The real face of pit bull laws
By Christie Keith
February 11, 2008
I feel bad slipping this in here among all the Westminster reporting from Kim, which I’m otherwise enjoying very much, but it broke my heart and I don’t want to suffer alone tonight.
From K9, a British dog magazine, one of the best arguments against breed-specific legislation I’ve ever read, in the form of one animal control officer’s life-changing experience with Britain’s pit bull ban. Her name is Celine Jacobs, and she told this story:
The other day I had to do something that went against everything I have ever strived for, I took a lovely, young, healthy dog to the vets and I had it put to sleep, the reason for this was that he had been identified by an expert as being a Pit Bull type.
When the expert identified the dog yesterday I thought my heart would break, without an owner to fight the dog’s case the law says we have to destroy them. For seven years I have been a dog warden and for seven years I have never put a dog to sleep that wasn’t on the advice of a vet due to illness or injury.
Red was a stray. He couldn’t help the fact that his genetics and appearance categorised him as dangerous. He was young, healthy and apparently very friendly.
Red showed no signs of aggression with people or other dogs, and yet England’s breed specific laws against pit bull-type dogs meant he had to die. The morning of his death, Celine took him out of his kennel, took him for a five mile walk, and let him run and chase a ball in a secure field until he was exhausted, after which she took him out for a junk food meal. Then she held him in her arms while he was killed.
When we went in to the vets his tail was still wagging and he sat there licking my face and licking the tears of my face, he didn’t know I was going to have him killed. I held him all the time and he slipped away in my arms quietly, I held him even when he was dead and sobbed my heart out.
Now I feel empty, I feel like I have finally been beaten and that all I have ever tried to do has been broken, I wanted to dedicate my life to saving dogs and now I have killed a fit, healthy, happy dog and I don’t think I can live with it or continue to work as a Dog Warden.
I know a lot of people think dog wardens enjoy killing dogs, I have never been so miserable or felt that what I was doing so wrong. Now I feel that I hate people, I hate the law and I hate my job. The only small thing that has kept me from falling completely apart over this is the fact that at least I know no one can hurt him now, he will never be thrown in a pit and ripped to pieces and no one will ever abuse him or beat him. I hope he enjoyed his morning with me before he went. I know that I had to do this as it is the law and it is what my job entails, as a dog lover however it is heart breaking.
Read the story. Fight BSL.
This stomach-turning story of traumatic and outright animal cruelty is in such shocking contrast to the celebrations of this day at Westminster!
I, too, truly love dog shows and have been enjoying Kim’s reporting.
However, I share Celine’s and your pain over this barbaric event. Tonight you aren’t suffering alone, Christie, as I know I’ll be up for a long time pondering how very wrong those laws are and seriously wondering about the sanity of the people who make and support them. It’s just not ethical. Certainly not humane. RIP Red. You didn’t deserve it and we know it. WE loved you.
The Free Dictionary shows more than one meaning to the word “celebrate.” There is the familiar “To observe (a day or event) with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing” that is taking place at the Garden this week.
But…
There is another meaning given to “celebrate” and that is: **”To make widely known; display: ‘a determination on the author’s part to celebrate . . . the offenses of another’ William H. Pritchard.’**
**So “CELEBRATE” THE OFFENSES OF BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION! Yes, fight BSL! Be a crusader for all the Reds of the world.**
When BSL loses, we will celebrate again, big time.
From “The Free Dictionary” —
cel·e·brate (sl-brt)
v. cel·e·brat·ed, cel·e·brat·ing, cel·e·brates
v.tr.
1. To observe (a day or event) with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing. See Synonyms at observe.
2. To perform (a religious ceremony): celebrate Mass.
3. To extol or praise: a sonnet that celebrates love.
4. To make widely known; display: “a determination on the author’s part to celebrate . . . the offenses of another” William H. Pritchard.
Comment by Nadine L. — February 12, 2008 @ 12:02 am
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing this Christie! It’s stories like this that make me want to give the term “Pit Bull fight” a whole new meaning. When people hear that phrase spoken, they should be thinking about the owners standing behind their Pit Bulls, doing the fighting they cant do for themselves, in the courts and in the city council! Watch us bear our teeth and and fight for justice!
Comment by Hot Springs Pit Bull Alliance — February 12, 2008 @ 1:50 am
So unfair and made me cry. The author is brave to tell of this and hopefully this will help change things in the future. Sadly the love this dog had even briefly is more than some of the overpopulation pets have.
Comment by rose-aka the Drew fan club — February 12, 2008 @ 3:38 am
There are no words…
Meanwhile Michael Vick, who directly contributed to giving “Pit Bulls” their undeserved reputation, gets to keep his millions.
Comment by slt — February 12, 2008 @ 6:48 am
RIP Red. You deserved so much better.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — February 12, 2008 @ 7:17 am
Exactly the same thing happens in Denver hundreds of times a year, and in shelters all across America 10’s of thousands of times a year To the applause of HSUS and PETA and the ignorant among us.
Tragic and cruel. Unjustified and unnecessary
Comment by EmilyS — February 12, 2008 @ 8:25 am
This story really moved me. I am woefully uneducated about the laws, but it really makes me sad that people like Celine and many other animal service workers have to go through something as difficult as this. I can’t imagine how tough it would be to take a happy, healthy dog to be euthanized on the sole point of the breed.
Comment by Tammy — February 12, 2008 @ 8:58 am
Tears for Red and Celine. What a woman to fill his last day with fun and treats.
Comment by kb — February 12, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
We are fighting BSL here in Minnesota and a friend sent me a link to this. I am sobbing in my coffee and now more determined than ever to make sure that this abomination does not get passed in my state. Thanks for sharing this sad, sad story and bravo to Celine for speaking out.
LL (“mom” to two herding dogs)
Comment by The Lady Logician — February 20, 2008 @ 8:10 am
LL -
I found an article from a rescue group about the proposed bill in Minnesota with very telling facts and some suggestions on what you can do.
http://www.homewardboundrescue.com/bsl.html
Comment by Nadine L. — February 20, 2008 @ 10:12 am