What I Learned This Week: This Is So Cruel: Pit Bulls Are On Death Row In Ohio

Normally I list things I learned this week on Fridays on this blog, but yesterday I got the following email from a co-worker that I want to share. Apparently our Ohio State government is seeking to pass a bill that will kill ALL pit bull dogs in Ohio. I certainly hope this does not pass. I agree with the letter written by my co-worker below:

Here is part of the bill

Sec. 955.111. (A) Beginning ninety days after the effective date of this section, no person shall own, keep, or harbor a dog that belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog.

(B) Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section, a person who owns, keeps, or harbors a pit bull dog on the effective date of this section shall surrender the dog to the dog warden. Not later than ten days after receiving the dog, the dog warden shall euthanize the dog.

Below is the letter that my co-worker sent: (It's an amazing story about her pit bull and certainly makes good points)

I am absolutely outraged that our government has nothing better to do than worry about killing innocent animals. I understand there are ignorant people, like Michael Vick for instance, who act so irresponsibly with dog fighting and cruelty to animals, but not all of us are Michael Vick.

I want to tell you a story about my Max. Max was a pit bull. Yes I said was, because on a warm night in June of this year we had our house broken into while we were upstairs sleeping. Max, who slept in our room, heard a noise and jumped up to investigate. We followed as far as we could since we were upstairs and the intruders were downstairs. We had no weapons at our disposal upstairs, only our Max. He never hesitated one moment to go see who was down in our kitchen. The next thing I remember hearing was a gun shot and then another and then our beloved dog trying to make it back up the stairs to us. He made what had to be an agonizing journey up the steps to put himself between us and the intruders and that is where he died right before our eyes. Max was not a big dog, as a matter-of-fact, he was the runt so he was much smaller, but he never let his size deter him from protecting us that night. He died doing just that, protecting us from evil. He loved us so much that he never wavered from his mission, making sure we were safe. After the gun shots the intruders knew they had to get out quick before the police came but not until they pointed their gun upstairs trying to find us. Max died a hero because had he not heard them and gone down there into the line of fire they could have eventually made their way up to our room and for all we know, had that happened, I might not be here today writing this e-mail. Max was only 5 years old and had a long life ahead of him. A day does not go by that I don't think of him and just writing this e-mail brings fresh tears to my eyes.

These dogs are not mean unless they have owners who treat them so horribly that they only become that way out of self preservation. Our Max did not have a mean bone in his body towards anyone who came to our home "invited". He was loved by so many and when he died friends and family came to our home to grieve with us. I beg you to take a moment to digest my story. You see what Max was, and always will be, is a member of our family.

There are so many "bad" people out there doing the unthinkable to innocent people, and yet we don't go door to door taking innocent husbands, wives, sons and daughters away from their families and euthanizing them because other husbands, wives, sons and daughters had emotional problems because of the way they were raised and who eventually hurt or killed someone. Does this make all of us bad? These dogs come into this world just as you and I came into this world, innocent and trusting and dependent on others to nurture them and provide them with a loving home and environment and teach them. When this doesn't happen and children are beaten, starved or sexually assaulted, that's when you get murderers, rapists etc. Why would an animal be expected to be different? Does that mean that those of us who were raised in a loving home and treated with respect are considered a possible murderer or rapist and therefore must be done away with. No it does not thank goodness or this society as we know it would not exist. Let's look at the real problem, the owners behind these dogs who made them what they became, let's put a stop to that. Send out the message that if you treat these animals inhumanely then "you" will be punished and incarcerated, not the animal. Yes, like people, there are cases where some animals cannot be rehabilitated and must be put down because they were broken beyond repair, but how many criminals get the electric chair or the needle in this country? Not many.

Back to the Michael Vick story, after the dogs were removed from his home, at least two of them became dogs that visit people in hospitals who are sick and in some cases have no hope of survival, and these wonderful dogs who were starved, beaten and God knows what else, are still able to give love and companionship though they never received it themselves until they were removed from his home by caring individuals. Please don't judge all by the evil deeds of others.

Sincerely,

Linda
Cleveland, OH

It is time to write – Time to speak up.

To make this easier you can copy and paste the below list of e-mails into your TO... line and won't have to type them each individually:


'district90@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district12@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district77@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district24@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district94@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district68@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district54@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district60@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district50@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district26@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district20@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district57@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district82@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district32@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district63@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district45@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district05@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district47@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district81@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district41@ohr.state.oh.us'; 'district23@ohr.state.oh.us'