Post by RealPitBull on Feb 2, 2012 11:50:13 GMT -5
www.stuff.co.nz/national/6358612/SPCA-boss-angers-pit-bull-owners
Angry pit bull owners are biting back over comments made by the SPCA that the breed is bad to the bone.
SPCA Executive Director Bob Kerridge last week said pit bulls are the exception to the rule that dogs are not born bad.
"The pit bull is the exception to the way we talk about dogs. No dogs are born bad, except pit bulls - owners make them bad," he said.
Kerridge was responding to a spate of dog attacks.
Six children have been attacked by dogs in the last month - at least three by pit bulls or pit bull crosses.
Fans of the breed say Kerridge's comments are misleading and many have taken to SPCA Auckland's Facebook page to make their point.
One poster says the dogs are being punished for trying to please their owners.
Another states: "I don't understand how the SPCA can allow him to speak like this about the breed, simply based on his own views."
The messages have prompted SPCA Auckland to issue a statement.
"No dog will be considered for adoption if we believe it may pose a risk to the community by virtue of behaviour, temperament or the... Potential to cause serious harm or injury.
"The Auckland SPCA considers the risks associated with adopting Pit Bulls or Pit Bull crosses too high given the Dog Control Act declares them to be dangerous and we believe we have a duty of care to the community."
Karen Batchelor of the American Pit bull Terrier Association says Australian and American SPCAs run pit bull adoption programmes and believes Kerridge's comments would find little support from veterinarian associations.
"No breed of dog ever deserved this wrap and over the years it's been rottweilers, dobermans, german sheppards, and before then, believe it or not, newfoundlands and even bloodhounds have been the 'demon dogs' of the day.
"Unfortunately for pit bulls it's been very enduring and they've remained the dog du jour in the media hype for very much longer and they've suffered very much more. "
She says Kerridge's comments are misleading.
"This is the only reason the public is terrified and won't adopt the poor little buggers is because they're scared of them because of the hype."
Batchelor admits anyone mauled by a pit bull is going to get hurt.
"But the same applies if you're going to be mauled by a labrador or a german sheppard.
"And in fact german sheppards and rottweliers have been proven to bite harder than pit bulls simply because they've got bigger biting gear."
Ad Feedback Kerridge says he has taken a consistent stand on the issue for more than 20 years.
He says pit bulls were bred as a fighting dog and consequently have developed into a unpredictable breed trained to kill.
He says all SPCA dogs are temperament tested but the organisation is not willing to risk adopting out the breed because of its unpredictability.
"It would be irresponsible to let them loose into the community, and I for one would not like to be placed in the position of having to apologise to the parents of a mauled child for a dog I allowed into their home."
Kerridge says in the past he has received death threats for his position and says some pit bull owners responding to his stance have been "as aggressive as their dogs".
He says for every report disputing the aggressiveness of the pit bull there are news stories of dog-attack victims mauled by the breed.
Angry pit bull owners are biting back over comments made by the SPCA that the breed is bad to the bone.
SPCA Executive Director Bob Kerridge last week said pit bulls are the exception to the rule that dogs are not born bad.
"The pit bull is the exception to the way we talk about dogs. No dogs are born bad, except pit bulls - owners make them bad," he said.
Kerridge was responding to a spate of dog attacks.
Six children have been attacked by dogs in the last month - at least three by pit bulls or pit bull crosses.
Fans of the breed say Kerridge's comments are misleading and many have taken to SPCA Auckland's Facebook page to make their point.
One poster says the dogs are being punished for trying to please their owners.
Another states: "I don't understand how the SPCA can allow him to speak like this about the breed, simply based on his own views."
The messages have prompted SPCA Auckland to issue a statement.
"No dog will be considered for adoption if we believe it may pose a risk to the community by virtue of behaviour, temperament or the... Potential to cause serious harm or injury.
"The Auckland SPCA considers the risks associated with adopting Pit Bulls or Pit Bull crosses too high given the Dog Control Act declares them to be dangerous and we believe we have a duty of care to the community."
Karen Batchelor of the American Pit bull Terrier Association says Australian and American SPCAs run pit bull adoption programmes and believes Kerridge's comments would find little support from veterinarian associations.
"No breed of dog ever deserved this wrap and over the years it's been rottweilers, dobermans, german sheppards, and before then, believe it or not, newfoundlands and even bloodhounds have been the 'demon dogs' of the day.
"Unfortunately for pit bulls it's been very enduring and they've remained the dog du jour in the media hype for very much longer and they've suffered very much more. "
She says Kerridge's comments are misleading.
"This is the only reason the public is terrified and won't adopt the poor little buggers is because they're scared of them because of the hype."
Batchelor admits anyone mauled by a pit bull is going to get hurt.
"But the same applies if you're going to be mauled by a labrador or a german sheppard.
"And in fact german sheppards and rottweliers have been proven to bite harder than pit bulls simply because they've got bigger biting gear."
Ad Feedback Kerridge says he has taken a consistent stand on the issue for more than 20 years.
He says pit bulls were bred as a fighting dog and consequently have developed into a unpredictable breed trained to kill.
He says all SPCA dogs are temperament tested but the organisation is not willing to risk adopting out the breed because of its unpredictability.
"It would be irresponsible to let them loose into the community, and I for one would not like to be placed in the position of having to apologise to the parents of a mauled child for a dog I allowed into their home."
Kerridge says in the past he has received death threats for his position and says some pit bull owners responding to his stance have been "as aggressive as their dogs".
He says for every report disputing the aggressiveness of the pit bull there are news stories of dog-attack victims mauled by the breed.