OK all you animal lovers...

Coming back as an animal is not reincarnation sm [2008-11-01]
That is transmigration. I do believe in reincarnation of the spirit, as so many of the gnostic early Christians did. I believe our spirits come back over and over again. Ummm I'm a gnostic Catholic.

Why are we okay with animal milk? [2008-09-19]
Funny how we think it is normal to drink the milk of an animal, don't you think? Honestly, I would much rather find an animal hair in my food than a human hair though. :) I even get grossed out when it is my own hair!!

Animal Rescue Organization [2008-08-21]
My son forwarded this message to me. I checked it out and it is legitimate. All it takes is a click - no cost to you at all. Let's help these animals! Animal RescueHi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple...Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Animal Rescue Site ishaving trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet theirquota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglectedanimals.It takes less than a minute (How about 20 seconds) to go to their siteand click on the purple box COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial>http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

some advice about animal abuse [2008-08-20]
turn him in as soon as possible. People like that do not deserve animals. Someone ought kick him once in awhile. Call the Animal Protection Society in your area immediately. I can't stand people who abuse animals and someone who knows this is being done and not doing anything about it is just as bad

Need some advice about possible animal abuse sm (this is long) [2008-08-19]
my son rode school bus home with afriend to the friendhouse last friday (i had never been to their house, but his friend has been here once and i these people some like really nice people, very religious. i went to pick up my son friday evening and was a little shocked. had a weird vibe about the dad right off the bat. i dontheir house was ok, but i felt dirty when i left. he has a couple of dogs, one he says he doesn seems very lovable) and another dog that has puppies and he bragged listened to him very well. when i was getting ready to leave, this momma dog comes around to the front and seemed extremely scared, especially when he was by her. he was trying to show me how good his dog listened to him. but she was putting her head down, slouching down like he it made me feel so uncomfortable. i so the next day my son goes back for a b-day party. on the way to their house, my son tells me that the dad kicked the momma dog because she was eating the cat (the cat is really skinny too). when i got to the house i was able to get a better look at this dog because it was daylight and the poor thing looks so unhappy and her rear end area looks like her hair is coming off, i don i just felt so helpless for this dog. i called my vet office and asked them who can i call if i suspect animal abuse (we don i but the look on the dog oh, another thing, when i was leaving there friday evening i said something about keeping the kittens (yes, they have kittens too) away so i don so my question is do i get a hold of the police and tell them this???? i just want the dogs taken away. i want to be anonymous. i don the dad told me that this is the third litter of puppies for this momma dog since last november, and if he finds out who the daddy is ........ well i thought to myself, why don i was furious! i thought about writing a letter to the police station. what do you all think? thanks

All you CAT/animal lovers have to see this one. SM [2008-08-09]
it is short butso sweet. http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/cat-adopts-bunny-p1.php

Huge animal lover here but I agree [2008-08-01]
I once had the most beautiful cat named dumb cat cause that was exactly what he was, but he knew he was loved and well cared for. BTW, I live right out of the city limits but if I did live in the city limits I would not be allowed to shoot a gun.

Animal lovers... another great video for you! [2008-08-01]
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yNy9jTeolUk The lazy days of summer :)

I know there are a lot of animal lovers here, so I thought I would share... [2008-08-01]
Back in March I posted on this board about my lab puppy that died from parvo. After that happened, we bleached our house from ceiling to floor and poured buckets and buckets of dilute bleach on our yard. About a month later, I was approached by a neighbor who's boxer had had puppies and since the neither of the parent boxers were registered, she was selling them of $100 a piece. I've always wanted a boxer, but refused to pay $400 for a dog. So I jumped at the chance to get a boxer, but I was a little leery because of the parvo incident. So my hubbie and I again bleached our house from top to bottom and bleached our yard, pretty much killing the grass. We made sure the puppy had her first set of shots including a parvo vaccination and even made a point three months ahead for her second parvo booster. We brought her home and she did great. We thought we were successful at decontaminating our house. She was healthy and happy until about three weeks ago. She had gotten into the trash and got a hold of some raw chicken bones and then the next was lethargic and heaving like she wanted to throw up but couldn't. As luck would have it, it was time for her appointment for her shots and booster. So I get to the vet and tell her what was going on with her and even the vet agreed it was probably the chicken. So they checked her out and she had a temperature. So the vet said she couldn't give her shots, but they could do the flea treatment. Then vet asked me about doing a parvo test. At first I was like no way could she have parvo. She's been living in our house for four months now and is just now getting sick? But then I said just to rule out, let's do it. Well, she had parvo! I was just sick and crying. I didn't want my kids to watch another dog die, but I didn't want to euthanize her either. She wasn't as sick as the other dog had been. She hadn't had diarrhea, just a little vomiting. I just didn't know what to do. I couldn't afford the $600 my vet was telling me would be the cost to hospitalize her and give her IV fluids and antibiotics. So I took her home and gave the sad news to my husband. Then I got mad and said there has got to be something else we can try. So the MT in me took over and I got online and started researching. I found a couple of articles where vets had tried Tamiflu in dogs with parvo and that the Tamiflu had actually helped. It had shortened the length of the illness, hindered the spread of the virus throughout the dog's intestinal tract, and made the symptoms less severe. Basically, given a dog a better chance for survival. Luckily (LOL) my entire family had had the flu back in February and I happened to have some Tamiflu on hand that my husband hadn't taken. I found that the vets had given the parvo dogs 1 mg per pound to the sick dogs twice a day for five days which in my dog averaged to about 30 mg twice a day. My Tamiflu was 75 mg capsules. So I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I did it. She wouldn't eat at first, so putting the pill in a hotdog wasn't an option. So my husband held her mouth open and I dropped a pill in and used a baby medicine dropper to squirt water into her mouth. Then we held her mouth closed and made her swallow. Day two, she seemed a little perky and actually got up to drink water on her own. By day three, she was eating tiny pieces of poached chicken and taking her pill on her own. Long story short, we are now two weeks out from Sugar I also wanted to share how my career as an MT probably saved my dog! Had I not had honed all those researching and investigative skills we need as MTs, I would have never found the information that ultimately saved my dog.

Animal Control [2008-07-30]
I'm sure the responses vary depending on where you live, what the situation, and who you talk to but for those who have had no help from Animal Control - there might be hope. A farm in my area was obviously mistreating their cows, standing in water for days and weeks with nothing to graze on but plenty of land to move them too. Just a lazy farmer I think, the whole place was a mess. I called Animal Control, the Sherrif's Dept, and the Humane Society every week (atleast once a week) for over a month. Every time I had to leave a message and soon was immediately transferred to a voicemail. I am happy to say I was persistent and eventually the problem was solved. I can only assume they got tired of hearing from me. I haven't seen a problem over there since and its been a couple of years.

i have seen that before. I'm not an animal person [2008-07-30]
x

Animal Control [2008-07-30]
Like the other poster said, if you click post a reply to this message they are right under the box that you type your message in. Anyways, I forgot to tell you, you don You can also call them about the barking, and I believe they will give them a warning and then I think a fine if they do nothing. Also, I dondoing my time here, where I live, waiting to get away from these idiots I call neighbors! They obviously don't care, have talked to them, so I don't want to make matters worse, because, unfortunately, I have to be here at least 4 more years!

You should contact animal control [2008-07-29]
Leaving a dog tied up like that and barking incessantly is abuse for one thing. Surely there is some kind of animal control or even the police you could report to?

Animal lovers . . If you have not had a good cry yet today SM [2008-07-10]
watch this very touching video. http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/

Doesn't give the dog a right to bite her??? It's a freakin animal. [2008-07-04]
It doesn't know right from wrong. Geez lady! Doesn't give it a right...lol whatever.

Agree....that's why so many end up in animal shelters abandoned... [2008-06-20]
xx

OK all you animal lovers... [2008-06-19]
We have a Basset hound puppy, around 7-8 weeks old; we We are trying to crate train her, but she just can We take her out on a regular schedule, feed her on a regular schedule, and make sure she poopies and pees before she comes back in, but it never fails that she will, at least once a day, poopie in her crate...SO DISGUSTING! I'm at my wit's end and ready to give her up, but she's sooo adorable, I really don't want to. Of note, I am not a huge animal person, can take them or leave them, but she stole my heart and I love her! I seriously am looking for some answers here.

What a beautiful animal. I have the collars of three of our s/m [2008-06-16]
dogs and I used to just hold them and smell them to keep them close to me. I understand how you are feeling and hope you are feeling better before too long. We never forget them and never stop loving them.

Have some animal knowledge [2008-06-12]
To those of you speaking about how pits are so evil, I have two things to say... 1. Any dog is capable of that behavior. We have two dogs and one is a search and rescue dog and both are very loving... but you should never ever underestimate a dog no matter what. they are still animals and they still respond according to their instincts in certain situations. ALL ANIMALS have this capability. That being said... 2. So if you outlaw pits, who What animal species will be evil incarnate after that? Basically, it all boils down to the owners, the training and the language the animal gives off in certain situations. For example, my friend recently told me that someone she knows put their golden to sleep because it bit their child. When they euthanized the dog, a technician made the incidental finding that one of the kids had shoved a pen into the dogs ear. They came to the realization that this is why the dog had bitten, but no one ever even tried to sit down and figure out what had happened... nope, the dog is just put down.. no questions. You know, I would have torn that kid in two myself if that had happened to me, so its the kid and not the dog. Go to a dog language class, take some training and learn some things before condemning an animal to death for instincts that supposedly only that breed has. Its ridiculous and completely ignorant.

I have 2 dyson animal models - love them [2008-05-29]
I have one of the original ones, and then bought another one a few months ago, the newer animal model. I have a 3 story house so it They are by far the best vacuum you can buy and well worth the money.

Calling all cat lovers - I'm at my wit's end [2008-05-28]
To make a long story short I need some expertise. My male cat was a sprayer before we got him fixed way back when. Then he decided to pee in our dining room and we took up the rug and put in a wood floor (this was quite a few years ago - cat is 11). Then he proceeded to pee in all the corners of the family room. We just had wood floor put on there and all has been well. Until about a week ago, he decided to pee again on the dining room wood floor, no where else, but he still uses his litter box. I had cleaned it with vinegar and it seemed like the smell went away and I thought all was well until I again caught him peeing on the wood floor in the same area more than once. My husbandhas had it(hedestroyed a lot of things already from when we first got him). He is ready to take himaway somewhere. I donMy husband doused the area with vinegar again. Anyone have any ideas? Anything that will keep him away, or any other tricks to get he smell out. Any help would be appreciated. Tonight will not be a very happy night.

On animal planet they were featuring types of SM [2008-04-09]
animals and snakes, etc. with two heads. I know in some cultuers these animals are felt to be holy and a gift from God. I felt sorry for them when I saw them. I feel for this dear child and family.

Animal lovers, be sure to watch/record Oprah today. sm [2008-04-04]
Lisa Ling is reporting on puppy mills. It looks like it will be a very powerful show. I know that I desperately hope it will make a difference. The dogs in the mills have been suffering far too long. We need to put an end topuppy mills. Please,passthe word.

Reading your post it is clear the love you gave this wonderful animal SM [2008-03-29]
thoughout her life. You were together for many years and you gave her a wonderful life. Please try to always remember that. A woman who cleaned for my mom cleaned my apartment once and when I showed her a dog collar that I have that my darling Westie wore I broke down. This woman knew my Westie and loved her, too. I cried and said I had some feelings of guilt that I was dealing with. This wonderful woman said something to me that might help you now. She said Just think of the life you gave her. Now think of the life she might have had if she had fallen into the hands of someone who did not love her. That really helped me a lot. I hope in time it will help you, too. God Bless you.

Need reassurance from animal lovers [2008-03-27]
Tell me I Since MQ took everything away, I just skim by with bills now. I had to say yes as my cat is 14 and is blind but in good health. He went blind in this apt and at 14, I would hate to stress him so much as he knows this place so well. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to keep up with it. Would anybody else do this for an animal?

Pitbull Hero [2008-11-17]
Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerPet Pulse Staff Reports Browse NewsFront Page BY CATEGORY:Alerts Notices Animal Attacks Care Safety Crime Law Cruelty Abuse Deaths Accidents Entertainment Health Science Heroes International Lost Found New Trends Petlanthropy Strange But True Survival BY PET:Dogs Cats Fish Birds Horses Reptiles Small Pets Other Pets November 5, 2008 A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her guardian angel. The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon. The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as Angela, was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements. Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled. I don Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. I don The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend. You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid, Jones said. He was like her guardian angel. After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene. The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners donAngel. Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament. It Jones said of Angel's possible owners. For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most. I don Angela told NBC2 News. For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot. The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake. It he said of the Gulf Coast town. And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired. Tell us what you think about Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204. Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.

Actually these beagles won't kill the ...sm [2008-11-15]
rabbit or do anything to it. They will only trail it and let you know where it is and if you want to kill the rabbits you can do it but the dogs won't touch it. BUT my husband just does it for sport. He doesn't kill the rabbits either. He just gets a kick out of watching the dogs get all worked up trailing the rabbit and if you have never heard a beagle on a rabbit trail. They howl and sing like you would not believe. But I am happy to say the beagles won't kill. I told my husband do not kill any rabbits and bring them here. And he doesn't. It is just a hobby. No killing or mauling takes place. We are animal friendly. :)

One thing I forgot to add was that - sm [2008-11-11]
a big part of the problem is owners who don't neuter their male dogs. Most of the attacks on the news in my area seem to involve un-altered males. The dog that had me cornered was also an un-altered male. There was a really horrible attack in San Francisco a couple years ago... a 12-year-old boy was killed in his own home by the family's pet pitbulls. (Un-altered males). Apparently there was already a problem with them, and the mother knew the dogs couldn't be trusted with her son (who was afraid of them) home alone. A female she had was in heat at the time, too. The boy was home alone, and the mother had locked the dogs in another room. Somehow, they got out, and tore the poor boy to shreds. Imagine being the mom and coming home to that! When animal control picked up the dogs, they had the boy's blood all over them. I actually recognized one of them - had seen someone walking it through the park one day. So the problem was... even though the mother knew the dogs might be dangerous, and she tried to do the right thing by locking them up, on that particular day, that wasn't enough. Granted, they don't all act like that. Plus just about any breed can revert to a predatory pack mentality under the right conditions. But again, irresponsible breeding has changed the breed in large part for the worse (they're bigger and more aggressive). Unresponsible owners who don't properly socialize the dogs (or who fight them, or encourage them to be aggressive for 'protection') are the worst offenders. And those who are backyard breeders. Now there are 'way too many of them, and 'way too many with the bad bloodlines, too. And you won't believe THIS: Remember the story about the huge Presa Canario dogs that killed a woman in a San Francisco apartment hallway? (Earning their owners some well-deserved jail-time). Well, some people are actually crossing pits and Presas! Saw some for sale the other day on Craigslist. Talk about breeding 'biting machines'! Those things will grow up to be 150-lb. pitbulls-on-steroids.

Those pit bull attacks are ashame...sm [2008-11-10]
I don't know why these dogs attacked. I don't know if these dogs were provoked or what. It is hard for me to imagine a dog just attacking for no reason. I can't imagine my dog ever doing that. I know other people who have pits as pets and they have never had a problem with attacks. I think every good owner should know their dog inside and out and know their little quirks. Now I could see a pit bull attacking an owner who was sometimes mean to them or mistreated them in some way. I could see them getting enough and attacking. A lot of times I think that is really behind attacks and we don't know that. Still a dog never should kill a human. When you own a pit you have to have the utmost respect for the fact they could kill an animal or human if they wanted. They are physically capable but most are not emotionally capable. My dad had a couple different pits and I have learned my great grandfather had pits for many years. He would only have one at a time. He took his pit hunting hogs and the pit would hold the hog and my great grandfather would put a rag over the dogs nostrils to cause him to have to let go of the hog and he would do whatever it was he then did with the hog. I didn't ask details. But what I am saying here is this was an man who was in close interaction with a pit and was right there when they attacked hogs and he intervened and had to pull them away from the hog by cutting off breathing from the dog so he would let go. He was never attacked or bitten. My dad said that was never an issue. The dogs knew he was the master and they never got out of line. If these were as unstable as some are made out to be and some may be but if they were really that unstable they could have attacked and killed this man. But he never had to worry about this. All of his pits loved and respected him as their owner. Now one deciding factor could be he never mistreated his dog. Never ever. He always treated them good. I think this may be why his dogs never showed him anything but kindness. Again there are some dogs (pits and others) who are unstable. They are just flat out mean and would do anything. But not all dogs are like this. My husband often says when people say aren't you worried CJ could hurt you one day. He says no I KNOW in my heart with everything in me this dog would die before he would hurt one of us. This pit is the most loving affectionate dog I have had the joy to own. Don't ask me how I know.. You would have to know CJ.

I'm a dog lover, and most dogs love me. - sm [2008-11-10]
I can be walking down the street, simply make eye contact with one and smile without saying a word, and the dog will usually rush up to me, wagging his tail like crazy and acting all silly and lovey-dovey. In the past, some of the absolute sweetest dogs I'd ever known were pits & rotties. But that was in the ྌs, before the big 'gangsta-dog' thing became popular. Then people started breeding these dogs more for a surly attitude than for good temperament, and it seems to be a dominant trait that's getting passed forward, even when unintended. So fast-forard to 2 weeks ago. I was out walking in my neighborhood, and was coming up a long flight of sidewalk stairs that go up the steep hill I live on. Halfway up, I saw a big brown pit bull standing there looking at me. I had seen him running loose on my street earlier in the day, and wondered whose he was, but then forgot about him. He had an aggressive body-language that I didn't like. But I'm not afraid of dogs, and continuned on up the steps, and talked to him nicely as I reached the top. But then the dog totally went off, and began barking, growling, and making charges at me. I knew to stand my ground, and first tried sweet-talking him. Didn't work. If I tried to slowly move away from him in any direction, he'd come around and try to come in at me from behind. There wasn't a soul around. I tried scaring him off, but that only exacerbated the problem, so I decided to just stand there and let him do his thing. 20 minutes later, he was just as aggressive as ever, maybe worse, because his charges were coming closer and closer. The only 'weapon' in my possession was a single can of cat food in a plastic bag, that I'd walked down the hill to the market to buy. Considered whacking him with it, but didn't want to be in that close to him. Turns out the owners were in an apartment right across the street. A couple finally came out and called off the dog, stating Oh, we didn (I doubt that - the dog had been out all afternoon.) Anyway, I told them I'd call the sheriff and/or animal control if I ever saw him out again. When I got home, I called animal control anyway, and filed a formal complaint, so that if he bit anyone in the future, there would already be a complaint against him, and he likely would not be released from the shelter. Animal control said they'd follow up with the owner, which hopefully they did. In the meantime, I did 2 things: I programmed the sheriff's phone numberinto my cellphone, which I now slip into my pocket whenever I go out for a walk. Good thing to do, anyway. The other thing is I went to Army-Navy Surplus, and bought a cannister of professional-grade pepper spray. Not the wimpy, .02% 'dog-repellent'. I doubt that would stop a pitbull. I got the 15% stuff that will bring a 200-pound, raging crack-addict to his knees and keep him there for more than an hour. That goes into my pocket, as well. Now I can walk & bike with peace of mind. Meanwhile, those pitbull owners should consider themselves very lucky that their dog went after someone who knows dogs, is not afraid, and didn't RUN. If a timid woman, or worse, a child, had come up those steps that afternoon, the resulting attack might have made the 6 o'clock news that night. There are probably still some gentle pits left out there, but I think their numbers are declining because of the current fashion statement of being a 'big bad gangsta, with my big, bad gansta-dog'. They want their dogs to intimidate people, and then they wonder why they can't rent an apartment or get homeowners insurance to cover dog bites. In some cities you have to post a $30,000 bond in order to keep one. It's little wonder that unwanted pits and pit-mixes are clogging up our animal shelters. I feel sorry for the animals, but if I were adopting, I wouldn't want the financial liability of owning one.

I really hate this happened to you...sm [2008-11-10]
It gives all pits a bad name. I am an immense dog lover myself. I love all dogs. There are some pits and Rotties, etc. bred from family pets and bred to be family pets. Unfortunately there are some drug dealers and gangstas who want this big bad dog to go with their gangsta facade. It is so wrong. It is unfortunate because these dogs are all given a bad name for the actions of a few. It makes people weary of them rightfully. My pit came from a mother and father who are big ole babies, inside kept family pets and the grandparents on both sides were family pets too so I do know mine was not intentionally bred to bring out bad traits such as aggressiveness. I knew where he came from and knew what kind of ancestors he had. This eased my mind. My pitbull CJ is a big ole baby. He is weary of a stranger BUT I would never allow him out of the fenced in yard which is in my backyard. He is not allowed even out in my yard in the part that is not fenced in. I am not taking a risk of him biting someone. He is pretty much okay with people even he don't know if they don't approach him. If they give him his space he will give them theirs. That is when I have friends over he doesn't know. But I don't allow him to just be free roaming around and I cannot express how irresponsible that is. The owners should have been paid a visit by the animal control or police and told you keep him in or on a leash or you won't keep him. I am firmly against letting any dog roam free even a poodle I wouldn't because also they can get ran over or anything. It is just flat out irresponsible.

No one is judging a dog. Dogs [2008-11-09]
don They are animals. The point that I continue to make is that IT DOES NOT MATTER what this elderly man did. The pets in the home attacked and killed him. NoPET should ever be capable by temperament of attacking and killing a human being. For the sake of your argument, if the man reached out witha cane and rapped the dog on the head, in your mind would that justify the reactions of the dog to kill the person who struck him? How many other dog breeds would run behind the couch or under a table whenconfronted withabusivetreatment? How many other dog breeds wouldgrowl? Bark?Nip? Bite?No one is saying that an animalshould not defend itself, but a dog whose defense is to kill a human is a dog that should NOT be kept as a pet.A dog is an animal and does not think like a human, as you have pointed out, and that is precisely the thing that makes them unpredictable and makes the pitbull breed attacked unprovoked. It is all in what the dog perceives as a threat, whicha humancannot always predict, or more importantly, cannot always prevent.

God doesn't judge animals. [2008-11-09]
I don Animals don They are merely animals and they act on instinct. If an animal possesses an instinct to kill a human when there is no threat, then that animal should be put down. The life ofa human is infinitelymore valuablethan the life of an animal. Somehow it doesn

PitBull's are misunderstood... [2008-11-09]
Instead offocusing narrowly on only your dislike of PitBulls, why don't you look at the bigger picture as a whole... First of all, the statistics on fatal attacks...well it doesn But that still doesn't mean PitBulls are more likely to bite... The statistics that I have read regarding breed specific likelyhood of biting have shown that small dogs (and mixbreeds) are way more likely to be aggressive towards humans and other dogs. Specifically Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell Terriers to name a few. PitBulls were more likely to show aggression to unfamiliar dogs. I_udi=B6T48-4SNGRDR-2_user=10_coverDate=06%2F03%2F2008_alid=765300851_rdoc=2_fmt=high_orig=search_cdi=4968_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_ct=27_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=a9e7d67a2a45dc01019b232cbbfa3bf5 Here are some other good points from websites that are unbiased: To reduce the number of dog bite-related injuries, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and persons with canine pets should practice responsible pet ownership. (CDC website) �While at times informative, statistics on fatal dog attacks can also be misleading. For example, a number of cases where a Pit Bull, Rottweiler or German Shepherd Dog were counted as causing a human fatality, in reality the direct result was from gross human negligence or criminal intent�. (http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/Jade/07_Dog.Bite.Stats_09.htm) A fatal dog attack is not just a dog bite by a big or aggressive dog. It is usually a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions -- the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation. (Malcolm Gladwell, Troublemakers - What pit bulls can teach us about profiling, The New Yorker, Feb. 6, 2006.) www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/breedlaws.html Our Country was not founded on the restriction and punishment of the masses based on the actions of a few. Focusing legislation on dogs that are vicious distracts attention from the real problem, which is irresponsible owners. These very breeds as a whole have proven their stability and good canine citizenry by becoming Rescue' dogs, Therapy dogs working inside hospitals, professional Herding dogs and family companions for years. Banning the so-called dangerous breed will merely hasten the upswing in popularity of some other breed that will be used for vicious attacks on people and other animals. There is no valid reason to deprive animal lovers of their well behaved pets. The reports and statistics are flawed. Among other things, a dog bite victim is usually unable to identify the breed of dog that bit him or her. Therefore, victims will name the type of dog that currently is on people's minds as being the dangerous dog. (From the Animal Farm Foundation.) One more thing, the best K-9 drug searching dog in America is a PitBull...his name is Popsicle because he was rescued from a man who tried to kill him by putting him in a freezer. -Cindy, owner of 1 PitBull (Zeus) and 2 Beagles (Max Osiris)...and yes they do get along!

You say he was demented...sm [2008-11-08]
so how do you know that he didn't hit the dogs or kick one of them or provoke them in some way. There is no way to know what happened for sure especially with an elderly DEMENTED individual involved. I however, you must understand that they're animals, not little people. They don't have the same thinking process that people do and therefore should you should always be aware of the fact that they could in some ways be dangerous even though they make great and loving companions. Its a risk that we take by bringing animals into our lives. However, they should not be punished or judged because they have animal instincts and sometimes act upon them. I worked at an animal shelter and there I learned to respect the boundaries of ANY breed of dog. Plus, out of the dangerous dogs that we had in the shelter, probably only 1 out of 15 or so was a pit or a pit mix. It is quite sad and very ignorant to believe that pits are to be feared just because they are pits.

It is just the love they can show...sm [2008-11-08]
You would have to own one. Mine touches my heart. I can't explain it. But he has a geniune love for me. For instance, I went to Walmart this evening and on the way home my husband called and said your dog is depressed looking out the windows for his mama and whining. He shows such genuine love it is just amazing. He waits for me at the door of the bathroom when I get a bath and will whimper and stick his paw under the door. How can you hate an animal capable of such love? It touches me.

Do you believe in reincarnation? [2008-10-30]
If so, do you think people can come back as an animal, or vice versa?

I have fostered dogs in the past, but [2008-10-25]
had a hard time giving them up, still have all three! In my area, the shelter relies heavily on donationsto keep operating efficiently, so basically the foster homes take responsibility for all expenses of the animal being fostered.Fostering gives animals a chancewho would otherwise be put to deathbecause of lack of room, money or lack of people to rehabilitate the ones who have been mistreated and need extra attention.It is so worth it to give an animal a second chance at life.You have to be willing to let go though when the time comes and it is very hard to do. I just could not do it and so now just stick to volunteering at the shelter and doing fundraising and stuff.

I have fostered a few [2008-10-22]
It is great and sad at the same time. I have never fostered animals through an official organization, but I will often pick up strays and contact the area animal shelters and vet offices and try to find their owners. I had one dog who stayed with me for a month. She was a walker hound. I found out later that she and 12 other hounds had been dumped out near my house because the owner could no longer care for them. I found two more dead on the side of the road. Don't know what happened to the others. I became pretty attached to her, but seeing as how I already had three dogs of my own, I really couldn't take on another. So I found her a home. An older man adopted her and he called me a month later to tell me she was an amazing dog and brought a lot of joy to him and his wife. It was very reassuring to hear that, but it was hard for me to let her go because I was already attached :(. If you have a big heart and you can learn to let go, it is definitely a rewarding experience. I just had a chocolate lab here last week who was digging in the trash by a restaurant. I picked him up and called all the vets offices and animal shelter and eventually found the owner. They came to get him the next day and were so happy. He had been missing for a week and they had almost given up. From what they told me they were having a riff with their neighbors and they believe the neighbor opened the gate and let him out while they were at work. Good luck! It takes a big heart to want to foster animals! I applaud you for thinking about it!

Me too. My favorite was Shaggy - he would sit beside [2008-10-16]
me when I was a kid and let me read to him. He was a kitten abandoned in a snow drift outside an animal shelter in Alaska. Lived with us 15 years!!

Ear infections can be tricky sm [2008-10-16]
We have a Golden who gets ear problems and we have to take him to the vet, he won't even let us refill an old Rx without seeing him. Is it possible to speak to a regular pharmacist to see if he/she knows anything that might help? Sometimes you can just moist cotton swab the dirt out very carefully but it's very touchy as to what to use because you could cause problems for the dog. It's very sad. Check your local animal shelters to see if they have a vet on call for pro bono work. We have a greyhound dog track nearby and my sister takes her Maltese there for a really reasonable price the one day the vet is there.Good luck and God bless, we need more caring people.

Is there an SPCA in your area?...sm [2008-10-16]
or even the Humane Society. Either one would more than likely help the poor pup out. If the ownersdon I really think either one of those places will help w/o taking the animal from them, especially if they tell them it was a stray they took in. They often will even throw in a bag of dog food, too. I hope all works out for them. I think, also, the Humane Society offers vet care at a discounted price, maybe based on income, I

There are people [2008-10-07]
who view their pet(s) as children because it is all they have. Our dogshave always beena big part of our familyand are viewed as one of our children.Dog aggression/people aggression, it is all the same. Aggression is aggression and can easily be turned toward both human and animal given the right situation. You cannot possibly predict what will happen. It could be that one day your dog decides not to listen to youwhen in an aggressive stateand not come back when called. Our Pitbull was very obedient, did not even need a leash (hah in hindsight), although was never off one out in publicexcept at the ranch. She was one of the best behaved, most obedient dog at the ranch except for the Border Collie mix she nearly killed, who was trained for herding and was amazing at it. You know the potential is therefor your dog to do serious damage and I hope you are never put inthe position we were. It happens so fast, in the blink of any eye many lives are affected and changed forever.

We have a city ordinance about pit bulls [2008-10-06]
You have to provide proof of $100,000 insurance to have it; it cannot roam free; and anyone has the right to kill it if they feel they are under attack. If your pit is found running free, it is put down. Pits do not have to be used for fighting to be aggressive. It is part of their nature - far more aggressive than other dogs. Yes, I've had plenty of up close and personal experiences with pits that were friendly but that has nothing to do with their underlying aggressive nature. Dangerous animal.

Pitbulls personality [2008-10-06]
I totally sympathize with you. Sorry for you having to go through this. I really try to urge people when they get a pitbull to really get to know the mom/dad personalities & the breeder. Like I said in an earlier post my male pitbull that is inside is VERY dog aggressive BUT on the flip side he is the most gentle loving dog I have ever owned. He just doesn't like other animals, ESPECIALLY dogs. We have a fenced in yard though. If he come in contact with an unfamiliar dog he would definitely be in kill mode with his aggression. BUT I knew what I was getting myself into cuz he is Boudreaux bloodline & his mother was aggressive. His father was an absolute sweetheart to anything. I knew that aggression would probably surface up in my dog & it did at a year and a half old, but I wouldn't ever trade him up for anything in this world. He wouldn't dare turn on us, and I know that animal or dog aggression is not people aggression. I do have a great respect for what could happen if I let it happen, but I am responsible enough to know what my dogs like & don't like & I never have a problem out of them. They are definitely a vital part of our family & we love them dearly.

Just wondering with the dinner post below [2008-10-04]
and some others that istopping by and dropping off, has anyone on this board actually met? Between the animal lovers and wonderful food mentioned, wouldn't that be a great vacation to pick someone's hometown once a year and everyone gather?

Pitbulls...sm [2008-10-03]
Further down this page, I saw a post that asked about people I saw various posts with people Then I saw one that said anything but a pitbull. That really upsets me because you see I am the owner of a pitbull. His name is CJ and he is the most affectionate, caring dog you could ever want. He loves me and my family with everything in him. I know before I got a pitbull and before my friend got one I too believed they were dangerous fighting dogs. I was wrong. Not all pits are used for fighting. And it isn The way they are raised has a big part in it. Those pits who fight are trained to fight. Yes some pits are aggressive. But not the majority. You would be surprised to see how loving they can be. Mine stays inside and he thinks he is a 70 pound lap dog.He is such a big baby. That is not to say he isn If a stranger comes up he will show aggression and get very ugly. BUT that is because he is scared and doesn He is protecting his family. But once I let him know it is okay and we are okay with this person he will listen and go sit. Once he gets to know someone he just wants to lick them and love on them. He is just protective initially. A lot of people don Did you know Helen Kellar had a pitbull as her companion and to help her as she was blind. Yes, look on the internet and you will even see a picture. What about Petey the pit on the TV show The Little Rascals? He spent countless hours with children everyday and never hurt anyone. Do you think they would have let a dangerous dog do that? Many celebrities such as the late crocodile hunter, Usher, Alicia Silverstone, Sinbad, Linda Blair, Vin Diesal, Bernadette Peters, and Rachal Ray have pitbulls. What about the many pits who are heroes? America He earned several medals during World War I and was even honored at the white house. Weela another pit was dog hero of the Ken-L Ration of 1993. She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses, and a cat during a flood in South California. And Bogart another pit saved a 4-year-old child from drowning in a swimming pool in Florida. Dixie was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a cottonmouth snake. So you see not all pits are vicious and dangerous. Many are heroes. Many are so full of love it will touch your heart. So don There are bad people and there are bad dogs. Not all people are bad and not all dogs are bad. Show some love for these dogs. You would be surprised how much love they will show you back. I just felt the need to let people know what I came to know about one of the most misunderstood breeds out there. Thank you for taking the time to read this and have an open mind and open heart.

Pitbulls...sm [2008-10-03]
Further down this page, I saw a post that asked about people I saw various posts with people Then I saw one that said anything but a pitbull. That really upsets me because you see I am the owner of a pitbull. His name is CJ and he is the most affectionate, caring dog you could ever want. He loves me and my family with everything in him. I know before I got a pitbull and before my friend got one I too believed they were dangerous fighting dogs. I was wrong. Not all pits are used for fighting. And it isn The way they are raised has a big part in it. Those pits who fight are trained to fight. Yes some pits are aggressive. But not the majority. You would be surprised to see how loving they can be. Mine stays inside and he thinks he is a 70 pound lap dog.He is such a big baby. That is not to say he isn If a stranger comes up he will show aggression and get very ugly. BUT that is because he is scared and doesn He is protecting his family. But once I let him know it is okay and we are okay with this person he will listen and go sit. Once he gets to know someone he just wants to lick them and love on them. He is just protective initially. A lot of people don Did you know Helen Kellar had a pitbull as her companion and to help her as she was blind. Yes, look on the internet and you will even see a picture. What about Petey the pit on the TV show The Little Rascals? He spent countless hours with children everyday and never hurt anyone. Do you think they would have let a dangerous dog do that? Many celebrities such as the late crocodile hunter, Usher, Alicia Silverstone, Sinbad, Linda Blair, Vin Diesal, Bernadette Peters, and Rachal Ray have pitbulls. What about the many pits who are heroes? America He earned several medals during World War I and was even honored at the white house. Weela another pit was dog hero of the Ken-L Ration of 1993. She saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses, and a cat during a flood in South California. And Bogart another pit saved a 4-year-old child from drowning in a swimming pool in Florida. Dixie was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame after she saved some children from a cottonmouth snake. So you see not all pits are vicious and dangerous. Many are heroes. Many are so full of love it will touch your heart. So don There are bad people and there are bad dogs. Not all people are bad and not all dogs are bad. Show some love for these dogs. You would be surprised how much love they will show you back. I just felt the need to let people know what I came to know about one of the most misunderstood breeds out there. Thank you for taking the time to read this and have an open mind and open heart.

I agree with you [2008-10-03]
I do believe how a person raises a pet is the number one factor of how an animal behaves. Not all dogs are cujo dogs. One time my DH and I were taking a walk and some guy was out walking his pit bull. I didn't think anything of it, went over and bent down to pet it just like I would have any other dog, and he was so adorable and loveble, licking my hand and loving the attention he received. I never even once gave a thought that the dog would have attacked me for no reason. I didnyeah, go ahead and try it, your fingers look tasty, you don. HA HA, but to everyone else in the family he was adorable and wanted to be pet and held. I had an aunt who had a poodle that was mean as anything. So all dogs are different. I think its horrible that bad people have trained dogs to do bad things, but nobody should judge a dog by its cover. Me particularly, I am a cat person, but everyone in my family has a dog or two. I too would find it upsetting for people to judge one breed of dog who you find loveable and adorable just because of somethings that have happened with other owners. I remember awhile back Rottweilers were getting a bad name. I'm glad there are people like you out there who will give a pet the love and attention they need. Thank you.

There is a special place for them [2008-10-03]
The worst crimes committed are abuse to children and to animals. In the bible it does state that hurting or maiming an innocent animal is one of the worst sins, the first being abuse to children. These are innocent creatures who are here to help us and give us comfort and love. They never ask for anything, are always there for us and never complain. It sickens me to my stomach to hear of abuse to animals. When I was younger I had a dalmatian pup. He was outside one day, fenced in, and got out through a small place in the fence. Someone in our neighborhood saw him, hit him with their car, and left him to die. I was heartbroken and it took me a long time to get over it. I would not like to be the person that will have to stand before God in judgment when it comes it comes to abusing these blessed animals. Only a coward and a bully would commit such an act.