I was extremely disturbed by the remark from a Hopkinton community member regarding her warning: “Adopters should be careful with pit bulls.” As a veterinarian, I am disappointed by the ignorance of such comments. Of course all potential adopters should be mindful of a future pet’s history and temperament, but to single out pit bulls is unfair to the breed and frankly remiss to print.
I believe all potential dog owners should be in close contact with the rescue group of their choosing and be on the same page if an animal can or should be placed with young children. Every animal is an individual and I would encourage owners to speak with their veterinarians instead of listening to the misguided albeit well-meaning comments of a layperson.
— Dr. Denise Stone, Hopkinton
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Thank you Dr. Stone for this letter. I too was deeply disappointed by the original letter writers bias opinion. I trust that animal rescuers want to match the right dog with the right family.
Well, you’re a vet, so I’m sure you love pit bulls because they maul so many dogs and cats for you to stitch up.
That’s lots of money for you, isn’t it?
A veterinarian should understand that dogs are bred for different characteristics & behaviors. To say it’s unfair to single out Pit Bulls for aggressive behavior is akin to claiming it’s unfair to say that Retrievers have a tendency to retrieve or that Border collies try to herd things. Humans have shaped these breeds and continue to do so for profit. Say “rescue” and the checks roll in. They’re not being rescued from anything – they’re being bred & shipped in large numbers and the risk to us humans increases accordingly.