Canine racial profiling

[tailfins]

www.esquire.com/features/american-dog-0814

Every year, American shelters have to kill about 1.2 million dogs. But both pro- and anti-pit-bull organizations estimate that of these, anywhere from 800,000 to nearly 1 million are pit bulls. We kill anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 pit bulls a day.

Here is an interesting quote in the comments section:

Kris Aubuchon · Top Commenter · Art InstituteReally spot-on with the article — my adopted pit-mix was recently attacked by an off-leash Chihuahua; it was terrifying because it was clear that the Chihuahua was starting a fight it would not win. Had there not been other dog owners present to witness this, there's no doubt that despite having my dog on leash across the street, we would have been the bad guys.

Luckily despite having the Chihuahua by the head, I was able to break it up before anything more than a few scratches. I feared the dog's skull would have been instantly crushed.

Needless to say, having to fight your own dog for the sake of an attacker is an awful feeling. I was angry most of the day after that. My dog listened when I was pulling another dog out of its mouth — and theirs couldn't even listen while they were yelling for it as it ran towards us?

I later felt foolish for immediately apologizing to the owner of the Chihuahua for something that wasn't my fault, or my dog's fault, or even their dog's fault — it was theirs. The dogs were being dogs.
Reply · <form class="fbUpDownVoteAfterLogin" method="post" action="#" id="u_0_3f"><label class="uiLinkButton fbUpDownVoteAfterLoginOption"></label></form> · 155 · <a class="uiLinkSubtle" href="http://www.esquire.com/features/american-dog-0814?fb_comment_id=fbc_600429316722673_60053463004 5475_600534630045475" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><abbr title="Monday, July 14, 2014 at 10:25am" data-utime="1405358751">July 14 at 10:25am</abbr>


<form class="closeButtonAfterLogin" method="post" action="#" id="u_0_3g"><label class="uiCloseButton" for="u_0_n"></label></form>Brigette McShrawr-rawr · Dominican CollegeI had a similar experience. While walking my dog, a large Pit-Mix, a Maltese ran across a busy street to attack my dog. Not a smart move on his part. The owners screamed frantically for him to come back. My dog who tends to be dog aggressive while on the leash, was caught off guard enough she just moved away. I could tell by her face and tension she wasn't going to stay placid for long. When the Maltese lounged for my dog again I ended up grabbing the dog by the scruff and throwing him15 or so feet (I wasn't thinking and it was very stupid in hindsight) The owners came over before he put himself together for a 3nd attempt and started to beat him (pretty heartbreaking moment). They tried to say he was never like that and he is so good usually. I made nasty commends about stupid people having their dogs off the leash and then got out of Dodge. I can only image if my Pit had got a hold of that dog how the situation would have been different. Dogs are Dogs, owners need to protect them from themselves and others. Leashes people!

[jimnyc]

That's how my Chihuahua is. If a Pitbull is near him, he'll think he can whoop his ass. My dog is about 5lbs in Mike Tyson's body!

[Abbey Marie]

It stinks, but shelters are overcrowded and under-funded. If Pits are being euthanized in large numbers, I would guess that:

1. There are more Pits being taken into shelters than any other single breed, and/or
2. People are not adopting as many of them as they are other breeds.

Someone is breeding these dogs in greater numbers than there is demand for them. Perhaps that is where the true problem lies.