And Another Sad Story in the Media

Yesterday the story broke of a bust on a dog fighting ring (ran out of the same home as a licensed day care) in Maywood, which is not so very far from where we live. It is always harder when these things happen close to home. The original article was illustrated with a "vicious dog fighting" graphic which has been replaced with some photos, but really bothered me and definitely distracted from the issue at hand. Can we get a "vicious humans" graphic, please? I have read a lot of dog fighting stories in the media and this is maybe one of the worst as far as the descriptions of the conditions of the dogs who were found, so I recommend that you read at your own risk.

This morning I read the updated story, which is illustrated with a painfully adorable picture of the Cook County Sheriff holding a 4-week-old white pit bull puppy that could melt any heart. Seriously, adorable.

A few things really struck me about this story:
1) The majority of the comments (as far as I read) have been surprisingly positive in terms of not bashing the breed. I don't know how people could read a story like this and still blame the dogs. These conditions are not fit for anyone and it is no wonder that these dogs may not be happy to see people. They are AFRAID.
2) The comment in the story of one of the neighbors that she was (understandably) afraid of these dogs and is glad that they have been removed. Okay, well now you still have to live alongside these PEOPLE and you are okay with that?
3) One of the suspects spoke to the media and is quoted as dismissing what the police have found as nothing major. Not something you see every day.
4) As the police were investigating this home, they look into the neighbors yard and see ANOTHER abused pit bull and subsequently bust that guy, too.
5) There is a law against felons owning an unaltered dog?
6) It is no wonder that people can grow up with a lack of compassion for animals when this house contained a daycare and the children were literally playing outside beside abused and mangled dogs. We need to work so hard to teach the next generation that this is not normal or right.

We will see where this story goes, but I think the public at large is definitely getting on the side of anti-dog fighting and I can only hope that this case will be another step towards ending dog fighting in our society completely.

Now go and hug your dogs.

Fighting Against Dogfighting

You may have previously seen the story of Oogie, the Dogo Argentino rescued from a hellish life as a bait dog in a dog fighting ring.

Well, now millions have heard Oogie's story, as he was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show! You can read all about it here (click "next" to read the whole story).


Also, for those in the Chicago area, you can check out Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue's 2nd Annual Love Me Don't Fight me fundraiser event tonight at Exit. Make a donation for me, if you're there! I don't stay out that late. :)