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Should Pit Bulls Be Banned?

There is a movement in our country to implement the banning of a dog breed known as the Pitt Bull Terrier, due to claims by proponents of this policy that these dogs are innately dangerous to society. A recent web poll posted on the Web-DVM, polling visitors on whether these canines should be banned, yielded the following results:

Of 172 visitors that participated in the poll,
– 35% voted Yes
– 55% voted No
– 10% voted Not Sure

Having treated literally thousands of Pit Bulls in my career as a small animal practitioner, I find this trend to be unfair and disturbing. The vast majority of Pits that I have and continue to come across in my job are friendly and gentle. Raised with love and humanity, Pits have every potential to be loving family dogs as any other popular breeds we deem socially acceptable. They are not by nature mean and violent animals, but overwhelmingly seem quite the opposite.

Pitt Bulls become a danger to society when they are purposely tormented and brutalized into being violent animals by sociopathic individuals who view the dogs as a means to elevate their status by having vicious dogs protect their property, or to make them money by cruelly fighting these animals with one another. It is the despicable human element that creates monsters where there were once innocent animals with the potential to make loving pets. Even in a pro Pitt Bull banning article written by Brian C. Anderson, on City-Journal.org, in the the third sentence of the article the author wrote this:

“Pit-bull owners had converted the little park in front of our apartment building into a dog-training ground, where they goaded their animals into attacking one another or taught them to hang from tree branches to strengthen their jaws and their tenacity. Not surprisingly, when the dogs were running wild, the neighborhood’s young mothers gathered up their children and fled.”

While the theme of this article is pro Pit Bull banning, this man clearly underscores my point that it is bad people that create the dangerous dogs.

Why must the dogs and the people that raise and love these dogs into being great family pets pay for the sins of the dregs of society that make a sport of cruelly transforming Pits into dangerous dogs? What happens to a family that absolutely loves their Pit Bull as a member of their family, when suddenly their municipality unjustly deems their dog dangerous and illegal? As heartbreaking and tragic as that may seem to those of us who love our dogs as important members of our families, that could be a reality in many towns in our country if this this trend continues.

Rather than blame the dogs for their irresponsible, often cruel treatment, we need to hold the people who mistreat them accountable for the consequences. Search and prosecution of these people needs to be more aggressive. Penalties need to be more severe, and the media needs to care more. Municipalities need to be more serious about licensing and microchipping of these dogs.

Make no mistake, if our local governments are successful in ridding our country of Pit Bulls altogether without dealing with the people that abuse these animals to do their violent bidding, the cruel people who were not ever held accountable will simply find another breed to terrorize.

Roger L. Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM

22 thoughts on “Should Pit Bulls Be Banned?

  1. Noah Richradson says:

    i think they should not be banned from places i grew up with pit bulls all my life and they are the sweetest animals if you treat them with respect.

  2. hailey says:

    Pitbulls are good dogs They are Cute, lovable, fun, Cool, and Amazing

  3. Mark says:

    As long as I have my 10mm on me not so much an issue.

    In 20+ years I have had to shoot 18 of these monsters to protect myself or others but never another breed.

    Sadly most pit bulls are like their owners think that they are entitled to hurt you but heaven help you if you protect yourself.

  4. Little L says:

    I agree with Mark. I’ve never seen such vicious attacks on other people and pets as I’ve seen from pitbull-type dogs. It’s horrific and traumatizing to the other dogs. These dogs may be well behaved in your office but outside they have a high prey instinct. You need to learn more about the history of these terriers. Bred for the specific purpose of fighting 400 years in England. They have not changed. My neighbor has a cocker spaniel who is nippy but a cocker on the attack PALES in comparison to a pitbull who has decided to attack something.

    • Jason William Walters says:

      I never heard that Bull terriers were bred just for the purpose of fighting. When the black plague was around in England the Bull terriers were put in to pit to kill the rat’s that had the black plague flea. Before that they where use as a baby nanny. Not sure where you got you info.

    • Tb1 says:

      Little L see how you said “pit bull type” dogs. When you say that, you are referring to all dogs with blocky heads, wide set eyes, and muscular bodies. There are hundreds of dog breeds that fit that description. That’s like saying that all people with dark skin are from one country. Don’t typecast anything before you know the facts.

    • Dabasoarous says:

      Dude heck no. They aren’t bred to fight, and don’t compare them to a tiny dog who can,t to anything to a child. Also, most people on media say that when other dogs attack or kill people, they blame it on these innocent creatures. Also, pitbulls usually are agressive when old age comes. When they are in a lot of pain when coming to the end od their life, they get angry at the pain and lash out, this happened with my aunt and her pits, her dogs where always so sweet, but growled at her when they got older. Also, you saying they are bred to kill is invalid. They are afected by others, otherwise they are sweet, but don’t get salty and butthurt because your wrong.❤❤

  5. JB says:

    As a witness to a pitbull attack on a horse and rider (a good frind) I wholeheartedly believe this breed of dog should be wiped off the face of the earth.

    • Caroline B says:

      Well, Mr.JB I think people like you should be wiped off the face of the earth. Ya, it isn’t really a nice thing to hear once it’s directed to u. so u should really think about what you are saying before you do.

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