No Dog is Safe; Boxer being labeled as "pit b________________________________________ ______
Boxers: The New "Pit Bull" If I am not mistaken, the Boxer was never bred or intended to be a dog fighting breed, like the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog, the Neapolitan Mastiff, the Chinese Shar Pie and countless other breeds. Today, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Bulldog, with the APBT being the most commonly used, are still used for illegal dog fighting. Not the Boxer.
The Boxer has distinct physical characteristics that should easily set it aside from other bully-type dogs, especailly the APBT, AST, STB and American Bulldog.
I live in Ohio, and if you are familiar with the state, you should know that breed-specific legislation is increasingly spreading across the state. My local animal control & dog pound automatically gasses dogs labeled as "pit bulls" if they are not claimed by their owners; because of the stories I am reading, I can only imagine what dogs are being labeled as "pit bulls" and being needlessly murdered simply based on what the authorities decide.
The first story that had me shocked took place in Medina, Ohio - just several miles from my small town. - A police officer was called concerning loud noises from a family party. The police officer was greeted, or in her words, was confronted by a dog (purebred Boxer) that looked like a "pit bull"; the dog exhibited aggressive behavior and viciously charged at the police officer, she then shot the dog over and over again until it died. According to multiple witnesses at the party, the dog was shot and killed while on the owner's property and the dog was not displaying any forms of aggression towards the officer. At the end of the story, the sheriff was going to "investigate" the incident; he never got around to investigating it, as far as I know.
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Anyone know of Otis, the white Boxer that escaped from his home, was labeled as a "pit bull" and tasered for acting aggressively towards police officers?
This story took place in Lakewood, Ohio, where a recent "pit bull" ban has taken place, forcing "pit bull" owners to either move or relocate their beloved dogs, and if not that, to give up their dogs to be needlessly killed solely because of the way their dog looks.
You Can Read the Full Story Here
Actual Video of Otis on the Day He was Tasered - WARNING: The video may be disturbing to some viewers.
To those who did watch the video - was the dog acting aggressive?
I did not see baring of the teeth, I did not hear growling or snarling, I did not see his hackles raised; all I saw was a terrified dog acting in a fearful manner.
My Australian Shepherd would have acted in the same manner towards strangers in an unfamiliar place without me at her side - does that make her a dangerous dog, does that make her a "pit bull"? On the other hand, my two American Bulldogs would have ran up to every stranger, wiggling their butts and giving kisses; if denied attention, they would have barked and whined until someone gave them a friendly pat on the head or at the very least, acknowledged their presence; but it is those dogs that are legislated against, banned city to city, needlessly murdered in shelters across the nation, right?
Yes, the owner was wrong in not being careful enough to prevent an escape, or at least training Otis to stay on their property; he should have had a collar and tags on the dog if the escape was not preventable. BUT - the dog escaping or not, the owner would have been found out of "harboring a dangerous dog", anyways, despite the dog not being a "pit bull" in the first place. I agree that the owner should be fined/cited for allowing his dog to run at large - EVERY owner who allows their dog, regardless of breed/mix, to run at large should be fined/cited.
Thankfully, Otis will be fostered with the Lighthouse Boxer Rescue (My family has a friend that is has fostered for and adopted from this rescue organization), until the owner is able to move out of Lakewood. This is based on the agreement of the owner not suing the city of Lakewood.
Akron, Lakewood and now Elyria; it seems like these bans are slowly getting closer and closer to my town.
Elyria Law Directors Considering Pit Bull Ban
I will be attending any public council meetings concerning the proposed "pit bull" ban in Elyria, that is, if the proposal is taken further.
There was another story, took place locally of me (Ohio), involving a loose "pit bull"; neighbors contacted animal control to speak with the owner, but instead the police arrived and shot the dog, killing it, in front of neighborhood families with children. The dog was not displaying aggressive behavior, the dog hadn't even approached the police officer - who, then lit a cigarette after murdering a family pet, standing over the dog's dead body, as if he felt some sort of accomplishment. Should the dog have been properly contained? -Yes. But what the what the police officer did was wrong, uncalled for and unjust. The complainants merely wanted someone to handle the situation with the owner, to cite the owner for failure of properly containing their animal; these people even claimed that the dog was not aggressive, they were only fearful of the dog's wellbeing.
A word of advice: Do not move to Ohio if you have any dogs that could potentially be a target of uneducated authorities - these kind of people couldn't possibly tell a Doberman Pinscher from a Pekignese, yet are free to labeled a Boxer as a "pit bull". Next English Bulldogs and Bullmastiffs will be label as "pit bulls". Is it even right to allow uneducated, ignorant and stupid people have the right to judge and impound dogs based on what they think or believe?
Another word of advice: ANY legislation proposal going on within your state - PLEASE fight, even if the proposal is in a city 100 miles from your home. FIGHT IT, because soon legislation will hit YOUR town. Then what are you going to do?
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Updates!
First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of updates, the delays in adding new members, and the long waiting periods for submissions - I thank all of you who have been so kind to be patient with me. Lately I have not had the time or energy to toggle both my main account and ~stopBSL without any help. My last two "administrators" left me with a bad taste in my mouth - if you want something done right, you must do it yourself, I suppose - thus, I have been reluctant to find some help to run the club, especially concerning submissions. I do not have many friends on DeviantART, but those that I have befriended are busy people just like me with various things to do during the day that drains energy.
Please bare with me; I thank you all for your patience and understanding.
=sassawj
-PS: Remember that adding ~stopBSL to your DevWatch alone will not make you a member, you must send a note titled "join". Please check the Members List to see if you are a member, if not, then send me a note.
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Resources!: 
Here are some important resources for dog owners and future dog owners.
DogFoodAnalysis - What's in your dog's food? DFA features in depth reviews on dog food brands and the ingredients. Find out what brands are good for your pet and what brands are unhealthy and potentially harmful. DogAware - Valuable information on commercial brands of dog food, ingredients to watch out for, dietary supplements, human foods and raw feeding. WonderPuppy - Breeding/Breeder Info - Important how-to's and why-not's in dog breeding, and finding a responsible breeder to purchase from; very important information if you are considering to breed or buy. The rest of the website also contains a great amount of information in dog care. CanisMajor - How to identify an irresponsible breeder and a responsible breeder; very important information if you are considering in buying a purebred puppy/dog. DogsDeserveBetter - A non-profit organization whose goal is to free chained dogs. PetFinder - If you are planning to add a dog or cat, or any animal, to your household, please consider adoption. Animals placed up for adoption through shelters and rescue organizations are almost always spayed or neutered, updated on vaccines and vet-checked prior to adoption. Adopting a pet can be a very rewarding experience. AdoptAPet - Spay & Neuter - Why you should have your pet spayed/neutered. ________________________________________ ______
Tips for You & Your "Dangerous" Breed: Here are some tips for those who own targeted breeds/mixes that are at risk of being wrongfully judged. This does not only concern "dangerous" breeds, but ALL dogs.
Be Responsible: - This is not a difficult task when it comes to having an animal. This is an important rule that goes out to all pet owners, not just to dog owners and not just to owners of targeted breeds! Be responsible for your pet and take responsibility for its actions. - Socialization: socialize your dog with people of all shapes and sizes, as well as other dogs and puppies; enroll your dog into puppy/socialization classes if necessary.
- Obedience: teach your dog proper manners and reward good behavior; enroll your dog into obedience classes if necessary.
- The Law: obey leash laws and regulations, clean up after your pet and have control over him/her at all times; also, it is a wise idea to have your dog licensed.
- Veterinary: make sure that your dog is up to date on the rabies vaccination if the law requires it, and please have your dog spayed or neutered.
Be a Responsible Dog Owner Introduce Your Dog: - If your dog is a target of uneducated judgments made by your neighborhood, community, the pet supply store you shop at or the local park, then why not try to introduce your dog and educate such people on the topic? Rude and/or sarcastic remarks will get you nowhere, and will only make you look as bad as your "dangerous" dog. Introducing your dog to the public will show everyone what a friendly, sweet and good mannered canine he/she really is. Also, participate in dog events and bring your "dangerous" dog to accompany you. CGC Training & Testng: - Though this goes for dogs of all breeds, have your dog trained and tested for Canine Good Citizenship; this is a program that was designed to reward dogs for their good manners at home and in the community and to stress responsible dog ownership. This program is a 10 step test to evaluate your dog's obedience and behavior in everyday situations. AKC CGC Program CGC & The 10 Steps Certified Therapy Dog: - If you have a dog that is well socialized, good mannered, gentle around people and children, considered getting him/her certified for therapy. It is recommended that you have your dog CGC certified prior. Therapy Dogs International Animal Assisted Therapy ________________________________________ ______
BSL & "Dangerous" Breeds Links: TheTruthAboutPitBulls.com PitBullsOnTheWeb StopBSL.com PitBullRescueCentral________________________________________ ______
"Punish the Deed, Not the Breed!"
A wonderful article written by one of our very own members, *Portokali, regarding breed-specific legislation, targeted breeds, and breeds that were bred solely for fighting.
Read "Punish the Deed, Not the Breed" here...
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Recommendations:Fatal Dog Attacks & The Pit Bull Placebo - Two books by Karen Delise; "First it was the Bloodhound, sensationalized in the dramatizations of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Then it was the Doberman, symbol of the Nazi menace. Today, it is the Pit bull that is vilified for the depravity of his masters. Today, police chase down fleeing Pit bulls in the street, firing dozens of wild shots in response to media-fed rumors of supernatural Pit bull abilities."
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Off the Chain - "an unprecedented look at the American Pit Bull Terrier. Beginning with a history of the breed, view classic film and television footage showing the popularity of what was once considered a noble and trustworthy family pet. Examine how this breed went from "America's dog" to "public enemy number one". Travel to the back alleys and the dark corners of the inner city to expose the truth behind the breed's new status in pop culture; an urban symbol for violence, aggression and gang-life. including never before seen footage of dog training, dog fights and police raids; this is the first documentary of its kind to infiltrate the underground subculture of pit-bull fighting and expose the secrets of this illicit game."
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About Breed-Specific Legislation on Wikipedia Banned/Restricted Breeds & Affected Cities/States/Counties Fatal Dog Attacks ; National Canine Research Council Fatal Dog Attacks, BSL Links & More Journal Entry Dog Bite Prevention________________________________________ ______
Club Basics:
How Do I Join stopBSL? 
Do not comment on the main page, asking to join the club. The comment will most likely be ignored or not seen. To join, please add this club to your watch list and then send a note with the word "JOIN" as the subject.
How Do I Submit My Work? 
You must send a note with the word "SUBMIT" as the subject and containing a link to your already submitted deviation. Please only send in ten deviations per week, and three deviations per note.
Anyways - I suggest all members to write letters to this website, be sure to include that you will advise all friends and family to refrain from "donating", and you will continue fighting breed-specific legislation. Have fun reading through their site; hang in there and give your vicious "pit bull" a hug.
"The List" of 75 Banned or Restricted Breeds in the U.S & Canada
[Add: I know what a Kuvasz and a Boerboel is, I'm just kidding]
[I have been planning to do this entry for ages.] 
Recommendations:
How Do I Join stopBSL? 
"A Celebration of Dogs" Photo Contest Fundraiser 
BSL in the News: 
