| Archive for Rescue Remedies.myfastforum.org Rescue Remedies Forum |
| johnderondon |
Ban ALL bullbreeds......say Deputy Mayor of Londonhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...t_contributors/article6898663.ece 
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| Bud |
Oh my god this is terrifying...in one breath they are saying its the owners then the next its the dog....and that bit about Ontario...huge fall in dog related injuries from banned bull breeds inc STB...has lead to all bull types dying out!!! AND this quote has made me feel very uncomfortable for my Bud!!
QUOTE: Serious penalties will make dog owners think twice, but surely it is time for us to look to our Commonwealth cousins and find a way gently to phase out the canine weapons that terrorise the streets of Peckham, Toxteth and Moss Side. |
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| josta |
Dito Bud, this article gives me a very sickening feeling deep in my stomach for my Cooper. Any dog in the wrong hands whatever the breed can cause serious injuries.
When I take Cooper out I often come across an initial negative attitude on his appearance alone, only yesterday a French lady asked me if he was a guard dog, she was very shocked when I said no he is a much loved family pet!! However Cooper quickly wins everybody round and now has a string of admirers in each place we walk in. If this ignorant politician gets his way my beautiful boy is guilty on looks alone, would this be tolorated if he was human? |
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| Zack 'n' Me |
@ Josta I get the same reaction from some people with Zack, including his vet  but like Cooper people come to like him.
Look at it this way, every person you meet that gets to like Cooper is one more person with a different outlook than before you met them 
''forcing people to cross the road'' How do they do that , do they have lolipops like School crossing guards ? The ignorance of some people still amazes me. |
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| xristine |
It's The Times - what do you expect? The only difference between The Times and The Sun now is the pictures.
I tried to find out which cars caused the most accidents but in fact it's very difficult to get hold of information like that and I never really got a make and type. However, it's safe to say that by banning men below the age of 23 from driving you'd drastically reduce road accidents... so I guess by the logic of DDA no man under 23 should be allowed to drive and anyone with sons of that age should be prosecuted... whether they drive or not... just in case... 
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| johnderondon |
I shouldn't bother. They didn't pick the DDA types on any rational basis so why start now. |
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| Zack 'n' Me |
Be fair Xristine, i'm sure some of them would be fine if they were muzzled in public and given a grotesque tattoo that looks like it was done by a four year old with a crayon. 
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| xristine |
Any prejudice is unacceptable. I guess because it is just that - it's without sense or proof - it's just there because people can't be bothered to think rationally.
I think it was Bruce Fogle who once remarked that when pitbulls were outlawed in one of the states, all that happened was undesirable types started getting hold of Rotties instead and behaving in exactly the same way with them! In other words a ban doesn't solve the problem which is a human problem not a dog one. |
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| Bud |
Just need to let you know that all though me and Bud didn’t force someone to cross the road, it seems we did make an impression....while walking out the field and on to the pavement, a lady walking her "fluffy" (some tidily little dog that I have no idea what it was) actually picked it up and put it above her head and literally tip toed past us..........sorry but I LOL big time!!! | ||
| josta |
Heehee they do make you laugh, yesterday a lady was walking her 3 bichon frise and a chiuaua, the chiuaua ran across the park barking at Cooper. The poor owner was screaming frantically at her dog with a strong hint of hysteria in her voice trying to get the dog back, the dog took no notice and kept coming at Cooper.
Cooper however was not going to give this dog the time of day and did not even look at it but dutifully followed me!! Those are the moments I treasure  .
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| karen |
 Those are absolutely the best moments. My dog is a GSD X Rottie and we can get those sorts of reactions too. I just love it when he immediately goes down or comes back on command when the hysterical owners cannot control their dog at all
In case that sounds smug - he does not always do as he is told but he has a sense of humour too and just seems to know............................
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| Bud |
that is so funny.... | ||
| Jasper's Mum |
I tend to avoid cross the road etc when I see bull breed dogs.. not due to any dislike or prejudice on my part but Jasper my patterdale isn't a fan sadly and will lunge and try to bite etc.twice when he has done this he has been then bitten by the other dog which does make you slightly wary!! owners of these dogs probably think I am being really precious about my poodle but sometimes that is not the case!
If jasper isn't with me then i am happy to share the pavement!!!! |
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| Spellbound |
Very simple the deputy mayor can kiss my butt!!!!!
Staffies are no more aggressive than any other breed, it's the idiots that own them that encourage that behaviour. Summer ran away from the cat the other evening because it was beating her up! Yeah, there's a killer! 
As was said in the comments below the aricle, the sensible owners who know their dog is aggressive will take precautions to make sure no one/no dog gets injured. A lot of the incidents involving dogs biting people are down to owner stupidity or because said owner taught the dog to attack. My staffy is not dangerous - unless you're a cardboard box - the worst you suffer at her paws is risk of drowing from over exhuberant kissing and bruises when she crashes into you or launches herself onto or off of your lap. I've been bitten by dogs, mainly mini poodles, jack russells and a westie but NEVER by a bull breed, or any of these other apparent dangerous dogs. oh @Xristine: Red cars cause the most accidents for the same reason that bull breeds seem to be in the midst of attacks..... because there's more of them than anything else!!!! I'm sure if someone did the maths and worked out how many bull breeds/red cars there are and how many were involved in incidents, they'd find it was in fact a tiny percentage of the whole. It amazes me that people still can stereotype to this insane degree, I'm sure if someone said that all black men were drug dealers, there'd be outcry and yet negative connotations are put on ALL our bullies ALL the time and when we speak out, we're wrong. Its a shame!
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| johnderondon |
kit.malthouse@london.gov.uk 
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| karen |
Perhaps the answer to Kit is for a Londoner to issue an invitation to him to come and meet some of the lovely Staffies we have homed. He could see them in the family enviroment and then come and meet some of the lovely ones in kennels - I am sure if he met Tia, Tara, Frank etc he could not fail to see that these really are not 'weapons' 
Being a politican, the challenge would have to come from someone who's vote counts
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| Spellbound |
ok... challenge issued to said t**t! Minus the butt kissing bit since we all know that politicians are weird and often pervy people and my butt is too good for that <bleeps> lips.
I emailed him this: Dear Sir, I have read and reread your article in The Times entitled 'Muzzles are not enough: Dogs are weapons' and am thoroughly disgusted. I own a staffordshire bull terrier and have many friends and aquaintences who also own bull breeds and I find the broad generalisation that ALL staffy owners have these animals purely for negative reasons insulting. While there is a section of society who do have bull breeds for the reasons you have mentioned, the number of bull breeds in this country that live perfectly happily with children and other animals far outnumber the idiotic and brutal few who chose to fight, abuse and mistreat their animals. Are you aware there are over 25 remaining breeds of dog that have been used and bred for fighting at some point in their history? Where are your opinions on these, your calls to have them banned or phased out? To quote: "But while welcome and vital, this would still miss an important point: certain types of dogs are inherently more aggressive than other. At the top of the list are bull breeds, developed for one purpose: to attack and fight." Where do you get this 'fact' from?? Have you even bothered to meet a staffy or any other bull breed before embarking on this article? I highly doubt it. It seems that, like many other people, you are drawing your opinion from the media who love nothing more than a bit of scandal and creating a witch hunt. The Kennel Club of Great Britain say this about the bull terrier: Characteristics Courageous, full of spirit, with a fun loving attitude. A unique feature is a downfaced, egg-shaped head. Irrespective of size dogs should look masculine and bitches feminine. Temperament Of even temperament and amenable to discipline. Although obstinate is particularly good with people. And this about the staffordshire bull terrier: Characteristics Traditionally of indomitable courage and tenacity. Highly intelligent and affectionate especially with children. Temperament Bold, fearless and totally reliable. Where Sir, does it say these dogs are 'inherently more aggressive'? I draw your attention to this, a list from a dog obedience website which poses the question, 'Which dog breeds are most aggressive?' They say these dogs are the most aggressive: Chows, Papillons, Old English Sheepdogs, Llaso Apso, Rottweilers, Chihauhaus, Toy Poodles, Dachsunds, Jack Russells, Giant Schnauzers, Cocker Spaniels, Pekinese and lastly, the Miniature Pinscher. Not one of those is a bull breed. In July 2008, The Telegraph ran an article based on the analysis of the behaviour of thousands of dogs from 33 breeds, they found the Dachsund to be the most aggressive breed. One of the researchers in that study, aDr James Serpell said; "smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour than larger dogs." Bull breeds are popular with the undesirable element of society because they look tough. It is purely a look though. The staffordshire bull terrier is no more inherently vicious than any other breed, they can be encouraged to attack and those that have them for any other reason than a family pet, will teach and encourage that behaviour, often by beating, drugging and generally abusing the animal. For you to call all of these animals dangerous is revolting and irresponsible. I can offer you resources that will inform you how hard responsible owners work to teach and socialise dogs that have had a hard start and been removed from irresponsible owners. There are many staffies in London and the rest of the country who are very gentle and live with other creatures perfectly well, mine included. I invite you to come and visit with my staffordshire bull terrier, see her interacting with the other animals in my household, see her running away when the cat chases her, see how she greets and accepts strangers and puts your article to shame. If you so desire, I can organise for you a visit to a kennels where there are many staffies awaiting new homes. Balanced, people oriented and wonderful dogs that, through no fault of their own have found themselves in kennels. I encourage you to aclimatise yourself with the breed that you have seen fit to demonise before writing articles that not only damage the breed, but also make the public feel they are permitted to verbally and sometimes physically abuse both the dogs and the owners. There are so many wonderful bull breeds sitting in rescues, or being put to sleep because no one wants them and they don't want them because of irresponsible media and irresponsible owners. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to meet the true side of staffies and are willing to open your eyes to the possiblility that, while there are some people out there that shouldn't be allowed to keep stuffed animals, let alone real ones, the larger majority of bull breeds in the world at large are beautiful, gentle and loving creatures who do not deserve the stigma that is heaped upon them. Banning bull breeds will not stop the people that want a status dog, they will only turn their attention to another breed, such as the mastiff, which is already proving popular with undesirables or rottweilers etc, all it will do is rob the world of a beautiful companion animal. Yours Sincerely, Kay Field |
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| Sharonr - Admin |
Hear, hear ... BRAVO, I 2nd that - extremely well done! 
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| Spellbound |
I can guarantee that he won't meet the real staffy, he wont come and meet mine or any other!
I has this same fight with my local paper. I collected statistics and photos of staffs with kids of all ages, all sorts of animals from rodents to horses and took on a reporter who said he'd come and meet me and my dog.... for 6 months I chased him to fulfill his side of the bargain and he never did. He was happy to print an article saying that all staffs are vicious devil dogs etc and I contacted the paper and told him he was full of <bleep> Like everyone else writing and printing this insanity, he didn't want to know the truth! I contacted the letters page of the paper stating all this, again with times and dates that I'd called/emailed and they didn't print my letter....... funny that! How on earth are we meant to fight this sort of blasphamy when no one will hear the truth!?? |
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| Dee |
Excellent Kay, really well written
xxxx |
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| NikkiL |
Well written Kay
And I add my voice to those who say "come and meet us" The sight of Bella (about the size of a large loaf) delicately removing a rawhide from Karl's mouth whether he wants to give it up or not, should convince him. |
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| josta |
What a fabulously well written letter!!!! Well done Kay, it encapsulated bull breeds perfectly ignoramus' like this will never understand the nature of the breed purely because they don't want to admit they were wrong but it makes us feel better reading it!
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| xristine |
@Spellbound
Nice work.
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| Spellbound |
Well if we, the responsible bull breed owners, don't fight for our beautiful dogs then who will? It falls on deaf ears, I know it does and that letter will do nothing at all to change his opinion but I'll be damned if I will sit back and let people like that say those hideous things and not have someone bite his head off and since my staffy won't - she'll lick him to death maybe - then I sure will!!
If they wrote things like that about a celebrity or a section of society, ie a race they'd be slapped with a libel suit so fast it'd make their head spin but because its a dog breed, they can get away with it. Makes my blood boil!
I'll be sure to post any reply I receive and might be asking for a big staffy meet up to prove the point that staffies are fantastic. |
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| xristine |
@Spellbound
You're right - he doesn't want to hear. People with prejudices like having their prejudices and usually thinking for themselves is not what they are good at so yes, he probably won't listen. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to tell him. If you say nothing his views will never be challenged - if you challenge them then you do actually sow seeds of doubt that one day might spring into something. So I still maintain it was nice work on your part.
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| LisaH |
might it be worth seeing if you can organise trips with some of the dogs to schools to chat about what you do and why and introduce some of these " weapon dogs " to future purchasers to try and stop the prejudice with the next generation before it starts?
or see if you can get on school lists for excursions so they can come see how the kennels are run, would think it would come under the citizenship curriculum, may even be able to ask for a donation. just a thought. |
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| irishemeraldlady |
Our Dog'sI read this article and it frightened me, then made me angry!Boy god did i make my feeling's known on the matter. It's clear the MAJORITY of these people don't have a Clue! Bottom line is ANY ANIMAL OR WEAPON put in the WRONG HAND'S is DANGEROUS! My 2 wonderful little Guy's i would trust with my LIFE & MY 5 CHILDREN'S LIVE'S ( Hubby can fend for HIMSELF!)
Human race will alway's blame Animals for there own Malice & Evil ways |
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