Find the Frankenmauler

Mary used to support pit bull rescue. However, when her husband was attacked by the neighbor's new rescue pittie in the condo building's elevator, a couple of thoughts bubbled to her consciousness. She realized that even the firm conviction that "its the owner not the pit bull" could not keep her husband from getting attacked by one.

Mary is miffed that the frankenmauler is still listed by BETH GRUFF as a success story on her IT'S THE PITS RESCUE's adopted page.

BETH GRUFF founder and president

of the largest pit bull rescue in the San Diego area It's The Pits

BETH GRUFF is a firm supporter of rehabilitating fighting dogs. She has confidence that "experienced handlers" like herself can "gauge the dog's mental condition." She's proud to report that 200 ex-fighting dogs from the largest dogfighting bust in history have been placed in homes and may be in a yard or elevator near you.

However, Mary has detected a significant flaw in this temperament evaluation scheme. If it's the owner and not the dog, while BETH is busy expertly evaluating the fighting dogs' temperaments, who's evaluating the potential owners? And while we're at it, though I don't think Mary's gotten there yet, who's evaluating the rescue operators?

Which Pit Bull Is BETH GRUFF's Elevator Frankenmauler?

Good work with the expert evaluation Beth!

BETH GRUFF should have consulted with DR. BONNIE BEAVER acclaimed animal behaviorist and former president of the AVMA who is against BSL and who condemned the recent San Antonio hospital study by saying, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." She previously has said that temperament testing is, well, basically useless and discourages veterinarians from supplying temperament assessments for insurance purposes because of the potential for liability claims. (thanks, vintage for finding this fantastic source. It should be used whenever possible)

The Beav

Thank you DubV for this take on the "which end of the leash should I blame?" quandary.

The blame game is used by pit bull owners to their advantage, and that is why I choose not to play it. If we do not accept dogs as moral agents, then they are never to blame. Therefore their breed is not to blame. However, their breed is often a cause and contributing factor to maulings. That is a conversation the pit bull owners do not want to have because it frames the issue in a way where they do not have a rhetorical advantage automatically.- dubv June 23, 2011 9:44PM

Lets stop blaming and continue regulating.