Dangerous Dogs

     Lennox, a dog that lived in Northern Ireland, was recently put down by authorities.  His crime was being a pit bull, or looking like a pit bull.  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/lennox-dog-put-sleep-belfast-145939624.html  The Dangerous Dog Act of 1991 makes it illegal in the United Kingdom to own Pit Bull Terriers, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, the Fino Brasileiro, any cross breed of these four types, or any dog that looks like any of these four breeds.  This legislation was passed by Parliament in response to several particularly vicious and highly publicized dog attacks.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Dogs_Act_1991
     Lennox had never bitten a human or attacked another animal.  He never ran loose.  During his two year "incarceration," he was always well behaved.  By all accounts he was a gentle, loving animal.  Since he was seized in 2010, the battle has raged over the injustice of it all.  For the past two years Lennox's owner has touted the dog's spotless reputation and offered to muzzle him around strangers, if only she be allowed to take him home.  Too little, too late.  I don't know why owner Caroline Barnes did not take advantage of a 1997 amendment to the Dangerous Dog Act.  Any court in the UK could have ordered that Lennox be placed on the Index of Exempted Dogs, if only Ms. Barnes had approached the court.
     Before Pit Bulls, the Doberman Pinscher was the mean dog of the 70's and early 80's.  Remember the pair that terrorized Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I.?  After that Rotweillers became the bad dogs.  Warren Zevon celebrated their nasty reputation in one of his songs.  http://www.metrolyrics.com/rottweiler-blues-lyrics-warren-zevon.html  Now, it's Pit Bulls.  What it has always been is people.  Some people think a vicious dog is good for protection.  That same dog is good for getting you sued if it "defends."  Maybe deep down, a small minded owner feels tough if their dog is tough.  Maybe they flatter themselves by thinking they are in control of the beast.  Some idiots enjoy dog fights.  Sudden popularity of any breed causes irresponsible breeders to increase the output of dogs without regard for good temperament.
     Whatever the reason for having a vicious dog, it's a bad reason.  Aggressive dogs should put down so that they never harm anyone.  They should never be allowed to breed and pass their genes down to another generation.  They shouldn't be tolerated for one minute longer after they've shown aggression.  I don't care what anyone says about re-educating them.  The dog, though much loved, is the lowest member on the family totem pole.  He or she should love everybody and be completely trustworthy.  Lennox was probably that kind of dog.  Too bad no one thought to get him an exemption.  Bad owner!