal with individual cases and not whole breeds! Dog owners need to understand that these laws won't stop with just one breed... YOUR dog may be next!
It really shouldn't be about the breed of the dog, it is always about the owners...
Last edited by World Citizen; 06-06-2008 at 09:10 AM..
Why, after reading all 64 posts again, I do believe we're going in circles here?
I think we all should agree that any pet owner should be responsible and contain, protect and train their dog no matter the breed, and that no one should have to make concessions for any one breed of dog, cat or turtle.
Past that, I can't see where we're making progress. Aggression is aggression no matter what, and there are different types of aggression that cannot be compared.
I'm going to close this thread pending all of the moderators reviewing it. I adore you all and appreciate your contributions to all threads. Deeg, Riveree and I will try to come up with a way to have these discussions without criss-crossing the same ground every week or so.
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