People make bad dogs
BRYANSTON – Paws R Us says breeds are not inherently aggressive. Rather people make them that way.
Breeds do not make bad dogs, people make bad dogs. This was the argument of Paws R Us members at the animal shelter’s Human Walking Event at The Campus business park in Bryanston on 28 August. Members like Linda Grimmer argued that discrimination based on the breed of a dog is unwarranted. Pit bulls, Staffies, bull terriers, Rottweilers and other breeds are treated on stereotypes that they are aggressive or bad. These stereotypes are often reinforced by the use of these breeds in dog fighting.
In other countries, Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has been implemented which bans certain breeds. An example is the United Kingdom’s Dangerous Dogs Act, which led to a male dog named Lennox being removed from his family and later killed in 2012 by the Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland, for possibly being a pit bull. Rather, it is the way in which a dog is raised and treated by humans that determines its temperament, said Paws R Us members. To demonstrate this, a large pit bull named Arnie walked people on the day. Grimmer calls him the “gentlest giant ever”.
Details: Paws R Us 081 270 0546.
