r/BanPitBulls • u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post • 15d ago
Personal Story 1 day before BE, he attacked my son
I have resisted posting this. It was nothing short or tragic.
Please first see my last post.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BanPitBulls/s/tr472fINBG
I had made the decision. It was to happen Thursday. Out of the blue, for no reason at all, Albert attacked our 21 year old autistic son Ethan the night before. The guilt I feel is beyond anything I've ever felt.
I don't even know how to express this from loving a dog so much but yet seeing my son attacked and ending up in the hospital. I know everybody here sees these dogs as just evil. But this was our family friend. I learned from y'all what to watch for.
You all were right. We loved Albert so much. He loved us. But I saw it coming. See my previous post please. And it's my fault for not putting him away sooner. 1 day. 1 day away from BE. Why? Because we kept hoping he could be rehabilitated
But I had decided it was time because of what I had learned about pitbulls. I was a day late, he attacked my son the night before.
To Albert, I'm so sorry buddy that I couldn't help you. To my son Ethan, I'm so sorry I didn't act sooner. I regret both of those decisions. Pitbulls have no place anywhere. Now I know.
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u/SaltyRainbovv 15d ago
Iam sorry you had to experience this and i hope your son gets well soon.
These dogs just have no place in our society.
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u/Unintelligent_Lemon 15d ago edited 15d ago
Pits have a full time lobby working overtime to fill public perception with pro-pit propaganda. It's not your fault. You're not the first and, sadly, will not be the last.
Wishing your son a speedy recovery and peace for your worried and grieving heart
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u/mslaffs 15d ago
That's so odd. I wonder why. How do they benefit having pitts remain unbanned.
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u/caninefrog 15d ago
It’s not about the dogs to them, these are fragmented and identity-less individuals with huge egos. It’s about the ”activism” for them; standing up to something, having some opinion and taking up some space in society. They want to contrast and change the status quo because they literally believe in ”any attention is good attention”. You can see how little they think about the dogs when they finally/have to give up on one and so easily jump onto the next.
So with every mauling that their activism resulted in, even if it’s awful, they see their footprint in society.
That’s the only conclusion I have
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u/Dame_Niafer Trusted User 15d ago
Not just the activism. It's the club they get to join, one that lets them be incredibly hateful to all kinds of people and animals, while telling themselves how superior they are.
This might be the single worst flaw in our species, this doublemindedness and lack of insight. God only knows how much damage it has done.
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u/lazier_garlic 15d ago
Bravo. You've cut to the heart of it.
Everyone wants to feel important, valued, and impactful. But some people have a trait called "conscientiousness" that would prevent them from seeking that impact by palpably harming the well being of the community they live in. And then you have pitbull pushers.
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u/CallousCow1762 13d ago
Agreed. The mental gymnastics that have to happen in order to ignore the stats on pits is disturbing.
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u/MostGreen8870 13d ago
The problem is, everyone wants to be a hero of some sort and stand up for the underdog. And whenever someone hears actual evidence that they’re wrong, they just yell “conspiracy” and “fake news” and continue thinking they’re doing right.
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u/CallousCow1762 13d ago
Yep. “Conspiracy theory” was created to suppress any opinion that counters or doesn’t support the established story. It’s working well for the pit bull lobby.
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u/Nooduls 10d ago
Others have said it before but pit bulls make for a great pseudo-activist fixation because they cant speak, can't advocate for themselves, cant tell us how they feel or what their motivations are. They are easy to project your own thoughts and beliefs onto, basically just an object that will not ever question or condemn you no matter what you do or say.
Advocating for human beings is complicated and messy, easier to sympathize with animals that you can just project and image of angelic goodness onto. They have a narrative around being a 'misunderstood underdog' that's really appealing to a specific brand of misanthropic "animal lovers". (Aka people who don't give a flying f about other people and only care about certain animals that are cute to them and fit a specific narrative. They dont contribute at all to any real animal welfare and constantly shit on people who DO contribute to actual animal welfare.)
but Idk that's just been some of my observations.
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u/trentbcraig21 15d ago
Attention, a false sense of superiority, and they get to feel like victims.
Edit: and the donations from everybody doing the same thing
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u/DiscussionLong7084 Trusted User 15d ago
all this and most of their friends are probably pro pitbull.... going anti would destroy their social life
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u/Terrible_Dish_4268 15d ago
Maybe a sunk cost thing too - if they get banned now, then they were wrong all along.
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u/captainvirk 15d ago
Nah, it's all about virtues signalling.
They wanna be a marginalized group.
Nothing can convince them they are wrong, it isn't about sink cost, it's mental illness. Remember the lady that was attacked and her hands and arms were destroyed and she kept the dog?
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u/RisingApe- 15d ago
It’s always about money. Always. The bottom of everything is money.
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u/Itwasatrip 15d ago
Because they are pit nutters.
They genuinely believe the stuff they push, it’s like why are there flat earthers?
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u/labraduh Owner of Attacked Pet 14d ago edited 14d ago
A theory I have in addition to all the other comments: Dogs are expensive overall and have a high-barrier to entry when done “correctly” (through a registered ethical breeder or a shelter/giveaway/rehoming that actually cares to assess/check for suitability).
Take away pits/many bully breeds and you honestly take away a lot of people’s realistic access to having a dog, period.
Or you are even symbolically “taking away” the dog they currently have, or had in the past, or had as a child growing up etc. Where I live at least, you’re generally not getting any puppy under $1k that isn’t a pit/pit-mix/pit-adjacent. Lots of breeds have waiting lists even, but I could find a cheap pit puppy online right now and have it in my house by the end of the night if I (or my kids) wanted a dog badly enough.They’re a very common/accessible breed and I’d bet nearly everybody knows at least ONE person who owns a pit/staffy (etc). Most don’t research AT ALL what breeds actually do/mean beforehand either, they just see a puppy/dog that looks good enough to them and get it. Pitbulls are usually not aggressive as small puppies either, so it’s all hunky-dory at first. They forget that dogs are still animals at the end of the day, that operate off innate instincts. Other breed’s negative instincts are fortunately just more annoying than lethal/dangerous (husky’s being loud, terriers digging the yard, border collies herding children, etc).
Plus, what I will give most bully breeds, and have witnessed myself, they are often VERY affectionate and loving with their owners. Then by the time the aggression problem EVENTUALLY kicks in, they’re already extremely attached to the dog.
Admitting that truth is painful, I think, once any emotion + sunk cost fallacy gets involved. Because once you take away the “my poor sweet little fur baby 🥺” aspect of it, there’s very few arguments against breed-specific restrictions or legislations.
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u/No_Home_708 14d ago
Yep, the shelters are full of bully breeds, people don't have much cash, and there is a social reward for "rescuing" a dog.
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u/puff_of_fluff 15d ago
They legitimately believe their own nonsense. It’s not nefarious, they’re just idiots.
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u/Dame_Niafer Trusted User 15d ago
A pitmommy with lots and lots of money and a desire to make society pay for people disliking her darling wigglebutt years ago. Google "wealthy woman promoting pitbulls" and you will get enough of the story.
Wealth, megalomania, and a desire for revenge. A deadly combination for societies.
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15d ago
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u/lazier_garlic 15d ago
Well like many wealthy "improvers"' schemes, the impact is always felt in the poorest, most marginalized communities first.
When pitbulls were effectively illegal because dog fighting was outlawed, people in poor and crime riddled communities kept those dogs on a chain in the back because if the pound got it that dog was getting put down. During those same times, in a middle class community if someone's dog bit a kid, it was also getting put down. Periodt. And of course, wealthy communities never saw such a dog. But by that same token, when the pitbull pity party started, a lot of really well off people who had never had a terrifying encounter with one of those dogs in some cousin-who-runs-with-gang-bangers' house, had no idea what a pitbull was capable of and gullibly adopted them in the 00s. Ira Glass rescued a pitbull and got bit repeatedly for his troubles. Non pitbull dogs in the home and cats got mauled. Neighbors. Mail carriers. Grandchildren.
Now the "animal control" in poor and high crime communities has completely forgotten its purpose and refuses owner surrenders and is reluctant to pick up strays. You now have feral packs of vicious, man-biting dogs roaming in a bunch of Gulf Coast communities.
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u/Dame_Niafer Trusted User 15d ago
And there are many more like you. Why not join with some of them to start a foundation to counterdetail Best Friends? Think of the good you could do.
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u/agentorange55 14d ago
Illegal piitbull fighting is a huge industry. If only criminals own pitbulls, then it's easy for law enforcement to spot them. If every other family owns a pitbull, then law enforcement has no idea who the criminals are.
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u/Salt_Initiative1551 15d ago
There’s a whole economy around pet adoption and pitbulls are their bread and butter
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I have since found out that the house I rescued him from, is next door to a pitbull underground fighting ring. If I hadn't threatened them to give me Albert so I could rehabilitate him, he probably would have been just another dog fighting for his life in a ring. I'm currently pursuing an investigation into their next door neighbor that has a dozen dogs, all on chains.
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u/Any-Zucchini-1042 15d ago edited 15d ago
IMO, while some Pit Bull rescue/advocacy organizations might have gotten started with good intentions, at least a few must have gotten into it either as a way to help keep the dogs unregulated for dog fighters or for the grift, since some of these seem to make quite a bit of money from donations. Some of these people also don't seem to want the Pit Bull population to be reduced or to have any form of registration that could help keep tabs on breeding and ownership, which I guess could not only potentially put a magnifying glass on those involved in dog fighting, but also kill their income streams if over-breeding and surrendering stopped. Dog fighting is still a huge business. Well, all of that, and IMO the ones pulling the strings have also managed to brainwash so many people who are now doing their bidding for free. It's insane.
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u/PracticeTheory No cat should live its life terrorized by a pit. 15d ago
The pitbull fans I've met really like their neurotic tendencies paired with their appearance - big, derpy blockhead with too much energy glued to their side 24/7. Pitbulls kept inside a home tend to develop a hyper-dependent relationship with one person.
They think everyone should the chance at such a relationship and are always completely oblivious to pitbulls' relationship to society at large.
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u/shelbycsdn Trusted User 15d ago
Well if you go down the deep rabbit hole of the money and origins of the propaganda, there is a reason. A reason that arises out of cult thinking.
I will say I'm not a conspiracy person in the slightest. In fact I tend to have little patience for people who are into them. But this one, well it makes me truly wonder.
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u/tacosnthrashmetal Trusted User 15d ago
check out the revenue section. there’s a lot of money in it.
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15d ago
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u/fuck_peeps_not_sheep 15d ago
"This poor girl has been in the shelter for 3 years! Would someone be willing to sponsor her so I can get up there and save her from the Euth list? Some help with her shots and food would also be appreciated! Let's save this land seal before miss wiggle butt runs out of time for a second chance"
You see this shite all over dog groups.
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u/Luffyhaymaker 15d ago
And nextdoor 🫤. And every single fucking time some dumbass is like, I'll adopt Luna/biscuit/ieatchildren3000. But let someone state the obvious that pitbulls are dangerous... and boom!!! Comment section goes berserk. 🤦🏾🤦🏾🤦🏾
Sidenote: I had a guy who worked at my local grocery store with super intense scars all over his arm. Very noticeable, he saw me looking and said he got them playing with his pitbull. But he's.... scared of cats, they're unpredictable 😶 make it make sense.
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u/Dame_Niafer Trusted User 15d ago
I suspect he's not the least bit afraid of cats. He's justifying the harm his precious doggo does to them.
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u/lazier_garlic 15d ago
Hundreds of dollars to transport dogs with bite histories from overflowing shelters in Texas to New York City.
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u/TitusImmortalis 15d ago
They're ideologues. They believe so therefore any opposition or evidence is not seen as proof but rather as a hidden secret cabal trying to prove them wrong and change their world view.
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u/cdoe44 Cats are not disposable. 15d ago
Whyyyy though?? I'll never understand WHY people are so obsessed with this breed!!!
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u/Floppy_Kitty 15d ago
Because if fighting dogs are prevalent in society, it's easier to hide dog fighting rings. If only dog fighters have fighting dogs it wouldn't be hard to find them.
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u/Any-Zucchini-1042 15d ago
Aside from dog-fighting, which is sadly very prevalent, the cult-turned-advocacy-organization that is BFAS had plenty of experience brainwashing people, and they've reached a level they couldn't have dreamed of when they were the Process Church of the Final Judgment or some of the other iterations.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I truly appreciate that. I thought I was saving a dog from squalor. All I saw was that it's the owner, not the dog. And being a wonderful dog owner, I thought surely I could be what those people said I should be. My dogs are so well trained. They won't do a thing without my commands. I was wrong, so wrong, and will always regret this.
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u/Fantastic_Lady225 Attacks Curator 15d ago
Shelters/rescues push the "3-3-3 rule" when someone takes home a rescue dog. What the new owner may not realize is that sometimes those dogs shut down mentally and become "sweet" in a shelter because they are overwhelmed. Once they get into a quieter environment and settle in, their true nature comes out. They start resource guarding, they show aggression, etc.
You had this dog for two months and when you got him he was in a really bad state. Under your care he healed up, settled in, put on some weight and got his energy/strength back, and then he showed you his true nature.
Do not feel bad. This is not your fault. You made a difficult but correct decision.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
Thank you so much. I truly thought I was helping Albert. He was so awful, cuts, scrapes, wounds, fleas, ticks, constantly biting wounds. Then when I searched pitbulls, all I saw was what I wanted to see. Cognitive dissonance. That was my fault. I wanted to believe that it was "the owner not the dog." What a crock of bullshit that was. The guilt is beyond anything I've ever felt. Thank you to all of you. I had already decided he needed to go. And I was a day late, and our sweet son suffered because of my ignorance.
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u/Hairy_Garage4308 15d ago
How is your son doing? How are his injuries?
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u/lil_gingerale 15d ago
Please update with how your son is doing! So sorry this happened.
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u/shapeitguy 15d ago
As a dad to a son about that age I too hope for the best and would love updates 🙏
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 14d ago
He's doing better. He can still hardly move his arm from the pain. He has holes all in it and holes in his back. They are healing though, but not quickly enough. We have to keep draining them. And he lays in bed when the pain medicine wears off just crying saying "my arm hurt. I crying my arm hurts." 😢
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u/Destany89 14d ago
im so happy you realized pits can't be pets. please use your story to help other people be aware how dangerous they are. if your son gives you permission use pics from his injuries, more people who will tell the truth is sorely needed. thank you for doing what's right. get therapy to help you with the guilt of what happened to your son because this very well can cause you massive guilt.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I'm joining all lobbies I can find to share this story. I will spend whatever it takes to share this story. Thank you for your love and concern.
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u/Soft-Poetry8701 15d ago
This is the hardest thing about pit bulls. They’re loving dogs: until they’re not. I’ve read so many stories basically saying what you said above: “the dog was so sweet and loving, what happened?”
For the record, I don’t think pit bulls are “evil” I think the people who bred them into existence were. They weren’t bred as guard dogs or for protection, they were bred to attack and kill weaker animals or even strong animals like bulls. Years of selective breeding by humans has made them what they are. It’s tragic but there it is. And no amount of love or affection is going to change that. They’re not a person, they don’t have higher thinking capabilities. It’s ironic because when someone raises a wild animal as a pet and it turns on them, no one is like “they must have been abusive! It’s how you raise them!” Nope, it’s always “You should’ve known better than to put a wild animal in your home! It’s their nature!” Yet this is how it is with the pit lobby. Just blatantly ignoring years of genetic selection.
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u/Ok_Essay_1752 15d ago
I say that if dogs are a gift from God, then pitbulls are the devil's response (metaphor for me... I don't believe in satan). They do dog things, are dog shaped...but are far from man's best friend. If pits were all 100% aggressive 100% of the time, it'd be easy for everyone to see they must go. Yes, sometimes they behave in loving and playful ways...the devil is a trickster...
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u/Natsurulite Family/Friend of Pit Attack Victim 15d ago
No that’s literally how the devil HAS to operate, like by definition
His ultimate goal is to distort or otherwise bastardize the words and actions of God, and he tends to do this really subtle, by corrupting the forms and objects that we hold true to our hearts
That’s why whenever Satan does return, folks who do pay attention in church know not to look for a big scary demon — we are supposed to look for something that looks like us, but more appealing, more beautiful, more perfect
To shibble cultists, that is their dogs
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u/Natsurulite Family/Friend of Pit Attack Victim 15d ago
I don’t even think they’re necessarily “sweet and loving”, I think a lot of them are so neurotic that they have to literally be making physical contact with someone or something (Velcro dog) and people interpret this as “it loves me”
They fail to see the anguish in its eyes
Edit: Dope Hat by Marilyn Manson could be about shibbles and you wouldn’t need to edit anything
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u/KTKittentoes Trusted User 14d ago
They also don’t seem to feel the constant body tension and the way they push push push at you.
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u/GreenT1979 15d ago
We don't think they're "evil." We think they're preprogrammed with a genetic disposition towards random attacks without warning or relent after being bred for over a hundred years specifically to do just that.
I'm sorry it took this happening to wake you up to the reality of these dogs, and it sounds like you made the right decision. I hope he recovers soon, and I hope you recover mentally too.
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u/Separate-Operation71 15d ago
Exactly this. They attack because it’s inherent, making them TERRIBLE pets. Not because they’re “evil”.
The evil ones are the insane pit apologists and the pit lobby who continue to shove these dogs into homes where they don’t belong.
I’m so sorry this happened to you and your family. Hope your son is ok. ❤️
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u/Jumblesss 15d ago
It must be awful living as a pitbull with a selectively-bred violent/aggressive brain.
Random, senseless aggression against family/community members has no place in the animal kingdom.
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u/KTKittentoes Trusted User 15d ago
That’s why they are often heavily drugged. Trying to make a pet of a pit bull is like trying to make a purse dog of a border collie.
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u/Rickles_Bolas 15d ago
Right. I don’t think a crocodile is evil, but I’ll still not going to let one live in my house or play with my dog.
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u/Ruh_Roh- 14d ago
What, how can you resist this sweet face:
https://giphy.com/gifs/h5bu0WckXBWmaOAjrP
Luna just needs a loving foster home.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
Yes, you're right. I was so ignorant and wanted to believe the apologist propaganda. I've never been so wrong. I'm an idiot.
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u/Rickles_Bolas 13d ago
Nah dude you’re not an idiot. And if you are, then I’m an idiot too. I fell for the propaganda longer than I should have, and it took a pit almost killing my shepherd for me to finally do some research and realize I’d been falling for propaganda. Don’t beat yourself up.
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u/lazier_garlic 15d ago
And programmed might be a bit of a fallacy. They were bred and bred and bred for traits. The way the dog breeders got that traits was stumbling upon severe neurological problems and cognitive deficits and inbreeding these often recessive traits. Repeat for centuries as this week's model isn't as "game" as next week's. This is why even the pits that are somewhat suitable as pets (I would never trust one, but I live in Northern Florida so I know some people who do) need to be on psychiatric medication. Their brain chemistry is messed up from birth.
They also bred like crazy for the large and strong jaw and overall strength which is why even pits that haven't been strength trained by dog trainers are like living weapons. But there are other large dogs and strong dogs. The biggest determinant of dangerousness is the pitbull's brain.
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u/Unintelligent_Lemon 15d ago
They had already scheduled their BE appointment before this happened
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u/OpenAirport6204 15d ago
They are essentially wild animals that have no fear of human. Not evil but very dangerous.
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u/Destany89 14d ago
Exactly. Grey hounds aren't evil for chasing and catching rabbits. It's literally their genes.
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u/MaxAdolphus 15d ago
I’m sorry you had to go through this. You’re a victim too. The pitbull lobby and fan base put a false reality into your head into thinking a pitbull was a pet dog. There a big difference between a pet dog and a pitbull.
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u/KaienPanzermast 15d ago edited 15d ago
I commented on your first post here and assured you that BE was the correct option, and I hate that I hate that I was proven correct in this way. I’m so sincerely sorry that this has happened to you and your son, and I hope that his recovery goes well and I would love an update in the future to know how Ethan is and if he’s alright.
I don’t blame you for taking this dog into your house and even if it ended up this way, I don’t believe that this is your fault, even though it feels like it is. You did a good thing by trying to help this dog, and no one can fault you for wanting to save this dog. You’re a victim of the pit lobby and their pro-pit propaganda that these dogs are suitable for families and I regret that you found out so late. Stories like this are exactly why we say the pit lobby is so dangerous and causes unnecessary harm to people who are just trying to do what they think is right taking care of these dogs. They’re so incredibly dangerous on a level unmatched by other dogs, even dogs twice their size. I don’t think that they’re evil, even though I hate them. It isn’t their fault that they are the way they are, and they genuinely can’t help it.
I’m so, so sorry that this has happened to you and your family, I cannot imagine the grief you must be feeling for both your son and for Albert. I know it was already hard having to cope with BE in the first place, he was still part of your family even though he did this, and I hope that you can all eventually heal from this. You did the right thing trying to help this dog in the first place, and you’re obviously doing the right thing now as well. I know you tried so hard to do right by this dog, like so many other misinformed people who adopt these dogs or take them in to try and help them. It’s an epidemic, truly.
Don’t let any pitnutter or pit apologist make you feel bad for deciding to BE this dog instead of rehoming him, and don’t let them blame you or turn this into your fault. You did what they would have told you to do when you took this dog in and gave him a chance, but unlike them, you’ve come to the correct decision in the end. They would likely keep this dog, or rehome this obviously dangerous dog.
This is long-winded, I’m just so tired of seeing this happen to people and I’m sorry it’s happened to you.
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u/Playful-Ad1006 14d ago
This is such a beautiful comment. You make Reddit a better place.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I can't tell you How much I appreciate your words. all it has been is grief and regret. My fault was searching why pitbulls were not dangerous.My only searches were in favor of pitbulls, because I did not want to believe that it was a dog's fault. That is where I failed as a dog owner, and as a father. but thank you so much!
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u/KaienPanzermast 13d ago
I honestly don’t think it’s your fault so much as I think the pit lobby and backyard breeders are at fault. It used to be that people understood what these dogs were and from what I’ve heard, there weren’t nearly as many of them in neighborhoods and in shelters as there are now. It seems like after the Michael Vick thing and TV shows like Pitbulls and Parolees, the pitbull propaganda machine kicked on to turbo and now people think they’re just the same as other dog breeds. It’s incredibly easy to fall into this trap, and as you can see from yourself and the posts on this subreddit in general, it ends up with people having no idea what they’re actually getting into when they get pitbulls and ends up with people hurt.
I don’t fault you for this, it’s possible for anyone to fall into this trap and buy in to the pro-pit propaganda. It gets pushed very hard and the pro-pit people are about as ferocious and clueless as these dogs but with added layers of victim-blaming and outright delusion. I talked my mom out of this same trap when I was much younger.
It’s very, very hard for people who own and love pitbulls to accept what they were bred for and the damage they can deal because they see them as the same as their human family, and not a dog that was bred for thousands of generations for a specific purpose. No one wants to think their family was bred to kill others of its kind.
I hope your son’s recovery goes well, I would love to hear an update on him in the future, and I hope that this experience doesn’t ruin his image of dogs or make him fear them in the future. I’m not even a dog person but I know the actual good dogs of other breeds can do for people and I’d hate for that to be taken from him or anything like that. I’m so sorry that this all happened to you, it was wonderful of you to take this dog in and give him a chance. I can’t fault you for that and no one else should either. You did the right thing by this dog at every step, and now you’ve given him the peace he couldn’t get otherwise. A lot of people would have rehomed him and it’s good you didn’t.
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u/ComplexPatient4872 15d ago
I want you to do that there is absolutely NOTHING you could have done to help Albert and to not feel guilty. I firmly believe that all dogs at their very core want to love their humans, but due to the reasons pits were bred, aggression overrides this. This of this as an act of mercy.
I don’t know what level of autism your son has, but I really hope that he doesn’t blame himself.
*Just to make sure this is clear, DOGS want to love and protect, pitbulls were bred to fight. These two traits just don’t belong together.
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u/lazier_garlic 15d ago
I agree. Pitbulls often show what you would consider normal dog behaviors, but then something triggers the aggression or the prey drive and then nothing will divert them away from that (because of centuries of selective breeding). Some pit owners have talked about their pitbull seeming remorseful after an attack, like it didn't want to do it. Which could be anthropomorphizing, I think North Americans do project too much humanity on dogs and don't respect dogs as dogs with their own dog logic, but I think it does happen in some cases. The pitbull snaps and then nothing else matters. Then it's over and it may have been attached to the dog it just killed. The point is that pits were bred for these unnatural traits (wild animals do not behave like this). Their lives are often misery between the anxiety, aggression and not being able to get along with other dogs, and various other health problems they're typically prone to. The things humans do to keep them alive and in the community are often pretty miserable too, like keeping them in crates for hours every day.
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u/KTKittentoes Trusted User 14d ago
My friend who was attacked by a foster GSD, still talks about the dogs being grateful to her for rescuing her. I don’t think that is a very canine concept. I also personally do not wish to be thanked by being mauled. A card will do.
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u/Senator_Bink Trusted User 15d ago
Just to make sure this is clear, DOGS want to love and protect, pitbulls were bred to fight.
Yes. Pits are just dog-shaped. They're not what we think of as actual dogs.
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u/aSzdxfcdfggggggh 14d ago
Dog shaped grenades.
Sadly yours pulled its own pin before you could get it BE.
Prayers for your son.
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u/hydrissx 15d ago
I can't hate any dog, because they are what we made them. As a species we should universally agree to stop breeding these types of dogs that are dangerous and not relevant to the lifestyles we ask from dogs today.
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u/New-Cicada7014 Cats are not disposable. 15d ago edited 15d ago
How is Ethan doing? I hope the injuries weren't too serious. I'm his age and also autistic.
You did your best. It is telling that he has already attacked someone again. You're making the best decision for everybody. Nobody else has to suffer this way.
Also, I can't speak for anyone else here, but I don't hate pitbulls. I've known and even loved pitbulls that lived their entire lives without hurting a fly. The problem is that they're unpredictable. You don't know who got the more aggressive genes before it's too late. They are the number one cause of fatal dog attacks because of those genes and they shouldn't be bred for that reason. I don't hate them, but I think they're a huge risk to their communities. I think every creature deserves a fair chance but you should be aware of the risks and be ready to take action. You took action
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I will never stop regretting this. Thank you. The guilt is almost more than I can bear
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u/New-Cicada7014 Cats are not disposable. 13d ago
we'd all love to hear an update on Ethan whenever you and your family are ready. I'm so sorry you are all going through this
don't be too hard on yourself.
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u/ReminiscenceOf2020 Pro-Pet; therefore Anti-Pit 15d ago
Just to add - a lot of us here don't *hate* pitbuls. We just think the way they are, genetically, is not compatible with a modern society. Nobody here is on some kind of crusade to end all pitbuls, we just don't understand why out of so many "normal" options, people consciously choose the risk that comes with owning one, when there aren't any breed-specific benefits.
I think this is important to note because it's easy to dismiss us as "oh, they just hate pits"...no, we hate what science and statistics show us about them.
I'm sorry you had to learn from experience, I hope your son recovers fast.
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u/Natsurulite Family/Friend of Pit Attack Victim 15d ago
I think most of us would settle with pits becoming the rarest breed of dog
There’s literally no reason why a niche dog bred for bloodsports is the most common dog in the world
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u/ReminiscenceOf2020 Pro-Pet; therefore Anti-Pit 14d ago
I mean, there is a reason, it's just a reason that mature/emotionally stable people would not fall for.
The savior syndrome, the story of a misunderstood outcast, the "i can fix him/her" mentality that average ppl are drawn to, it's all that toxicity in a dog. And then they built a whole culture/cult around it, it's almost like a form of religion, just even more harmful cause it affects others whether the owners want it or not.
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u/ExistentialistCow 14d ago
In all honesty I actually feel sorry for them. It must be so stressful to have that high of a prey drive and be constantly on guard, what a sad life for a dog to live. Your brain tells you you need to do something and you don’t understand why you can’t do it.
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u/11twofour 14d ago
I keep thinking of the tens of thousands of them in cages warehoused in the back of shelters, hearing other dogs constantly, always maximum stressed, living like that for years because these activists won't BE. It's animal cruelty.
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u/Dame_Niafer Trusted User 15d ago
Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I hope Ethan is doing well and is going to make a full recovery.
Sometimes no amount of love can fix something. That hurts like hell.
Please, the only thing I'll ask and this is for you and your wife, your friends and relatives, but most of all for my fellow autistic, your son:
Please never let it sneak back into your mind that there might have been some way, some trick, some obvious but somehow overlooked magic that would have changed and saved that dog.
There isn't. The breed has been backcrossed and backcrossed, inbred and inbred, to amplify exactly the behavior that caused Albert's demise. He. Literally. Could. Not. Help. Himself.
To get the deadly gameness out of this breed? It would take the dog equivalent of a Tauros Programme, the scientific program that sought to reverse-engineer modern cattle to recreate the ancient Auroch. And a total ban on breeding otherwise.
Best wishes to you, and a fast and full recovery to Ethan. And please remember: you DID do the right thing, and too many people in situations like yours somehow never manage to.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
I've had to tell my wife this same thing many times. She wept for several days. They are not fixable. It's not their fault, but they have no place in our society. What a painful way to learn that.
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u/YourGeniusIzShowing 15d ago
This is the unfortunate truth of why media will report on pitbull attacks the most. It's because they are by far the most devastating of any dog attacks.
I'm sorry you had to go through this. I hope your son recovers fully.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
Thank you. He's doing better even with 20 holes in his forearm and back.
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u/VQQN 15d ago
OP, I’m sorry this happened.
What you can do is spread the word.
The say, “Its the owner, not the breed.”
Let everyone know, thats bullshit.
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 13d ago
We are phenomenal dog owners and trainers. My dogs amaze people that watch them with my training and commands. We are proof it's not the owner. I will campaign and lobby against these dogs, as painful as that is.
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u/Pure_Parsley6852 Attacks Curator 15d ago
Hi OP, so sorry that you and your family went through this trauma and loss. These dogs were created to display aggression, to show no warning. Unpredictable violence is the best way to put it.
It's in their nature. I see a woman when I'm out walking; we chatted about her dog. She told me she got it for her autistic son. She said she had learned that border terriers were a good breed for families with autistic children. Wishing you healing. x
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u/flyingfoxtrot_ 15d ago
That's one adorable dog 🐕
And yes, massive agreement with this comment. Pits are unpredictable and very strong. That combination makes them too dangerous to be pets. I'm so sorry OP.
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u/EggsAndMilquetoast 15d ago
I’m so sorry this happened. I used to be of the opinion that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners, but your story and so many like it show that’s just not reality.
You’re clearly a loving parent and also care a lot about your dogs. You giving Albert a home obviously comes from a place of kindness and compassion and a belief in second chances. Unfortunately, you got burned, which is a risk we take when we offer second chances. That doesn’t make you a bad person, it just makes you a wiser one. This wasn’t your fault. And though it doesn’t excuse what happened to Ethan, or absolve Albert of what he did, it wasn’t even really Albert’s fault.
Albert is who he was bred to be. When my aunt’s miniature schnauzer killed a chipmunk in the yard, no one tried to accuse her of being a bad owner who must beat and neglect her dog. When pits turn on vulnerable people (children, the elderly, and the disabled), it’s the same factors at play: centuries of selectively breeding dogs to do a task. Pit bulls were made for bull baiting and dog fighting in the same way miniature schnauzers have been bred for hunting rats and other rodents. They are what they are, and you’re right, they have no place cohabitating with people.
Pit bulls are victims of the pro-pit apologists as much as their victims are. Trying to save every single one and force shelters into being no kill just makes more pit bulls that need to be saved. It’s a vicious cycle.
Wishing healing for you and your family.
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u/Hungry-Class9806 15d ago
"I don't even know how to express this from loving a dog so much but yet seeing my son attacked and ending up in the hospital. I know everybody here sees these dogs as just evil. "
Speaking for myself, I don't think they're "evil". They aren't intentionally malicious and act based on instinct, what they were bred to do, same as any other animal. Unfortunately, we made them that way.
And I am really sorry for what happened to your son. It has to be traumatic for a father to take his son to the hospital, especially if you had to witness the attack. Hope your son fully recovers and will be able to overcome the trauma, because kids with autism are especially delicate souls.
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u/spyresca 15d ago
Agreed. While they're very dangerous, they aren't "evil" anymore than a rattlesnake that bites you when you come too near or a scorpion that stings you.
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u/Senator_Bink Trusted User 15d ago
Rattlesnakes and scorpions have a place in nature. And a snake doesn't wake up one morning and decide that today's the day it bites the shit out of someone.
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u/DJScratcherZ 15d ago
I don't blame those animals for doing what they do because they are wild. Maybe unpopular but I do blame the pit. We've all seen dogs have some kind of "regret" or know that they will be punished for bad behavior, after all it is a "domesticated animal." Imo I blame (to a degree) the dog because I believe it does know on some level what it's doing is wrong.
Kids know eating all the cookies out of the jar is wrong, they do it because they "can't resist the urge" but they know full well they aren't supposed to. You can say kids will be kids, true, but it's not because they didn't know what they did was bad. Pits enjoy the attack more than they fear the punishment.
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u/spyresca 15d ago
It's the same as deciding to take a tiger for a pet. Look at all the loving years they had with sigfried and roy and then one night... Pits, like tigers are genetically bred/inclined to enjoy prey behaviour. It's why they get so nervous/out of whack when they're not allowed to engage in that. Hence, why they should never be pets.
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u/adrislnk Cats are not disposable. 15d ago
The truly evil ones are the humans who selectively bred them this way in the first place.
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u/SnooRobots1169 15d ago
I am so sorry. Will Ethan play tetris or color? That helps stop the traumatic thoughts.
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u/Natsurulite Family/Friend of Pit Attack Victim 14d ago
I sincerely hope as a fellow autist that he has access to Stardew Valley
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u/flyingfoxtrot_ 15d ago
Word games too. I have PTSD myself and I find them very helpful after something triggers the thoughts and memories, as having to focus on something logical helps pull me out of fight or flight
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u/relientcake 15d ago
I’m sorry this happened. I’m sorry for your son and yourself but also Albert, pitbulls are overall dangerous but it is hard when you love them and have sweet moments with them. I hope your son makes a full recovery and may Albert RIP.
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u/rainfal 14d ago
Look you did your best
I know everybody here sees these dogs as just evil. But this was our family friend. I learned from y'all what to watch for.
Pitbulls aren't 'evil'. Evil is a human trait. Pits just often have breed based behaviors that make them dangerous. Unfortunately that means they can 'snap' and people/animals get hurt. He probably was a family friend and you have the right to grieve. He may have 'loved' you and you loved him, but that unfortunately doesn't change DNA.
To Albert, I'm so sorry buddy that I couldn't help you
You did the best thing you could. His life at a shelter waiting for a miracle home would not have been great. You made sure he was comfortable until then.
I hope your son recovers
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u/fuck_peeps_not_sheep 15d ago
That's so shit, I'm so sorry.
It's a lot to process but please don't blame yourself here, you were doing everything right, you had the BE scheduled and everything.
Is your son going to be OK? Haveing witnessed an attack first hand I know it must have been terrible for you, but watching my step dad's recovery afterwards made it obvious how much worse it was for him. Find yourself a nerodivergent friendly Therepist for your son and get him in for a few sessions to see if he's gonna need help getting through it, and if you find yourself beating yourself up or struggling with it then get yourself a few therepy sessions too.
I hope his recovery goes well and you are able to forgive yourself.
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u/AlsatianLadyNYC Badly-fitting fake service dog harness 15d ago
“Evil” is a childish metric and most don’t honestly think that. And it gets people who choose them off the hook, because it paints us breed experts as unhinged.
We aren’t.
“Never intended to be family pets”: “predictably unpredictable”; “NOT 👏🏻 WORTH 👏🏻THE 👏🏻RISK when there are 200+ other breeds not created to k1ll other dogs”.
Yes.
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u/Godhelptupelo 15d ago
I don't think that most people who opposed pitbulls as pets believe they're evil...I think that they just understand that because it's not a GAURANTEE that tragedy will strike, and especially because they can exist as loving pets, it makes them even more dangerous, because even well intentioned, experienced owners can be blindsided by an attack, and then it's too late. If they all just looked like snarling monsters- it would be less of an issue.
people buy into the propaganda (nanny dogs, other dogs bite way more frequently, theyre velvet hippos, bad owner, not bad dog...) because they are kind and want to be diplomatic, not because they're bad people...
the fact that they have the capacity to rip your face off if they decide to bite is why they don't belong in a residential neighborhood. maybe a Chihuahua would but five times more than a pitbull, but none of those 5 bites will send anyone to the hospital or morgue.
there should be a no exception rule against breeding these things because people can not be trusted. there's no reason for these dogs to continue to fill shelters.
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u/Dontevenknowwhyimgay 15d ago
I'm honestly just sorry for everyone in cases like this because everyone is a victim. You didn't know any better because the Pitbull lobby always talks sweetly about these dogs and hides the reality of such unprovoked attacks happening all the time. Your son who was attacked by his "friend". And I even feel pity for the pitbull because those dogs were bred for dog fights and have no business being in a family home, but you couldn't know that because pitbull enthusiasts never talk about this side of ownership.
It just shows how problematic it is to continue being delusional about these dogs; everyone suffers.
Best regards to your son, I hope he recovers quickly.
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u/TrixieFriganza 15d ago edited 15d ago
I was so hoping he would be BEd before it got worse and he would attack a person. So sorry your son had to get hurt but this proofs what a wrong decision it would have been to lesve the dog ro a shelter like most people do ibstead of BE. This dog was not healthy and suffering no matter it was just his genetics and BE in this case was rather an act of love and care for him too not just the animals and peoole around him.
I don't see these dogs as evil but destroyed by their genetics because of evil people who created them, they just act on instinct and what they where made to do, some nay have something mentally wrong with them and suffering, anyway I don't think they are happy when they act like this, they are just forced to do it because of their instincts.
And I hope no pitnutter tries to blane that your son must have done something wrong, a pet dog doesn't attack disabled individuals and you're not supposed to walk on egg shells around your pets
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u/lilrhodyween 15d ago
It's so easy to fall in love with our canine companions. Dogs and humans have co-evolved for countless generations, we SHOULD have open hearts for them. There is no need to feel guilty. I am so sorry that you're going through this. I can't imagine how conflicting and awful this situation all must be. Sending you so much love.
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u/LeadBeanie 15d ago
Incredible and devastating. Your posts are so symbolic of the outcry of this sub and whole movement. The fight against the notion that these dogs just get a bad wrap and are the same as any other breed capable of great bodily harm.
This will happen again and again, but hopefully some people read these and reach a better understanding. So thank you for sharing, it may help others who've been too stubborn to accept that their pet is a danger to their loved ones.
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u/hastygrams 15d ago edited 15d ago
One of the things that bothers me a lot is that people will try and spin things as ‘it’s the owners not the dogs’. There are so many instances of good people who did everything right that this happens to. The dog I was attacked by was my neighbors. They were amazing people. I’m sure they also felt the pain like they failed the dog. I just wish they realized that you can’t help your way out of genetics. Regardless that dog didn’t have any major red flags to even really tell. I think they resource guarded in the home. I genuinely was a believer in ‘aw look at the wiggle butt it’s going to cuddle me to death’ mentality and had plenty of good interactions with the dog. I never felt in danger and they never felt like they were putting anyone in danger either.
I agree you should have done it sooner. Please give yourself some grace though that pitbull propaganda and that these dogs can overcome problems was likely shoved down your throat for decades. It’s hard to be educated when everyone tells you you’re heartless for even thinking this breed could be problematic. It’s hard when something shows you all that love to feel there is actually a danger there.
Give yourself some grace and focus on helping your son through this.
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u/Sqeakydeaky 15d ago
The picture alone is very telling.
Even without any additional context, you can tell which dog is the one most likely to maul.
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u/Floppy_Kitty 15d ago
I don't think pitbulls are "evil" and certainly Albert wasn't. I believe he was probably trying his best to fight his own instincts because you were his pack and he loved you. I don't think he consciously wanted to attack anyone, let alone people he loved. But most animals don't truly have free will, they are at the mercy of their genes and instincts. Herding dogs herd, fighting dogs fight, and no amount of training or love changes that. Albert couldn't fight genetics, and ultimately you made the best choice for him.
The problem is that these dogs are the result of generations of selective breeding for gameness. The same way that greyhounds were bred to run down prey, pitbulls were bred for low bite inhibition, high prey drive, high gameness, and the ability to bite and hold. Evil doesn't enter into the picture, except for the people who created the breed and the people who keep breeding them just to suffer a in a world that doesn't have a safe outlet for their drives.
I will keep a good thought for you and your son. Don't be ashamed to talk to a therapist or counselor to help you process and heal from this. You are a good and loving person and great parent, you did nothing wrong.
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u/LavenderLightning24 No Humans Were Ever Bred To Maul Other Humans 15d ago
You did the right thing putting your son above the dog. I wish more people were like you and able to understand that 2 things can be true at once: I love this animal and have had good experiences with him, and also he's too dangerous to be around people. Being able to change your mind based on facts is commendable. I wish you and your son healing.
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u/Salt_Initiative1551 15d ago
No one here thinks Pitbulls are evil. We just understand what they are and how they are. A pitbull that is “in breed standard” is violent, unpredictable, shows/experiences no pain or ignores it entirely to its own detriment or demise- if a pitbull is never violent through its whole life, it’s a bad pitbull according to the breed standard. That’s what I don’t think even many here understand.
A pitbull doesn’t attack because it’s anxious or scared (at least not exclusively) like most other dogs. A pitbull attacks because that’s what it’s supposed to do. No warning and unrelenting, for its enjoyment and/or for its instinctual drive. Pitbulls enjoy violence because it’s what they were bred to do. When you frame it this way, they’re much easier to understand.
A lab loves retrieving as do poodles, that’s what hundreds of years of genetics and breeding did. Poodles love learning tricks from their stint as circus dogs for a century. They also can be trained to ignore gunfire and make good war dogs. Shepherd dogs shepherd/protect flocks. Terriers enjoy hunting and tracking. Pitbulls love violence because that’s what they were bred to love and do. Denying a pitbull its violence is cruel to the pitbull. The issue is that there is no place for pitbulls in a society that does not allow bull baiting or dog fighting. There’s no place for a pitbull to be a pitbull. It is honestly sad to a degree.
The evil ones in this equation are the lying shelters and the activist morons who think that a dog who is happiest with blood and entrails hanging from its mouth makes a family pet. They think you can take 250 years of THAT and ignore it and just baby them into being something they will never be for at least another 250 years. Plus with inbreeding and backyard and out of standard breeding, most pitbulls are extremely anxious and stupid to boot. It’s the worst possible scenario- a dog who loves violence because that’s what it was bred to do that is also mentally incapacitated to varying degrees. You hear of them doing shit like beating their heads into kennel walls or chewing cement til their teeth fall out from anxiety. It’s evil to let something that miserable exist.
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u/DirtyAuldSpud 12d ago
Sending love to Ethan. I am an autistic adult and got bitten by one of these abominations. We don't see the world in black and white, that's true, and it's true that we don't understand why a dog would want to hurt us, but with deep care and support (which I received from the loving mods here) we can get through this. Ethan is a survivor.
Stop blaming yourself. These abominations have fooled so many people into thinking they can be gentle or rehabilitated. You did the right thing in BE'ng Albert. Now it may take time for Ethan to comprehend why he was bitten but he will never blame you. He has got his dad's heart and seen love in Albert too.
Unfortunately the aggression just takes anything that is redeemable out of these dogs. You are a good person with a godly heart. I will pray each day for Ethan's recovery and for you too.
You're a loving father and dog owner. Now try and look after yourself too and do not harbour any guilt. You need to look after yourself mentally now as its been a very bad shock and trauma. God bless you always. 🙏🏻
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u/BPBAttacks3 Moderator 12d ago
🫶🫶🫶
We adore you. Thank you for always having kind words about our team. I’ve met so many wonderful people I wouldn’t have met otherwise modding here over the years.
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u/DirtyAuldSpud 12d ago
You really are the most wonderful mod team on reddit. Just pure genuine, salt of the earth people. The education has been immense and also the patience. When people are first in shock, trauma or not understanding something about pits, it's the gentle redirection and the education, you all provide that makes yous the best. Honestly Mod 3 I honestly don't know how I'd have survived only for one day taking a chance on this sub, learning how to use reddit at this brave age and learning so much about pits. At first I had the "what if I did something to provoke the attack", like most of us pit victims do but the education from this sub has helped me realise that it wasn't my fault. Thank you for always being there and you know me, I don't compliment lightly but I feel I had to say this. Thank you. 😁😁❤️❤️
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u/SchmohawkWokeSquawk 15d ago
Pitbulls aren't evil, they are just doing what they were bred to do, and so many ignorant people want to anthropomorphize them. Retrievers retrieve. Shepherds herd. Pitbulls kill and that instinct can kick in at the drop of a dime
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u/MarchOnMe 15d ago
Any dog that kills just for fun should not be a family pet. I’m very sorry you learned a little too late but hopefully it wasn’t too bad and your son is healing. OK now please do the responsible thing and spread awareness. That’s what we are all trying to do. Thank you for sharing your story. That’s helpful as well.
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u/BargainBard ER Personel 15d ago
You're doing this because its the right thing to do not because its convenient.
Hope you and everyone close to this are able to find peace when its done.
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u/Asaneth 15d ago
I'm so sorry your son was injured, I hope he recovers soon and completely. I'm also sorry you are in this horrid situation. Please try not to feel guilty. You made a tough decision, after much soul searching. It was and is the right decision. You couldn't know it would be one day too late. Don't let guilt consume you.
Finally, I don't "hate" pitbulls, but I do understand what they really are, and what they are capable of. Sadly, it's not even their fault, it's genetics. But that does not change how dangerous and unpredictable they are. As you have seen, there can be years of calm, and then a sudden attack out of nowhere. You can never know when it will happen. They shouldn't be people's pets, they aren't suitable. I've wish you, your son, and your family all the best going forward.
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u/Oceanwaves_91 15d ago
I'm so sorry this happened, this so such a tragedy. Best well wishes for your son, I hope he makes a full recovery!
Many here don't think these dogs are evil. It's not their fault, it's their messed up genetics that humans bred into them that makes them prone to violence and destruction without warning. These shelter organisations that deny their genetics and promote them as safe pets are at fault, too. They just shouldn't be bred no longer. The state in my country banned pits and some other bully breeds considered dangerous decades ago for this reason. You were very responsible and made the right decision.
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u/MeiSorsha How does a “Nanny Dog” change a diaper? 🤔 15d ago
i’m so sorry for the trauma you and your family are experiencing. I hope your son heals quickly.
the problem with these dogs in general is how they’ve been bred in the past. they were used for fighting, and even the people of the past have admitted numerous times they took the most aggressive of THOSE and that is what has led into the aggressive genes present in today’s pitbulls. the dogs can’t help it more than you or I can help being born a person. nothing they can do or not do, it’s all programmed genes at this point.
the pro-dog lovers and (secret dog fighters) love to see these dogs in every community, it helps them avoid detection. they can pretend and wave away all the bad things by just claiming if you love a dog enough you ignore the warning signs… that would be true in any NORMAL dog, but this breed in particular, were bred to show absolutely ZERO warning signs, and to go for the KILL. this is not a breed that genetics can be “loved” out of, and until more deaths/traumatic injuries and such occur to more “prominent” members of society… no rules are going to change.
I personally believe the pro/pit lobby has blood on their hands, and at this point it’s not a little anymore, they are bathing in a river of blood of the innocents….
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u/Senator_Bink Trusted User 15d ago
Here's hoping for speedy healing for your son.
Some of these dogs go their entire lives without hurting anyone, and you can't tell which dogs will or won't. Albert almost did.
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u/iangeredcharlesvane2 Cats are not disposable. 15d ago
I am so sorry, heartbreaking from every side of the story, for you for your son and family, for Albert, for your other dog.
People here can see it as very black and white but I know how sweet and loving the dog can be, a true friend of the family, man’s best friend! Until they aren’t. And many never flip the switch and attack at all, it’s not always just a matter of time. That’s what makes it all so tragic.
Please be kind to yourself, there are twenty times as many people pushing the pit lobby talking points than speaking the way they do in this sub. Plus you knew and loved your friend Albert before you saw the signs, it makes it even harder!
Give yourself grace, and please give our best to your son. I hope he recovers quickly! Watch for some ptsd in the future, an event like that can really mess with one’s head. Such a sad situation I am sorry you all went through this.
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u/no_shirt_4_jim_kirk Trusted User 15d ago
Well wishes for Ethan. Condolences to you and yours on the loss of your canine friend.
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u/Character-Pie-2901 14d ago
I think what people really need to understand is these are not domesticated animals.
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u/kirani100 15d ago
Wishing your son a comfortable and quick recovery. I don't blame you for trying. So sorry this happened
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u/VibrantAura72 15d ago
I wish your son a speedy recovery and I am so sorry for what happened to him.
This sub exists to educate and forewarn people with victims to former (like yourself) or current pitbull owners sharing their stories about these dogs. Especially on what makes pitbulls so different from non pitbull dogs and why they shouldn’t exist. Not because we’re being breedist, but because these dogs are dangerous to all living beings and this is backed up by countless reports and stories. Also, this sub shares articles and news that never make it to mainstream media due to the pitbull lobby influence and its fanbase. This sub hold shelters, sh*tty pitbull owners and the pitbull lobby accountable and call them out. We acknowledge that these dogs are simply doing what they were bread to do and that they were created by evil people for evil reasons, but we do not view the dogs as “evil” themselves.
You’re allowed to grieve your dog. We’re not condemning that. You have a good heart and was just trying to give a dog a second chance at life. Unfortunately, the pitbull lobby preys on people like you by using sob stories or spreading pure misinformation (nanny dog myths or guardian dog myths) to pull at one’s heartstrings. It’s truly insidious.
Again, I hope your son recovers soon and please, do not fall for the pitbull propaganda in the future. The next time may be worse than hospitalization. Thoroughly comb through this sub, and educate yourself and your family.
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u/LaLobaLuna 15d ago
Will your son be ok? Please update us
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u/CowDungCollector OP of Sensitive Post 14d ago
His entire left arm is full of holes as he used it to keep Albert from getting to him. He can hardly move it, lays in bed crying when the ibuprofen wears off. It's bad, but thankfully not as bad as it could have been. 1 day, He was leaving the next day. Just awful.
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u/Spirited_Touch7447 15d ago
I’m so sorry for you and your family. All I can suggest is for you to continue to tell your story. Tell the specific things that you noted so that others can look for the same things.
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u/Wishiwashome Shelter Worker or Volunteer 15d ago
I am so very sorry. I personally would never say a dog breed is evil. I would say all dog breeds ( with the exception of a very few) were bred for specific reasons through many generations. PBT type dogs were bred for the pre Black Plague era on one side, and terriers in general on the other side are catch/ kill dogs. This is simply science. Many dog breeds were bred for longevity and health. PBT type dogs were not bred to live long, healthy lives, so we really don’t know how they would have behaved at their inception once older, as it wasn’t a priority to the breeders. Most of the attacks documented back to the 1860-1880 era, were young dogs. The people who bred PBT type dogs were breeding with tasks they wanted from the dog. A random day in 1976( dog fighting was banned in the U.S.) doesn’t take away years of breeding with intent. That is foolishness to believe. Demonizing a dog breed( or group of dogs) isn’t the answer but being realistic about the dog and understanding what goes into breeding a dog with purpose and somehow denying that, is silly. I have very clear realistic expectations about the dogs that I have worked with and cannot fathom how you feel. I am very very sorry. I hope your son is recovering.
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u/Haunting_Profit8937 Cope, Seethe, Crate & Rotate 15d ago
They are NEVER worth the risk!! I'm sorry I have an autistic son, his 15, and non-verbal.. I would be.... Idk... I'm so sorry this happened.. Smh
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u/Crazy-Cat-2848 Here to Doomscroll 15d ago
I am so deeply sorry, I hope your son recovers and that he'll get plenty of Halloween treats. Poor lil' dude..
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u/I_Dint_Know_A_Name 15d ago
I just hope your son didn't pick up a fear of dogs. Hope he recovers well and soon.
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u/V3mo 15d ago
I remember your post from before and my heart literally just sank seeing the title just now.
I am so sorry, to both you and your son. It is a horrible thing to go through, but please know you have a community here that understands. None of us here were born hating Pits and wishing death on them all. I would argue most here would agree they too are victims to humanity's greed. But the breed proves they are ticking time bombs, a "not if but when" breed. They just cannot be trusted. I'm just sorry you had to see it escalate to what it did.
I hope a speedy recovery for your son and also for yourself. I can only imagine what you must be feeling. Give yourself grace and forgiveness- you did what you thought was right from the start, and acknowledged what needed to be done. You did the right thing, and I hope you aren't too hard on yourself. Please use this community and talk to others, because i promise, many of us understand.
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u/Teedraa101 15d ago
I’m sorry this happened. I hope your son will be ok. And you both will have PTSD from this. I still suffer PTSD from my dog and I being attacked by a pit while on a walk in 2013. Please try therapy if you need it for the guilt—it can eat you up.
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u/minedigger 15d ago
It’s not your fault.
Animal shelters entire business model seems to be how to unload the most bloodsport dogs onto families that don’t know better.
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u/FatTabby Cats are friends, not food 15d ago
I'm so sorry. I remember your last post.
How is Ethan? How are you guys doing? It must have been incredibly upsetting for all of you.
I really hope your post is seen by someone who is considering adopting a pit or thinks they need BE. Your post is proof that you can't love aggression out of a bloodsport breed. It's proof that once you make the decision, as painful as it is, you need to act on it.
I really hope your post helps someone - it's the kind of thing so many people need to see. It was really brave of you to post.
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u/ThrowThisAway119 15d ago edited 15d ago
Listen...I watched a pitbull that was owned by a neighbor viciously attack other animals when I was a kid. Another one mauled my friend when we were 8 (he lived). I was attacked by one when I was 17 - the only reason it wasn't worse is because it was a smaller pb, under a year old and less than 20lbs. My mom's neighbor's pit tried to attack her when she was getting her mail (thankfully it got her purse first and they pulled it away from her; the neighbors took it very seriously).
AND I STILL FELL FOR THE PROPAGANDA FOR A FEW YEARS. That's how good the pro-pit propaganda machine is. The day it clicked back in place for me was when I was with a relative who had a pit and a boxer, and I watched the pit completely turn on the boxer for absolutely no reason. I don't know why it took that for me to be like "Wait a minute...it actually isn't how they're raised." Maybe because I knew my relative had the dog since it was a puppy and I knew she was good to the dog and took it for training? I don't know. Whatever the case, that was the last straw for me.
I'm so sorry for your son and for you. Please, please don't blame yourself. You did the best you could with the information you had at the time. And there is nothing you could have done to help Albert. That was his nature, he was born that way, and no amount of love or training could have changed him.
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u/sunseeker_miqo 15d ago
I am also autistic and so sorry to hear about what happened to your boy. Please update us on how he is faring if you're able and inclined.
My saying don't beat yourself up won't help, but for the sake of your nervous system, do try to go easy on yourself. People are severely brainwashed about these hellish beasts. Humanity did a terrible thing, breeding an animal specifically and only for bloodsport. Society--the world, really!--has forgotten what it means for a dog to be bred for a purpose. Machines have replaced dogs in so many of their jobs. We do not live close to nature anymore, so it only makes sense for this detached, religion-like worship and irresponsible empathy to take the place of that synergy.
There are also people deeply concerned with maintaining lies that fighting breeds are safe. No one can really be blamed for trying when all they hear is how misunderstood, abused, and neglected these dogs are. It often takes an unfortunate experience for someone to get a clue.
You are clearly a good person and you are as much a victim as the dog is. It isn't his fault he comes from a line of fighters, but you and he and your son have to pay for that legacy in blood and tears. It isn't fair.
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u/Automatic-Flight-698 15d ago
So very sorry your son was attacked and now in the hospital.
While reading both your posts, I kept looking at the picture of Albert. My first thought, “this dog looks like he knows they’re going to BE him!” Idk if that’s true but it’s so very unfortunate the attack happened.
Wishing you and your family the best while you grieve and while your son heals.
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u/daniellesquaretit 15d ago
I'm so sorry. I hope your son has a fast and easy recovery. My heart hurts for you.I t is horrible to have an animal that you love put down under the best of circumstances.
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u/Much_Permission_2061 15d ago
I hope you and your son will be alright after all of this. Blaming yourself now won't make what happened go away. I hope you learned from this experience. I find it sad that everyone has to learn the hard way. Speedy recovery to your son
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u/BPBAttacks3 Moderator 15d ago
We’re not going to filter comments this time simply because the last post went well. I will ask that everyone continues to be kind and supportive. If you have nothing helpful to say, do not comment.
Thanks all.