Andy | Hound X

When we first saw Andy at the humane society he was described as a hound/pit bull mix. I'm not gonna lie, for a split second all the negative things I had read about pit bulls ran through my mind and I momentarily dismissed the idea of adopting a dog with pit in him. As I observed Andy and all the other pit bulls in their cages, both full and mixed breeds, I was taken with how unique each dog was - each in possession of a singular personality and qualities all their own and each with the potential to be a loving companion.  I'm sure glad we gave Andy a chance. At this point I don't know if he actually has any pit in him, our vet doesn't seem to think so, but even if he does it matters not. Andy has his forever home.

Breed prejudice is sad and unjust. The case of Lennox, the dog in Ireland that was euthanized simply because he was a American bulldog-Labrador mix, is a prime example of the injustice of breed prejudice and breed-specific laws. Victoria Stilwell, host of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog,” said it best when she wrote, "We must target the deed not the breed...We must hold irresponsible pet owners accountable. Dogs of any breed can be fantastic, and dogs of any breed can be dangerous."

The Injustice of Breed-Specific Legislation

I hadn't heard about the plight of Lennox, an American bulldog-Labrador cross, living in Belfast, Ireland until it was already too late. This pup was seized from his family two years ago under the UK’s dangerous dog act which prohibits outright the ownership of "bully" breeds such as pitbulls. The Belfast city council took custody of Lennox after determining he was a "possible pitbull type" and thus presumably a threat to the community at large; this despite the fact he was a charming dog, had a perfectly clean record, and his family had taken every precaution to ensure he was never a threat. After two years of wrangling the council had Lennox euthanized today despite public outcry and offers for alternative courses of action.

Pitbulls have long gotten a bad rap and my heart goes out to the Barnes family for their loss. I think Victoria Stilwell, host of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog,” said it best when she wrote, "We must target the deed not the breed...We must hold irresponsible pet owners accountable. Dogs of any breed can be fantastic, and dogs of any breed can be dangerous. Breed-specific law is flawed; it just doesn’t work."

For more details on Lennox's story check out these articles:
MSNBC Lennox, dog condemned as pitbull, is put to death in Belfast.
Yahoo Outrage over Lennox: Dog put to sleep for looking like a pit bull in Northern Ireland