Social Stigma or Justified Bias
Pitbulls, for better or worse, are one of the most commonly recognizable dog breeds. However, is it truly a Pitbull? Commonly mistaken for other dog breeds, such as Terriers and Bulldogs, various social stigma surrounds the animal. Pitbulls are seen as aggressive and unsuitable but do these biases translate into actual action against them?
According to Wynne Clive, "the average stay for Pitbulls is 11.36 days in a shelter." This is in comparison to all other terriers at 7.83 days. Additionally, the rate could be longer with many dogs being put down at kill shelters. Underlying factors may include Pit bulls being rated at lower values for cuteness, intelligence, and perceived friendliness. The only category Pit bulls excelled at was perceived aggressiveness, not a desirable trait for many animals being put up for adoption.
Why is it that Pitbulls are perceived as more aggressive and less desirable than other dogs? Perhaps, they are more aggressive but are more frequently abused? Maybe mankind doesn't understand their mindset and is incapable of connecting to them?
Part of this stigma, however, comes from a label. When dog breed labels are removed from animal shelters in the fourth study, the average Pitbull length of stay at shelters drops from 11.36 days to 9.85 days. Their attractiveness values also increase when unlabeled- increasing to the rates of similar look-alike breeds. So, do humans actually differentiate between the breeds and know the dog? Or is it a gut reaction from society against Pitbulls?
The future of animal adoption, and animal equality, is towards removing labels. Society is deeply engrained with superstitions and social stigmas. Black dogs in the Middle Ages and ravens in more modern times are examples. We may not be able to eliminate these unjustified biases but we can reduce the influence of external factors. Increasing awareness for ad campaigns and disproving myths can possibly assist in adoption efforts. Portraying the natural bond between dogs and humans, with Pitbulls, can increase exposure to normalizing having Pitbulls and other dogs.
So what exactly is the history behind society's disapproval of Pitbulls? Is it their looks or behavior? Perhaps they reveal an internal conflict within ourselves. Animal shelters were never intended for ending the lives of animals; they were meant to rehabilitate and provide a new start for those that are underserved. If we implement new measures and reform how animal adoptions are undergone, we have the possibility of saving animal lives. Are we willing, however, to implement these changes?
I like how you bring a medieval example into your blog post. However, you don't reference the violence that Pit Bulls enact upon humans.
ReplyDeleteNice! I like the idea you bring up that learning more about a dog breed can help combat bias
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