# I Pit irresponsible pit bull owners (and all irresponsible dog owners) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 23, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586 "2005-06-23T19:49:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/1 "2005-06-23T19:49:34Z")
It’s happened in the Bay Area three times this month: [Pit bull kills 12-year-old boy](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/04/MNGCUD3O661.DTL&hw=pit+bull&sn=012&sc=655) [Pit bull attacks and seriously injures its 66-year-old owner](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/16/BAGIUD9FUM1.DTL&hw=pit+bull&sn=010&sc=692) [Pit bull mauls 8-year-old girl](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/23/MNGRODDG2S1.DTL) At least two of them were unneutered males. [The ASPCA says that over 95% of dog attacks are from unaltered dogs](http://www.epa.net/launch/news/localnws/item?item_id=591707). At least two of those dogs had a prior history of aggressive behavior. **What were you thinking, idiots?** This isn’t rocket science, people. Spay or neuter your damn dogs, especially if they are members of a large breed that is known for aggression. And if they do show signs of aggression, take them to a professional behaviorist or trainer ASAP. And if that doesn’t work, _get rid of the dog_. You fuckwits are the reason why [some insurance companies will drop homeowners’ insurance for owners of some breeds of dogs](http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may03/030515m.asp). You are the reason why so many people want to make it illegal to own certain breeds of dogs. If you want to show how tough you are, why don’t you try [getting an extra-firm mattress and bragging about it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=322355), or something? It’s just as idiotic as showing how tough you are by owning a vicious dog, but much less likely to hurt anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/2 "2005-06-23T20:07:57Z")
Just at lunch an hour ago, a woman from our firm was telling us about a dimwitted neighbor of hers who has a big untrained young pit bull that had already attacked two other dogs in the neighborhood. The dog hurls itself against a picture window when people walk by and all the neighbors are afraid it will crash through and kill someone. The owner is a knuckleheaded woman who has been told by a dog trainer and by the shelter that her dog is uncontrollable and needs to be put down before it commits murder, but she can’t bring herself to do it. “It’s just so sweet and lovable with the family, I can’t believe it will ever hurt anyone,” she reportedly said. Animal Control has been notified, but the first two attacks were never reported, so so far this dog has a “clean bill of health.” This is in the bay area, as well, so I’m betting the next gruesome story will involve this dog. Stay tuned. ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/3 "2005-06-23T20:25:22Z")
I posted [a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317338) last month about a pit bull in my neighborhood whose owners aren’t completely attentive with him. I’ve started carrying an extra leash with me on walks so that I’ll be able to do something if I see him running loose in the neighborhood again. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/4 "2005-06-23T20:40:49Z")
One of my co-workers was explaining to me today why he won’t get his part-Boxer/part-Pit Bull fixed. Get this - - he’s afraid the dog will be **emotionally traumatized** if they chop off his nuts! I literally got into an argument with him and another one of my co-workers a few months ago over this very issue. For some reason the men that I work with think male dogs will become depressed over this. WTF??? I like my co-worker, but seriously, ignorance runs rampant sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/5 "2005-06-23T20:58:19Z")
> [@PinkMarabou](#): > > One of my co-workers was explaining to me today why he won’t get his part-Boxer/part-Pit Bull fixed. Get this - - he’s afraid the dog will be **emotionally traumatized** if they chop off his nuts! I literally got into an argument with him and another one of my co-workers a few months ago over this very issue. For some reason the men that I work with think male dogs will become depressed over this. WTF??? > > I like my co-worker, but seriously, ignorance runs rampant sometimes. Yeah, I’ve encountered this before. One woman was ordered by animal control to have her animals altered (or purchase a $100 unaltered animal permit per animal, as our local ordinance requires). She came to our office demanding that we pay extra for spay/neuter assistance for her so that she could have her dog neutered by a new method that involves injecting sterilizing drugs directly into the dog’s testicles. (I know; my legs are crossed as I type this). She insisted that her dog was just like a little man and she couldn’t bear to have him castrated. One time when I was talking to a group of high-school students about animal issues, I brought up the importance of spaying and neutering. One girl in the class got all in my face about how that was animal cruelty, and how she’d never do that to her dog. Some folks just **do not get** that animals and humans have different psychological makeups. Hmm…in the future, maybe I’ll point out that most men don’t go around sniffing each other’s butts, or eating fresh turds. Maybe that’ll drive home the differences between guys and dogs. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/6 "2005-06-23T21:04:31Z")
I have a male Lab/Corgi (much less funny-looking than you’d assume) that I was thinking I could leave intact but now he’s starting to act stupid so it’s time for a little snip-snip. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s a reason they call it “getting your dog **fixed**.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/7 "2005-06-23T21:04:55Z")
Oh, and on a totally self-serving note, [this may be the world’s cutest pit bull](http://www.ashevillehumane.org/cgi-bin/db.cgi?db=humane&uid=default&Status=AVAILABLE&cs=1&Species=---&BreedGroup=Mastiff&Gender=Female&Age=3-6&view_records=Find+Records). Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/8 "2005-06-23T21:12:13Z")
Do these idiots not realize that a dog will live a longer, healthier life if they get neutered? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/9 "2005-06-23T21:14:05Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Do these idiots not realize that a dog will live a longer, healthier life if they get neutered? I told the high school girl that. I don’t know whether she believed me. Honestly, I was so shocked at her outburst that I didn’t respond in my calmest, most persuasive fashion, I’m afraid. Next time I’ll be prepared with some statistics and names of diseases, in case the eating-poop angle doesn’t work. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/10 "2005-06-23T21:37:19Z")
Uncut bitches are more prone to breast cancer, for one. The vet didn’t have to list any more to convince me. Oh, that mine was a lousy example of breed helped sway me. I knew she wasn’t going to pay her room and board. Your puppy is adorable Pit/Rott mix? Looks a lot like my Lab/Corgi. Just goes to show what genes are dominant. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/11 "2005-06-23T21:52:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I have a male Lab/Corgi (much less funny-looking than you’d assume) I think I need to see a picture to see if it’s as funny-looking as I think it would be 😉 (Aww, who am I kidding, I just want to see the puppy. I love dogs, and Corgis are my favorite breed) > [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > this may be the world’s cutest pit bull. It is! I _love_ friendly, well-behaved pit bulls. Some people that used to live near me had one, and I’d pet it whenever I saw them walking it. I also got jumped on and had my face licked by a pit bull when I was in Wales last summer. They can be such sweet dogs, which makes it even more of a shame what these people do with them. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/12 "2005-06-23T22:18:22Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > One time when I was talking to a group of high-school students about animal issues, I brought up the importance of spaying and neutering. One girl in the class got all in my face about how that was animal cruelty, and how she’d never do that to her dog. Which is a reasonable opinion, whether you agree with it or not. > [@](#): > > Some folks just **do not get** that animals and humans have different psychological makeups. Hmm…in the future, maybe I’ll point out that most men don’t go around sniffing each other’s butts, or eating fresh turds. Maybe that’ll drive home the differences between guys and dogs. Nice rationalization for chopping a pets balls. How is this relevant? Being different does not mean being unattached to ones sexual appendages. :rolleyes: I love this often told sentence: “Neutered pets are healthier pets: no testicles means no testicular cancer, which is not uncommon among aging intact male dogs.” No testicular cancer? Well duh, they have no testicles! Nice trade! Nevermind that usually you can neuter them when they actually get cancer. I am not against neutering mind you. But your self-righteousness is really misplaced. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/13 "2005-06-23T22:24:17Z")
Ugh. I think my stance on this sort of thing is already known, so I’ll just say Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/14 "2005-06-23T23:26:26Z")
When I was working at a vet’s office, I had a conversation with a guy who had just bought a Minature Pinscher. When I was giving him the schedule for vaccinations, etc, he told me he wasn’t going to have the dog neutered because he didn’t want to “take away his manhood.” After health-related arguments failed to sway him (I swear, this guy had his legs crossed every time I mentioned “neutering”) I asked him - “OK, what’s going to happen when Spike gets a whiff of a female in heat and gets out to go find her, only to discover that a Rottie has discovered her also? Spike is going to be a pre-intercourse snack for the Rottie!” He got the dog neutered. Unfortunately, here in the south, some of the men equate their dogs balls with their own. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/15 "2005-06-23T23:44:55Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > (or purchase a $100 unaltered animal permit per animal, as our local ordinance requires) :eek: Do the local animal controls officers wear blackshirts and jackboots? > [@Pedro](#): > > I am not against neutering mind you. But your self-righteousness is really misplaced. Amen. Don’t make it seem like there’s some moral perogative to having my animals fixed; there are legitimate reasons for leaving them intact. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/16 "2005-06-23T23:56:48Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Do the local animal controls officers wear blackshirts and jackboots? I think it’s a good idea, actually. It gives the people who aren’t serious about breeding their animals an incentive to have them fixed. And if more people had their animals fixed, there would be less of a homeless pet problem. > [@](#): > > there are legitimate reasons for leaving them intact. Which do _not_ include fear of losing your own manhood or the desire to have a “tough” dog. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/17 "2005-06-23T23:59:35Z")
Congratulations! You win the prize, **Metacom** , for this month’s stupidest comparison to Nazis. FYI, yes, they do wear black shirts and jackboots; they borrow them from the folks at the DMV, you ignorant zit. And no, **Pedro** , equating neutering with animal cruelty is NOT a reasonable opinion. While the statement > [@](#): > > Being different does not mean being unattached to ones sexual appendages is technically true, it also doesn’t mean that they ARE attached to their sexual appendages. If you’d care to produce any evidence whatsoever that dogs suffer emotional trauma post-castration analogous to what human males do, now’s the time to offer it. Thanks for playing, though! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/18 "2005-06-24T00:04:17Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > IIt gives the people who aren’t serious about breeding their animals an incentive to have them fixed. And it creates an economic hardship for people who do breed their animals. > [@Anne Neville](#): > > Which do _not_ include fear of losing your own manhood or the desire to have a “tough” dog. I, personally, don’t think those are good reasons either. But it shouldn’t be my place–or yours–to tell people what are and aren’t good reasons for altering your animals. Their property, their decision. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/19 "2005-06-24T00:09:15Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Congratulations! You win the prize, **Metacom** , for this month’s stupidest comparison to Nazis. Are you fucking retarded? I compared them to [fascists](http://www.answers.com/topic/blackshirts), not Nazi’s, and it was obviously hyperbole. > [@](#): > > FYI, yes, they do wear black shirts and jackboots; they borrow them from the folks at the DMV, you ignorant zit. What exactly am I ignorant of, Oh magnanimous PETA apologist? Does failure to acknowledge your opinion as factual count as ignorance now? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586/20 "2005-06-24T00:16:54Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > But it shouldn’t be my place–or yours–to tell people what are and aren’t good reasons for altering your animals. Their property, their decision. Yes, up to a point. I think there should be disincentives to breed animals, if for no other reason than the huge expense of dealing with all the unwanted animals in shelters. _Somebody_ has to pay for all of those animals to be housed and fed at local animal shelters. And I think “people who choose to breed their dogs” is a logical choice of a group of people who should help defray those expenses. I’m also in favor of “neuter or get rid of it” laws in the case of vicious animals. If an intact animal has attacked someone, the owner should have the choice of surrendering the animal or having it altered, but not be allowed to keep the dog as is. I don’t know if laws like this exist anywhere, but I definitely think they’re a good idea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-irresponsible-pit-bull-owners-and-all-irresponsible-dog-owners/309586.md?page=2)