I am not a mean dog!!!!!

Sable, my brother and I are pit bulls also. We don't live in Marion County, but we're pretty close. The thing is that the Mayor doesn't have all the information, and he doesn't take the time to learn. He's just saying what he's saying out of ignorance. Last time this came up to the city county council, they were presented with a lot of facts and information, and they ultimately decided on a dangerous dog law, because they realized that pit bulls are only as bad as their owners - just like every other dog. My mom went with to the city county council meetings with the rescue she works with, and it was very informative. Have your mommy write a letter to the mayor today expressing why he's focusing on the wrong idea....maybe he'll finally listen!

Of course the media sensationalizes these pit bull dog attacks! A story about a vicious poodle won't sell! The mayor is acting out of others' fears & ignorance. Unfortunately there are sooooo many irresponsible pit owners, they have given the pit a bad reputation! It is much easier to go after the breed than the owners. It is a very sad thing & I honestly don't know what the answer could be! As an animal lover, my heart breaks for pits. As a parent, the irresponsibility of these owners that let their pits run loose & have not raised them properly scares the hell out of me. I certainly don't want my children to be attacked! Most of those speaking out are doing so in fear. The media is counting on that fear to support their stories.

I understand! I'm not a mean dog either....actually I am an irresistable lover that gives wonderful snuggles and kisses. We must do our part everyday to prove these ignorant stereotypes wrong!

I dont know, mama got "attacked" by a bully breed last summer. It was loose & everyone ran away, she went to it to read its tags, and it went CRAZY thrashing its tail around everywhere. Poor mom was covered in bruises from it wagging its tail so much while she walked it back home! Mean mean vicious girl she was....

I think part of the reason that pit bulls are focused on is due to the dog fighting that has become so popular. It's the breed of choice for dog fights and are usually the ones that get away and bite. My neighbor is a pit bull and is the sweetest dog around.

I also agree that the Mayor does not have all of the information about the breed. Miami-Dade County in FL has outlawed the breed and they still have problems. People keep them outside of the county but bring them in for dog fights. (as seen on Animal Planet) If we can't control the crime, murders, drugs, etc. how does he expect this law to work?

I think there needs to be stronger laws for the humans. More jail time, bigger fines, more community service and EDUCATION! Those who have had dogs for fighting should never be allowed to own a pet again. I hope you don't have to move because of a silly law. Unfortunately you'll probably always have to face this prejudice.

i know!! i live in hendricks but he will probably send the thing to the governer and they will ban them from the state. my mommy says that she will hide me in the attic like anne frank, whoever that is...

we agree with everyone here!!! while i do agree that many ARE used for fighting, many, dare i say, MOST are just gotten as a "guard dog" by the thugs who are running drugs in their neighborhood, they want to look COOL, you know.(oh, and they are all BREEDERS, too!!) they get them to guard their house, then they abuse and neglect them. when they move out, they leave the dog, or just throw them out to fend for themselves.lots are used for dog fighting, though, but all in all, this breed is so abused, and then there is the media, who will drag the breed through the mud all they can, but are not interested in reporting a different breed biting someone. while i don't think the mayor is informed, i also do not think he WANTS to be informed. that is the problem. he wants to just nix all APBT's from this city, but what will happen will be good people will be the ones punished....the thugs will continue to break the laws, and keep a breed that is illegal to keep. (i'm speaking hypothetically, as we are not banned in this city!)last i checked, crack and meth and prostitution are illegal....right? but they allll still sell it, make it, or do it!!!so he's gonna go after the dogs...a smaller part of the larger problem that is occurring in indy, and ignore what the REAL problem is. also, i really don't think this mayor has thought this through. what do you think this will do to the good ol image of indianapolis?? you know, this city he has spent all his career promoting? wonder what folks in all the racing circles, the NBA, NFL, NCAA, etc will think of coming here if this breed were banned? i can tell you that many folks will boycott this city. we sure don't want that. like i said, this mayor has not thought this through. hopefully his advisers will talk some sense into him, to make him realize what political suicide he would be committing.

My mama wonders if an exception will be made for the athletes who think it is "cool" to have a pit bull and/or have a dog fighting business. We feel so sorry for all you pits. My mama's first dog was a spaniel/spitz mix, and he was meaner than any pit bull my mama knows. He was always biting people. My mama had to finally do the right thing for everybody. It was sad, but my point is, hi biting never made the papers.

I think it is very sad that with all the bad things that happen every day to children and grown ups in Indy that all they seem to worry about are Pit Bulls. There are so many other things he could be doing. If he bans Pit Bulls, what is to stop him from banning other breeds. This is wrong. People are misinformed and immediately go into hysterics. It is very sad that those kids got bit but you cannot punish an entire breed for the actions of a few irresponsible owners. We saw the doggies on TV last night and they looked very scared and sad. Mommy read an article today about some loser football guy named Micheal Vick. It made her very sad. She said he was a bad man who was mean to doggies. I'd like to hike a leg on him. This is not right and we need to stand up and say so! Arooooo!!

My Mom knows someone in a city legal department. I'm not saying it it Indy's legal dept. She says that if there were a law to be passed banning pits, that it would get overturned with the first challenge. Just like every other jurisdiction that tried to do a breed specific ban.

I am not a pit owner and probably never will be, but I know that what the mayor is doing is 100% wrong. The mayor needs to concentrate his efforts on the owners, not the dogs. Its called "Responsible Pet Ownership". If anyone finds out about a meeting or petition please post it for all to see and hopefully attend.

Sable and all my Pit brothers and sisters---Mom heard a man on AM1430 this morning defending the Pits. His name was Abdul and it is his show. He said we need to punish the owners and not the dogs. Enforce stricter punishments on bad Mommies and Daddies. She didn't get to listen for long but it seemed like a lot of the callers agreed with him. Just wanted to pass along the info that there is at least one sensible person in the Indy media and a lot more sensible people.

does anyone else feel like we have went back in time... back to the days of slavery, or back to the days when Nazis killed Jewish people just because they were Jewish. It is supposed to be 2007, and we're supposed to be way past all of that. Do they think that because we're animals that we don't have rights??? My mommy says I'm way smarter than any of these politicians, maybe we should ban them!!!!

As a jack russell, I tend to avoid all the controversy about pitbulls. My Mum says that all dogs are nice; its the owner who chooses to make them mean, whatever breed they own. I think its mean and unfair of the mayor to ban a breed just because some owners can't take responsiblity for THIER actions. Grr.

dont worry pal, we're all behind you. Dogs arent mean just because....they need to look at the owners. And as far as the Mayor....hope he steps in a big pile of doggie poo!

I live in a traler park. And they don't let you have ( dobermans, pit bulls , rotte's, and a few other dog's. But mom said what the office dosen't know won't kill them. So the only time I go out side it to go pee. or to go to the car for a ride. The lady behind us has a rotte. And just a few house's down from her is two pitt bull's. So if the office try's to make me leave mom said we will move.And I know all the other dog's that live by me there mommy's said the same thing. So I'm here to stay and my mommy has hade me since I was 6 week's old.

A breed specific ban will never pass. The mayor is just doing what the majority of his people want to hear so that he stays good with his public. He has to especially after raising the taxes to pay for the new dome and failing to reduce the crime rate. Someone probably has the bright idea that if you get rid of bully's you get rid of crime. That instead of banning dogs, they need to ban people from owning animals. They have a sex offender registry, why not a animal offender registry?