Breed or deed?
An article recently published in The Salina Journal deals with an issue that's been floating around for a long time — dangerous dogs.
According to the story, a woman in New Cambria had her dog taken away to the local animal shelter for several reasons: he wasn't vaccinated, he wasn't registered, and he was a pit bull.
The town of New Cambria had recently enacted an ordinance requiring registration, licensing, and shots for all dogs. There are many more restrictions for those owning pit bulls.
The dog's owner admits that the dog didn't meet the requirements. But here's the issue: She says he's not a pit bull.
He just sorta looks like one.
That's just the tip of the iceberg of the huge debate surrounding dangerous dogs.
Many cities have banned pit bulls — Hillsboro included. You can't own a pit bull within the city limits, according to city code 2-301. Neither can you own a Staffordshire bull terrier or an American Staffordshire terrier.
What makes these last two breeds so dangerous? That's not clear, but it probably has something to do with the fact that they look nearly identical to the pit bull.
What if you want to get another dog breed that looks remotely like a pit bull? You might want to think twice, even though it's very hard to know how a four-week-old puppy will look when he grows up.
The pit bull topic has been debated endlessly. So far, a few certainties have been gleaned: Some pit bulls have killed and maimed people. Some pit bulls are trained to fight and attack. And some pit bulls are as harmless as miniature poodles, interacting with children on a daily basis with nothing bad happening.
It does seem true that as a whole, the pit bull breed has a tendency toward aggression. But that could be said for many breeds. Even the dalmatian has a high "biting" factor, according to veterinarians.
Maybe the solution should be this: Judge each animal on a case-by-case basis. Have a vet come out to the house when one of the aforementioned "dangerous" breeds joins a family. Watch how they interact with others and then make the decision.
But the situation in New Cambria shows how ridiculous things can get. Just because a dog "looks" vicious doesn't mean he is.
— JENNIFER WILSON
