Ok, I've just read more about Lennox and watched the YouTube clip. I decided to leave my previously posted questions in place so that others who might think a bit like me might have their questions answered before they ask them.
It is not so long ago that German Shepherds (one of which I own) were classified legally dangerous and could be treated in the manner in which Lennox finds himself. American Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Ridgebacks, Staffies, and many other breeds inspire fear in a lot of people who don't really understand dogs. In some cases, these people are justified in their fear, as those breeds of dog are big, powerful animals capable of inflicting serious injury or even death.
It is very important to understand that "Pit Bulls" are not a breed of dog, but dogs that are bred to fight in pits. A most cowardly and despicable "sport" where the most stomach-turning cruelty is meted out to the dogs by not only their opponent dogs, but also by their owners when they lose. These "punishments" include hanging and botched slow electrocution by car batteries.
So which creature, dog or human, is really dangerous? Humans are even more dangerous than any other species, and can injure and kill other humans and all creatures great and small in great numbers impossible to achieve by the most ferocious dog of any breed.
So why don't we kill humans out of hand because they are dangerous, and someone fears them, based on the evidence that they look like humans or certain breeds of dogs, as in the Belfast authourity's ? v Lennox case?
The answer lies in the depth of training, education, and civilisation in the individual animal, dog or human. Humans and dogs with appropriate training do not just go around killing. The fact that regardless of training or upbringing some humans and dogs still maim and kill, is no argument for locking up or killing anything that looks like the killer!
As far as I can gather from the youtube clip and the family's facebook entry, this dog is innocent, and the family appear to have done everything correctly, legally, and caringly.
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Ok, I've just read more about Lennox and watched the YouTube clip. I decided to leave my previously posted questions in place so that others who might think a bit like me might have their questions answered before they ask them.
It is not so long ago that German Shepherds (one of which I own) were classified legally dangerous and could be treated in the manner in which Lennox finds himself. American Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Ridgebacks, Staffies, and many other breeds inspire fear in a lot of people who don't really understand dogs. In some cases, these people are justified in their fear, as those breeds of dog are big, powerful animals capable of inflicting serious injury or even death.
It is very important to understand that "Pit Bulls" are not a breed of dog, but dogs that are bred to fight in pits. A most cowardly and despicable "sport" where the most stomach-turning cruelty is meted out to the dogs by not only their opponent dogs, but also by their owners when they lose. These "punishments" include hanging and botched slow electrocution by car batteries.
So which creature, dog or human, is really dangerous? Humans are even more dangerous than any other species, and can injure and kill other humans and all creatures great and small in great numbers impossible to achieve by the most ferocious dog of any breed.
So why don't we kill humans out of hand because they are dangerous, and someone fears them, based on the evidence that they look like humans or certain breeds of dogs, as in the Belfast authourity's ? v Lennox case?
The answer lies in the depth of training, education, and civilisation in the individual animal, dog or human. Humans and dogs with appropriate training do not just go around killing. The fact that regardless of training or upbringing some humans and dogs still maim and kill, is no argument for locking up or killing anything that looks like the killer!
As far as I can gather from the youtube clip and the family's facebook entry, this dog is innocent, and the family appear to have done everything correctly, legally, and caringly.
Give Lennox back.
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