Fighting the animal rights forces

Across the country legislators continue to introduce laws to ban certain breeds of dogs and to restrict the rights of dog owners in other ways.

The push to call ourselves “guardians” instead of “owners” is not just semantic silliness or warm fuzziness. When we own something we are responsible for it. We take care of it. There are laws to protect animals from cruelty or neglect.

The term “guardian” is vague and unclear. By labeling people guardians of our pets, we have taken a step toward relinquishing ownership to the government. As guardians, we have no rights of ownership.

Often the bills are disguised in words like “Healthy Pets Act,” but the forces behind the legislation are extremist animal rights groups that care nothing about the health of our pets.

The most powerful are PETA and the HSUS whose ultimate goal is to get rid of all pets, all domestic animals. The Humane Society of the United States is often referred to as “PETA in a shirt and tie.” But their objectives are the same. And they are relentless.

With their plush headquarters, six figure salaries and million dollar budgets, collected from many pet owners who don’t know their real agenda, animal rights organizations are a powerful force. They donate large sums to political candidates.

But they are outnumbered by the millions of us who own dogs or other pets.

Those of us whose dogs are not considered for the Breed Specific Legislation should take care not to just sit back and let these laws be passed. We need to be aware of pending legislation in our cities and states and to be prepared to show the strength of our numbers to stop laws that infringe on our rights as citizens and responsible pet owners.

If I may paraphrase the famous passage by Martin Niemöller in referring to Nazi Germany

 …they first came for the Pit Bulls and Rottweilers and I didn't speak up because I didn’t own a Pit Bull or Rottweiler.

Then they came for the German Shepherds, Chows and Dobermans and I didn't speak up because I didn’t own a German Shepherd, Chow or Doberman.

Then they came for the Retrievers, Setters, Huskies and Labradors, and I didn't speak up because I didn’t own a Retriever, Setter, Husky or Labrador.

Then they came for the Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, Bulldogs and Collies, and I didn't speak up because I didn’t own a Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Bulldog or Collie.

Then they came for my Poodles, and by that time no one was left to speak up

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Do you know what a Pit Bull looks like?

This is the infamous Sports Illustrated cover of 1987 depicting a Pit Bull as many Americans have seen them for the past 22 years.

On this website, Pit Bulls on the Web, 25 dogs are featured. Only one is the real America Pit Bull Terrier. According to the site "the rest are dogs that have been picked from breeders’ websites and should represent what that breed looks like. There are no mixes or rescues."

Take the test to see if you can find the Pit Bull. I didn’t do very well.

Comments

[cube]

My dog niece is a pit bull "mix" that my sister rescued from a shelter. I'd be a total novice with the breed aside from my experience with Pumpkin, but even with some knowledge it took me 3 tries before I spotted the pit bull because I kept picking dogs with larger heads, such as Cane Corso, Presa Canario, and Alano Espanol (only one of which I had ever heard of before, namely the Presa Canario implicated in the death of the California woman).

These poor dogs get such a bad reputation...one that isn't earned.

[cube]

Good point. Your premise is analagous to the movement trying to take away our guns. First they come for the "assault" weapons, then they come for our automatics and then they come for our revolvers.

Wasn't it Churchill who said, "An appeaser is one who feeds the crocodile hoping it will eat him last."

Same principle. Both should be fought tooth and nail.

[teetotaled]

Wow, the real pit bull was one of the last ones I clicked on. The only pit bulls I have known have been very well trained and super loving.

[Gus, Louie and Callie]

we do not like those people. We would love to sink our teeth into some of them although mom says we are too good to step that low..

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

[Sling]

I give up!..I kept picking 'till all that was left were the ones I was sure it wasn't..

[jackie]

I just keep looking and looking and looking and then i spotted him...picked him right off..but if i had just glanced at them i'd have picked 3 other dogs first...pitty's have the triangle shaped head.

[Khyra]

My mom is furry impressed with your khanine ekhwivalent of that furry famous 'they khame fur'

Those kind of things are big examples of why my mom tries to make a difFURence...

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

[jan's funny farm]

I used to think HSUS was a good organization, then I started to learn otherwise. PETA -- I won't even go there!

I've posted about pit bulls a number of times. This breed specific legislation craze is wrong.

[Col]

This is the first I had heard of dog owners being referred to as guardians. What a strange world we live in!!

[Wendy]

It took me three tries. First I tried a bigger dog (Dogo Argentino) then I went for a little one (Jack Russel terrier) and then figured out it needed to be the one in between.

The problem with HSUS is that people think giving to them means that it will filter down to the local humane societies-- nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is that they don't help dogs and cats, they take money and produce propaganda and hire lobbyists.

[Karina A.]

Okay Jan, I admit I failed at this quiz. But that goes to show just how much we REALLY know this wonderful breed! Thanks for making me think as I get ready to get into bed :-) Can't wait to share this post with our network!

And before I go, the problem with HSUS and PETA is not the organizations per se, but the supporters who, like Wendy says, think that just by sending a $20 check every month they're doing their part to help animals in need. Not too many members really take the time to visit their sites on a daily basis and keep track of what they're doing in the name of the organization. Thanks again for the quiz!

[Steve Bartlett]

I posted this on my Facebook page.

[Matt]

I vote Jan as leader of a new organization, one that actually cares about the animals themselves!!!

[Kanab]

Along with PETA and HSUS you should also add the Best Friends Animal Society as another bunch of do-gooders whose main interest is apparently the money they get the suckers to give them.

[Kathy]

I am no fan of PETA and I recently learned about the deeper nature of HSUS. I used to contribute to HSUS until I was educated about their organization. However, the word owner, for me, does not feel right on certain levels. The dogs I share my life with I consider family and I do not consider family--possessions. Perhaps, looking at it legally, the term applied to the human who shares his/her life with their dog should be considered owner, but it doesn't agree with my heart.

[Jan]

Kathy,

I think we were all taken in by the HSUS and their cute baby animals. I know I was until we found out the truth from many sources, mainly on the internet.

I don't think of myself as the "owner" of my dogs except in the legal sense. It's my responsibility to keep them from breaking laws. Mostly it feels like they "own" me. They're part of our family but my human children don't like for me to call them my kids.

I like the terms "dog" and "human."

jan

[Jimmy]

I thought I would do much better on the test. It took me 5 dogs to find the right one.
I like "Cube's" analogy!

[cube]

Thanks Jimmy.

[Denny]

Another outstanding post.

[Lindsay]

Because I value your opinion, what animal rights groups do you support, if any?

OK I'm off to take the pitbull test. I like to think I'll do pretty well, but let's see ...

... I got 10 out of 25 right! Absolutely terrible! And I did not get the pitbull right. :)