It's (Pit-) Bull!

I had never messed much with Pit-Bulls, having had only minimal exposure to them. So when I came home from Iraq and that stray 'Beagle' my Mom found turned out to be a Pitty, I was a bit apprehensive. But my children taught me different.
Liam turned into a ham and didn't like cats. She was also food aggressive. But after finding my daughter in Liam's crate, hand-feeding the both of them with Liam's food, I was convinced. While she would have bit most other people and dogs, she would always be our protector! Maybe we needed to learn to trust her; or was it only me?
When I stubbornly brought my first cat home, thinking I would have to teach Liam how to like cats, I learned another lesson: Cats are special!
Thomas O'Malley (after the Aristocats) walked into my kitchen and towards the food-aggressive, cat-hating Pit-Bull and........ Liam moved away and hid in the living room! She would eventually try him out; and become the first victim of what became the neighborhood's dog-trainer! She cornered him and walked away bloody and crying. And so did many other dogs that were to feel his anger and territorial instincts.
Liam taught me that a Pitty is a great thing. You get a highly intelligent and athletic dog that will keep you in shape and laughing. She would sleep on my bed (while I wasn't looking, since she was a pillow hogger and took up most of the space) and my daughter would sleep on top of her. It became their favorite past-time.
Liam would dog-proof my fences for me and teach me how to pick the better leashes and collars. And when we walked, I had to be the firm one holding my ground. Liam's walks were not for the faint hearted or slow people. She was always on a mission and smart enough to test my brains!
She loved company and her reactions were only recently explained to me; Send a Pit-Bull into the corner (ban him from your company) and you will punish him more severely than any other thing ever could! Liam would eat anything in frustration when she thought I had banished her from my side. When she was with me, she was an Angel!
Sadly her quest for freedom and company and her ability and stubbornness to make it out of any confinement became her downfall; one horrible day she climbed the fence and hung herself while I was at work. It taught me many bitter lessons about intelligent Pit-Bulls and fences. It broke my heart, cost me a true friend and protector of my family; and stayed with me for years! The thought that if I would have just felt better after the major dental surgery and had gone outside right after work as usual, will always stay in my mind!

One day in November, I believe, these two pathetically skinny puppies showed up at my son's friend's house. The local shelter does not adopt out Pit-Bulls. They are automatically euthanized! I am a sucker!
Wiggles was a skeleton and Ginger not much better! I fed them hourly and after a long time they started to fill out. Eventually I tried to place them, but the few that wanted Ginger (with her lovely Snickers color) were not getting the point about "No Cats!" or just didn't match. Nobody ever wanted my stunningly beautiful brindle Wiggles, who actually at that time was the sweeter one. Because she was brindle! ...People are so superficial sometimes!
While these babies never learned to live peacefully with cats and thus have to stay outside, they became a very important part of my family. Wiggles adores people, but never forgave some of my pack that they gave her a bit of a hard time occasionally. She isn't really fond of a lot of female dogs. Ginger just loves everybody.
My kids are totally save with them and they now have a good size dog run. It took a lot of stuff to make it Pitty-proof and avoid ever losing another dog. But it was worth it to see two so beautiful creatures play chase in that big run. It's roughly 70x50 and always a work in progress. But when I see some people keep these large, muscular athletes in tiny cages, I want to smack somebody! They are a beautiful sight in full speed and full play! If you love sports, you love watching them!

I personally consider it (Pit-) Bull sh.....

"Breed-specific legislation is a law or ordinance passed by a legislative body pertaining to a specific breed or breeds of domesticated animals. In practice, it generally refers to laws or ordinances pertaining to a specific dog breed or breeds.

Some jurisdictions have enacted breed-specific legislation in response to a number of well-publicized incidents involving pit bull-type dogs or other dog breeds commonly used in dog fighting, and some government organizations such as the United States Army^[1] and Marine Corps^[2] have taken administrative action as well. This legislation ranges from outright bans on the possession of these dogs to restrictions and conditions on ownership, and often establishes a legal presumption that these dogs are prima facie legally "dangerous" or "vicious." In response, some state-level governments in the United States have prohibited or restricted the ability of municipal governments within those states to enact breed-specific legislation."

Wikipedia contributors. "Breed-specific legislation." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 13 Aug. 2011. Web. 5 Sep. 2011.

I look at my babies and imagine that somebody would want to tell me that I can't have them in my life anymore! And than I look at my hands and all the scars I received from being bitten by Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Dachshunds... I never once was bitten by a Pit-Bull! But when I think about some of the, sorry, idiot owners I encountered in my life, I just can't stop myself from blaming the 'handler', not the tool!

The Hammer doesn't smash your finger! It's the One swinging it!

The Car doesn't run you over! It's the Driver!

The Gun doesn't shoot you! It's the One holding it!

So why blame the breed, but not the irresponsible owners!? Any dog can turn dangerous if mistreated or mishandled!

The pictures I saw from Michael Vick's dogs were horrible! I had seen similar pictures before, having watched "Animal Cops" for years. But to see especially the one of a dog practically ripped in pieces, it broke my heart.
I know there are still low-life creatures that consider animal fights a sport. But not even Nature itself ever showed such cruelty as we can find it between members of a race considered civilized and ...humane?!
I personally feel that those conducting dog fights are responsible in one way or another for the incidents that occur with Bully breeds! A properly raised and socialized dog will not attack, unless provoked!

The cruelty used to force such beautiful creatures to attack each other and practically tear each other apart can only come from the only species known to purposely cause pain to one-another and other species!

So should we blame the breed?! I let you judge when you look at the picture of some of the dogs that live at the Pack Ethic Sanctuary of Eric Bellows (Rescue Ink) and his crew.

If you like to see more, you have to watch some of the beautiful and inspiring 'home-videos'!

Breed Specific Legislation to me is just a result of lack of education!