Pit Bull Heros

MEET POPSICLE

Did you know the #1 U.S. Customs Dog is an American Pit Bull Terrier named Popsicle?  He got the name after he was found during a drug bust in a freezer where he had been left to die after being used as a bait dog for dog fighters. Not soon after his rescue, Popsicle began training at the Canine Enforcement Training Center in Front Royal, VA.  Popsicle alerted to drugs in a tractor trailer. It turned out to be a ton and a half of cocaine with a street value of $139,605,000, the largest cocaine seizure in the McAllen area in 10 years.

While working in Roma, Tex., Popsicle made 24 seizures of Marijuana: 12,080 pounds with a street value of $640,000; one cocaine seizure of 148 pounds worth $6,719,200; and two currency seizures with a total value of $65,144.

Popsicle is a dog who overcame his abusive start in life and had his chance to get back at the crooks. While working at Roma, Popsicle suffered a career ending injury to his knee – an injury that required surgery. Popsicle is now retired and is living a life of leisure at his owner’s home.

MEET WEELA

One day while outside in the yard with one of her “kids”, Weela suddenly body-slammed 11-year-old Gary and sent him flying into the yard. Gary’s mom, Lori, who was watching from the window saw the whole thing and was very surprised. Weela had always played so well with the kids, and she quickly rushed out to see why Weela would have done such a rough move given her usually calm, gentle demeanor. It was then she saw a big rattlesnake sink its fangs into Weela’s face, and she immediately understood Weela had saved Gary’s life by pushing him out of the way! Weela’s good deeds did not stop there, a few years later, Weela saved the lives of 30 people, 29 Dogs, 13 horses and 1 cat. Heavy rains caused a damn to break on the Tijuana River. Weela pulled 30 to 50lb loads of food across the river to a tiny island to feed the stranded animals the entire month they were there.

WARNING…THESE CUTE PUPPIES WILL THINK THEY ARE STILL LAP DOGS WHEN THEY WEIGH 60 LBS

BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION

Denver’s pit bull law prohibits any person from owning, possessing, keeping, exercising control over, maintaining, harboring, or selling a pit bull in the City and County of Denver. A pit bull is defined in the ordinance as any dog that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, a Straffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of these breeds.

PROPOSED LAWS AND EXCEPTIONS

The proposed law called the “Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Act” is a way to allow pit bulls into the city of Denver. The proposed law requires Pit Bull owners to have a $50 permit, temperament testing, a $100,000 liability insurance, home inspection, mandatory obedience and ownership responsibility classes, muzzling the dog in public, and the owner must be at least 21 years of age. This law is being considered to replace the Denver Pit Bull Ban now, but unfortunately will not legalize the dog. Many councilmen and women are in agreeance that this law will help save the city of Denver money.

The American with Disabilities Act is a law that protects disabled Americans. A disabled person includes someone with depression, anxiety, mental health etc. The law is said to allow people with disabilities the right to any breed of choice as a service dog. This law is a loop hole in the Denver ban.

THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT THE PIT BULL:

• When a person is bitten, breed identification is left up to victim and witness testimony, which is often wrong. Due to negative press, biting dogs of almost ANY breed have been called “Pit bulls”. Try this little quiz for fun: FIND THE PIT BULL: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html See if you can tell which dog is the Pit Bull in these pictures, let alone in the middle of an attack.
• According to the American Temperament Test Society, Pit Bulls have an average score that beats the “family dog,” the Golden Retriever.
• Pit Bull Terriers passed the test with an average rate of 85.3%
• The Golden Retriver scored 77%
• Pit Bulls used to be the most popular dog in America.
• Pit Bulls are no more dangerous than any strong and large dog. They just happen to attract more irresponsible and abusive owners than any other breed…
• According to Change.org on average, dogs kill 23 people per year. Of those, six are killed by pit bulls. As a health hazard, pit bulls rate below bees, lightning and mooses in the number of deaths for which they’re responsible.
• WE NEED TO TAKE A STAND AND FIGHT THE BAN:
• To sign the petition on the pit bull ban please go to:

http://animals.change.org/petitions/view/end_breed_specific_legislation_in_denver