Bullies In Our Local News

This past week I wrote two articles for the Examiner involving pit bulls. The first "Catonsville veterinary clinic treats dog maimed by Baltimore man", a pit/Shepherd mix was maimed by a machete-weilding man. The second story, "Pit bull attacks local off-duty cop and his dog" is about an unfortunate incident in which a Yorkiepoo and owner were severely injured.

Any dog labeled as a "pit bull", and their owners have a hard enough time battling prohibitions, bans and prejudices. There is an added responsibility to pit owners to go above and beyond as owners. As a bully lover, I debated on posting the Examiner articles to avoid further negative press. But I believe education is the absolute best weapon against further incidences of these kind.

NO pet dog should be left unattended at any time. This not only prevents tragic accidents, but helps in training and overall care. If your dog gets sick, will you know what he ingested outside? If your dog is missing, did he jump the fence or was he nabbed out of the yard? Yes, dog-napping still happens. If your dog barks at everyone going by, you cannot train them from inside the house.

Left unattended, dogs will find ways to entertain themselves. This typically results in undesired behaviors such as digging, excessive barking, becoming territorial and more. Dogs contained by electronic fence are especially vulnerable to intruders as nothing prevents them getting in.

I do not believe that dogs "enjoy" sitting out alone in yard. I, too, would rather sit out on a sunny lawn, listen to the birds sing and watching the occassional passer-by than be ignored inside.

Please understand that I in no way blame the victims of any attacks. My sincere hope is that we all learn and grow from every experience.