Misconception of Pit Bulls

1221 Words5 Pages
If you saw a Pit Bull being walked by its owner at your local park, how would you react? Would you cringe at the thought of the monstrous thing and stay out of its way, or would you be compelled to ask if you may pet this wonderful, misunderstood creature? The general public would be afraid of the dog. However, the properly educated portion of the human race knows better than to conform to popular belief and succumb to the mass hysteria regarding this breed without first doing research of their own. Most people shudder at the thought or sight of a Pit Bull and consider them vicious atrocities, but I will show that Pit Bulls are innocent and really are just misunderstood. I would like to give some facts, dispel some myths, and show the side of the breed that the media chooses not to tell. American Pit Bull Terriers were first introduced during World War I and World War II. The job of the Pit Bull was to deliver messages back and forth across the battlefield. Pit Bulls were first bred to bait bulls and bears as a sport back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but soon became more commonly used as house pets due to their friendliness towards people (Brom, 1987-09, p.14). This indeed should open up society’s eyes to Pit Bulls not being an aggressive breed simply because they became more commonly used as pets, and they once represented The United States of America by serving in wars. Many of us base our opinions on what we hear in the media; we hear that Pit Bulls are overly aggressive, prone to biting, and in general should be banned as a breed. The court cases are squarely to blame for this breeds misconception of being a terror. The highest court in Maryland has held that all pit bull and cross-bred pit bull dogs are "inherently dangerous" as a matter of law and imposed strict liability on all persons who own, harbor, or control such dogs if they know or
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