pit bull

[beatlegal2]

i know this family on benifit having children without thinking.but found the money for a pit bull.the poor animal is untrained given mixed signals generaly confused.they are about to move to a 2 bedroom flat no garden and the dog is going to. there baby is due to be born anytime now.they got the dog just because it is a matcho thing to do.should sumit be done.i feel so sorry for the animal but can see sumit awful happening to the baby.this is the most irrisponible family i ever seen.what should be done

[DONNA1458]

If you know them well enough tell them your concerns that it is not right for a dog to be couped up all day. If they got the animal from a rescue centre they can take the animal back if they have no garden and its not suitable for a dog where they live. The dog maybe perfectly fine but then again when something bad happens with people like this its always someone else's fault but theres.

[happy_face]

a Pit can live quite happily in a flat as long as it gets plenty of exercise when out on walks.
It's a shame about the confusing signals in training but so many people don't give appropriate training and it doesn't necessarily mean the dog won't be well balanced.

Just because it's a Pit it doesn't mean anything is going to happen to the baby or anyone else for that matter. Please don't take the ignorant opion of so many people who don't know the breed.
More people have been bitten by Golden Retrievers and Labs than Pits.
Remember with any animal "Punish the deed not the breed"

I wouldn't intervene unless I saw evident signs of animal cruelty.

[lilmonkey]

Assuming you're in the UK, isn't it illegal to own a pit bull under the Dangerous Dogs Act?

[wiggal]

lilmonkey, that is excactly what I was thinking!

[Bewlay Bros]

Although the above is a direct quote from the law books, I believe the pit bull solely means the AMERICAN pit bull.

many peaopl erroneously call the humble Staffordshire a pit bull these days

[wildwood]

I don't really think there is a lot you can do unless the animal is mistreated.

Again, it shows the necessity for a Pet owner's license.

[eyeshade]

Bewlay, the media are always getting confused with what is what, they call Bull Terriers, Pit Bulls, so its not surprising everyone else gets it wrong. There are some strange mixes around though between staffies and pit bulls, having owned two of the breeds. Trouble is ignorant people own them for status symbols now and I don't believe half of them give the correct excercise and training, hence the problems. Well at least beatlegal is keeping an eye on them. You could always ring the dog warden and voice your concern and ensure they log your call.

[beatlegal2]

thanks for your help,it is indeed an american pit.i have told em my views and what proberly will happen.i hope and pray both the baby and the dog are ok but i don't think this will be the case.irresponsible dog breeders and to know there are families like that it scarey.

[Bewlay Bros]

Well I am afraid if it is an American Pit Bull and is discovered by ANY authority (Police, RSPCA, Dog Warden etc), there is no choice but a destruction order to be utilised.

The dogs are banned outright. It is very simple with no exceptions.

[lankeela]

Not strictly true Bewlay, after the case of Ellie Lawrenson, when the police gave an amnesty to people to bring their pit bulls in they were reprieved by the court, provided they complied with the requirements, i.e. muzzling, neutering etc.

There are moves afoot to reopen the register for these types of dogs, so that they are kept under controlled conditions, as not all of them are dangerous, its more a case of how they are bred/kept and who owns them.

[lankeela]

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.c gi?id=972

[lankeela]

Could you tell which dog is a pit bull? Try this test!

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpi t.html

[gelda]

Guessed right first time!!