Pit Bull dangers? | Bangkok Post: learning

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Fatal attacks, their massive skulls & strong jaws, all make pit bulls in public without a muzzle (required by law) a frightening but common sight.

Photo above of a Pit Bull wearing the muzzle that is required by Thai law when they are in public areas.

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Environment

A ruined reputation

Changing public perception of pit bulls
Sukhumaporn Laiyok

A series of dog attacks, some fatal, by pit bulls on people have raised questions about the safety of keeping these so-called ferocious canines as pets.

One publicised attack involved a family member of the dog owner, while in another incident the victim was a neighbour who was walking to the dog owner's house at night when the dogs, two pit bulls and two dogs of local breed, were out of their cages.

With their massive skulls and strong jaws, pit bulls make many people feel unsafe when they encounter this creature in public places, such as parks or walkways.

One woman told Life she feels that her safety is compromised whenever she sees this type of dog at the park - and not even the presence of its owner holding onto a strong leash helps.

"I was so scared [when I saw the pit bull] I walked in another direction as fast as I could ," she said.

"Pit bulls are too powerful for the average person to handle. And if the dog is let loose and jumps on anyone, I'm sure you can guess what happens," she said. 

More importantly, we don't know if the dog is well trained or not. I would feel a lot safer if the dog was muzzled.

The pit bull horror stories have resulted in some owners abandoning their pets, giving them up at dog shelters.

Should we be scared of pit bulls.

"Well, pit bulls are fighters," said Nathapoan Supatana, founder of Pit Bull Zone Club.

We keep our pets on leashes when we're out in public to prevent a scene, like fighting with the other dogs. Pit bulls, like any dog breed, may show aggressiveness towards strangers.

Nathapoan blames a lack of responsibility on the part of the owners for the tragic incidents that occur involving pit bulls. He also noted that most pit bull attacks happen when the owners are away, leaving the dogs with family members or maids who aren't "authoritative" enough and, therefore, unable to handle the creature.

Pit bulls are a dominant breed. Besides, dogs naturally form a pack in the wild, he added. The innate behaviours of dogs can make the dominant dog feel more authoritative and seek to gain control when the owner is absent from home, and they will compete with one another to become the leader of the group. Also, it's not unusual for this type of dog to develop a competitive attitude towards other people living in the house when the owner is away.

Pit bulls were first imported to the country more than 20 years ago when people who lived abroad returned to Thailand, Nathapoan said. As the breed became increasingly popular, people with little or no knowledge of pit bulls wanted to own them, which marked the beginning of the problem.

''Many people want to have a tough dog to show off. Others, meanwhile, make their dogs fierce on purpose.

As an active breed, pit bulls require plenty of physical activity.

The Pit Bull Zone Club now has over 5,000 members. Every Sunday, the club usually arranges a social club training session at a dog training centre on Krung Thep Kritha Road, during which the bond between a pit bull and its owner is strengthened through fun activities like running, swimming and obedience training. Besides, facilities are provided free of charge.

Many countries have had dangerous dog laws and rigid enforcement ranging from bans to muzzles or leashes, as well as a requirement for all pit bull owners to purchase expensive liability insurance before they can get a dog ownership licence.

In Thailand, according to Dr Pranee Panichabhongse, senior veterinary officer at the Department of Livestock Development, importing American pit bulls have been temporarily banned since 2005, and the dogs that are raised now are those bred in the country. These dogs, together with bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, Rottweilers and Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian fighting dogs) are on the controlled dogs list in Thailand

''Owners of these controlled dogs, like other pet dogs, are required to register their pets with the city's local district office,'' said the veterinarian. ''The law requires that the dogs must always be on a strong leash and muzzled when in public areas.''

The senior veterinary officer agreed that pet regulations in Thailand are not strictly enforced, and the sight of pit bulls with no muzzle on the street is quite common. She insisted that pit bull owners should have their dogs implanted with a microchip - a practice required by the pet control law. ''So, we can track down the owner if the dog is on the loose,'' she said.

According to Dr Pranee, the department has received a number of pit bull-related complaints. Some owners do not want to keep their dogs any longer and ask the department to keep them.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Environment, A ruined reputation, Changing public perception of pit bulls, 21/02/2012, Sukhumaporn Laiyok, link) 

Dog Vocabulary 

Pit Bull - "any of several breeds of dog the are the product of interbreeding between terriers and a breed of bulldogs. Because some pit bulls have been trained for criminal purposes such as dog-fighting or for the protection of drug trafficking operations, the subsequent aggressive behavior has led to many incidents between these animals and people. Which have stirred highly contentious debates concerning the restriction of their ownership, citing pit bulls as a public hazard" (See Wikipedia and How to raise a balanced Pit Bull by dog psychologist Cesar Millan)

blood sport - any sport or entertainment that involves violence against or death animals; includes dog fighting, cock-fighting, bull fighting, fish fighting, chilean rodeo, often involves gambling (See Wikipedia)
dog fighting - "a form of blood sport in which game dogs are made to fight, sometimes to the death. It is illegal in most developed countries. Dog fighting is used for entertainment and may also generate revenue from stud fees, admission fees and gambling" (See Wikipedia)

controlled dogs list - the official government list of dangerous dogs that have to be registered with the government if people keep them as pets, "must always be on a strong leash and muzzled when in public areas" (dogs below are on this list)

muzzle - a cover over the mouth so the dog cannot bite people or other animals (See Wikipedia)
leash - a long rope or chord attached to a dog collar around the dog's neck that controls and restrains the dog, preventing it from running around freely  เชือก, ผูกเชือก (See Wikipedia)
public areas - places where any person can enter such as park, road, government building (not private property owned by someone who can control entry)
public places - Same as "public areas"

Staffordshire bull terriers - "a medium-sized, short-coated, old-time breed of dog. It is an English dog, where it is the 5th most popular breed, and related to the bull terrier. Having descended from dog-fighting ancestors, it is muscular and courageous. It is the subject of breed specific legislation in some jurisdictions" (See Wikipedia)

bull terriers - a member of the Terrier family of dogs with an egg-shaped head, "no more or less aggressive towards people than any other dog" (See Wikipedia)

Rottweilers - a dog from Germany originally used to herd livestock and pull carts, Rottweilers are now used in search and rescue, as guide dogs for the blind, as guard or police dogs, "a 1997 report by the CDC on dog-bite-related fatalities in the U.S. reported that Rottweilers were the second most likely dog to be involved in fatal dog attacks on humans (29 deaths over 20 years), after Pit Bulls (60 deaths over 20 years)" (See Wikipedia)

Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian fighting dogs) - a large dog developed in Brazil with loose skin, and a very big head, ears and nose (muzzle), known for its courage, faithfulness to family, determination, self confidence and "colhões" (spite). ...It does not hide its dislike towards strangers. This aversion, not forward aggression, is known as ojeriza. Such aversion is instinctive in Filas, so much so that the Fila should not permit a judge [in a dog show] to touch them. They are judged exclusively 'hands off' ... In the United Kingdom, Israel, Denmark,Norway, Malta and Cyprus it is illegal to own any of these dogs without specific exemption from a court. The Fila is a restricted breed in Australia... They are automatically classified as a dangerous dog in New Zealand, meaning they cannot be imported and males must be neutered" (See Wikipedia)

veterinarian - a person with a medical degree trained to take care of the health of animals สัตวแพทย์
veterinary - relating to the care of animals that are ill or injured; medicine and other supplies used by animal doctors

ruined - destroyed; spoiled
reputation - the opinion people have about how good or bad someone or something is ชื่อเสียง
ruined reputation - people think badly of it now (bad reputation), but they used to think highly of it

perception - the way that people think about or feel about an issue or situation การรับรู้
public perception - what all people in a society think about it 

changing public perception of pit bulls

attack - approaching a person or animal and then trying to harm or injure them ทำร้ายร่างกาย
dog attack  - when a dog attacks a human, dog, cat, etc
series of dog attacks - not one, but many dogs, one after another

fatal - causing someone to die ถึงตาย
fatal dog attack - when a person dies after being attacked by a dog

publicised attack - when the attack is on TV or the newspapers and many people know and talk about it

raised questions - something happened that made you ask questions (example: his strange behaviour raised questions about his sanity)

keeping as a pet - when a person raises an animal and keeps it in their home

ferocious - violent and able to cause serious damage and injury
canine - a dog; related to dogs
ferocious canine - a violent dog that could injure and harm

incident - an unpleasant event
victim - someone who ahs been harmed, injured or killed as the result of a crime or accident เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย

breed (noun) - one kind of animal
breed (verb) - raise animals for the purpose of producing more animals เพาะเลี้ยง
breed of dog - one kind of dog
local - in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about ท้องถิ่น
two dogs of local breed

A series of dog attacks, some fatal, by pit bulls on people have raised questions about the safety of keeping these so-called ferocious canines as pets. One publicised attack involved a family member of the dog owner, while in another incident the victim was a neighbour who was walking to the dog owner's house at night when the dogs, two pit bulls and two dogs of local breed, were out of their cages.

With their massive skulls and strong jaws, pit bulls make many people feel unsafe when they encounter this creature in public places, such as parks or walkways.

skull - the bone of the head surrounding the brain กะโหลก กะโหลกศีรษะ
massive - very large in size, amount or numberใหญ่โต มหาศาล
massive skulls - very big skulls

encounter - meet something or someone, especially when it is an accident happening by chance เผชิญกับ การเผชิญหน้า
safety compromised -  when a situation becomes dangerous (not safe anymore)

presence - when someone or something is in a place การอยู่ในสถานที่หนึ่ง (ของบุคคล)
presence of its owner - when the owner is there with them

let loose - allow the dog to run or walk around freely (without being controlled by the leash)
well trained -

horror stories - very scary and frightening stories about things that happened in the past

abandoning their pets - leaving their pets at some place and not coming back (because they do not want them anymore)
dog shelters - places that keep dogs without owners or homes

One woman told Life she feels that her safety is compromised whenever she sees this type of dog at the park - and not even the presence of its owner holding onto a strong leash helps. "I was so scared [when I saw the pit bull] I walked in another direction as fast as I could ," she said. "Pit bulls are too powerful for the average person to handle. And if the dog is let loose and jumps on anyone, I'm sure you can guess what happens," she said.  More importantly, we don't know if the dog is well trained or not. I would feel a lot safer if the dog was muzzled.

The pit bull horror stories have resulted in some owners abandoning their pets, giving them up at dog shelters.

scared
founder - a person who establishes an institution, business, or organization ผู้ก่อตั้ง
prevent a scene
aggressiveness
strangers

Should we be scared of pit bulls?

"Well, pit bulls are fighters," said Nathapoan Supatana, founder of Pit Bull Zone Club.

We keep our pets on leashes when we're out in public to prevent a scene, like fighting with the other dogs. Pit bulls, like any dog breed, may show aggressiveness towards strangers.

blames - says or thinks that someone or something did something wrong or is responsible for something bad happening ตำหนิ
lack - does not have ขาดแคลน
responsibility - 1. being blamed for something that goes wrong, 2. having to take care of some task as part of your job
tragic - causing or involving great sadness, because someone suffers or dies
incidents - events which are either unpleasant or unusual เหตุการณ์
blames a lack of responsibility on the part of the owners for the tragic incidents

most pit bull attacks happen when the owners are away

authoritative - powerful ซึ่งแสดงถึงอำนาจ
aren't "authoritative" enough
aren't "authoritative" enough and, therefore, unable to handle the creature.

Nathapoan blames a lack of responsibility on the part of the owners for the tragic incidents that occur involving pit bulls. He also noted that most pit bull attacks happen when the owners are away, leaving the dogs with family members or maids who aren't "authoritative" enough and, therefore, unable to handle the creature.

competitive - involving competition มีการแข่งขัน
attitude - the way you think and feel about something, as shown in behaviour

Pit bulls are a dominant breed. Besides, dogs naturally form a pack in the wild, he added. The innate behaviours of dogs can make the dominant dog feel more authoritative and seek to gain control when the owner is absent from home, and they will compete with one another to become the leader of the group. Also, it's not unusual for this type of dog to develop a competitive attitude towards other people living in the house when the owner is away.

Pit bulls were first imported to the country more than 20 years ago when people who lived abroad returned to Thailand, Nathapoan said. As the breed became increasingly popular, people with little or no knowledge of pit bulls wanted to own them, which marked the beginning of the problem.

fierce - very intense and very aggressive
active - working, operating, doing its job
plenty - having more than enough of what you need to live อุดมสมบูรณ์
physical - real things that can be touched and seen (not just an idea or legal right)

''Many people want to have a tough dog to show off. Others, meanwhile, make their dogs fierce on purpose.
As an active breed, pit bulls require plenty of physical activity.

session - a formal meeting การชุมนุม ประชุม
bond - something that gives people a reason to love one another or feel they have a duty to one another ผูกมัด
obedience - the practice of doing what someone tells you to do, or of obeying a law or rule การอยู่ในโอวาท
facilities - the buildings, equipment and services provided for a particular purpose (for example, athletics facilities) สิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก สถานที่และสิ่งอำนวยความสะดวก

The Pit Bull Zone Club now has over 5,000 members. Every Sunday, the club usually arranges a social club training session at a dog training centre on Krung Thep Kritha Road, during which the bond between a pit bull and its owner is strengthened through fun activities like running, swimming and obedience training. Besides, facilities are provided free of charge.

rigid - not able to be changed, bent, moved, or persuaded; stiff or fixed ความแข็งแกร่ง, ตายตัว
enforcement - making sure a law is obeyed and punishing people if it is not obeyed การบังคับใช้กฎหมาย
rigid enforcement

purchase - buy
liability - (legal) responsibility for something or someone ความรับผิดชอบ
insurance - a system of protection against loss, a person pays money every month (premiums) for a guarantee that the company will pay them money if they or their property is damaged or lost, they are harmed or injured in some way or they cause injury or harm to another (See Wikipedia) การประกันภัย  
liability insurance

licence - an official document that gives someone permission to do or use something ใบอนุญาต
dog ownership licence - official permission from government to own a dog (dog assigned an identification number)

Many countries have had dangerous dog laws and rigid enforcement ranging from bans to muzzles or leashes, as well as a requirement for all pit bull owners to purchase expensive liability insurance before they can get a dog ownership licence

officer - a high level person in an organisation with special responsibilities (a government officer, a police officer, an army officer)
veterinary officer - a government official who works in the area of animal health

temporarily - only for a limited time; not permanent ชั่วคราว
banned - officially not allowed to do some activity (the banned activity), prevented from doing something ถูกห้าม ห้ามอย่างเป็นทางการ ถูกตัดสิทธิ
temporarily banned - not allowed to do or have something for a period of time

In Thailand, according to Dr Pranee Panichabhongse, senior veterinary officer at the Department of Livestock Development, importing American pit bulls has been temporarily banned since 2005, and the dogs that are raised now are those bred in the country. These dogs, together with bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, Rottweilers and Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian fighting dogs) are on the controlled dogs list in Thailand

register - make an official record of something with the government; put on an official list (and receive permission to do something like vote or marry) ลงทะเบียน ขึ้นทะเบียน (ขอใบอนุญาต)

''Owners of these controlled dogs, like other pet dogs, are required to register their pets with the city's local district office,'' said the veterinarian. ''The law requires that the dogs must always be on a strong leash and muzzled when in public areas.''

regulations - official rules that control the way that things are done ข้อบังคับ ระเบียบปฏิบัติ กฎระเบียบ
pet regulations - official government rules about pets

strictly - completely อย่างเข้มงวด
regulations strictly enforced - government checks to see if rules are followed, if not people are punished

common - happening often
quite common - happening very often

insisted - say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change mind
dogs implanted with a microchip

practice - a way of doing some activity of task that people do regularly การปฏิบัติ
a practice required by the pet control law

track - a mark or line of marks showing the direction that something has moved ร่องรอย
track down - look for something (follow its tracks, the marks it leaves as it goes someplace)

on the loose

The senior veterinary officer agreed that pet regulations in Thailand are not strictly enforced, and the sight of pit bulls with no muzzle on the street is quite common. She insisted that pit bull owners should have their dogs implanted with a microchip - a practice required by the pet control law. ''So, we can track down the owner if the dog is on the loose,'' she said.

complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed
a number of pit bull-related complaints
the department has received a number of pit bull-related complaints

According to Dr Pranee, the department has received a number of pit bull-related complaints. Some owners do not want to keep their dogs any longer and ask the department to keep them.