The Global Pressure and Media Manipulation of Banning Staffordshire Terriers


by Isabelle Longo & D.T. Longo


Longo’s Aviaries Inc.
Meaford, Ontario, Canada


Unfortunate circumstances regarding pit bulls otherwise known as Staffordshire terriers has led to political controversy on a global scale. Because of this, legislation is constantly arising in more and more countries, jurisdictions and municipalities. Staffordshire terriers have just as many fundamental qualities to offer for companionship as any other dog, both the media and Animal Rights Activists (A.R.A) are mainly responsible for the constant manipulation of propaganda along with exposure to the general public; most importantly, the irresponsibility of the keepers themselves is the number one cause of this absurd global threat. The Staffordshire terrier has excellent characteristics; in addition, they are known to be extremely loyal and very affectionate pets, especially if they are raised under proper conditions. Staffordshire’s are always ready to please their owners; in fact, the Canadian Kennel Club… [has named] them the ‘foremost all-purpose dog’, renowned for their friendliness and ‘trustworthy stability.’ [Also,] one university study deemed them one of the ten best breeds for children.”(“Staffordshires are not bred to fight,” 2005, p F07) There are so many incidences where these wonderful dogs save children from attacks of predators, including humans. They will not hesitate to protect their human companions with their life, however these events are never addressed or publicized because this story never sells! The animal welfare extremists and media both have a major role in this never ending fiasco. They constantly choose to tell only one side of the story and neglect to inform responsible people and organizations in this country which actively practice and enjoy the company of these wonderful terriers. Certain issues are never addressed and they usually go out of their way to hide information from the public to provide a winning or selling story. Words are frequently misconstrued and misunderstood to have the public believe certain things that do not exist or are simply not plausible. As certain published or viewed incidences are portrayed sometimes do not take place the way they are told, this is yet another example of constant attacks to responsible keepers of these dogs where the public sees these terms and believes them simply because they are published and printed! The media and ARA’s neglect their true responsibility in their daily lives and make many poor judgments by publishing these for tens of thousands, if not, millions of viewers or readers across the globe. This is one more star on the belt of A.R.A’s to point fingers at responsible animal keepers which they take advantage of to expose their hidden cause on a large scale. One thing that merits attention and shows the inaccuracy of these constant attacks is the purposeful repetition of the same issues being brought up again and again with no concern for their mischievous intents. One astonishing example of A.R.A’s crafty work is, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) a globally recognized extremists group has on more than one occasion “…collect[ed] millions in donations by pretending to advocate for the welfare of animals, the group has killed 17,400 pets since 1998. Some animals are killed at PETA headquarters and stored in a giant walk-in freezer.”(“PETA kills animals,” 2008, n.p.). Gone are the days of wishing we all could wear animal product free garments, for example, leather shoes, cotton sweaters, fur coats, or stop eating meat altogether to fulfill their sad outcry for all of us to frolic free naked through the poppy fields eating tofu! Staffordshire terriers have become a fashion expo for young adults making them feel superior when walking their dog or even placing bets on whose dog would win a battle. Irresponsible owners train their dogs to fight viciously; as a result, they have little or no control of their dogs’ actions while unattended. This training technique embeds hostile characteristics in these dogs which can potentially become worse in the future. The Canadian American Pit Bull Association stated, “Any dog can be trained to attack… [and] any dog can be turned into a dangerous weapon. Specific breeds of dogs are not to blame for the irresponsibility and idiocy of their owners.”(Breeder’s howl over ban,” 2004, p B10). Irresponsible owners are the fundamental cause of the many brutal attacks reported globally. After all, dogs cannot speak for themselves and certainly no one would confess to training their dog attack tactics. When one is considering a Staffordshire terrier for a pet they should have previous experience of owning a dog. It is imperative that the dog receives its much needed attention, for example, long walks, regular visits to the veterinarian, and most importantly registering for obedience classes with your dog. Abiding by these simple steps will lead a responsible pet owner to many memorable moments of owning a Staffordshire terrier. We could all agree that Staffordshire’s attacking humans is unacceptable, but the owners are more at fault than the animal. Unfortunately, Staffordshire’s fall into the wrong hands; in which, media focuses only the story that catches everyone’s attention with the negative depressing news. With the irresponsibility of these owners, training their dogs to fight for gambling purposes has caused the Staffordshire to dominate the aggressive dog category. Although they are known to have a great temperament in the wrong hands they can be a dangerous weapon. In the end, instead of making such drastic measures perhaps a better solution would have been more appropriate like forcing owners to forego a training program with their dogs and upon completion receiving a license to own this breed. After all, if we are deemed to be irresponsible drivers, the province ministries revoke our right to operate motor vehicles. Seems like it may be time to implement this for certain breeds of animals as done for gun licensing !
©1995-2024 Longo's Aviaries Inc.