In Defense of Pitbulls: The Widespread Tragedy of Dogfighting
We can’t change pitbull perceptions without looking this pain in the face
Please note that this article contains distressing content regarding animal abuse used for the purpose of education.
In this series so far, I’ve explained my preference for pitbulls and explored their tumultuous history; in the second installment, I delved a bit into dogfighting and how it emerged from bull baiting, but I think we need to look further at the modern iterations of dogfighting and its contributions to negative perceptions about pitbulls.
I think most of us here can agree that dogfighting is disgusting, like most blood sports are. There is nothing sporting about forcing animals to fight to the death as if we live in gladiatorial Rome, and it shouldn’t bring prestige to those who perpetrate the crime. However, dogfighting is an integral component of the pitbull story, one that we can’t flinch away from if we want to understand and assist these animals.
Firstly, I will say that I am not a dogfighting expert by any means: I would never darken the door of anywhere that harmed animals, and I do not work in animal care or legislation. However, I will rely on…
