JoeyMoggie

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So the movie Signs was on tv last night. I vowed never to watch that movie again, I made this vow for several reasons. Reasons which include that it was all together a crappy film, and because vicious attacking lifeforms from other planets scare the bejeebers out of me.

I made the mistake of watching the film for the first time by myself, when Colin was out of town at a paintball tournament. Needless to say I had two nightstands and window sill chock full of glasses filled with water. (Should I have needed to defend myself, of course)

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A good friend of mine, who is an animal lover and an owner of an American Pit Bull dog, wrote a real eye opener of an article about BSL (Breed Specific Legislation). Please take a moment to read it.  The original article can be found here: Source from the I HEART PAWS website.

Remember, there are no bad dogs - just bad dog owners!

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MAN BITES DOG: Breed Specific Legislation: 

“An age is called Dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it” - James MichenerBreed Specific Legislation- a law, policy or ordinance that applies to a specific dog breed or breeds, but does not affect any others.The main goal of BSL is to completely eliminate the breed which is restricted by various means.

Genocide- the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group. - dictionary.com

Holocaust- any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life. - dictionary.com

Since mass communication and the media commenced, a number of dog breeds have suffered great popularity.An influential happening that causes the masses to seek a specific breed of dog.This could range from a motion picture (101 Dalmatians), a commercial (Bud Light’s Bull Terrier, Spuds McKenzie), a television show (”Eddie” Moose from ‘Frasier’), or even an unfortunate event (Diane Whipple being killed by two dogs of the Perro de Presa Canario breed).Suddenly the demand overpowers the supply causing commercial breeders (puppy mills), and backyard breeders to hastily mass produce puppies for profit. “Breeding for the worse of the breed”- this always results in a decrease of breed quality in regards to both health and temperament.

Unfortunately due to irresponsible owners and/or media hype, specific dog breeds have become victim to “stereotypical” beliefs.For example: certain breeds of dog are inherently dangerous.Throughout time various dogs have gotten reputations based on media coverage and irresponsible owners.Several various breeds have been labeled “dangerous” during its turn as a “fad breed” including Great Danes, Pit Bull’s, German Shepherd Dogs, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and many more.

Below is an excerpt taken from the book “Cesar’s Way”- written by Cesar Millan, renowned canine behaviorist regarding interaction with dogs: (they must be viewed)

“First, as:

1.Animal
2.Species: dog (Canis familiaris)

Then, as

3. Breed (Chihuahua, Great Dane, collie, etc.)

And last and least important

4. Name (personality)”

As you can see, a dog regardless of breed is first an animal, secondly a dog and then a breed.If this chart were turned in comparison to humans we would first be animals, then (species) human, then race.Would it be fair to stereotype an entire race based on good or bad experiences with only a few?

“It is true that Pit Bulls grab and hold on. But what they most often grab and refuse to let go of is your heart, not your arm.”- Vicki Hearne

“The picture I was offered, of the man jogging innocently by and the two dogs attacking and killing “out of nowhere” and “for no reason” simply did not make sense.I also found myself worried silly, because I have always suspected that it is expensive getting a Dog Bites Man item on the desk of a major newscaster, and I wondered who had paid for the crisis… I also assumed that in Ohio someone was mounting a statewide pit bull ban… And so I heard Dan Rather reporting on what sounded like something out of a horror flick, and assumed that some senator in Ohio was using pit bulls as a campaign issue, and this proved to be the case.A few months after that broadcast, Ohio passed what must be a singularly unconstitutional law, declaring that any animal of the breed commonly known as pit bulldog was prima facie vicious for purposes of that law…- Vicki Hearne pg. 12 “Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog”

Addressing common Pit Bull myths:

Pit Bulls attack more people than any other breed:

Bite statistics are extremely difficult to obtain accurately. Dogs that are referred to as “Pit Bulls” in statistical reports are factually a broad variety of breeds and mixes all lumped together under the term “Pit Bull”. Additionally, many people have a complicated time properly identifying a true Pit Bull from countless other breeds and mixes.Within the statistics are high volumes of dogs that have been misidentified.

Taking these matters into account, the true numbers of attacks attributable to American Pit Bull Terriers are considerably lower than represented. It is also vital to understand that the extreme popularity of the Pit Bull and pit bull-type breeds plays a huge role. By many estimates, Pit Bull breeds and mixes represent the most popular of all dog breeds. It is only logical to understand that the breed with a higher volume in population would be represented with a higher volume of bites.

According to older statistical reports for the Center of Disease Control, one will see that trends in breed popularity reflect in the number of bites attributed to a specific breed during a specific period of time.

At the same time there is no statistical proof that more bites occur by Pit Bull breeds or mixes.Whereas there is proof that negative Pit Bull related incidents make the media headlines far more often than negative press of other breeds.

Pit Bulls brains swell/never stop growing:

“This rumor started with the Doberman, and has since been said about game-bred dogs in general. The concept of an animal’s brain swelling or growing too large and somehow causing the animal to “go crazy” is not based in truth in any way.

Their brains grow at the same rate as any other dog, and the only time that a Pit Bull’s brain is going to swell is if it receives a serious injury. If an animal’s brain were to grow too big for its head, the animal would die.” - PitBullLovers.com

Dogs react in the moment by triggering previous training and experiences.There are always reasons for a dog’s behavior, and when aggression arises the reasons can be caused by improper handling or an unknowledgeable/irresponsible dog owner, lack of socialization or training, a misreading of dog behavior by the owner and physical or mental ailment in rare accounts. Point being, dogs don’t “snap”, and the dogs that will develop behavioral issues cannot be determined by breed.

Pit Bulls have “lock jaw”:

Pit Bull breeds were bred from several other breeds of dog, how can they suddenly develop a major evolutionary change such as this?There is no scientific proof that there has ever been a “locking mechanism” found in the jaw of any Pit Bull breed, or any dog for that matter.This is purely another scare tactic used to wrongfully instill fear into the public regarding Pit Bull breeds.

Pit Bulls are the guardian’s of drug dens:

One matter that I find disturbing is that Pit Bull breeds are believed by some to be the “guardian’s of drug dens”.Firstly, a true Pit Bull should not excel at being a guard dog.Pit Bull breeds are known for their welcoming personality towards all humans- even strangers, which in turn makes them terrible guard dogs.To standard, a Pit Bull would not only have to be poorly bred but intensely conditioned to show the aggression imagined in this stereotype.

Pit Bulls are bulletproof:

My response to this should simply be that Pit Bulls will be bulletproof when pigs fly.The only way a bullet will “bounce” off of any dog would be if they were wearing bulletproof attire. In short, Pit Bulls are NOT bulletproof. In fact a Pit Bulls skin is no tougher or less prone to injury than any other breed of dog.An American Pit Bull Terrier is a dog- they do not have super powers.

Pit Bulls are inherently vicious:

I hate to call anyone bluntly ignorant, yet in this case it applies. Anyone who states that “Pit Bull breeds are vicious” is purely ignorant on the matter at hand.Firstly, a breed of dog cannot be deemed vicious.This is what I like to call “breedism” and is comparable to racism against humans.Only specific dogs can be vicious, not breeds.Generally, dogs that become vicious are taught this behavior through nurture.
(Continued at Source . . . . Article)

When we moved to Montreal, it was the first time I had actually lived right in “the big city”. Originally I’m from a small town just outside of Toronto, and later in a commuter town just on the outskirts of the the M25 in London England after I got married.

Needless to say part of me is thankful that I don’t have to have day to day dealings with the squeegee kids and homeless anymore here in Quebec since moving “off the island” unfortuntatly it leaves the other part of me being a tad blase about it, I blame that on having always lived so close to the big city. In the past (specifically on this blog) I’ve admited to pretty much being a snot-nosed stuck up holy-ier than thou heartless bitch. And heck I’m not afraid or ashamed to admit it again.

The downtown core of Montreal, espeically near the latin quarter (Think St Catherine and St Laurent) There are a ton of squeegee kids. In your face and abrassive squeegee kids. I’ve found that the random times I need to go right down town to pick up or drop off Colin as soon as I get off the highway I lock my doors, and make sure my windows are rolled up. Why? Not so much out of fear, more because I’d prefer not to have any confrontation.

I believe there is a big difference between homeless people and squeegee kids. The main difference, is obviously where they dwell. So many of these squeegee kids are young people looking to make some cash, most have a place with mommy and daddy to go home to. I’m not saying this as gospel, I’m saying this out of experience.

Recently, on one of my last jaunts to the city to get my husband I got stopped at the corner of Sherbrooke and St Laurent - right by the Just for Laughs theatre. There to my ammusement was a very clean shaven, newly hair dyed squeegee kid with a brand new squeegee, expensive trainers and designer jeans. He got to the window of my car and I flagged him away. He wiped the car windshield anyways and stood waiting to be paid for an job I didn’t want him to do. I watched him wipe his wet hands on his designer jeans. I sighed, thinking about my sister who had saved to buy the same pair of jeans a few months eariler for a friend who was a boy or a boyfriend of hers. I remembered my sister, who is a tad bit more into the label scene of fashion, and I as we stood motionless, heads pressed back stared up at the denim wall for a short eternity. humming and hawwing, and then finally a decision was made and a pair of jeans was purchased. At the till the friendly wrurrring of the register alerted my sister to her total, $257.45. Why does this squeegee kid need the coffee and tea soaked rusted pennies inside the drink holders of my car, heck I can’t afford designer jeans, I should have asked him to spot me a tenner.

Then there are the homeless, in major cities like Montreal - and especially in Canadian cities, there isn’t much reason for one to be actually on the street. Without a home of your own, sure. But on the streets, no.I watched a show on the news last year talking about how only half of the beds in shelters are used.I find it difficult to be sensitive to street people for that reason. Get yourselves off the street, get a good meal, get some training, get a job. . . . There is no overnight solution for homlessness - and they’ll have to work on it, but the services are there, they just aren’t making use of them.

I also think there are two tiers of homeless people, people down on their luck who have the motivation to make change. And then secondly, the people who abuse whats given to them, and berrate those who have better than them.

An example of the later is the one-armed, one-legged homesless man in Montreal. Montrealers know the guy by face. He is one of the most imfamous homesless people in Montreal, next to the Spoonman in front of Oglives. During the evenings he stands outside the exit doors of the Paramount movie theatre downtown near Peel metro. He stands close enough to the doors to be hit or nudged, so you have to as a polite human say ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon me’ or sorry if you hit him. He has perfected his stance and stare and gives you a burning look if you don’t drop toonies and loonies into his worn hat. I suspect in a night he gets $100 or more. Maybe I should ask him for a tenner!

A little over a year ago, in one of my quests to ‘pay it forward’ I decided to give the homeless young people at the park at the corner of St Catherine and Berri, near Place Dupuis, a couple coupons for free bags of dog food for their dogs. (All of them had at least one dog!). The head of this group looked at the coupon for one of those grocery store dog foods and said to me in a crossed voice “We don’t feed that crap to our dogs”. This bothered me for a slew of reasons 1) Beggers can’t be choosers, if they were homeless, they really did need that food 2) If they were homeless, they would have though about the fact they could have returned the food for cash! 3) What the heck were they feeding these dog in the first place if the “best” grocery store food was considered crap? Perhaps they to have a secret stash of cash, maybe I should have asked them for a tenner.

Now all that being said, you can obviously see that I don’t give money to homeless kids with dogs, homesless people in general, and most definalty not to the squeegee kids. I do however quiet often throw a few tuppances into the boxes of street performers and buskers. Why? Because they have a skill and are doing something for the money, and most do it out of love of their hobby and not of of spite or just for the heck of it. . . I might even be inclined to give them a tenner!