Pit bulls are not the problem
This is in reply to Russell Peterson’s “letter to the editor” Sept 22, 2011 about pit bulls and cat.
I’m sorry to hear about the cat that was killed by the two dogs who were pit bulls. It would be horrible to see and hear. With that said, it is not a breed issue but a responsible ownership issue.
Although most dogs I know are friendly around cats, there are those who are not. Add another dog and soon you have pack mentality. Unfortunately, this will happen, more often then not, regardless of breed.
I have noticed more and more cats who are roaming the neighborhoods, as well as seeing many people trying to sell kittens from their unfixed cats who have unplanned litters. It’s disheartening to say the least, as there are more then enough animals needing homes without adding to the homeless population. A low cost spay and neuter program is something that I know Fernie and surrounding areas need, and something I will look into.
I do know Fernie has dog bylaws and yet I was not able to see any sort of bylaw for cats. What would be even better would be to have a Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw that is similar to Calgary’s. This is a win-win and puts the onus on the owner rather then on the animal, which truly does make sense
.
Pit bulls are a solid, steady breed with a bad rap. When you see a bad pit bull, you will always see a bad owner. In fact, if you research pit bulls you will see their biggest advocates are those who work closest with them such as animal control, vets, animal shelters etc.
A pit bull’s absolute love and loyalty for their handler is immense and the unfortunate part about that is that’s also the characteristic that is exploited the most.
Regardless, this is not a breed issue, but an irresponsible ownership issue for both dogs and the cat.
Lisa Day
Sparwood