|
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Saturday, September 3, 2005 12:18 AM CDT
Plight of pits
BY JEAN STARR
Times Correspondent
Some people say they've gotten a bad rap and love them, warts and all. Some cross to the other side of the street when they see one. Others are known to abuse and exploit pit bulls for profit and sadistic "entertainment." No other dog has been the subject of so much controversy.
While the term "pit bull" has been ascribed to dogs of many mixes and breeds, there is no specific breed called a Pit Bull. The name came from the felony practice of putting dogs in a pit in order to fight one another. According to the Humane Society of the United States, dogs used in this "sport" are bred, conditioned and trained for fighting.
The link between pit bulls and this blood sport is the cause for the dogs' bad reputation. Local shelter employees who find a pit bull that they know has been used for fighting say that they don't have much choice but to destroy the dog.
Whether the dog was used as "bait" to train other fighting dogs, or suffered wounds after being pitted against another dog in a fight, it is deemed unadoptable.
Kathi Daniels, director of the Humane Society Calumet Area, has had to make the call to euthanize dogs used for fighting only once. "Although there have been studies done that show they can be rehabilitated, we do not have the staff or the resources to do it," Daniels said.
At East Chicago Animal Control, shelter supervisor Martell France said that pit bulls they know have been fighting or used in fighting are put down.
According to France, the city's pit bull fighting problems are nowhere near as bad as they used to be. One reason is that no one in East Chicago is allowed to own a pit bull unless they have a $1 million insurance liability policy and a 6-foot fence surrounding their property. Pit bull owners also must muzzle their dog when it is out in public.
"I'd say that 85 percent of the people (who own pit bulls) go that extra mile," said France, who has never seen dog fighting in his jurisdiction for the five years he has been with animal control.
There have been instances where there are drug raids and pit bull puppies are discovered.
"If they can show that they have the requirements, they can get their dogs back," France said. Because of the city's strict laws, most pit bulls that come into the shelter leave with rescue groups that specialize in that type of dog.
The Furry Friends Foundation of Chicago rescues a large number of pit bulls in the Chicago area. Their position on dogs that have been injured in fights and end up in shelters is that they are there because they would NOT fight and were discarded by dog fighters. Still, most shelters do not have the resources to treat the dogs' physical injuries, let alone the ability to assess its character.
Denise Samocki of Pet Neutering and Adoption Service said they take special precautions when adopting out pit bulls. The Demotte-based rescue group does not see that many pit bulls, but when they do take one in, they strive to find the optimal home for it.
"We always like to make sure it's the best home, but with a pit, we have to make sure it's an optimal home," she said.
The HSCA does site checks for any pit bull adoption, Daniels said. The shelter also requires the adopter to enroll their dog in their obedience class, but at half price.
"If you are going to own a pit bull you must make sure you take the responsibility for its behavior," Daniels said. "It's because they are so strong."
The shelter also requires a secure fence to deter those who steal dogs for use in fights.
Stop dog fighting
The maimed body of a pit bull found in a Dumpster in February was the catalyst that cemented an effective Indiana partnership. Media coverage showing the dog's fight-gouged body caused enough of a community uproar to launch the Muncie-Delaware County Dogfighting Task Force, co-chair Jill Dolon said. Just a few months later, that partnership led to the arrest and felony prosecution of Tyson Carpenter, the first person in Delaware County to be convicted at a felony level of staging dog fights. It could not have been done, said Dolon, without cooperation among the Police Department, Animal Control officers and the prosecutor's office. Because drugs and dog fights often go hand in hand, Dolon said, drug task forces also should be on board. Dolon hopes to open the task force to all counties in the state. For more information about the Muncie-Delaware County Dogfighting Task Force, contact Dolon at StopDogfighting@aol.com.
For more info
* ASTRO: American Pit Bull Terrier/American Staffordshire Rescue Organization at www.pbrc.net/dogpages/north/astro4789.html.
* Indiana Paw has a section on its Web Site devoted to information about pit bulls, www.indiana-paw.com/pitbull.htm.
* Pit Bull Rescue Central at www.pbrc.net/home.html
If you watch
* "Out of the Pit: Dog Fighting in Chicago" is an independent film that takes viewers into the underground world of dog fighting in Chicago and its impact on children, animals, law enforcement and communities. Among other sources, the 67-minute video can be ordered through izzyworks.com or the ASPCA.
* "Contest with no Winners" was produced by the Humane Society at Lollypop Farms. The 15-minute video examines dogfighting in the United States and offers an objective account of the difficulties associated with rehabilitating and adopting out fighting dogs. It also is available through the ASPCA.
* "Off the Chain" is a new DVD documentary that just came out. The 50-minute independent film takes a close look at the underworld of pitbull fighting in both inner city corners to backwood communities. It is available through amazon.com and other sources.
|