*Featured images are from Sophie Gamand‘s Flower Power series.
There’s a hashtag going around Twitter called #PitbullDropOff—some people are using it to promote adopting or buying pit bulls from Craiglist and other similar websites for the sole purpose of killing them. These people believe they are “saving lives” and doing their “civic duty” by euthanizing these dogs. Take a look at some of the posts below:
Bought this abomination for a mere $50 today. Very small price to pay to save lives. Taking it to the pound for a dirt nap and doing my civic duty, just like every other self-respecting individual should that cares about his fellow man's lives. Do what's right! #PitbullDropOff pic.twitter.com/7YbYYaTvuy
— Ross Dickinson (@fonzydownload) May 13, 2018
If you support gun control and birth control, you should also support dangerous dog control.#BanPitBulls #PitbullDropOff pic.twitter.com/upWF82t4bw
— Patsy Townsend (@ptownsend92) May 17, 2018
picking up this spawn of satan first thing in the morning and takin him str8 to the local animal control center to be euthanized.
Not even the pregnant owner wants this hellhound near her newborn #PitbullDropOff pic.twitter.com/8V0NlSG7wR
— ℳΙЯΔ (@Trumpanista13) May 14, 2018
Taking a short drive to Adopt a Pit Bull! It's so good to perform a community service with Garden Tools from my own Shed! #PitbullDropOff
— The Supreme Gentlemen (@Lcron55) May 16, 2018
Pit bulls are probably the most misunderstood and maligned among all dog breeds. The fact that they have been abused and used in dog fights have given them the image of being vicious and too dangerous to be around humans, especially children. There are several myths about pit bulls, one of the most popular being that they have a special ability to lock their jaws, but these myths are false. As in all domesticated animals, these dogs only become vicious if they are raised to be that way by their owners.
In an essay for The New Yorker published in 2006, Malcolm Gladwell explained how pit bulls have been bred to be more aggressive:
“Pit bulls, descendants of the bulldogs used in the nineteenth century for bull baiting and dogfighting, have been bred for ‘gameness,’ and thus a lowered inhibition to aggression… Whereas guard dogs like German shepherds usually attempt to restrain those they perceive to be threats by biting and holding, pit bulls try to inflict the maximum amount of damage on an opponent.”
However, he also pointed out that most pit bulls don’t bite anyone:
“Of course, not all pit bulls are dangerous. Most don’t bite anyone. Meanwhile, Dobermans and Great Danes and German shepherds and Rottweilers are frequent biters as well, and the dog that recently mauled a Frenchwoman so badly that she was given the world’s first face transplant was, of all things, a Labrador retriever.”
Gladwell goes on to quote Carl Herkstroeter, then president of the American Temperament Test Society, as he talks about how pit bulls have good temperament.
“We have tested somewhere around a thousand pit-bull-type dogs. I’ve tested half of them. And of the number I’ve tested I have disqualified one pitbull because of aggressive tendencies,” Herkstroeter said. “They have done extremely well. They have a good temperament. They are very good with children.”
Another writer, Vicki Hearne, pointed out that pit bulls can be excellent service animals:
“There are a lot of pit bulls these days who are licensed therapy dogs. Their stability and resoluteness make them excellent for work with people who might not like a more bouncy, flibbertigibbet sort of dog. When pit bulls set out to provide comfort, they are as resolute as they are when they fight, but what they are resolute about is being gentle. And, because they are fearless, they can be gentle with anybody.”
People who have pit bulls took to Twitter and used the same hashtag to share photos of their loving pets:
My dog Beau is a pit-boxer Mix and EVEN AFTER he was abused and had his ears and tail cut right off of his body at 3 WEEKS OLD, he’s still the sweetest and most playful dog I’ve ever known 🙁 #PitbullDropOff no dog, let alone pit deserves to be treated any less than a blessing pic.twitter.com/1V0UFWmEpC
— coral (@irlcoral) May 13, 2018
She was pushed out a vehicle and left. Vet estimated her around 9 months. No shots. No chip. She's attention needy because she never got any. My 7 yr old son and I are keeping her. Fuck you. #PitbullDropOff pic.twitter.com/WbO4e3CQdd
— Trey (@TreyGetsIt) May 17, 2018
Dear #pitbulldropoff ,
Fuck you. My baby isn't a harm but he will snuggle with you. In fact, he is a registered emotional support animal. pic.twitter.com/DS0JiG8Ara
— Jazzlynn Portalatin (@jzpor) May 15, 2018
I own two #pitbulls who would never harm a fly. I’ve rescued many more, even one’s who’ve been abused by the nasty people in the world, and have not once been attacked. #PitbullPuppy my goal, is take down #PitbullDropOff pic.twitter.com/rKwOyOZPfJ
— 💔🍑 (@kamilahmelson_) May 20, 2018
To counter the hashtag #PitbullDropOff , here are adorable pictures of my baby 😊 screw anyone who thinks that pitbulls are bad mine can't go a day without laying on me to cuddle pic.twitter.com/TZHRLnR7wb
— grace 🏳️🌈 (@GraceOddo) May 13, 2018
Fuck whoever supports #PitbullDropoff You’re inhumane and a compete lunatic.. No Pitbull deserves this type of human actions! You people disgust me! This is my Pitbull Zeus and he’s extremely loving. It is truly sad that people can act upon this way w/ a innocent animal! pic.twitter.com/v7BIJyAdsA
— Billy Padilla (@billypadilla_) May 16, 2018
Some people have pointed out that #PitbullDropOff is most probably just a hoax created by “fake edge boys trying to get likes”:
Take comfort in knowing that 99% of the #PitbullDropOff posts are fake edge boys trying to get likes.
Reverse image search any of those posts and they’re all pulled from google.
People are nuts but most are too lazy or push to go out and act on there delusions.— Anisa (@AnisaJomha) May 13, 2018
#PitbullDropOff is a hoax and it’s just all a bunch of trolls trying to stir people up. Meh, next! #idiots #trolls pic.twitter.com/r4DsYWDzm0
— Justin Truax (@Tarantula152) May 21, 2018
User @mylocalmango said that while it may have started that way, #PitbullDropOff is giving people ideas:
I know that the whole #PitbullDropOff thing started as a hoax but people are getting ideas and it's getting out of hand. I can usually tolerate messed up jokes but nothing about killing pits is funny and it makes me sick that anyone would disagree.
— what (@mylocalmango) May 21, 2018
Several others echoed their support for pit bulls and called for action against those who are killing them:
Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs. #PitbullDropOff
— Shalon Mckenzie (@ShalonColeman) May 14, 2018
The Twitter hashtag #pitbulldropoff is being used by people who literally going around hunting pitbulls to capture and kill. @Twitter y'all like deleting accounts so much… here you go. pic.twitter.com/8jSrOntg0C
— Goodfella (@Y0ung_jaydee) May 13, 2018
Looking at the #PitbullDropOff tag can be really painful so here's some adorable pit pics to help you smile! (Photographer is Sophie Gamand- if you Google her you can find even more from this series!) pic.twitter.com/IzzgTGmSbU
— Korben Jean (@KorbenJean) May 14, 2018
here’s Abel and Shy-guy. Both obviously vicious. Abel RIPS APART tennis balls and attacks you!! with KISSES!!! and what a vicious name is Shy Guy…he’s so scary he quietly wags his tail when you come by and scoots up to to you for..PETS…awful dogs… pic.twitter.com/lYPmw4tdoq
— tiff (@TiffanieAnn16) May 13, 2018
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