Dear Editor:

Any animal, of any breed, can be vicious. I agree if the animal is a danger to people, it shouldn’t be there. Although, through media and movies, people have grown to be paranoid of a certain breed of dog that has been recently singled out.

The American Staffordshire Terrier, aka the “Pit Bull.” The latter name is crude slang for fighting in pits with other “like” dogs. They are raised from puppies to fight and are treated harsh and abused in unspeakable ways to force them to be mean. This breed of dog is a favorite among heathens because they are strong. Michael Vick, for instance, is an offender. These animals are often put to death in violent ways when no longer wanted. Well adjusted people who get these dogs as puppies do not do these things, ergo, have loving, wonderful dogs who become family members.

Please don’t follow the federal government’s lead and shove laws that the majority of citizens do not agree with just because you can. Don’t pass laws that make no sense, pass one that does, like an ordinance similar to the owners of pools, (a fence). Any little bulldog that I ever met was more friendly than any Dachshund or Poodle or Chihauhua or German Shepard. Passing laws like this should require the people trying to pass them to educate themselves on the subject first. Try the library and read the Encyclopedia of Dogs. I would also like to see the police reports on dog attacks for the last 5 years. I doubt the culprits are all bulldogs.

Last fall I found a very malnourished dog tied to a broken down four-wheeler, it had no food or water or shelter. I called the county dog pound, the sheriff’s department, the D.N.R., and the commission office. The next day, the dog was still there. Nobody came, nobody cared. From what I’ve read in this newspaper the last few years, we need to ban all the pedophiles and sex offenders out of our city, not the taxpayers beloved pets who do no harm. Unclench, and watch an old movie of “Our Gang”!

Teresa L. Nibert

Pt. Pleasant, WV