The #BSLbytes reading list includes The Pit bull placebo, written by Karen Delise. It is 10 years old this year but remains extremely relevant, and a required read for anyone wondering how a poorly-defined category of dog became a favourite scapegoat for media and lawmakers. It's written in a clear, accessible style and will change the way you talk to people about breed-specific legislation.
Back cover summary:
“First it was the Bloodhound, sensationalized in the dramatizations of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Then it was the Doberman, the symbol of Nazi cruelty. Today, it is the Pit Bull that is vilified for the depravity of its master.
Sensationalized reports by the Pit Bull Paparazzi sow fertile ground for politicians to promote breed-ban placebos, which offer no solution to rare cases of extreme canine aggression.
Karen Delise’s groundbreaking history of society’s response to canine aggression pulls away the fear frenzy sweeping the country. Americans have abandoned common sense and allowed their perceptions of canine behaviour to be dictated by those who traffic in myths and pseudo-science.
We have reached a critical divide on the road where men and dogs have traveled together. Do we accept breed-ban placebos and risk losing our most rewarding and profound interspecies relationship, or do we step forward and take responsibility for our dogs?”
The Pit Bull Placebo is available on Amazon.ca or can be downloaded as a free ebook at
http://www.dogwise.com/free_ebooks.cfm
---
For background on the #BSLbytes campaign visit the HugABull blog: http://blog.hugabull.com/take-a-byte-out-of-bsl
---
30/150
#BSLbytes #30: The Pit Bull Placebo
Posted by Chantelle Mackney on