Pit bulls, other breeds banned in military housing

BSL is a terrible idea! There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. My 2 yr old uses our Pits like ponies and will ride them around the house. They are amazing dogs! They weren't tagged nanny dogs for no reason. My husband and I were forced to buy a home off base in order to keep our beloved babies. For those of you that think all members of a certain breed are bad, I would hate to be near you if I were a different race than you! You are nothing but a racist bigot! "Any animal can be made vicious, if he were human you would treat him as the victim"

I am sorry Sarah Smith but you are WRONG! That one dog you know was treated wrong. I have had pits my entire life and I am 25. Out of the 3 I have had not ONE has attacked, biten, or been vicious with ANYONE! In fact they are and have been the best dogs I have owned. Our dog now is amazing with our 6 month old son. Yes I know they like ANY animal can be mean BUT just because that person did not train their dog properly does not mean anything towards those of us who do. Scooby is more playful and friendly with kids than any of the little ankle biters in our neighborhood! You need to realize ANY animal has the potential to lash out, it is all in HOW they are trained and treated! I am sorry but it is wrong to ban any of these breeds. They are a breed that gives a sense of protection. They are protective over their families and their property as is any dog! Sarah, talk to those neighbors of yours and tell them to take care of those dogs they CHOSE to have. Not to mention, they haven't attacked your child, they ALMOST did, maybe make sure your child isnt on their property. Any dog will bark or whatever if someone is on their territory until they know the person is not harmful!

Wow. I just joined the Army and was told flat out by my recruiter that my child (Male Doberman) would be coming with my wife and I no problem. Needless to say I am schocked and apalled by this article. My wife is a beautiful young woman and I find solace with the fact that while I wil be away from her for extended periods of time my Doberman will awallys be there protecting her. This is a scary world we now live in just look at all the freaks and crazzies on the news. If they have a problem I WILL NOT live on base. The only way someone is taking my dog is from my cold dead hands. To ban the Doberman I think is extra ludicrus. Knowing thier history the Doberman has its own monument in Japan where these fearless dogs saved hundereds of Marines lives! They served for our country and died and this is how we treat them??? This is so stupid that it makes me sick!! I for one am going to see how we can fight this BS...

You know it really upsets me that the reason everyone wants pits banned is because a child got bit here or this person got bit there when in reality dogs are just like people, you never know what Anyone is going to do. It's so racist against the breed. There are grown men out there that have hurt kids too. Should we ban all men to stay away from kids because of this?? Does that mean that every man is going to attack a child. I know of a few people that have been killed by horses, should they be banned as well?? This is just rediculouse. I don't understand it at all. I have had two diffrent pits in the last 5 years. The first was a stray we took in and she was the best dog i have ever had. Loved my kids, my baby girl used to fall asleep with her curled up next to her on the couch. Tragicaly she died in surgery. We now have another pit which we've had since she was a puppy and due to closed minded people who can't see things how they really are we can't move on base with our dog. Who is a part of our family. We are the only family she has ever known and now she has to leave us. My kids are heart broken. Could you imagine having to tell your kids you have to get rid of there best friend. Its awful. I just wish people would stop seing what they want to see and put them selves in our shoes.

I believe this decision was based upon a pit bull attacking and killing a three year old child here at Camp Lejeune. My husband is an MP and was at the scene that day. The dog that attacked had lived with this family for years and was a trusted and loved member of that family. Another dog was also in the house that day and the pit bull was "playing" with it, instead it turned and attacked the child that it loves and trusts. THIS is the reason that this breed is considered dangerous. A child is dead. Tragic. People here raise and sell this breed because it's considered a "manly" dog to own. Forgive me if I'm glad this new rule is in place to protect human children.

I can now honestly say that I am an Army wife. I gained two furry friends when I got married, then again he sort of gained three of mine. In combination we have a Eskie mix { rescued}, a White German Shepherd {rescued}, a Black Lab {rescued} and two Am. Stffie's who are blood sisters but come from different litters. My WGSD, Black Lab, and the older Stffie all have their CGC. Their Canine Good Citizen! If any aggression is displayed the dog is not tested, that goes towards people, trainer, instructor or other dogs.
I have rescued over 300 animals by fostering for them and getting them adopted. I have dog trained as an assistant dog trainer, And I owe {obviously} my own loves.
I have never seen our older Am. Stffie show any aggression. I trust her with my son to be 2 year old son and 8 month old son. She is wonderful. The best dog I have seen in a long time. I know I will never have a dog as great as her again. And to blame the breed on incidents that have occured and not to look at the owner or even if that owner has trained the dog is wrong.
If Bernese Mt. Dogs were raised for some aggressive issue rather than Dobie, Rotties, GSD's, Pits, or Am. Staffies then the Bernese Mt. Dog would be in these other breeds category of "evil". It seems because these breed of dogs have had a past due to incidences that we as people, we as owners have put them in that they should now be punished for our no hold on regulation breeding from the past. I guess you can litterally say that the past has bitten us where it hurts.
We have bred these dogs to be what they are { or at least our deceased ancestors did for sport, to prove a point as far as who was tougher and to gamble}. And, it's up to the responsible parties to guide, to teach and to be better informed about the breeds we have.
However, I truly wonder if we get the idea of not messing with nature. But, then I see Puggles, Labradoodles, Misnkies,Pekiwa's, and I know we haven't stopped the stupid un- informed breeding.
That's your issue- to stop breeding. It's too bad there can't be a law that says you want to breed do the homework, do the classes , become educated not stupid! get a breeding license.
This would help stop the puppy mills, and help with the pet population that is over flowing with irresponsibilities!
These breeds that you would like to punish or hold responsible shouldn't be, they are doing what they have been taught to do. They are doing what are ancestors have created the breed to do, to be and it's up to us now to reeducate the breed.
This starts with education and respect and of course responsibility.

Well I live on Army housing and My neighbors dog bit 4 people the bites were never reported. and it was a mutt. No bull dog in it they now have a nippy basset , since they hurried up and pts the other dog after it attacked a child getting off the school bus. I was bit by a black lab my son was mauled and had over 50 stitches all over his body by a German Shepperd tell me which of those dogs are Bullys???? So yes I live in Army housing mam and I love the bully breeds . the only problem we are having is with dogs that are not trained by their owners . Each dog should be taken care of on a case by case basis.

To Sarah Smith, I am an Army Wife, and my doberman falls under this breed ban, I have also owned and rescued pits. You are focusing your frustration, on a breed, NOT where it belongs, which is the owners. My daughter was chased down and bitten by a lab mix on base because it spent its entire pathetic existence in a outdoor kennel with no attention. My daughters friend was bitten by a bull mastiff, yet these breeds are not on the list. We are moving off base instead of giving up our rescued family member. For you civilians: If the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT can do a blanket policy breed ban, How long before they come for your dogs. The fact that they are trying to take the one thing that is constant and centering to me and my kids during deployments, is appalling.

All I can say is, SHAME ON THEM for participating in the cruel and ignorant world of BSL. One qoute I love is: Don't Train Them DONT BLAME THEM! If they could educate and enforce more on the importance of training and socialization I wouldn't have a problem, but banning an entire breed for some other owners actions is down right wrong-Where's the Justice? As many have already commented, why are we taking our war hero's best friends away??? Most people who I meet with negative feelings about these breeds have never met them, or if they had, it was "our neighbors dog", you know, the neighbors who chain up their dog and don't properly take care of them! All dogs are the same in my book; they're all the same species-DOGS-Man's Best Friend, no matter what breed they are!!

All we need to do is look at other area historical data that have enacted breed bans to learn they they are not a successful solution to protecting the public from "dangerous dogs." Most bans are costly and ineffective. Breed bans usually effect LAW ABIDING citizens first, who turn in their family pets and these are not the dogs that are problematic. Irresponsible dog owners are likely to be just as irresponsible about following the new breed ban. There will always be a breed of dog that irresposible owners will be attracted to. To enact a breed ban to solve irresponsible dog ownership is like ..if you have a flat tire on your car, rotate the tires and drive it away and wonder why it doesn't work. You've made an effort in a totally ineffective way. Until we put the real blame where it is due, we do nothing but give irresponsible dog owners a right of way to get another breed of dog that we can later add to an ever growing list of banned breeds of dogs.

I own two beautiful part pit bull girls. They are the best dogs I have ever owned and they have never made an aggressive move toward another animal or a human. As a society we must stop blaming the dogs and putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of irresponsible dog owners, no matter what the breed! It is too bad in this country we are always REACTIVE instead of PROACTIVE.

I would like to help out and get these pit bulls into homes and out of shelters. I used to live in Colorado Springs CO(home of lots of military bases) and so many pit bulls were in the local shelters and no one wanted to adopt them so they were put down. I work with no-kill shelters here in Springfield IL and I think they would like to work to adopt these pit bulls out. I have a pit bull already and I dont have a fenced in yard or I would be adopting more. There isn't a military base here in Springfield so any ideas? I don't really want to travel like to say back to Colorado Springs to help but I would travel to Chicago. So please contact me at hollygolighty9@aol.com

Thanks again
Jennifer

just as a side note does anyone know how to contact someone at petfinder.com? I tried pets@petfinder.com but they gave me someone who doesn't know much. I won 2nd place in the thanksgiving tails contest which ended Dec 19 and have yet to receive my prizes. They told me the prizes were sent Feb 13 but no prizes yet. They cannot even give me a tracking number.

Thanks

Thanks. Banning Breeds is wrong. There are wonderful dogs.

The only suggestion I can make is to create a licensing system for potential owners of the "dangerous" types. They would have to demonstrate a level of understanding and have a background check as well.

Angelo

http://www.PleaseFeedTheDog.com

in most cases you don't have to live in military housing, you can live off base, alot of people choose to do so, we have often done that because we have had three pets in the past and housing only alllows two.
military personnel required to live on base usually are in barracks and aren't allowed pets at all, like most college dormitories.

I am 100% against breed bans. Land of the free and home of the brave? How could our government ask our brave military men and women to fight for our country and then say, 'by the way, you have to get rid of your best friend'? I find it ironic that we fight wars against other countries that discriminate against one another. We speak strongly against genocide because it is wrong. How can we damn others for something that we do ourselves. The military is discriminating against a breed and are leaving some owners with no choice but to surrender their beloved pet to the pound. This could very well lead to doggie genocide.
I am proud to say that we recently adopted a pitt bull that was abused and used to breed other dogs for fighting. She bears the scars on her face and legs. Most of her teeth were broken or knocked out to keep her from attacking the stud dog.
Despite her past, Maggie is a sweet heart who loves people and gets along with our 2 dachshunds. The only way she could ever harm someone is by licking too much! She has so much love to give and I am glad she is a part of our family!

I can't believe this I am active duty Military and to hear that my pitbull could be forced out of housing for a crime she didn't commmit is disgusting. A few years ago it was rottweilers people have had to be afraid of now it's pitbulls, let the witch hunt begin.

I am totally against banning breeds anywhere! I am always saddened when I hear of attacks on humans... especially children. But it isn't the dogs fault. Seems to me the better answer is to stop irresponsible owners from having pets. I would be upset if my child had almost been attacked however the answer is not to ban the dogs but stop the bad neighbors adn owners. One would expect in the military that there should be a higher moral and behavioral code. If you have someone in the military not treating or taking care of an animal well it is a sign of something more going on.

i am disgusted. the very first decorated war dog was a pit. they are the only breed of dog bred to be human friendly and if placed with a responsible guardian and well socialized they have the best disposition with people. pits fought for us and protected us, now it is our turn to do the same for them. i just wish people could see that we need to ban aggressive or potentially aggressive OWNERS, rather than highly misunderstood dogs.

I am an Air Force wife. We live in military housing. I FULLY SUPPORT BANNING CERTAIN BREEDS FROM HOUSING. My son has almost been attack 3 times by our nieghbors Pits. They don't care that thier animal is vicious and hates children. This isn't the first time we have had problmes with Pits. Poeple buys these animals, treat them badly and then the nieghborhood is left to deal with them. I say FINALLY someone is doing something to protect us. Military housing is NOT a place for these animals.

If you have never lived in Military housing, then how can you say it is wrong to ban these breeds. Do you know that many countries in Europe have already banned these vicious breeds?

It seems the military is forgetting about Sergeant Stubby, the WWI pit bull who warned his platoon about impending gas attacks and even caught a German spy.

I am absolutely sickened by the military ban on breeds. It never occurred to me that the military would turn their backs on Stubby the most decorated and first military service dog. Stubby also helped start Americas first police dog organization, all this from a pit bull. If this BSL disease can spread to our military it can spread anywhere, maybe even become a national law. What happened to liberty. If the government can take away your dog for no good reason what else can they do, whats next? We have to find a better way to combat this attack on freedom. How can any intelligent person be so misled and pass laws that punish innocent pet owners and murder innocent pets. If this idiocy continues to choke out liberty by punishing people and their dogs for crimes that haven't even happened and just for what dog breed you have or are, this will lead to prosecuting citizens for crimes they might commit or their psych,profile says they could be capable of. Breed specific legislation is much much more of a risk than we have previously thought. We as a free nation must look at the possible result of loss of freedom in the near future BSL may set in motion

Thank you Bethany -- this is an excellent, excellent article. I'm adding it to the original post.

http://network.bestfriends.org/stopbsl/news/32074.html has a list of ways people can come together and fight this decision. It's such a shame but maybe people can fight against it.