I Believe in the Underdog

I Believe in the Underdog I believe that pit bulls are faithful, loyal dogs that have earned a bad reputation because of irresponsible dog owners. Since I was a little girl, I have been infatuated with pit bulls because of the horrible stories I heard about them; I simply could not believe that any breed of dog was naturally bad. About a year ago, I adopted a four-month-old brindle colored pit bull puppy. He had been bred by dog fighters and rescued from them as a puppy. As I took him into my apartment and gave this shy little dog a new home, I knew instantly that there was more to these dogs than their horrible reputation. As a new pit bull owner, I decided to educate myself about the breed. I bought books, checked Web sites and joined several pit bull forums. I soon discovered that these dogs had not always held the reputation they are now known for. Pit bulls, formally known as American Pit Bull Terriers, used to be America’s family dog. Known for their extreme loyalty and being great with children, pit bulls used to be today’s Labrador retriever. Here are a few facts that I found surprising: President Theodore Roosevelt owned two pit bulls. Helen Keller owned a pit bull. Petey, the child-friendly dog in “The Little Rascals,” was a pit bull. The one that surprised me the most, however, was a pit bull named Stubby, who saved an entire U.S. platoon from a poison gas attack in World War I. He also single-handedly captured a German spy and was wounded twice while pulling injured American soldiers off the battlefield. He is the only animal in history to be awarded the rank of honorary sergeant. I also discovered that there is a law in many cities across the United States that bans certain breeds, including pit bulls. Under Breed Specific Law, if anyone is caught in such cities with a pit bull, the dog is taken from them and killed. I have read countless accounts on forums of people pleading for help fighting this law, which swept their communities by surprise and took their beloved family pets from them. I have read stories and seen pictures of innocent pit bulls that were brutally beaten and killed simply because of their breed, and I have been subjected firsthand to the fear people show when they see me with my sweet, loving dog. It breaks my heart to know that there are people out there who would want my dog dead simply because of his breed. I can’t understand how prejudging a dog by its breed is any different from prejudging humans based on race. Pit bulls are working dogs that will do whatever it takes to please their owners. If what the owner wants is a champion fighting dog, then that is what the owner will get. If a person wants a friendly, loving 60-pound lap dog, that is what that person will get. I believe that dogs should be given the same rights as people in regard to prejudice. The fear and loathing that many people hold for pit bulls is based on ignorance, and I believe that if people would educate themselves about this breed, they would find that there are no bad dogs, simply bad dog owners.