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The Biggest
Battle
The Epidemic That's Killing The Pit
Bulls
 'Pit Puppies for Sale!'
Pit bulls today are fighting a very tough
battle, and they're losing. Twenty five years ago they were a rare sight
on our city streets and few people owned them. But things sure have changed.
Today, their popularity is - quite literally - killing them. This one breed is
being produced by thousands of people across the country at a time when very few
homes will keep them beyond two years of age. The Net is exploding with ads
boasting new puppies, and everywhere you turn someone is building a new website
to promote their brand new breeding venture. The easiest way to see the
casualties of this epidemic is at our local shelters where so many young adult
pit bulls spend their final days. Every single day, abandoned, lost, and unwanted
pit bulls pour into shelter doors; some shelters get as many as 10 a day. Most
will never find homes.
This mother pit bull did not survive. Not because the shelter 'doesn't like' pit bulls, but
because the shelter needed her cage for
other dogs on their way in. BR and other rescues were too overwhelmed to
help.
Why is this happening?
The problem is simple
arithmetic combined with human nature: Pit bull puppies are popular, desirable
and easy to sell. But not every home is
really prepared to keep their active dog for life. That once-cute pup becomes much more
work as it matures into its adult size and strength, and homes give up on pit
bulls all the time. It may get into its first accidental fight, landlords may
evict it, it might develop bad manners due to lack of training, it may escape
its yard. Many of the cute pit bull puppies sold today will end up in shelters
before their second birthday. But before they go, chances are great that these
same dogs will breed one or two litters of their own...Next season's shelter
dogs. And the tragic cycle continues....
 Blue Lust
Blue coated pit bulls are a current fad sweeping the country. Blues are not
rare - they're being bred like crazy! Unfortunately, breeding dogs
just to get a certain color means leaving good temperament and health in the
dust. Many blue pit bulls are showing up with health problems (bad skin is really
common) and abnormal, fearful temperaments. The female in this photo was
bred again and again for her color, then dumped at the Oakland Animal Shelter
when her work was done. Her female puppies will suffer the same fate once they've
produced their own big money litters. Sadly, few people want adult pit bulls and
she was destroyed shortly after we took this photo.
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These young pups are adorable, but were not lucky enough to find
homes.
Whose Fault Is It?
The people that claim to love them the
most are often the ones doing the most damage. Every single person who breeds and
sells an intact (not fixed) litter and/or studs out their male dogs is
contributing to the epidemic. This includes big name show kennels, 'Backyard
Breeders' (BYBs) who sell puppies through newspapers and InterNet ads, people who
breed their family pets and those who have accidental litters. It's all adding
up. To make matters worse, not all of these pit bulls being produced have good
genetics. This means defective dogs with undesirable traits are getting into the
gene pool, hurting our breed even more.
How Will It Stop?
Things will only start to change when
enough people decide that pit bulls deserve better. It's taken thousands of
people to create this problem, and it'll take thousands to decide that enough is
enough. Do you love the breed enough to want to see a change?
 What IF?
What IF breeders decided to create
fewer litters and fixed all the non-show pups before they were sold? (Early Spay/Neuter)
....What IF breeders microchipped their puppies before each sale in
order to make sure they came back safely if they're ever lost? ....What IF
the registries (AKC, UKC, ADBA) decided to limit the numbers of pit bulls
that could be registered each year? ....What IF people who only wanted
dogs for pets decided to rescue from reputable shelters and rescues instead of
buying new puppies? ....What IF breeders and shelters made sure that homes
were 100% prepared to own this breed before giving them a dog?
What You Can Do to Help:
Please don't breed! Fix your pit bull for free or cheap
Don't support backyard breeders or show kennels that produce numerous
litters
Learn how show kennels make money off of studding out their
dogs. Don't support this mass production of dogs!
Do some in-depth breed
research before you get one. Like many working breeds, they come with challenges.
If you're ready to buy from a breeder, find out all you can about
their reputation. Do they care enough to keep breedings to a bare minimum? Do
they health test their dogs before they breed? Do they ask a lot of questions,
inspect all homes and ask for references before giving over pups? Will they
answer all your breed questions and support you through any behavior issues for
the rest of the dog's life? Are they active in local rescue efforts? Will they
still be around in five years if you have to give the dog back?
Please
consider the wonderful dogs in reputable rescues or shelters instead of
buying.
Don't get
caught up in fads: Many blues are overbred and large, bulky body frames are unhealthy!
Beware of kennels breeding white dogs. These dogs are usually deaf.
If your female gets pregnant, BR will help you find a vet who will give her
a problem-free abortion. If you're selling a litter, please spay & neuter the
pups before you sell them so they can't be bred themselves.
Got
a friend that wants to breed? Take him through a shelter and educate him about
the epidemic that's killing pit bulls.
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