It’s true. But before my bully-loving readers get up in arms, I’ll clarify that I don’t dislike them either. Despite how much I’ve found myself writing about them lately (here, here, here and here), they’re not the breed that capture my heart and command my devotion. They don’t have the sleek lines of a setter, the spunk of a corgi moving a herd, or the sheer speed of a border collie in pursuit of a Frisbee: these are the dogs that catch my interest.
Bullies are fine, and I understand how folks could fall for them. They have such floppy faces, such happy smiles, and their heavy heads feel reassuring in a lap at the end of a day. They’re great dogs, but they just don’t light my fire.
I understand why others love bullies. I mean, look at that smile! Look at that tongue! Mercedes is adoptable through PetPromise, Inc.
So why do I write about them so much? Why have our past two Mutts of the Month been bullies? Why do I follow bully advocates, champion their cause, correct the errors and myths when I hear them shared?
A few weeks ago, KC Dog Blog shared an interesting post about the popularity of different dog breeds by state. The data was derived from veterinary records, and previously-available population estimates were based on AKC registration. AKC data has been widely criticized as a base for estimating bully breed population because it fails to recognize American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs) as a breed, though it does recognize American Staffordshire Terriers.
Some folks want their dog to be a lovehog. Not me! Moonie is available for adoption through Colony Cats (& Dogs).
While questions remain about this new data (How are mixed breeds classified? Is the data skewed towards more responsible owners?) the results were telling. Pit bull dogs showed up in the top three most popular dogs in 28 states. (In Ohio, they ranked as the 8th most popular breed.) They are wildly popular. And if we go with the common assumption that bully breeds, on the whole, have less-responsible owners than non-bullies, we can draw the assumption that pit bulls are, in fact, underrepresented in these numbers. That means there are TONS out there.
This is no surprise to those in the local rescue community. Franklin County Dog Shelter reports that in 2010 (latest data available at the time of this writing), 3,395 pit bulls entered their doors out of a total 13,062. This means that 1 of every 4 dogs admitted to FCDS in 2010 is a “pit bull dog”. Franklin County Dog Shelter doesn’t report statistics on other non-bully breeds that come in their doors, but this number is so high that I’m willing to bet they get more bullies than any other dog “breed”.
In short, I advocate for pit bull dogs because I care more about dogs generally than breeds specifically. The sheer number of pit bull dogs out there, coupled with them being uniquely targeted by breed discrimination, compels me. Our most-populous “breed” is also our most-killed one, and that fact alone keeps me working. If all dog lives are equal, I simply have to care about bullies.
Tell me readers, are you a pit bull advocate? Is it because you love the breed, or for some other reason? For those readers who are dog lovers but are not pit bull advocates, what is your take on the issue?
