Replies

Part chihuahua?

A breed stereotyped for being snappy, aggressive, high-strung, and not good with children?

Well, we can’t have that little ankle biter assaulting our dear government employees.

Let’s amend the legislation; I never liked chihuahuas anyway. I’ve known too many people who won’t control those things....besides, that PETA rep will be pleased with the news, and I’ll look more tolerant to the Islamic community....

</end BSL-supporting politician’s perspective>

Part chihuahua?

A breed stereotyped for being snappy, aggressive, high-strung, and not good with children?

My wife's preference. We made the decision to get the one from the litter that was least aggressive. The rat terrier part (75%) dominates anyway. If there were a law against rat terriers, and or chihuahuas, I'd get a small mutt or other small breed of dog. And I wouldn't sweat it. She wouldn't either.

Maybe responsible dog owners should push harder for harsher penalties on irresponsible dog owners, the way that pro-gun folks push for harsher penalties for those who commit real crimes (robberies, car-jackings) with guns.

Trying to look for common ground, could I assume that you would hold for the rights of apartment owners, insurance companies, etc. to put in their own restrictions?

I will also note that I saw on an anti-pit bull site that (I didn't know it was anti-pit bull until I followed the link) that even based on their numbers, that Rottweislers are actually worse per capita, since there are almost 10 pit bulls for each rotweiler. That was news to me. I purposefully did not take any other info from that site because I am not up enough on this stuff to know who is BSing whom, but raw stats that make Rotts look worse is pretty convincing.

There is one anecdote that moved me a bit. When I lived in CT, there was a news story in Hamden, CT about a man walking his small dog. The pit bull bolted from the porch, and the owner made no effort whatsoever to retrieve the dog. The pit attacked the small dog, whose owner started BITING THE PIT BULL to make it let go. The Pit Bull would not let go. The small dog owner went to his last resort, a gun he carried and shot the pit bull. If he had broken the law, NO ONE was going to get him into trouble under the circumstances. I know that the owner was at fault, and while Hamden is not quite New Haven, it ain't Mayberry, either. Outside of my own rational considerations, it was hard to be unmoved by that awful story.