Last month neighbor Robin and her husband found this sweet, handsome pit bull near Clark Park. They took him in, hoping to find his home, but none was found. Rather than taking him to ACCT they chose to foster, got him fixed, vaccinated, microchipped, and want to find him the best possible home.
“Baby” (his current name) is considered to be about 7 months old, weighs about 60 lbs, gets along great with Robin’s two little dogs, kids, other dogs, and strangers. He just wants to be everybody’s best friend! Local dog walkers who have met Baby agree that he would make an awesome best friend. He is still young, so he does LOVE and need attention!
Anyone wanting to meet Baby can email Robin at robinstur42@yahoo.com or call 215-526-8645.
September 11th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
Remember, folks, that even “sweet” pit bulls can turn on a dime and maul family members. Do not have one in your home if you have children, unless you wouldn’t mind seeing their limbs or faces ripped off because Baby was having a bad day.
I’m damned sick and tired of West Philly Local being a clearinghouse for pit bulls. You guys are responsible for putting people in danger.
September 11th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Tim,
Complete ingnorance. Good job buddy! Very productive. Shame on you!
September 11th, 2012 at 6:20 pm
you obviously havent met very many pits tim.
September 11th, 2012 at 7:34 pm
1. Pit Bulls are no better or worse than any other dog breed and Tim’s comment shows a staggering lack of knowledge.
2. No child should be left unsupervised with a dog at a very young age for many reasons.
September 11th, 2012 at 8:02 pm
I agree that pit bulls can be nice animals, but unlike many other breeds they have powerful, powerful jaws and if they bite, they do real damage in the blink of an eye. Many dogs can be provoked to bite, and some dogs can be provoked to attack, but few have the quickness and sheer power of the pit bull, and that’s what makes them a breed that needs owners who are knowledgeable and careful about them. It’s frightening, for example, to see pit bulls off leash at Clark Park, no matter how sweet they are, for if something sets them off, there’s really little to no margin for error. And everyone, human or dog, can be set off now and again.
September 11th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
dog populations (United States):
(estimation) Pit Bulls: 5,256,000
(estimation) Rottweilers: 900,000
(estimation) German Shepherds: 780,000
(estimation) Chows: 240,000
Fatal attacks by these breeds of dogs (1979-1998):
Pit Bulls: 66
Rottweilers: 39
German Shepherds: 17
Chows: 8
When we divide the population by the fatal attacks, we can get a percentage based on the dogs probability of fatally attacking a human.
Pit Bulls: .00125 %
Rottweilers: .00433 %
German Shepherds: .00217%
Chow: .00333%
WELL, it would seem the Pit Bull is at the bottom of the list. 4 times as many Rottweilers, 2 times as many German Shepherds, and 3 times as many Chows are involved in Fatal Attacks based on the population percentage. It is only logical that if there are more Pit Bulls there would be more attacks. Lets take a little less blame on the breed and put a little more blame on the people. Through all they’ve been through, the Pit Bull still triumphs.
September 11th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
But this still goes to the point of the original response, which is that if we have a big population of pit bulls in the West Phil area, we’re going to have more attacks. If we had a high percentage of other attack-type dogs, the same would hold true. Whether or not the pit is more aggressive than other dogs is rather a moot point. The point is that certain types of dogs, when they get aggressive–as all dogs and humans and indeed all living things do–these dogs (that you list) are far more dangerous than, say, a beagle or chihuahua or golden retriever.
Dogs that can quickly kill a child, a pet, a human need to be owned by people who are highly responsible and aware that they are caring for a being that is capable of taking another’s life in a heartbeat. Such animals should, for example, not be allowed off leash in an urban area if there are people or animals around. And they shouldn’t be owned by people who can’t control them. Nothing more frightening than people with clearly no understanding of how to handle a dog (or dogs) that are clearly aggressive, straining at ill-fitting leashes and collars that look ready to slip off, growling at passersby. This doesn’t describe all pit owners, to be sure, but it does describe a growing crew of people who haven’t a clue but think that there’s something inherently righteous about adopting a pit bull, as if it’s a political or religious act rather than a huge and potentially deadly responsibility.
September 12th, 2012 at 8:27 am
Let’s also keep in mind that pit bulls were specifically bred to NOT be human aggressive. Pits who turned on their handlers were put down and the line halted.
No small child is “safe” around any dog, of any breed. Dogs are animals, animals bite. Even adults: Don’t put your face near a sleeping dog.
Train your child how to be around a dog, train your dog how to be around children, and learn how to read dog body language. The majority of bites are preventable but we ignore the warning signs due to our own arrogance and ignorance. And whatever you do, do NOT teach your dog to not growl. That growl, that snarl is the final flag, the last resort for a dog to tell you “Stop touching me, leave me alone, I am having none of this.”
September 12th, 2012 at 8:50 am
pit concerns, thank you for articulating why pit bulls are of special concern.
September 12th, 2012 at 9:35 am
Pit Concerns, your issue seems to be more properly with irresponsible owners than with pit bulls. Pit bulls are of no more special concern than any other dog. My friend was hospitalized for 2 days for I.V. antibiotics after being bitten by a bichon frise. You cannot tell whether a dog is dangerous just by its appearance.
http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_02_06_a_pitbull.html
From this New Yorker article:
“Then which are the pit bulls that get into trouble? “The ones that the legislation is geared toward have aggressive tendencies that are either bred in by the breeder, trained in by the trainer, or reinforced in by the owner,” Herkstroeter says. A mean pit bull is a dog that has been turned mean, by selective breeding, by being cross-bred with a bigger, human-aggressive breed like German shepherds or Rottweilers, or by being conditioned in such a way that it begins to express hostility to human beings. A pit bull is dangerous to people, then, not to the extent that it expresses its essential pit bullness but to the extent that it deviates from it. A pit-bull ban is a generalization about a generalization about a trait that is not, in fact, general. That’s a category problem.”
September 12th, 2012 at 11:57 am
Melody, you missed pit concerns’ point, which is that while any dog could attack given certain circumstances, pit bulls’ speed and power make any attack by them more dangerous; therefore they are of special concern.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Pit Concerns, ALL dogs can be dangerous when they bite, especially the large breeds. A golden retriever killed a baby in South Carolina earlier this year. The woman who received the world’s first face transplant was mauled by a black lab. I even remember a news story about a Pomeranian killing a child.
FWIW, I absolutely agree that there are too many irresponsible owners that don’t spay/neuter, socialize, train, or confine their dogs appropriately. The problem is by no mean limited to pits. You can’t assume that a dog is uniquely dangerous just because it has a blocky head, muscular build, and short hair; just like you can never assume that a dog is safe based on looks alone.
September 12th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Kudos to Robin and her husband for saving this puppy and helping the community by fostering/neutering/micro-chipping/vaccinating. There should be more generous and kind people like them in our world!
September 12th, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Remember, folks, not to listen to comments from people like Tim, who clearly have no legitimate knowledge about dogs and breeds, outside of an unfortunate experience that has happened within his social sphere, or far more likely, simply what he reads in the news. If you have any concerns, consult a legitimate authority; veterinarians, the AKC, many shelter groups, certified professional dog trainers, etc., will have real knowledge and honest opinions.
Should “Baby” be left unsupervised around your pitbull? No. Should “Baby” be left unsupervised around ANY pet – dog, cat, bird, et cetera? No. Common sense: Tim doesn’t have it.
Love,
A responsible, informed dog-owner.
September 13th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-dogs.php
September 13th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
it is bizarre how many friggin pits are on this blog. They are obviously being abandoned for _some_ reason.. easy to figure out.
September 13th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Andy, the reason this site helps us get the word out about available Pits is that they are the ones that get stuck in the animal shelters. And by “stuck” I mean they get passed by more than other breeds. Why? Because of people’s mindsets much like yours. There are Chihuahuas, German Shepards, Pugs, Border Collies..every breed you can think of at the shelter. However, breed specific rescues take them on or some “lucky” adopters act quick. Which leaves what? Pits and any mix that resembles them. Granted they are te backyard breeders’ favorite breed which adds to the population. However, the fact they end up in a shelter doesn’t say anything about their potential or quality as dogs. You wouldn’t assume there is something wrong with children in orphanages or foster homes, would you?
To those speaking about pits and children: do your research. They have historically served as so called nanny dogs because of their high tolerance to kids and their shenanigans. Besides, as soebody el
September 13th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
…as somebody else mentioned, they have never been specifically bred to show aggression towards humans. They actually are pretty sucky guard dogs as they just love love humans. Why do you think no police force around the globe uses them? They are not dumber than Doberman Pinschers or German Shepards. However, their tolerance tends to be higher and they are too laid back. Personally, I do not trust my Doberman to not attack if the situation got sticky. Kids and her? Never! My Pit on the other hand loves loves loves all babies she meets no matter how hard they squeeze her, how loudly they scream an no matter what toy they are waving at her. And she is not exceptional. She is pretty darn average and not specifically trained in any way.
September 14th, 2012 at 11:31 am
My boyfriend adopted the very first West Philly Local “Pet of the Week”, who just so happened to be a pit. (https://www.westphillylocal.com/2011/06/01/sweet-ruby-gets-a-home/)
Ruby is fantastic and sweet and loves to play with our friends’ toddlers. As other people have mentioned, I would never leave a small child unattended around any animal. I’m frankly way more concerned about my cats biting or scratching than I am about Ruby ever being agressive.
In the end, common sense goes a long way. Any dog can be passive or agressive, and it’s up to the owners to learn about how their dogs act snd to respond appropriately. Are there irresponsible owners? Most certainly. An entire breed of dog shouldn’t be rejected based solely on a few people who can’t deal with their pets, though.
September 14th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for your comment, Arwin. Of course we remember Aaron and Ruby. It’s good to know that everything is going well with this adoption.
September 14th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
I was bitten in the face, unprovoked, by a purebred labrador retriever when I was 4 years old. I had to have plastic surgery to repair my cheek and reduce swelling following the stitches and treating the puncture wounds under my chin. Had the lab snapped my face a half-inch higher, I would have lost my right eye. I now own a pit bull and trust him 100% around children, cats, and other dogs. So take your nonsense breed profiling elsewhere.
September 14th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
And Tim, here are some interesting statistics for you from the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS.org): the pass rate, by breed, of a standardized temperament test which tests dogs in various stressful situations. Here is the pit bull vs. other popular, not “dangerous” breeds.
American Pit Bull Terrier: 86.8%
Beagle: 80.0%
Corgi: 80.0%
Cocker Spaniel: 81.9%
Standard dachsund: 68.8%
Golden retriever: 85.2%
Greyhound: 81.5%
Lhasa Apso: 70.4%
Mini poodle: 77.9%
I could go on…
“The ATTS Temperament Test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog’s instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat.”
September 16th, 2012 at 8:31 pm
I found the love of my life on West Philly Local!! A beautiful pit mix last year! Tim – these dogs need the most exposure, because there are so many homeless pitbulls in West Philly- don’t be ignorant, Tim. “Clearinghouse for pitbulls”??? Really??? It’s because of comments like yours that there is Breed Specific Legislation is so many cities. And I’ll be damned if someone like yourself helps make Philly the next city to impliment this unjust law.
September 20th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Great comments in reaction to Tim’s post ! I’ve met Baby twice and he’s an awesome boy! I’ve met so many wonderful pits in UC, and have known MANY who were/are excellent family pets and companions!
A REMINDER ABOUT NEXT SATURDAY’S SYMPOSIUM, SPONSORED BY BUZZY’S AND PACT:
‘Punish the Deed, Not the Breed’ Symposium Event
Date: September 23, 2012
Time: Noon to 8 pm
Place: University of Pennsylvania Campus
DETAILS: http://pactforanimals.org/beyondthemyth.php
October 15th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
fyi, I think Robin is still searching for a good home for Baby. There has been interest, but not from responsible caretakers. We saw Robin and Baby again two weeks ago, and we think he’s a pit-boxer mix. He’s maturing nicely and has great car manners! He’s also turned into a bit of a lap-dog! If we had room for another big dog we wouldn’t hesitate to adopt him. 🙂
November 18th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
“Baby” looks like a charmer and I can only hope you don’t give up. There are organizations out there who might be able to assist you in your search. Have you called Main Line Animal Rescue near Philly? They have a FB page.