Pit Bull Education 5

Well, here we are; we have arrived at the topic of dog fighting. It is not my favorite subject, but one cannot have a discussion about pit bulls and not bring this to light...so here we go: The real American Pit Bull is 100% opposed to dog fighting. Dog fighting is a disgusting, heinous human endeavor, an abusive act perpetrated against dogdom, and there is NEVER any excuse for dog fighting.

The HSUS offers a $5000 reward for reporting dog fighting in your area. (Must lead to arrest/conviction) 202-452-1100, call it, make a difference.

To help you identify possible offenders, here is a list of what to look for; signs of cruelty include: Scars, (on males the scars will mostly be on their heads, faces and chests, on the females look for them on their backs.) Cropped ears and tails on the males, sharpened teeth on the males and no teeth on the females, and over bred females.

Some paraphernalia to look for include: home made treadmills, (dogs are often made to run on these for hours at a time, while a bait animal hags in front of them), rape racks, (can't have those females fighting back...), a break stick, (usually the end of a shovels' wooden handle, this is used to pry and hold open the dogs mouth for fileing or removing teeth), and indoor/outdoor carpet. This last one generally makes up the floor of the dog fight ring. It serves two major purposes. One being that you can see the blood on it, and this is a means of 'scoring'. The second being that it can be picked up and taken away quickly, leaving no evidence. Dog fighters actually hold drills to see how fast they can pick up their ring and get out before authorities arrive.

Other paraphernalia includes: small bait animals, pain medication/veterinary supplies, (this one always surprises people...you see fights don't always end in death, and these animals are very valuable to the people who fight them, they make them a lot of money, so when the fight is called, they will preform crude veterinary procedures on their dogs to attempt to save them or 'fix them up', remember that these people have no veterinary training!) steroids, small files and long knotted ropes on springs are also on the list. The last item is hung from a tree, and the dog then jumps, bites and hangs.

Dog fighting is a FELONY in ALL 50 STATES! In 24 states it is a felony to be a spectator, spectating is illegal in the remaining states except for Montana and Hawaii. In those two states you are not breaking any laws by witnessing a dog fight. (Hopefully they will get on board soon!)

At the beginning of this post I commented on the 'real' pit bull, so what is a real pit bull?

The real American Pit Bull terrier is human friendly, has strength, confidence and a zest for life. They are intelligent, trainable, determined and have a great sense of humour. They are all in all a great dog. I am in no way suggesting that everyone go out and adopt a pit today, (although that would be nice!) as the breed is not for everyone. My biggest hope is to see prejudices dropped and minds and hearts opened, and I will strive toward this goal every day of my life. With your help, we can make a difference, so please pass my blog on to all of your friends and family and help me spread the truth!

Thanks again for reading! Next time in Pit Bull Education 6 we will go over some training tips, and the conclusion of my pit bull education series.....