It is 1985 and I am in my third year of veterinary school at UC Davis. I find my values and ethics being challenged to the limit. I want to be a good vet. I want to heal animals. And damn it, I want to save their precious lives! We are being taught how to perform medical procedures and surgeries on real live dogs that are to be sacrificed when we are finished. Even more tragic, the gentlest dogs to work with are not killed and instead are rewarded with a promotion to become guinea pigs for the medical research department. This is how I meet Petey, named after the dog in the Little Rascals. Petey was a Pit Bull. Petey won my heart. Petey was liberated the day I graduated. I had told him to hang on and I would get him out and I did.
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| Petey living out his Golden Years in Orange County, CA |
Petey and I spent his last 5 years together celebrating our survival. We had summoned our strength and courage to endure the cold realities of a teaching hospital on a mission to train future doctors. And while my psyche was permanently damaged by the unquestioned ethics of animal experimentation, I made sure that Petey went on to live a happy, untroubled life.
Denied the protective arms of the respected human-animal bond, Petey’s life had not been cherished and valued. His dog life was stolen and yet Petey only wanted to forgive. So, why does a dog give four years of his life to humans who see him only as a lab animal and not fight back? The answer is simple: this remarkable dog modeled the traits of his true pedigree. Traits that show the American Pit Bull Terrier to be a courageous dog, used in law enforcement activities and search & rescue missions. Traits that show this breed to have a good temperament around people and therefore to be worthy of our trust and admiration. Traits that have famously earned them the title of the “nanny dog” and the right to be cherished family members.
So, what the hell happened? How have Pit Bulls become so feared by society that they have been condemned in cities across the county and are waiting to die in animal shelters? A depressingly sad, disgraceful example of how animals once again suffer at the hands of those who have failed to see the real problem; a society of the mentally blind who find it easier to discriminate than to ask questions.
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| Me and Petey, 1987. |
When you study all the facts leading up to dog attacks on a human or another dog, there is always a sad history of human neglect, sometimes to the point of abuse, such as dog fighting—pointing the finger at humans! In addition to neglect and abuse, many of these dogs are encouraged to be aggressive to protect unlawful activities. Others have just been left tied up in backyards, denied human companionship and socialization—both leading causes of aggression in a dog regardless of breed!
Devoted canine companions or killers? Unquestionably, the fate of every dog is determined by human intent. Dogs that have been touched only by hands of human kindness and understood by an open mind show us the true meaning of that popular phrase: “man’s best friend”. However, in a society that fails to protect the lives and welfare of its companion animal population, human greed and ignorance are becoming the domestic dogs’ worst enemy.
It is time to tell the truth. It is time to admit that breed bans are dangerously discriminatory. Time to admit that ignorance and fear have stolen the rational minds of our lawmakers. Time to question the sanity of killing an animal that means no harm simply because it looks like or is a “Pit Bull”.
We all live with danger every day. Women live with the fear of being beaten by their boyfriends or husbands. Children suffer at the hands of pedophiles. The innocent teenager is killed by a drunk driver. Is it rational to fear all men as a danger to women? Should we suspect all adults of being child molesters? Is every car driver a killer? Of course not. We must seek to educate and practice crime prevention. Crime is a failure of society, not a breed of dog!
Nancy Grace will no doubt continue her rant about these dangerous killer dogs. She like most lazy folks gets her information by watching the six o’clock news. Nancy has not witnessed the stories of bravely optimistic people who saw a dog in trouble, not the shape of its head. People who heard the cries for help, not the voices of fear. People who fed starving dogs. People who took injured dogs to the vet. These people opened their homes and hearts to society’s outcastes. They are my heroes. They give me real hope that one day Breed Specific Legislation will be recognized as a tragic failure, shamefully buried in the history books.
Until then and in honor of my brave hearted dog, I will continue to battle all forms of breed discrimination. Petey left a big paw print on my soul and a big job for me to finish.
You can help too: Sign the Dog Rebels Pledge and add your voice to the growing constituency of dog owners across the United States protesting discriminatory breed specific laws.
27 responses so far ↓
1 Christian Kay // Jun 16, 2008 at 10:36 pm
This is why I can’t go to school to become a vet. I just can’t handle using animals, live or dead, to “learn” on. It goes against everything I believe in, yet I want more than anything to help animals. So I do what I can and foster and volunteer at our local animal shelter. I may not be cut out for veterinary work but I will always do my best to help animals. Thank you for helping them too!
2 Our Pack // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:18 am
Thanks for this wonderful and insightful blog from Our Pack. We are a pit bull rescue, education and training organization. I will be sharing this wonderfully written blog with others!
Marthina
3 Melanie Hall // Jun 17, 2008 at 9:45 pm
This breed of dogs has a bad rap but i own 3 and have children and there are protective and sweet with my kids.I love the breed and took in a stray and took him to the vet because the animal shelter where we live can’t adopt them out.My son begged me to save him.They show loyalty.It’s not the breed it’s the owner.
4 Jan Keith // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Petey’s story brings to light both the tragedy and the hope for dogs who continue to suffer discrimination at the hands of ignorant, fearful people. The TRAGIC death of thousands of dogs goes on everyday across our country. Only until people speak out & say “enough is enough”, will there be HOPE for a group of loyal, loving dogs who have suffered long enough. Don’t sit there feeling sad & helpless. YOU ARE EMPOWERED! —WRITE, PHONE, EMAIL & VISIT your local & state legislators, your veterinarian, pet shops, your friends & family and tell them how you feel. EDUCATE & INFORM them about the potential risk to their freedom of choice. Societies are judged by how they treat their weakest members & I fear that America may be headed ’round a deadly curve if we allow inhumane practices and laws to guide us.
5 Pam // Jun 18, 2008 at 8:53 am
I am going to forward your story to my vet, we all call her Dr.Beth. Almost everytime that I go to her office, she has a Pit Bull that she or someone that she knows, has picked up on the side of the road. They are always just skin and bones and usually have heartworms – living in the south, most strays here have heartworms. Every single one that she has rescued have been so loving and forgiving. She always lets them just wonder around the office and act as the official greeters. After she gets them healthy again, she will find them a good home or keep them herself. She lives in the country and has plenty of room for the ones that she can’t find homes for.
6 Laura G // Jun 18, 2008 at 9:37 am
What an amazing story. Thank you for your compassion and dedication to helping ALL dogs, not just some of them.
Your story reminds me of a beautiful, if heart wrenching, book by the incredible Diane Jessup: “The Dog Who Spoke With Gods.” How wonderful that the scenario of a dog being rescued from a life as a lab animal is not just a work of fiction.
7 sandra terifaj // Jun 18, 2008 at 10:16 am
Way to go sis. Your truth is well received. I thought back to that time in history and remembered! Thanks for the memory.
8 Amy // Jun 18, 2008 at 10:05 pm
THANK YOU! I own a APBT and love the American Pit Bull Terrier breed and I know this blog has been read by many and that makes a difference! Way to go!
9 Gail Francis // Jun 19, 2008 at 1:32 pm
A beautifully told, heart-rending true story. I agree there should not be discrimination about pit bulls or any other breed. But it will probably take lots of publicity to change the present feeling about them, and articles keep turning up in newspapers about their biting someone. Maybe it should be required that the dog’s side of the story also be printed? How could we do this?Well, maybe your story will change some minds.
10 Dano // Jun 19, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Right on! It’s the people that have the problem, not the dogs! People need to open their eyes…and I don’t mean just to watch the talking heads on the news.
Keep up the good fight!
11 lexi preisser-terrell // Jun 21, 2008 at 11:59 am
You don’t ban a breed, you punsih the people responsible! For heaven’s sake, get real! The dogs are not the problem, people are! People, human beings, homo sapiens, are the only true culprits of all the problems in the world. Breed specific banning is stupid, absurd and does nothing. What, are you going to ban Maltese when these HUMAN criminals start breeding tiny dogs to fight because all big dogs are banned? Politicians, for the most part, as well as bureaucrats ( I know, I work with them) are moron and should not hold any position of authority.
12 M. Hawes // Jun 21, 2008 at 3:21 pm
actually, just this past week a pit bull grabbed a neighbor girl
and bit her around her neck and in the end, she died…….
still hard for me to believe they don’t have it bred into them to
attack and kill at a moments notice.
I know my cousin values your opinion and thinks so highly of you
but I think of this 5 yr. old who was only out playing and attacked by a neighbors dog.
Mary
13 Terri B // Jun 22, 2008 at 2:52 am
Hi, I am another who is in love with the Pitties. I work at our local Humane Society and have started my our non profit pit bull rescue. I see first hand how many of these wonderful dogs are treated by the people who simply “dump them off.” I have several APBTs of my own. My first was Harley, a dog with a story that changed my life forever. She has been my inspiration to start my rescue and to continue doing what we do, save lives!
14 Dr. Terifaj // Jun 22, 2008 at 11:10 am
When a child becomes the victim of a dog attack, it cuts deeply into the psyche of all dog lovers. However, failure to understand the dynamics of dog attacks leads us to make assumptions that will do nothing to prevent another tragedy like this and fans the flames for irrational legislation against dog breeds. Here are some facts supported by statistics:
It is important to realize that the domestic dog evolved from the wolf some 12,000 years ago. Nature instilled instincts for survival that humans often fail to appreciate. This study outlines the main causes of dog aggression:
To see if there were any common links among dogs who had bitten a child within a particular four-year period, researchers examined 111 cases of dog bites by 103 dogs, all referred to the same veterinary behavior clinic in Philadelphia. They found several distinctive behavior patterns that related to the dogs’ territorial behaviors, which suggested that these were the main causes of aggression in dogs:
Knowing this begs the following questions: Where was the child and what was the child doing? Was the child under adult supervision? These answers lead to the most important question: How could the attack have been prevented???
Parents and care givers must accept the reality that not all dogs are safe to be around children. We all know the dangers of letting a child have access to a swimming pool without adult supervision. We must think dog safety too!
It is dog owners who fail to properly train and socialize their dogs who ultimately put the public at risk. These same negligent dog owners put neighborhood dogs, children, and even adults at risk when they unlawfully allow their dogs to roam the streets.
Breed witch-hunt’s are ignorant knee-jerk attempts to promote public safety. They punish good dogs and responsible dog owners, like you and me.
Public safety can only be accomplished by teaching prevention and punishing the irresponsible acts of its citizens. No doubt countless lives have been saved by the efforts of organizations like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) who promote awareness and education about the real problem.
It is not panic and irrational thinking that has reduced the number of fatalities by drunk drivers on our roads. And it will not be the panicked irrational outlawing of specific breeds of dogs that will prevent dog attacks. Simple minds look for simple solutions. And that is dead wrong and deadly.
Further your education with these excellent books:
Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics, by Karen Delise
Dogs Bite: But Balloons and Slippers Are More Dangerous, by Janis Bradley
The Pit Bull Placebo: Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression, by Karen Delise
15 Jennifer // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:18 am
It is time for the media to shift to change their keyword focus on pit bulls to human accountability. Right now the Pit bull gets hits in searches and that gets the printed. We are not helpless when it comes to dog attacks. The causes are very preventable with education and human accountability. It is time the media ajusts their headlines to focus on the solution…..EDUCATION!
16 Cindy Scott // Jun 24, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I remember Petey from the days when I first met Dr. Terifaj. He was my very first experience with a pit and I’ll never forget how sweet and gentle he was.
I remember one time Dr. Terifaj actually used him as a blood donor to help save another dog. He so selflessly gave to save another. That made such an impression on me so many, many, many years ago – I’ll never forget it. Nor him. Thank you for sharing his memory with everyone he was truly a great dog.
Now , as a dog trainer for over 15 years I’ve seen and worked with many bully dogs and many aggressive dog. Far too many aggressive dogs. I’ve worked with aggressive border collies, aussies, chihuahuas, cockers, golden retrievers, labs – yes labs! It doesn’t matter what the breed, they all have the potential to bite. But biting cockers don’t make the news.
The renowned and leading behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar (he doesn’t whisper – but he actually knows what he’s doing) once told me, “If it has teeth it will bite.” Too true.
Bless you Petey, your memory does live on.
17 Councilman Mark Schoenfeld // Jun 24, 2008 at 5:03 pm
My pit bull Petey, has done several community television infomercials. He was the first dog in my city microchipped on TV to demonstrate the others that it is painless and such as useful tool if her were get lost. He was a best friend to every child in my neighborhood. He became my foster dog the day prior to his scheduled euthanization in a shelter. He gave 12 wonderful of companionship until overcome by cancer. He once left my side at night and brought home a Pekinese who had been lost in the mountains near our home. It was a miracle that little dog did not become bobcat or coyote food. Jennifer is correct. People are the problem, not the breed. I now have two rescued mini English Bull Terriers, both who also love people and socializing. Again, this is mostly a people problem and has to do more with the way the dogs are raised than their genetics. While I personally wouldn’t have one if I had small children, I would have gotten another out of a shelter if my Bullies weren’t scheduled to be euthanized for medical reasons, one at 5 months and the other at 12 months. They are now respectively 3 years and 1 1/2 years and doing very well.
18 jDc // Jun 24, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I remember 18 to 20 years ago when several eastern cities tried, some sucessfully, to out law Pit Bulls and Rotts. In my current city of Long Beach, Calif. breeding and selling of dogs in general has been out lawed. Over reactive recue organizations, PETA and some of the media are doing more harm than good to our pet companions, our industry and to society at large. Their organized numbers and hysteria consistently get the ear of politicians seeking re-election. the bigger problem seems to be a lack of sources for people to go for help in properly selecting a pet for their lifestyle, pet stewartship classes for families to educate and assimilate their pet into the family with and a crisis center for people to go to for help when things start to go wrong. While I was at Cornell studying animal behavior and nutrition I created a breed and behavior chart that our community use to narrow down the most appropriate breeds for selecting a pet companion by. Many local colleges as well as Cornell university had excellent behavior molding and animal education classes for the community to use in raising a reliable house pet. In the past 20 years I have tried to convience the L.A. ASPCA , city run humane shelters and local rescue organizations to adopt a similiar structure. They rather hold to their dated ways of doing business and kill countless numbers of dogs than make a change to a more proactive way of supporting the community they are suppost to be serving. All I see is killing, blame and over regulation. Where are the solutions?
19 Councilman Mark Schoenfeld // Jun 24, 2008 at 11:12 pm
The State of Ohio currently has a BSL, (breed specific legislative bill) that will outlaw Pitbull Canines. The provisions will allegedly create a police state where anything resembling a pit bull will be seized from citizens homes by a task force of Police Officers and Animal Regulation Officers. Not only is this a taking by government prohibited by the 5th Amendment prohibition of condemnation applicable to every state through the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the 14th Amendment, it’s even worse. It’s an example of a police state entering your home based on racial profiling and taking a member of your family to be murdered, or euthanized, A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY OUTLAWED AND SUBJECT TO SEIZURE WITHOUT NOTICE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD IN A COURT OF LAW, OR GRANDFATHERED IN FOR LICENSED ANIMALS. FOR OHIOAN’S, WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN THEY SHOW UP TO YOUR HOUSE TO SEIZE YOUR FAMILY PET OR YOUR DOG WHO IS AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR CHILDREN TO BE TAKEN AWAY IN NECKCUFFS TO BE EUTHANIZED WITHOUT A FAIR TRIAL? How will they know you have a Pit Bull or a canine who might be misidentified as a pit bull? Why should your loved one companion animal be destroyed when you as a responsible pet owner have never let him or her off leash, and have secured your yards so your canine can not get out even by accident. How many times have you cut your own back yard grass because you don’t trust your gardener to keep the yard secure. Keeping your gates padlocked, and the canine is always subject to your immediate control. The easiest way for police and government to find “law abiding canine owners” is to go through the cities lists of licensed animals and see how they are described by breed whether accurate or not, and attack the “easy targets, the “law abiding dog owners”. Will the Ohio State Police, Local Police and the Animal Control Officers show up at your h0use without a warrant, and take your canine companion based on what they believe is his or her breed while they hold you off at gunpoint. The reason they won’t have a warrant is that they would never likely have sufficient evidence to acquire a warrant from a Court of competent jurisdiction because no crime has been committed, no sufficient probable cause exists for a search. It’s the Ohio State “Nazi Germany Gestapo” acting outside the Constitutional protections meant to apply to all American citizens. Kind of reminds me of Kent State University. Shoot first and ask questions later. Dog’s, College Students with a rightfully presented political opinion, what’s the difference. Kent State was no more humane than Tienamen Square in China. There was no 14th Amendment right to due process and equal protection. There was at Kent State no advocation of violent overthrow of the government which would have not been Constitutionally protected free speech. It was a bunch of college kids expressing their right to protest a war. No person, or their property under our Constitution shall be subject to unreasonable searches or seizures, be taken without just compensation, following a full hearing. Reasonable means that every seizure must be based on probable cause, and following a full blown hearing. Canines are considered property under the common law the the statutes of most states but even that is changing much like the Courts are recognizing same sex marriages. If government in Ohio and other states is successful in implementing breed specific legislation, you can count on government being active in invading your home again tomorrow to take the rest of your rights away. We as a people should outlaw ignorant, irresponsible and stupid dog owners, not a dog because of the size of his head, or his feet, or the amount of jaw pressure his bite may or may not have. Isn’t breed specific legislation the same insidious hate against human beings that we all want to stop? Racial profiling, searches and seizures based on ethnicity, country of origin, (perhaps not religion), but also on the appearance of the canine. Isn’t this insidious discrimination moving forward against animals and their owners who have never been involved in anything bad and whose hated breed has in fact been inv0lved in community services, socialization, qualified as service dogs, volunteers. If society doesn’t want humans treated and clearly we don’t then why would we validate this same kind of insidious discrimination against a breed of animals as a whole? I won a volunteer of the year commitment award for my efforts in an animal shelter. I was only bitten once. It was by a cocker spaniel, very cute, but a horrible choice of a pet for a child. While I agree that an animal attacks someone for no reason or kills a human being should be seized and euthanized, it begs the question of where and why the owner let it run loose. Perhaps we should hang the owner in the town square as an example of an accomplice to murder. Anyone remember the Dianne Whipple story in San Francisco? A beautiful 33 year old innocent woman killed by a Presa Canario trained to attack. That is a perfect example. California has strict liability in tort law for dog bites. No longer does every dog have an entitlement for one bite. The owner is liable. Knowing that, owners are held responsible for the conduct of their canines. On the flip side, responsible pet owners never give their dogs an opportunity to hurt someone or another animal. We have leash laws, fence and gate laws, but mostly responsible pet owners love their canines and take every precaution to make sure they don’t get loose never to be found and destroyed because they don’t have a microchip, a collar with ID or an easy way to be identified. Sorry for the long write. This is a topic that just inflames me.
20 Ann K. // Jul 2, 2008 at 8:57 pm
It’s the people, not the staffies that are the problem. Go after the people.
21 Gayle // Sep 8, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing about the ignorance of banning specific breeds. Having been blessed with sharing my life with two Pit girls that were, as so many others, goodwill ambassadors for their breed.
It’s unbelievable that a loving family will have their home owner insurance dropped if their family pet even resembles a Pit. The local shelters are forced to lie and use breed descriptions like “boxer-mix, lab-mix, etc.” It’s funny when it’s not so sad. Anyone who knows and loves a dog regardless of breed doesn’t care what breed it is.
22 Andy Whiteman // Jun 30, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Kory Nelson’s efforts would be better spent on enacting a ban to keep undesirable people out of Denver. The problem is the owner NOT the dog.
http://www.shopwhiteman.us/Pets.html
23 Animal Law Coalition // Jul 1, 2009 at 6:39 am
Wonderful insight – a great forthright look at what we are doing to these dogs. Thank you, Paula.
24 Jan // Jul 1, 2009 at 10:18 am
I wish all councilmen were you like you, Councilman Schoenfeld. If legislators knew as much about pit bulls as you do, we wouldn’t have this problem. It’s up to the people to get the right people in office who are educated about this breed and kick out the ones who are pushing bsl and refuse to educate themselves before enacting bad legislation.
25 sandrar // Sep 10, 2009 at 9:43 am
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
26 Scarier than a haunted dog house on Halloween « // Oct 6, 2009 at 3:58 pm
[...] PSS: Find out WHY fighting breed discrimination is so personal to me in my tribute to Petey: The Pit Bull Who Could Only Forgive. [...]
27 baileykix // Jun 14, 2010 at 11:42 am
This is a breed that has been maligned for too long. The dregs of society, ie. dogfighters, abusers, inhuman monsters have exploited the very traits inherent in this breed (loyalty, willingness to please, etc.) and once again made something very ugly out of something that is so precious. I don’t blame a dog for aggression that comes about as a result of torture and neglect. I blame the owner – I won’t even call him “irresponsible” because many times the treatment a dog like this breed receives goes beyond “irresponsibilty”, falling more under the category of intentional abuse. That is why I would love to see more people with a Zero Tolerance for any such abuse they encounter, with the guts to actually do something about it when they encounter is. Forgive me for my rant, but its something I’m very passionate about.
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