Problems and Solutions Associated with Pit bull
Pits bull is a breed that is often mistaken in the society from misunderstandings. They remain misunderstood for their irresponsible adoptive owners. They are surrounded by sensational stories from the media and the rising myths. The result is breed-specific legislation (BSL) that has risen across the United States, which has restricted the adoption of pit bulls as pets. Pit bulls are the most affected by the misunderstanding. Critiques suggest that the pit bull is a dangerous breed in the society and should not be considered for companionship. They say banning pit bull protects humans from harm.
During the 1980s, pit bulls were enjoying a good reputation, for example, the world war one hero. This changed from the reports of attacks by this breed. An article that was reported by sports was the largest credit that created a new reputation for the pit bulls (Hoffman et al. 340). These reports are among the headline on the news today. There are various myths associated with pit bulls. The ASPCA,1800, made a position on pit bulls stating they are bred to hold and bite large animals. However, their perception changed when breeding of pit bulls was carried out with smaller breeds to produce the fighting breed.
Pit bulls are commonly referred to as being aggressive. This is an overstatement because the pit bulls that are reported to attack are bred mainly to fight. Today, the pit bull is bred from various varieties with a different behavior (Illopoulou et al. 340). Mellisa Pezzuto, a behavior consultant at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Kanab’ Utah, explains that aggression and viciousness is not a characteristic of any breed. Some factors lead to certain traits in pit bulls, such as lack of socialization and abuse (Hoffman et al. 330). People usually mistake Pit bulls to having powerful bite and a strong lockjaw. This trait can be associated with any breed of large dogs.
There are various ways of solving the misunderstanding of pit bulls in the society. The pit bull owners should start being responsible. The problem with pit bulls is in their owners. They should ensure they give proper training and exercise to their pit bulls (Levine et al. 190). Ensure that you set limitations, boundaries, and rules that guide the dog. Also, the pit bull should be exposed socially to children, adults, and other breeds of dogs. The outsiders should also ensure they show some distance and avoid fear when in contact with pit bulls.
The Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is taking other laws that do not focus on the breed type but the owner’s behavior. The laws should shift from discrimination of pit bulls to focus on breed-neutral laws. To enable these solutions, we should focus on the past of pit bulls. They were regarded as nanny dogs until this changed to fighting dogs (Illopoulou et al. 340). The history of pit bulls is evident enough that the breed is not the problem. Their reputation changed with the treatment they were given by humans.
In summary, People and organizations should create awareness to promote the welfare of pit bulls. These organizations are used by the locals to rescue the pit bulls into shelters or adopting them. It is the people who can stand against the misunderstood pit bull breed. To counteract this problem, people should be educated to control the biasness and fear caused by media. Gradually, pit bulls are being redeemed, and the stigma associated with the breed is fading. Together, we can make the pit bulls loveable once again.
Work cited
Iliopoulou, Maria A., Carla L. Carleton, and Laura A. Reese. “Beloved Companion or Problem Animal: The Shifting Meaning of Pit Bull.” society & animals 27.3 (2019): 327-346.
Levine, Rachel, and Justyna Poray-Wybranowska. “American bully: Fear, paradox, and the new family dog.” Otherness: Essays and Studies 5 (2016): 151-200.
Hoffman, Christy L., et al. “Is that dog a pit bull? A cross-country comparison of perceptions of shelter workers regarding breed identification.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 17.4 (2014): 322-339.