Puppies. They seem to be all over the internet these days, not that I am complaining or anything. I guess you could say the widespread of puppies and dogs throughout social media is what pushed my boyfriend even further to bring home our own one day.

We were always stopped everywhere we went, asking if they can pet him and play with him. Not that they even had to ask since he automatically went up to everyone on site to try and become their friend. This made me happy seeing how much my puppy could be loved by the people around him.

We had some people get excited when they saw him, only to shy away once they knew he was a pit bull, as if an eight week old, ten pound, clumsy pup could ever harm them. I started to realize what it meant to be a pit bull owner and the discrimination that would come along with it. We not only took on being parents to a beautiful baby pup, but we also took on the stigma that came with it.

A video has been circling around social media that mimics a super bowl commercial where the message is to not adopt pit bulls. The caption under the video includes hashtags that read “#DoNotAdopt,” “#DangerousBreed,” and “#BanTheBreed.”

Being a pit bull mommy, my heart broke when I saw this video. Reading the comments ripped it out altogether. Comments on the video call pro-pit bull lovers “cult” members, and saying how uninformed and ignorant owners are.

They discuss the dangers of pit bulls and include links to questionable articles and research stating that pit bulls are responsible for the majority of fatal dog attacks. They continue by saying all pit bulls should be muzzled when out in public. All blame is being put on pit bulls that have attacked. This puts fear and discrimination towards non-aggressive pit bulls who are friendly and well tempered.

One anti-pit bull fan commented with a list of 25 most popular arguments that pro-pit bull people make in defense, with number six commenting on the bite statistics of Chihuahuas. They say that even though Chihuahuas bite more, they “have seen many cases when pit bulls killed Chihuahua and none when a pit bull was killed by it.”

Truth is, comparing pit bulls to Chihuahuas is comparing apples to oranges. Of course, a Chihuahua will not kill a pit bull because they are about six pounds on average. This is a weight that pit bulls surpass by six to seven weeks old. I am sure that if their weight was not an issue, this argument would be very different and more impactful.

Another false argument states that pit bulls were created to kill other animals. Pit bulls used to be “America’s dog”. They were family dogs, used to protect and in the fields to herd livestock. That is until bull baiting and later dog-fighting became more popular.

These dogs have been targeted for their strong physique and large size. They were placed in rings to fight other dogs by humans as a form of entertainment and gambling business. It has been people who ruined the reputation of these animals since fighting is not a trait that not all pit bulls are born with, it is something they are taught or forced to do.

Many statistics are incorrect because pit bulls account for many types of breed within their category, increasing their population against other dogs. In dog attack cases, pit bulls are misidentified, therefore, raising their risk score even higher.

A study done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviewed the number of fatal attacks and compared that number to the population size of the dog. Pit bulls came in 8th, with a risk score of 8.5. Huskies, Saint Bernards and Great Danes are just some of the dogs who had higher risk factors.

Studies have shown that owners with more criminal backgrounds are more likely to own aggressive dogs than owners who do not have a criminal background. People have continuously made pit bulls to be big scary dogs and get one for the sole purpose of looking dangerous because of their size.

All dog owners, not just pit bull lovers, need to know the laws in place regarding animals, how to properly care for them and how to spot dangerous behavior. It is the owner’s responsibility to get their dog help because it may seem too aggressive, barks a lot or even nips. This goes for the big dogs whose bite can kill, and even the small ones whose bites are just annoying.

Owning a pit bull these days is more than just being a dog parent. It is being someone who can stand up to the misinformed public about this breed. It means taking on the stigma with pride and showing the world what these beautiful dogs are capable of.

Being a pit bull owner is a huge responsibility. So before you decide to get one, make sure you can raise them correctly, show them endless amounts of love and be a responsible dog owner. Because owning a pit bull is a beautiful responsibility.

Statistic Source: https://www.pitbullinfo.org/statistics.html