http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/12/22/vick.dogs/
1987 SI cover: The article inside was similarly ridiculous.
2008 SI cover: The article inside is thoughtful and much less sensational.The 2008 article even references the ghastly 1987 SI issue. The reference is both apologetic ("oops, we might have contributed to a problem") and exculpatory ("but the article inside was not so bad"). Yes, SI, back in 1987 you did contribute to a serious problem--and yes, the article inside was that bad.
But thank you for this positive coverage. I hope it undoes some of the damage you did to the pit bull's image twenty years ago.
4 comments:
Any dog will look scary if you snap a picture when it's baring its teeth. Why was Sports Illustrated running an article about pit bulls in the first place? That's hardly where I would go for good information about dogs.
There was a good article about pit bull stereotyping in The New Yorker several years ago. They have it online here if you want to check it out. (It starts out with a few extreme statements, then backtracks and shows why they're false or misleading.)
I saw the on-line photos of the dogs int he issue you mentioned, but didn't find the read. Its about time someone shed the true light about these gentle souls.
As a pit bull owner, it breaks my heart how I've had a scarlet letter thrown on my chest, by people who know nothing about the breed. I wouldn't change a thing though. I'm a PROUD owner of a pit... Who has the most hilarious personality ever!
Animals are only mean when they are treated poorly, abused, sick or in some cases out of fear for there lives.
I always find it interesting how people believe pit bulls are born mean. When the truth is, a lot of pit bulls “recruited” to fight in pit fights REFUSE to fight. And when they refuse they are used as bait dogs for the dogs that do fight or executed and tossed away like garbage only to be replaced by a pit bull from a shady breeder, a pit bull stolen from their owner, or a pit bull bought “under the table” from a shelter. The reality is, pit bulls are WONDERFUL companion dogs who would rather use their strength, determination, persistence, extreme love and loyalty on just loving you and playing.
My hope is that laws will become more strict on behavior like this and as time has gone on it has been happening, SLOWLY. But if the law doesn’t get these scum bags something will and when it happens I just hope I’m there with my beautiful pit bull watching.
“It is true that Pit Bulls grab and hold on. But what they most often grab and refuse to let go of is your heart, not your arm.”
For those who need proof that dogs really are man’s best friend and love us more than anything else on Earth, try this test. Lock your wife and your dog in the trunk of your car and leave them for an hour. When you open the trunk take note of which one is happy to see you.
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