Rants of a Mad Okie
If you go to Sam's looking for Beef'n More dogfood you may have noticed it wasn't in stock... Sam's has discontinued carrying it.
According to the Beef'n More home office, you will be able to find it in 2 of the PetCo stores in town by the end of the month, one of those stores being on 41st street.
UPDATE: It's now available!
A little over ten years ago a literal handful of energy came into our lives. We didn’t know what breed he was when we picked him out, and neither did the person working the adoption counter at the PetsMart. After a few weeks he began to develop distinctive physical traits that made us realize that he was a pit bull terrier. At that point we were concerned, as we had bought into the hype that they were vicious man-eaters.
At that time the anti pit-bull sentiment was just beginning to build, but in raising our pit bull we didn’t see any of the behaviors that were giving them the bad name. We began to do more research, and time and time again we found that most of the claims were unfounded. Usually it was a neglectful parent that was responsible for the attacks we read about, and even then in the grand scheme of things those attack were so few and far in between an individual would have a better chance of being killed in a car wreck, than killed by any kind of dog.
When “representative” Wesslehoft started on his crusade against the pit bull, spreading misinformation, I decided it was time to fight back. I was not going to allow my pet to be held responsible for bad owners, or for bad parenting. I put up a petition, and Stoney became a local celebrity of sorts. He was on News Channel 8, Fox 23, Urban Tulsa and the Tulsa World, and each time he was a perfect gentleman. I believe he changed a lot of opinions about the true nature of the Breed.
Unfortunately, Stoney lost the only fight he was ever in, bone cancer.
I will miss you little buddy, and even though I no longer have a “dog in this fight” I will continue to fight on for you, for those pit bulls that have done no harm, which are raised in loving homes with responsible owners.
here are two reports of the sad incident
Tulsa infant dies in dog attack
Infant attacked, killed by dogThe Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) banned the breeding, sale or exchange of four kinds of dog - pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, the Dogo Argentinos, and the Fila Brasileiros. Cross-breeds of those dogs are covered by the law.
Any other dogs "appearing... to be bred for fighting or to have the characteristics of a type bred for that purpose" are also banned.
The result?
Dog bite victims up by 50 per cent in 10 years
It's not the dogs, it's irresponsible people and the lack of enforcement of the laws on the books.
I knew it would eventually come to this... now we have a "pit bull" attack in Tulsa, and there is a call to ban the animal.
Though I am sorry for the lady and her dog, as I have pointed out previously, most attacks come from animals that are running loose. How is banning the animals of people who are responsible for their pets going to stop loose animals from attacking? Its already against the law for animals to run loose in Tulsa. It's a waste of the cities resources, and considering the number of animals I see run loose every day, we obviously don't have the manpower to round them up. Also, the odds of being attacked by ANY dog is less than being struck by lightning. According to the story there were "nearly three hundred dog bites" last year... Tulsa's population is around 400,000... thats a .075% chance of being bitten (if you narrow it down to just Pit Bulls its around .025%). here are a few more crime stats to put this little crusade into perspective (2003)
Murder and non-negligent man-slaughter: 61
Forcible rape: 272
Robbery: 891
Aggravated assault: 3,080
Burglary: 6,403
Larceny-theft: 17,343
Motor vehicle theft: 3,507
Arson: 281
"It's like cockfighting in Puerto Rico," she said. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of the country."
Let's change the word dogfighting to crossburning. Since that is something that is indicative of the south, does that make it ok Whoopi?
Rep(?) Paul Wesselhoft is at it again, introducing legislation which is basically a "One bite and you are out" bill. This reactive piece of legislation will do nothing to prevent dog bites, and instead will just produce a new breed of felons, who if convicted will receive a minimum of a year behind bars and fines of up to $10,000. (but if you drive drunk, which is completely under your control, you may be out $1,200 and up to 6 months in jail)
What happens if a downed tree tears down your fence durring a storm or someone maliciously lets your dog out and it becomes frightened, or worse yet, provoked? This is bad law that has a potential to make every dog owner a felon, as no dog attacks "unprovoked", there is always a reason. Animals are not human; they don’t have the same thought processes. Instead of fighting dog owners we need education in the classrooms about how to deal with unfamiliar animals, we need money for animal enforcement officers to help round up the strays, and we need to go after the people who willfully ignore the animal laws and let their animals run free.
Maybe if this one trick pony would open his eyes he would realize his little crusade is causing him to fail to protect the elderly, fail to combat identity theft, and fail to increase safety requirements for children and consumers. Hopefully the people of Moore will open their eyes and get this joke of a "representative" out of office. Because going after law-abiding dog owners is the lazy and cowards way out.
On a side note, Im glad to see that the Feds had the guts to go after Atlant Falcon's QB Michael Vick. I hope that, if found guilty, he is dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
Nationwide Support Will Help Stop Dangerous PA Hunting Dog Proposal
| Citation | Type | Comment | Eff. Date |
| OS 4-46 | AMD | ||
| OS 63-1-508.1 | NEW |
| Date | Flags | Chamber | H Page | S Page | Text |
| 2/5/2007 | H | First Reading | |||
| 2/5/2007 | H | Authored by Representative Wesselhoft |
Wesselhoft, the anti Pit Bull crusader is back
in the news, this time he wants to decrease the toll for motorcycles on
Oklahoma's
turnpikes. I am not against such a measure, but considering Oklahoma
has an average of 31 deaths per year with people on motorcycles (as opposed to
13 deaths a year nationally from all dog attacks), his stance on pit bulls is
hypocritical...
We WON!!!! I thank you and Stoney thanks you! Committee kills pit bull ban, passes higher penalties for owners OKLAHOMA CITY - A proposed ban on pit
bull terriers and other dogs considered dangerous was overwhelmingly
defeated by a state House committee.
Copyright
2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Dog Attack Renews Call For Breed-Specific Ban
Though it may be too late in the fight to save the pit bull, I want
to thank KTUL, Channel 8 for the above article, the breed and every dog
that resembles a pit bull has been mislabeled, mischaracterized and
demonized for much too long, the above article contains the facts of
the matter. In the past by ignoring the facts and relying on hype the
media lost credibility among those who knew the truth. I hope its not
to late to save my boy, he did nothing wrong.
As for the little girl in Kansas, Ok Im very sorry that the incident
happened, but the fault clearly lands on the parent for letting a 2
year old wander into a neighbors yard. The dog was chained up, and
though I dont agree with that type of confinement, the dog was confined.
Lightning kills about 100 people in the U.S.
each year.
Excerpt From: Funeral homes offended by lawmaker, not his law
Brian Hinson, co-owner of Henninger-Allen Funeral Home, said he doesn’t
take issue necessarily with a proposal written by state Rep. Paul
Wesselhoft, R-Moore, that would open casket sales to private businesses
other than funeral homes. Hinson’s problem, he said, is with the
lawmaker spreading misinformation about his profession.
That is Wesselhoft's M.O. he doesnt think he can win his battles with facts, so he lies, Lies, LIES!!!
Reprinted from the Napa Valley Register
by DAWN CAPP
Tuesday, December 20, 2005 1:06 AM PST
This
holiday season is proving to be an unhappy one for dog owners. A new
law allows discrimination against breeds of dogs. Napa's Assemblywoman
Noreen Evans co-authored the bill in a misguided effort to target
dangerous dogs. Unfortunately, this legislation represents a step
backward toward heavy-handed government and legalized discrimination.
Rather than holding all dogs and owners equally accountable for their
actions, this bill discriminates against dogs that have the misfortune
of being born with the wrong looks. It makes no exceptions for service,
guide, therapy, search, working, or show dogs. It does not distinguish
between pure-bred dogs and dogs that look like they could be mixed with
the "wrong" breed. It will cause insurance companies to blacklist
breeds, forcing people to choose between their homes or their best
friend.
Many people believe this is "pit bull" law, but nowhere
do the words "pit bull" appear in the bill. The law allows counties to
decide which dogs people should own, show, or breed. It is not, nor
will it be, limited to pit bulls. In other areas that allow breed
discrimination, counties have restricted boxers, St. Bernards, Great
Danes, Dobermans, Chows, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies,
German Shepherds, and other breeds. Instead of actually targeting
dangerous dogs and pet overpopulation, this bill acts as a soft ban on
breeds and will force the senseless euthanization of thousands of
loving pets.
Those who think this is just a pit bull problem
should meet Ed Nelson of Sacramento. He owns a service dog, Ace. Ace
has never hurt anyone. However, when Ed tried to renew his insurance,
he was denied coverage because his dog was of the wrong breed. The
insurance company didn't care that Ace was a service dog, nor did it
care that, without Ace, Ed's life would be turned upside down, and it
would be hard for him even to leave his home. Ace is a German Shepherd.
Even
if SB 861 did just target pit bulls, it would still be wrong. No one
breed is inherently dangerous. A daschund ripped through a playpen and
killed the family's infant. A Chihuahua attacked a mail carrier,
causing a serious injury. Those type of attacks rarely make headlines
simply because they don't involve the words "pit bull."
As told by the Bartlesville Examiner...
Ill break it down by incident:
June 15, 2001, man tells his
dog to attack the rescue personnel... that could have been ANY type of
dog that is protective of his owner, be it a pit bull, a German
shepherd, mutt or any dog, as witnessed out in California where a
police officer was attacked by a pack of Chihuahuas after he took their owner away
Jan 2004, dog used to protect
meth labs... meth labs are illegal, so banning pit bulls will help how?
These people were already breaking the law!
Oct 2004, a sad incident, but not enough of the story is being told, where was the child, was he being supervised?
Nov 2004, Pit Bulls running
loose... sounds like a animal control issue, apparently they cant keep
the loose ones off of the street now, so they want to go after the ones
that are safe, behind locked fences?
Dec 2004, again, loose dogs, whose fault is that again?
May 2005, again loose dogs, see a pattern, and this was the second attack by "Chewy"
June 2005, too many unanswered questions. again, where were the parents?
UPDATE: not mentioned is the death of the child in December 2005 where an unattended/unsupervised 4 year old child goes into the dogs pen and is killed.
So why are the thousands of RESPONSIBLE Pit Bull owners going to be punished?
because of lousy parental supervision and poor enforcement of laws already on the books.
What really concerns me is the number of Republicans, who preach personal responsibility going the banning
route... better hold onto your guns folks, they do more damage than any
dog can, and once you start sliding down that slope, it's awful hard to
stop...
Illinois Dog Owners Face Multiple BSL Threats
SB1790: Sen. Martin Sandoval backed away from his
support of this breed-specific bill early in 2005. However, he has
recently stated his intent to take up the bill again, perhaps with
amendments. As currently written, SB1790 would automatically deem the
following breeds dangerous dogs, regardless of any prior aggressive
behavior: "Pit bull," Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Siberian Husky,
Alaskan Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, Chow Chow, Great Dane, St.
Bernard, Akita. Owners would be required to spay or neuter their dogs
and abide by strict care conditions.
On a side note, they have banned 92 breeds in Italy... including the Corgi!
Who is behind this push? Animal rights activists and apparently insurance companies
More and more municipalities are proposing
bans on Pit Bulls & Rottweilers and one has to ask why? Why are
they wasting precious time, money and resources on an issue where the
facts don’t line up with the hype? Is it for their own political gain?
Is it payback to some organizations that want to do away with pet
ownership altogether? Is it to make people “think” they are doing
something... anything?
The facts are that from 1979 to 1996, 304 people in the US died from dog attacks... let that number sink in… 304 in 17 years... how many people will die on their way to Grandmas house over the Christmas Holiday? In 2004 alone 42,636 people died in Auto Related accidents, of which 17,448 were killed in alcohol-related crashes!
Who’s really behind it? What is their real goal? When did this become a
priority? Where are they getting their support? How do they intent to
implement this? And do you really think they are going to stop with
just these animals?
Do we need stricter laws on the books
concerning loose animals? Why arent the ones on the books already being
enforced? If local governments dont have the money to enforce the
current laws, what makes them think they can enforce the new ones?
Hold onto your wallet folks...
Pit bulls have a reputation for viciousness, but it may not be deserved.
Paul
Demars, an animal behaviorist at Oklahoma State University's veterinary
school, said to dogs, whether a pit bull or a Chihuahua, biting isn"t
necessarily inappropriate. The difference is, however, that a Chihuahua’s bite is
mild compared to the bite of pit bull’s powerful jaw, he said.
Biting can occur for different reasons, one being a
miscommunication. Demars used the example of a person approaching a
dog. The dog barks — a signal that the person should stop. When the
person doesn’t the stop, the dog is "justified” to bite, he said.
Another factor in a dog’s behavior is its
environment; Demars said that plays a huge role. A common myth is that
pit bulls have been bred to fight; Demars said this isn’t true. The breed was bred to work, adding that another role
was to offer their owners protection. Rottweilers are another breed
that was bred to work, such as herding animals and providing protection, he continued. Most
dogs were bred at a time when owners needed more protection.
Demars said owners can contact the veterinary school if they have a concern about their dogs, regardless of breed.
Many behavioral issues in an animal can be
treated, he said. Demars deals with dogs that have anger issues,
separation anxiety, and so forth. A good number of the dogs are
abandoned or put down because of behavioral issues, he said.
Unknown to most people PETA
is in favor of banning Pit Bulls, in fact they are in favor of
banning all pets. Now some idiot in Chicago is proposing a ban on all
dogs over 15lbs in weight, its for the children afterall.
here are just a portion from his article in the Chicago Tribune
" You want a dog that weighs more than, say, 15 pounds?
Then you pay $1,000 a year in fees and licenses for the right to own
one. The fee could be knocked down to, say, $200 a year if the dog is
spayed or neutered and passes temperament and obedience tests at least
two times a year under the supervision of state-licensed animal
trainers who would certify the animal's behavior."
A pit bull owner sent me an article concerning Aurora, CO's proposed Pit Bull ordinance.
What the honest, responsible, law abiding Pit Bull owners have been saying all along is that it is a waste of money and unenforceable. Apparently Aurora has figured out that the ordinance will cost the city money that they dont have to spend.
...spotlight hungry State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft is going to go full force into the ban anyway.
Wesslehoft said "his ruling
today makes it crystal clear that it is up to the people of Oklahoma to
let their legislators know that they need sufficient restrictions
passed against this dangerous animal."
Is that why you are ignore calls that don't agree with your point of view?
How come you never responded to my email Mr. Wesslehoft?
Do we not count as "people of Oklahoma" letting our legislators know how we feel?
As of 8/16 there are over 1030 signatures on the petition to stop the pit bull ban, do those people's voice not count?
Clearly Mr. Wesslehoft does not care to spend the time to actually
educate himself on the matter and only rely on media hype and emotion
to push forth his agenda.
remember, when they say its "for the children" it's really for their own political career.
Now you know… Bartlesville just passed an ordinance on all dogs and cats, in response to a “pit bull” attack earlier in the year. The unanimous vote tacks a $10.00 license fee on dogs and cats. By adding all dogs and cats
to the ordinance it proves they are just using the media hysteria
concerning pit bulls to effectively fine people who did nothing wrong. This political power play will do nothing to stop the real problem
Please go to the petition and add your voice before they take away all pet owners rights...
Since they didn’t say,
they must not have been pit bulls, after all it’s the pit bull breed
that the media likes to over hype to make an “exciting” story…
BTW, There is still time to sign the anti pit bull ban petition...
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Moore, Oklahoma: A Moore woman’s 7-month-old pit bull was beaten to death. From the article “Police say they're investigating the case as a possible animal cruelty crime.”… Possible?!?
Omaha, Nebraska: Two Pit Bulls Rescue Woman From Red Chow, they jumped over the fence to rescue this woman, then proceeded to rip the woman limb from limb to show the chow how its supposed to be done… ok, the last part was made up…
Since starting the “Stop the pit bull ban” petition, I have been interviewed by the Tulsa World & Fox 23, both showing the other side of the argument, and I hope that I am representing the “pit bull” side well. I’m guessing I’m doing an ok job since the phone has been ringing off the hook since the article in the World this morning. The word needs to go out that not all “pit bulls” are monsters, in fact it’s a very small minority that is subject to the hype.
Again, I have said it before, it’s the owners responsibility to keep their dogs under control. The lady in Bartlesville that was attacked last week was done so by two loose animals, they weren’t restrained… again… where is the owner? Enforce the laws on the books we already have and loose animal attacks would be cut down considerably.
Oklahoma State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore) Is proposing a statewide ban on pit bulls,
current owners will be grandfathered in, but will face severe &
costly restrictions in order to keep their family pets. This all came
about because of a 3 year old stuck his arm into a yard occupied by a pit bull.
I'm sorry to say, the boy lost his arm. What is not clear is where the
parent(s) of the child were, if the child was tormenting the dog, or
the dogs/dog owners history.
If you have a pit bull, you will need to contact your state representative and let them know that irresponsible owners are to blame and not the dogs themselves. Tell them not to make the media hype influence their decision making.
For non pit bull owners, if you would like to learn more about this maligned breed of animal, I ask that you take a moment and learn the truth about these loyal and loving dogs.
About Breed-Specific Legislation
Pit bull - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The American Pit Bull Terrier / Breeds targeted by BSL
and finally, this is legislation that makes sense...
If you are an Oklahoma resident, please sign the petition here
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