Beaten Down

Candace

I watched an episode of "Dogtown" on Hulu last week because I needed something to watch while working on a project. I don't have any comment on Michael Vick or his dog fighting operation, but this show did give me a lot to think about in terms of pit bulls as pets. My grandmother had a pit bull when she was very young. It was loyal, intelligent, and definitely good with kids. I contrast that with the handful of stories I have heard in the past year or so about children who were attacked (some fatally) by pit bulls. After watching this show, I could see that these dogs were not to blame for what the humans they trusted trained them to do. I think it is reasonable to be very cautious around any dog, but particularly around those who might have a violent past. Unfortunately, pit bull-type dogs have been exploited as fighting dogs due to their strengths. This show proved just how much the Vick dogs' violent past had damaged them, but it also proved that in the right human hands, a dog can be healed. It may never be safe as a pet, but it might find a measure of peace in its remaining life. Click here to learn more about Candace, who is available through No More Homeless Pets in Utah (I don't know if she was a Vick dog), and other available pets.