Did we just agree with a pro-bsl group?
Hold on to your leashes because it's about to get really strange around here.
If you remember, a few days ago we posted a "pit bull advocacy bingo card" and agreed with a certain group of pro-BSL zealots about overused arguments and clichés.
Well, folks - we find ourselves in a position of head scratching confusion because said lobbyists have once again have hit the nail on the head. They published a fairly well-researched article on the role of unethical breeding in the dog fatality case in Nova Scotia.
We checked our temperatures. No Covid, no fever, no hallucinations. This is really happening.
These people brought up an important conversation about aggression, genetics, and unethical breeding. This is a conversation our own community is reluctant to have because advocates are invested in the idea that dogs are either blank slates (raise them right!) or that all “pit bulls” are loveable goofballs. Unfortunately, aggression does happen in dogs of all breeds, and it is known to have a strong genetic component. We do not advance our cause by ignoring this.
Ethical breeders breed for temperament, health, and function. Whether they are breeding working dogs or family pets, they should be putting dogs into the world that are healthy, stable, and the best example of the breed.
In the case of Kaos, the dog involved in the fatality, his breeder clearly missed the memo. Dogs from this kennel are bred with an emphasis on size and exotic markings not naturally found in the breed. The features are so exaggerated they would be disqualified from the United Kennel Club (UKC) or American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC). The dogs have bulky bodies, splayed limbs, and are described by their breeder as “freaks” as he boasts about their giant heads. Many dogs from this kennel have had heart, joint, and other serious health issues.
Even more seriously, this breeder draws from lines that have KNOWN human and dog aggression. The American Bully is classified as companion breed: there should be no genetic human aggression or dog aggression present in any breeding pairs. However, a quick pedigree search of this kennel’s breeding dogs traces back to a dog who has known human aggression and whose offspring have been involved in several attacks in the USA. That’s right. SEVERAL.
Let that sink in.
Kaos, the dog who is accused of killing his own owner in Nova Scotia, was bred on purpose from lines known to carry animal and human aggression. At least one of his littermates was involved in a separate serious attack – and how many more that we haven’t heard about? These dogs were not only put into our communities deliberately, but sold for thousands of dollars to family homes.
This is inexcusable. While we fight against breed stereotyping, people are purposefully putting dogs into the world that are an incredible liability. A young woman lost her life, when her only mistake was being drawn in by exotic looking dogs on a Facebook page.
This is criminal. Frustratingly, breeders and rescues bear no liability for the dogs they place in the community. This is one of the many things that has to change if we are going to be successful in our fight against BSL.
If you remember, a few days ago we posted a "pit bull advocacy bingo card" and agreed with a certain group of pro-BSL zealots about overused arguments and clichés.
Well, folks - we find ourselves in a position of head scratching confusion because said lobbyists have once again have hit the nail on the head. They published a fairly well-researched article on the role of unethical breeding in the dog fatality case in Nova Scotia.
We checked our temperatures. No Covid, no fever, no hallucinations. This is really happening.
These people brought up an important conversation about aggression, genetics, and unethical breeding. This is a conversation our own community is reluctant to have because advocates are invested in the idea that dogs are either blank slates (raise them right!) or that all “pit bulls” are loveable goofballs. Unfortunately, aggression does happen in dogs of all breeds, and it is known to have a strong genetic component. We do not advance our cause by ignoring this.
Ethical breeders breed for temperament, health, and function. Whether they are breeding working dogs or family pets, they should be putting dogs into the world that are healthy, stable, and the best example of the breed.
In the case of Kaos, the dog involved in the fatality, his breeder clearly missed the memo. Dogs from this kennel are bred with an emphasis on size and exotic markings not naturally found in the breed. The features are so exaggerated they would be disqualified from the United Kennel Club (UKC) or American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC). The dogs have bulky bodies, splayed limbs, and are described by their breeder as “freaks” as he boasts about their giant heads. Many dogs from this kennel have had heart, joint, and other serious health issues.
Even more seriously, this breeder draws from lines that have KNOWN human and dog aggression. The American Bully is classified as companion breed: there should be no genetic human aggression or dog aggression present in any breeding pairs. However, a quick pedigree search of this kennel’s breeding dogs traces back to a dog who has known human aggression and whose offspring have been involved in several attacks in the USA. That’s right. SEVERAL.
Let that sink in.
Kaos, the dog who is accused of killing his own owner in Nova Scotia, was bred on purpose from lines known to carry animal and human aggression. At least one of his littermates was involved in a separate serious attack – and how many more that we haven’t heard about? These dogs were not only put into our communities deliberately, but sold for thousands of dollars to family homes.
This is inexcusable. While we fight against breed stereotyping, people are purposefully putting dogs into the world that are an incredible liability. A young woman lost her life, when her only mistake was being drawn in by exotic looking dogs on a Facebook page.
This is criminal. Frustratingly, breeders and rescues bear no liability for the dogs they place in the community. This is one of the many things that has to change if we are going to be successful in our fight against BSL.