- Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer)
A Terrified Public
"...A classic case in point, Weela, the 1993 Ken-L Ration’s Dog Hero, that saved 30 people, 29 dogs, 13 horses, and a cat, during heavy floods in Southern California. Reader’s Digest refused to include, that Weela was an American Pit Bull Terrier, when writing their article, depicting her heroic acts.
Today, these strong proud animals, are used in a variety of helping functions in society including police work, search and rescue, or therapy dogs in hospitals. Their fun loving, energetic, personalities, high level of intelligence, and athletic bodies help them to excel in all K-9 sports such as agility, dock diving, fly ball, weight pulling, rally obedience, flying disc - the list is endless. Anything, any other breed can do, so can a bully. Because, as the media reports it…….if it’s not a Pit Bull, It’s just a dog. Strong, confident, never give up and never back down, is so much a part of who we are as a society, how did we become so afraid of these virtues?”
People became afraid because the media twists and spins facts into cash, with headlines or lead ins that hold your attention, while advertisers push their products. “Family pet knocks child off bike,” will not stop you from making that trip to the kitchen, the same way “Pit Bull attacks child on bicycle” does.
If a Golden Retriever bites the mailman, it either won’t make the news or it will be covered by local media only. If that same mailman suffers the same exact wound from a dog believed to be a Pit Bull, it will make the national news.
Many believe that the sensationalistic negative press surrounding the Pit Bull breeds all began with this July 1987 issue of Sports Illustrated.
We believe a picture can be deceiving…"
