Mentioned names:
Ingrid Newkirk, PETA President and founder
Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA VP of Cruelty Investigations
Dan Shannon, PETA spokesman
Teresa Lynn Chagrin, PETA Animal Care and Control specialist
Lisa Lange, PETA VP of Communications
People who genuinely care about dogs won’t be affected by a ban on pits. We can only stop killing pits if we stop creating new ones. ~ Ingrid Newkirk, 2000
Many people are surprised to hear that we are in support of legislation that would ban Pit Bulls. But it’s the only way to protect the dogs. The bottom line is at this point the breed that is the most abused is the Pit Bull. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2001
From California to New York, many shelters have enacted policies requiring the automatic destruction of the huge and ever-growing number of ‘pits’ they encounter. Here’s another shocker: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the very organization that is trying to get you to denounce the killing of chickens for the table, foxes for fur or frogs for dissection, supports the shelters’ Pit Bull policy, albeit with reluctance. We further encourage a ban on breeding Pit Bulls. ~ Ingrid Newkirk, 2005
Those who argue against a breeding ban and the shelter euthanasia policy for Pit Bulls are naive. ~ Ingrid Newkirk, 2005
People who genuinely care about dogs won’t be affected by a ban on Pit Bull breeding. ~ Ingrid Newkirk, 2005
People who genuinely care about dogs won’t be affected by a ban on pits. They can go to the shelter and save one of the countless other breeds and lovable mutts sitting on death row through no fault of their own. ~ Ingrid Newkirk
This morning, PETA sent an urgent letter to Dorchester County Council Chair Larry Hargett and other council members urging them to follow the lead of dozens of other jurisdictions across the country by banning or strictly regulating Pit Bull ownership. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2007
PETA is asking the Dorchester County Council to ban the acquisition of Pit Bulls and strictly regulate grandfathered ownership of Pit Bulls currently living in homes. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2007
More and more communities are realizing that the best way to prevent another tragic death like Brian’s is to enact a ban on acquiring Pit Bulls. We urge Dorchester County to join their ranks by immediately introducing this urgently needed legislation. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2007
These dogs are a ticking time bomb. Rehabilitating fighting dogs is not in the cards. It’s widely accepted that euthanasia is the most humane thing for them. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, referencing the dogs found on Michael Vick’s property (48 out of 49 went on to be rehabilitated), 2007
The cruelty they’ve suffered is such that they can’t lead what anyone who loves dogs would consider a normal life. We feel it’s better that they have their suffering ended once and for all. ~ Dan Shannon, referencing the dogs found on Michael Vick’s property (48 out of 49 went on to be rehabilitated), 2007
Some of the dogs will end up with something resembling a normal life, but the chances are very slim, and it’s not a good risk to take. ~ Dan Shannon, referencing the dogs found on Michael Vick’s property (48 out of 49 went on to be rehabilitated), 2007
Those who seek out this breed are attracted to the macho image of this animal as a living weapon and seek to display it by putting them in heavy chains, taunting them into aggression and leaving them out in all weather to toughen them. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2008
PETA supports legislation that bans the breeding of Pit Bulls. We also support Pit Bull bans, as long as they include a grandfather clause allowing all living dogs who are already in good homes and well cared for to live the remainder of their lives safely and peacefully. ~ Peta.org, “PETA’s position on Pit Bull bans,” 2008
It is important to bear in mind that nice families rarely come to a shelter seeking Pit Bulls. ~ Peta.org, “PETA’s position on Pit Bull bans, 2008
As someone whose work involves rescuing Pit Bulls from abuse, I thank the Ripon Animal Shelter for protecting Pit Bulls by not adopting them out to the public just to keep their euthanasia numbers lower. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2008
As your article indicates, nice families rarely come to shelters seeking a Pit Bull. More often, these dogs are sought by thugs who chain, fight, starve and beat them to turn them into guard dogs or living weapons. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2008
It would be irresponsible for shelters to release these dogs into a world that holds only suffering and painful deaths for so many of them. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2008
The Montana Legislature’s rejection of a bill to regulate Pit Bull ‘ownership’ should disappoint everyone who cares about these dogs. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2009
Pit Bull fanciers should ask themselves whether it’s really the dogs’ best interests they care about, or their own selfish desire to possess a certain type of dog or to make money by breeding and selling them. Anyone who truly cares about Pit Bulls can agree that laws regulating their ownership would help spare the dogs they love so much from tremendous suffering. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2009
They are very determined dogs and when they lock onto their victim it’s hard to let go. Their jaws have to be pried apart. They also shake their victims which can cause a great deal of damage to babies. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2009
If those laws (breed-specific legislation) saved just one animal from suffering a miserable life or a painful death, wouldn’t they be worth it? ~ Peta2.com, 2009
Pit Bulls are the most abused breed of dog, and it is the relentless abuse of these dogs at the hands of cruel people that motivates our efforts to stop people from bringing more Pit Bulls into the world to be hurt and exploited. ~ Peta.org
As much as people appear to be in denial, when Pit Bulls attack they do cause grave, grave damage and sometimes death. There are many reasons to regulate ownership of this breed. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, in support of Gardendale Pit Bull ban, 2010
As someone whose work involves rescuing Pit Bulls from abuse, I urge Livingston County Animal Control to continue protecting Pit Bulls by retaining the agency’s current policy against adopting them out (“Livingston animal shelter extends adoption time, may drop ‘bully breed’ ban,” March 15). We all wish for happy endings, but Pit Bull adoptions often end in tragedy. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2010
Overpopulation is a problem with these pets. They need to be sterilized so they don’t breed because most of these animals will be euthanized. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2010
I thank Spotsylvania Animal Control for protecting Pit Bulls by not releasing them to the public, even though this is surely the hardest thing for the shelter staffers. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2011
Nice families rarely visit shelters in search of Pit Bulls, and Pit Bulls from unknown backgrounds don’t always make good family additions. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2011
Bans on breeding or acquiring new Pit Bulls (provided that such laws grandfather-in registered, well-cared for, spayed and neutered dogs) protect Pit Bulls from horrendous suffering by helping to prevent them from ending up in the hands of cruel people. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2011
Pit Bulls are bred for profit, neglected, fought, and abused based exclusively on their breed. People who have Pit Bulls’ best interests at heart can agree that providing protections to and regulating these dogs based on their breed is not only fair, but essential. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2011
PETA supports banning the further breeding of Pit Bulls. PETA also favors restrictions or a ban on ownership of Pit Bulls that would, however, not affect the status of those Pit Bulls who are already in a good home. ~ Peta2.com, “The straight scoop on PETA and Pit Bulls,” 2012
PETA does not balk at efforts to protect Pit Bulls from breed-specific abuse through the use of breed-specific safeguards. ~ Peta2.com, “The straight scoop on PETA and Pit Bulls,” 2012
PETA does not believe that every Pit Bull should be euthanized; PETA does, however, staunchly advocate a ban on the breeding of Pit Bulls. PETA hopes that support of such laws will stop people from bringing more pits into the world to be fought, mistreated, and exploited. ~ Name withheld, PETA representative, 2012
PETA must consider that people who have good intentions rarely come to a shelter to adopt Pit Bulls; almost without exception, those who want Pit Bulls are attracted to the ‘macho’ image of the breed as a living weapon and seek to play up this image by putting the animals in heavy chains, taunting them into aggression, and leaving them outside in all weather extremes in order to ‘toughen’ them. ~ Name withheld, PETA representative, 2012
Bans on breeding or acquiring new Pit Bulls (provided that such laws grandfather-in registered, well-cared for, spayed and neutered dogs) protect Pit Bulls from horrendous suffering by helping to prevent them from ending up in the hands of cruel people. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, op-ed supporting Solesky BSL, 2012
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our position on the Maryland appeals court decision that holds guardians and landowners accountable when Pit Bull dogs in their care and custody attack, and explain why PETA opposes legislative efforts to overturn the court’s decision. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, Maryland Judicial Proceeding Committee, 2012
Responsible families don’t want a Pit Bull. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2012
Our stand on mandatory spay and neuter legislation for Pit Bulls, and bans that include a grandfather clause allowing well cared for animals to stay in their homes, that’s not taken lightly. ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2012
We advocate a mandatory spay/neuter law for Pit Bulls, and we don’t oppose breed-specific measures to keep them safe (since they are the most common breed in animal shelters today and are undeniably tricky to place), but we have always advocated a grandfather clause for Pit Bulls who are kept inside as part of the family, spayed/neutered, and well cared for. ~ Daphna Nachminovitch, 2013
PETA also recommends a ban on the adoption/release of dangerous dogs and fighting breeds (commonly known as “Pit Bulls”). ~ Teresa Lynn Chagrin, 2013
Confronting PETA on their BSL lies: Josh Liddy questions Lisa Lange, 2013
Doing this for Pit Bulls, the dogs that need the most help from society, is a very good thing and it makes no sense that anyone who cares about dogs at any level would oppose this. ~ Lisa Lange, supporting Pasadena Councilman Steve Madison’s BSL (Madison desires to see them banned), 2014