Peoria - In truly absurd reporting, Central Illinois Proud uses 36 words and 156 characters to describe a pit bull attack in which the pit bull killed a small poodle and says that some people wonder if the breed should be banned.
CIProud doesn’t say how the attack happened, where it happened, if the dogs were leashed or owned for that matter. The article doesn't say what happened to the pit bull or what authorities said would happen to the pit bull and owner (if there is one). The article says that some people wonder if the breed should be banned, but it doesn’t say who is doing the wondering or quote their thoughts on the subject
Then, CI Proud quotes and names a pit bull owner, seemingly picked at random, who, surprise!, thinks pit bulls are great. Finally, CI Proud quotes the director of Peoria Animal Welfare, who spreads the lie that pit bulls make great pets because “it’s all how you raise them.” CI Proud uses 211 words and 1007 characters to tell their readers that despite the fact that a pit bull killed a poodle, pit bulls make great pets. You have to admit it’s a great strategy. Since pit bulls attack so often, if you use every pit bull attack as a chance to tell people that pit bulls make great pets, they will absolutely be hearing that message A LOT (you know, because pit bulls attack so much).
The horrendous reporting is no longer online, but read for yourself:
Pit Bull Attack
A recent dog attack in Peoria involving a pit bull against a poodle resulted in the death of the smaller animal.
It's also caused some people to wonder if the pit bull breed should be banned.
While pit bulls have the reputation for being vicious animals, some say the owners, not the dogs, are the problem.
The Armitage family in Peoria has had pit bulls in their home for more than a decade, and they say the dogs get along
great with the girls. Sten-Eric Armitage says, “It's how you raise the animal and it's how you treat the dog that makes the
difference.”
Lauren Malmberg, the director of the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter (http://www.ci.peoria.il.us/services/depts/paws/)
agrees. She says, “Pit bulls are not by nature aggressive by nature any more than virtually any other dog is.”
Malmberg says pit bulls make up forty percent of the shelter's activity simply because a lot of people in the area happen
to have the breed. And pit bull owners aren't always responsible. She says, “We have a lot of dog-fighting in the area--
most of the time it's pet owners who pit their animals against each other to see who's the toughest dog.”
For those who advocate banning the breed, the problem is two-fold. First of all, it's against state law to do so. And
secondly, animal experts add it's not what kind of dog you have--it's how you care for it.
Armitage says, “I think pit-bulls are fantastic family dogs.”
Read more:
CI Proud (dead link)
