The Dog Attack Issue

[urbpan]

The issue of dog attacks can be framed many different ways. In the past 30 years there has been a tendency for the media to frame the issue in terms of dog breeds. Earlier in the 20th century and back to the 19th, the media would report on dog attacks in their full context, often with a moral lesson about approaching strange dogs, approaching dogs while they're eating, or mistreating dogs.

Coincident with the popularity with pit bull type breeds in the 80's, the media began framing these stories differently. They concocted a mythological beast, a dog that had abilities beyond other dogs, and that was uniquely unpredictable. They continue to propagate this story, often choosing and omitting facts to suit the legend. Incidents that in the past would have been too trivial to report, such as dogs killing cats and goats, and dogs chasing but not biting anyone, are reported--as long as the dog involved can be named as a pit bull.

In my google news alerts I get stories containing the words 'animal attacks.' There are usually a couple stories about dog attacks, on people, dogs, or other animals. This week I got two interesting stories that deviated from the pattern a little.

Pet dies after dog attack in town park
This is a story about a small dog killed by a big dog in a dog park. It probably happens hundreds of times a year, but it's only reported upon when the big dog is a pit bull, or if the big dog also attacks a human. The surprise this time around is that the big dog is a 'golden labrador' which must be one of those designer mutts that hobbyist breeders come up with. I can only guess that this newspaper is in a small news market, justifying a 'dog bites dog' story.

Dogs on the loose causing problems
This one really surprised me. The story is that in this locality, dog owners are not obeying the state and local leash laws, causing trouble for the understaffed animal control officers. The emphasis is on the danger that puts the dogs in, from motor vehicles and other dangers. When pit bulls are mentioned, as is inevitable, it's in the context of dogs' health. An animal shelter worker recalls a loose pit bull brought in with such bad malnutrition, mange, and ringworm that it had to be euthanized. Oh my god, they actually wrote a news story where we are supposed to feel sympathy for a pit bull!
Maybe I should write a thank you letter to Michael Vick.

Comments

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Well, the main reason I'm aware of the media history is the book I'm reading, The Pit Bull Placebo. any article i'd write like you describe would be meparaphrasing or plagiarizing that book.

[brush-rat.livejournal.com]

Well, then open with that disclaimer and write it. That book is going to be read mostly by pit bull owners, but a short piece that covers the salient points would get a wide audience and almost certainly be reposted. The reply you wrote about the jaw myth proves it would be useful.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

this particular topic and it's associated stupidity gets me too angry to write coherently.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll pick at it a bit. If it turns out someone wants to pay me for an article, I'd stab at it.