A Letter to Representative Yates

The following letter was written by my friend and fellow rescuer Barb McGrady. Also, please take time to read the story of Blue. It is gut wrenching to see what humans do to this breed while our law makers propose legislation that would lead to a Pit Bull Holocaust. As Barb puts it ..... after reading the story of Blue .... "Who is most to be feared, man or the breed of pit bull?"

June 11, 2008

To Representative Yates,

I hope that you aren't planning on running for re-election.

(I am ccing this to Speaker of the House, Rep. John Husted, Rep. Joyce Beaty, and Chairman of State Gov. and Elections Committee, Rep, David Daniels.)

Please read the following story. Feel free to contact the sender, [kdaily AT JonesDay dot com], so that you can contact the veterinarian's office currently attempting to save this innocent dog's life to verify the story's validity.

It is obvious, though, that you are not interested in validation of data, considering the bill you recently submitted to the State Government and Elections Committee. You know, the bill that would demand that dog wardens obtain search warrants and seize
people's beloved pets (pit bulls or dogs who look like pit bulls) SO THEY ALL COULD BE KILLED. The Pit Bull "Holocaust."

Ask yourself after reading the story in its entirety, after looking at the attached photos, "Who is most to be feared, man or the breed of pit bull?"

The bill that you have written and submitted to the State Government and Elections Committee reflects that your judgment on this issue is hideously ignorant, absurdly inept, and quite frankly, alarming. How someone with your blatant narrow-mindedness and total lack of compassion was elected to hold the position of state representative has caused me, as well as thousands of others across the United States, real concern.

We have rescued hundreds of dogs. I can say in all honestly a few have had behavioral issues that we have had to work through. Yes, some have actually displayed mild signs of aggression. But with a little TLC and patience, we have worked through these tendencies with the lab, boxer, terrier, German
shepherd, collie, beagle, and basset mixes as well as purebred breeds that we have rescued. Aggression isn't breed specific, as you seem to believe.

There is ONE breed and one breed only that we have rescued that has never once shown aggression to humans, and that breed is the pit bull. I use a pit bull mix named Brie in my Compassion Education presentations that S.P.A. offers to preschool and grade school children. She is the only dog that we trust 110% around children. Her temperament is solid as steel, and she is one of the most even tempered dogs I have ever met.

Again, if only to break through the dark shroud that is apparently wrapped tightly around your brain, please read the following story. Hopefully a light will go off in your head and the shroud that is distorting your perception of reality will unravel. I am usually not abrasive by nature, but someone like you, holding the position of an Ohio
State Representative, writing a bill ordering all family pit bulls be killed, really scares the hell out of me.

Barbara McGrady, President
S.P.A.
http://www.spaohio.org/

"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~Mahatma Gandhi

I have posted the Story of Blue as a separate entry. Click HERE to read.