The Pros And Cons Of The Banning Of Pit Bulls

American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, commonly known as “Pit Bulls”, are all breeds of dogs that are universally misunderstood. Pit Bulls are commonly seen as vicious, dangerous, and violent animals. Unfortunately, Pit Bulls are falling victim to dog racism. Over the years, Pit Bulls have gained a negative reputation, but why? For my research project, I want to address the common misconceptions that constantly follow the bully breed of dogs. Do these misconceptions come from how some owners choose to train their dog? Or, do the misconceptions come from a lack of understanding about this breed of dog? In addition, how does media portrayal affect the views people have on Pit Bulls?

One common mistake

Again, while it was not the most accurate or positive perception of a Pit Bull it was not dangerous either. Then, on New Year’s Day in 1986, communities started talking about banning Pit Bulls (Bastian, J). One reason behind this was that individuals started using Pit Bulls in dog fighting matches. (O’Connor, R). Also, individuals who were engaged in dangerous drug situations were training Pit Bulls to be their protector (O’Connor, R). After the late 1980’s, the perception of Pit Bulls has been negative ever since. However, issue of danger is not because of the dog’s nature, but because of the training and environment. The media also plays a role in sensationalizing Pit Bulls. Many Americans have the unfortunate habit of believing everything they read in magazines or see on T.V., instead of doing their own investigating. Because of that, many Americans are ignorant about Pit Bulls. Therefore, when there is a story on a local T.V. news station reporting a Pit Bull attack people associate the biting with the dog being vicious. What they fail to consider is why did the Pit Bull attack, was it