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Monday, July 28, 2014

"Pit bulls, Pet or Monster, you be the judge..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #25)

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in
 Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby


Kimo's world #25

This blog also appeared as a guest column in the March 21,2015 edition of The Garden Island news;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/pit-bulls-pet-or-monster-you-be-the-judge/article_ccc7e376-cf92-11e4-8407-1b001d87bec6.html


Pit bulls, Pet or Monster, you be the judge

Pit bulls are as common as spam musubi on Kaua'i.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spam-musubi/

I realize everyone loves their dogs as family, whether they are Pit bulls or rescue mutts.The question remains, are Pit bulls loving pets or monsters?  You be the judge.

Keeping Pit bulls  restricted to hunting and away from the general population is fine, or even to help eradicate the problematic feral cat population on Kauai. It's time to ban Pit bulls as pets in Hawai'i.  I know this  won't happen.  Many will call it a cultural thing, similar to the  fireworks argument.

 You will hear the argument that it's the owner and not the dog. This is true to an extent, however a dog breed that was originally bred as a fighting dog would not be my choice as a pet, especially around keiki.(children) I realize not all Pit bulls are bad, just like all murderers aren't bad. 

Not every Pit bull is bad. Just last week a Pit bull saved a deaf boy's life in Indianapolis. This is not the norm, rather the exception. 
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillypets/20140722_PET360_Pit_Bull_Saves_Deaf_Boy_From_House_Fire.html

I am one of the lucky and blessed ones. When my dog was attacked by a Pit bull last September  she survived with my quick thinking of lifting her by her collar with an exhausting swinging and saving venture of  keeping her away from the Pit bull. This went on for what seemed like an eternity until by the grace of God a good Samaritan came along  to wrestle the pit bull to the ground. 
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/pit-bull-goes-after-obama/article_771d6838-1cf6-11e3-a87d-0019bb2963f4.html?_dc=916997558437.2878

After the Pit bull attacked my dog, the owner said, "she's always been the sweetest dog and only wanted to play. She's such a nice Pit bull, she's trained." A witness to the attack had told me that same dog had attacked numerous others.

You can train lions and tigers  too, however  would you want one as a pet? Probably not. No matter how  well trained a Pit bull can turn on you at any time. They kill people and other dogs. 

My neighbor was swimming in the waters of Anahola  beach a few years back, when her friend's Pit bull  ran into the water and nearly tore her arm off.  She wound up getting 38 stitches in her upper arm and is now petrified of any Pit bull and even of  swimming in the ocean. She was diagnosed with PTSD from that attack. To top things off my friend never pressed charges since the dog belonged to a friend of hers. The worst part of this, that dog is still  out there along with the Pit bull that attacked my dog.

Last month on Kauai  three Pit bulls were euthanized, and their owner cited by police, just hours after the dogs mauled a chihuahua mix to death in front of a Kekaha mother and daughter. If the little girl had not dropped the little dog, it could had been her that died.

Just last week a good friend's  terrier mix  rescue dog was attacked by a Pit bull at Wailua dog park and was rushed to the vet with over a $400.00 medical bill. I believe there is a disease of pandemic proportion on Kauai, and that disease is called, "Pit bull attacks," with most never even being reported. 

Stories like this are all too common on Kaua'i. Everyone knows a Pit bull owner and  since everyone knows everyone on the island, nobody wants to be the rat, narcing on their friends or relatives. This is  just one of the many unwritten laws of island life.

If Pit bulls are such wonderful family dogs, why have they been banned in 12 countries? That's right, 12!
 Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Canada (Winnipeg, Quebec) the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico and Sweden.

It is illegal in Miami-Dade County to own or keep American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, or any other dog that substantially conforms to any of these breeds' characteristics.
There is also a $500 fine for acquiring or keeping a Pit bull in Miami Dade County.

These dogs are born with aggression and  the ability to kill.  You  never see a poodle attack and mutilate  a human or other animal. People go  la-la over these animals and value them more than the safety of another persons life.

The County will eventually take heed when a fellow human is mauled to death on county property and the lawsuits start rolling in. Until then things will never  change.
However, I will be the first to say, I told you so next time there is a death or injury associated with a Pit bull.

Pit bull, pet or monster? Please let us know!

 We welcome your rebuttal or support!

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/pit-bulls-pet-or-monster-you-be-the-judge/article_ccc7e376-cf92-11e4-8407-1b001d87bec6.html
James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby


P.S.

Rabbi Chaim Levi Cohen (of Montreal) Rabbi Berel Namdar of Sweden singing a Jewish song called a niggun during a Barbecue on kauai at Lydgate Park....
00:00:16
Added on 7/28/14

Kosher Barbecue at Lydgate park with my Rabbi friends!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nzjz8ShRsg&feature=youtu.be



Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook....