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Old October 15th, 2004, 10:38 AM
dogdude dogdude is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 3
clarifying the "spot the PB" game

Quote:
Originally Posted by sammiec
They 3rd try doesn't count in a court of law. Yes, it's not that hard, but it's not that easy either, that was the point.
I agree that it's not easy... but what does "in the court of law" mean? If you're comparing it to a lineup, we're not talking about an individual dog here, as in, "That dog bit me", we're talking about "That type of dog bit me", which would be similar to, "That race of person attacked me." Put someone Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and a Philipino in a lineup, all male, all 5'4", all the same build. Could you say that it was definitely one race or another that mugged you? Probably not. Could you say it was a definitely a Pit Bull that attacked you? Probably not. Could you say it was an Asian person that attacked you? Yes. Could you say it was a, "Pit Bull like dog, or Pit Bull cross" that attacked you? I could. I suspect many others could as well.

Let's eliminate the times a victim called a mastiff a pit bull, or a shepard cross a pit bull, or a Burnese mountain dog a pit bull... these are silly mistakes. But when a person thinks a Thai Ridgeback, a Bull Terrier, or a Pit Bull Cross are "Pit Bull like", I would tend to agree. I suspect the description of "an Asian person" attacked me would stand up in court, and be used as evidence to include or exclude someone as a suspect. On top of that, many attacks are not attributed to "unknown attackers" (as in "unknown assailant"), but rather are attributed to a specific animal, many time killed after the attack. Regardless of what the victim thought the dog "looked" like, usually the specific breed is determined.

Again, I don't want to marginalize the feelings and opinions of those against a "dangerous breed" ban, but it would be helpful if people on both sides of the debate used good evidence. If one side starts using bad evidence (as the media side often does) that does not justify countering them with bad reasoning as well. Take the high road folks!

cheers,
Dogdude
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