Military Ban on Pit Bulls and Big Dogs: Best for Families or Completely Cruel?

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by Maressa Brown 3 hours ago

Angel the pit bull makes a plea to the POTUSThis week, President Obama introduced the world to Sunny, the First Family's new dog and Bo's new playmate. But he's also making headlines for news related to a whole bunch of other dogs! The White House has come out against breed-specific legislation, or any regulations and laws that restrict ownership of dogs by breed. Pit bulls are usually the most common target. And ironically, one of the highest profile organizations to enact these sorts of bans is none other than the U.S. military ...

The Marine Corps bans "large dog breeds with a predisposition toward aggressive or dangerous behavior," including pit bulls, from on-base housing, and many Air Force, Army, and Navy installations have followed suit. (DogsBite.org has a list of bases and municipalities that have banned certain dog breeds.)

As if that wasn't enough, in Prince George's County, Maryland, pit bulls are banned altogether. According to the Maryland Dog Federation, those found within the county are usually either put down or donated to families in other areas. Ugh, horrible! No wonder the White House felt it necessary to speak out on this.

Families -- military or otherwise -- should be able to have whatever dog they want. The issue is not so much about the breed as it is about dog owners being responsible and informed. As the White House notes in their full statement, "The simple fact is that dogs of any breed can become dangerous when they're intentionally or unintentionally raised to be aggressive." Sad, but true! In fact, the White house notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found it "virtually impossible to calculate bite rates for specific breeds." Hello, that's definitely a case to keep the military and any other community from targeting specific breeds!

The solution, then, to guard against dog bites should be as the CDC suggests -- a "community-based approach," which would help "build stronger communities of pets and pet owners." Sounds like a win-win plan for every person -- and every dog.

What are your thoughts on the White House's statement and bans on specific dog breeds?

Image via Rebecca Corry/StandUpforPits.us

Click "Like" if you love someone in the military! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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