| Subject: IS THERE GENETIC PROOF DOG'S ARE DANGEROUS/WAF |
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Date Posted: 22:20:08 10/12/02 Sat
Eleven states, Florida, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, New Jersey, Minnesota, Texas, Maine, Virginia and Oklahoma all have state laws that prohibit declaring a dog dangerous by breed, and the current legislation is learning toward this theory in other states. Breed specific legislation does nothing to stop illegal activities involving dogs or anything to reduce dog bites. It has cost cities, like Cincinnati Ohio, Pontiac Michigan, Saginaw Michigan and other US cities civil action and failed to address the real issue, which is to stop irresponsible dog ownership. Which is why the above mentioned cities and other US cities have repealed BSL.
There is no scientific proof that Pit Bulls, or any other breed of dog is dangerous. The Foundation's collective experience and research has found the American Pit Bull Terrier is a "terrier" All terriers have animal prey drive, this does not make them dangerous or vicious. The breed has to be trained to fight. Although in some cases the Pit Bull is known to be a fighting dog. it was not bred for fighting. The breed comes from Europe and evolved from the 25lb Staffordshire Bull Terrier, it was originally bred for bull baiting. English and Irish immigrants imported the dogs. Unfortunately, it was discovered in the late 1800's that if trained, the dogs could be used in the inhumane sport of dog fighting. Due to federal laws passed in the 1970's prohibiting dog finghting fewer dogs are now trained for the illegal sport.
The American Pit Bull Terrier is rated as one of the top 5 breeds in this country. It is shown exclusively in the American, United Kennel Club and the American Dog Breeders Association in the Conformation and obedience ring and Weight Pull contests. According to the American Temperament Test Society (POBox 4093, St Louis, and MO 63136 Phone 314-869-6103, in the 24 years of testing over 185 breeds of dog, the Pit Bull rates at 83.1%. This is higher than the national average for all other breeds of dog. This means the Pit Bull has the best over all temperament. The ATTS tests dogs everywhere in the country, and is recognized by the AKC and UKC. The Pit Bull is used for Search and Rescue and Therapy. Our Foundation uses them along with other breeds for bite prevention and responsible ownership classes in the Washington School Districts. Two US Presidents owned Pit Bulls and countless famous people own them. In our country more families own the Pit Bull than any other dog breed in existence.
Dr. Cornelia Wagner DVM an expert on genetics from the University of Wisconsin States:
"Aggressive behavior in dogs is a species-specific trait which is firmly established genetically, because it has been highly influenced by natural selection during evolution as well as by artificial selection through man. However, the fact itself that the aggression level of members of certain breeds may be increased (or decreased) through artificial selection does not prove that aggressiveness itself is a highly hereditary trait. In most cases, dogs that are selected for higher levels of aggression are raised in a very aggression-stimulating environment, which then in turn imposes the wrong impression of a genetically based hyper-aggression. (Stur,2000) Zur Frageder besounderen Gefahrlichkeit von Hunden auf Grund der Zugehorhrigkeit zu bestimmten Rassen. http://www.hund-und-lter.de/arbeitspapiere/arbeitspapiere-uebersicht.html. In these situations environmental factors are ignored and blame for aggressiveness is placed on the genetic make-up of the dog. Blaming the genetic make-up of the dog is wrong.
(Fedderson-Peterson, D.U.(2001) Zur Biologie des aggression des Hundes, Disch Tierarzil, Wschr 108 (3),94-101, environmental and learning effects are always stronger than genetic influence. Although certain dog breeds such as the Rottweiler and American Pit Bull Terrier have the reputartion of having stronger jaws than other breeds, valuable scientific studies showing significant differences in jaw strength among breeds does not exist. In summary, the classification of dog breeds with respect to their relative danger to humans makes no sense, as both the complex antecedent conditions in which aggressive behavior occurs, and its ramifying consequences in the individual dog ecological and social environment are not considered.
There is no scientific proof that genetics cause a breed of dog to be aggressive, vicious or dangerous. Irresponsible owners are to blame for the behavior of dogs that are aggressive, vicious or dangerous. To have these four Pit Bulls destroyed would be an injustice and genocide to a specific breed of dog. The Washington Animal Foundation finds the American Pit Bull Terrier not to be a dangerous dog.
COPYRIGHTWAF2002
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