Changing Perceptions In The Hugh And Cry Over Pit Bulls

[Quickasyoucan]

Changing perceptions in the Hugh and cry over pit bulls Shane Green

December 7, 2011

.

The RSPCA's Hugh Wirth with his border terriers, Lachlan and Lexie. He now believes legal sanctions are not the answer to the American pit bull problem.

FOR decades, Hugh Wirth was the nation's most ferocious critic of American pit bulls: the dogs were killing machines and a despicable breed, he said. Now, he is officially silent.

Although still Victorian president of the RSPCA, Dr Wirth is no longer its public voice on the contentious issue of the breed's existence.

It is not that his opinion on the dog has changed. Rather, it is the RSPCA that has changed, with an official policy that it is ''the deed not the breed'' that matters.

''There's a difference with my view as president of the RSPCA Victoria, and a difference with my attitude privately,'' Dr Wirth said, speaking for the first time on the issue.

The new policy was adopted two years ago, but Dr Wirth's position emerged only recently, after the August death of Ayen Chol, 4, who was attacked by a pit bull that entered her St Albans home.

Dr Wirth said there had been no RSPCA gag, but at 72 and after four decades as spokesman, it was time for the organisation to ''train some other people''.

RSPCA chief executive Maria Mercurio said policies were reviewed regularly, based on the latest research. ''Hugh epitomises to a large extent the RSPCA's approach to these sorts of issues,'' she said. ''While he holds a very strong personal position, the RSPCA as a whole needs to move on.''

Dr Wirth has shifted significantly his thinking on dealing with American pit bulls. He no longer supports a legislative approach. ''What I'm saying is that there is no hope of any legislation, including the latest legislation in Victoria, dealing with the problem of having pit bull terriers in the community,'' he said.

''It just will not work. It's not worked in England, it's not worked in Holland, it's not worked in Belgium, and it hasn't worked in Italy. And all those countries have withdrawn the legislation because it's so time-consuming.''

The community's attitude to dog ownership had to change, he said, with a more rigorous approach to selecting dogs and raising them.

Dr Wirth said the legislation had given the community a feeling of safety - and that safety was non-existent. ''There's been a political solution, which implies new community safety, and that's not true.''There is now a clear division between the state's two key animal welfare groups.

The Lost Dogs' Home, led by veteran Dr Graeme Smith maintains its fierce public opposition to the breed and strongly supports the new laws.

''We're on the side of doing something about American pit bull terriers because of our concerns that they are a very dangerous dog,'' Dr Smith said.

''When I interview owners who have been attacked by their own dogs, they talk about how the animal has been normal and well-behaved. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, the dog goes off and attacks the owner.

''My feeling, generally speaking, is that laws can work, and 80 per cent of the population will abide by them.

''They will be an improvement in the way American pit bulls are managed.''

The first challenge to the new laws is expected to go before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal later this month, with a Ballarat couple arguing their dog was seized despite attempts to register it.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/changing-perceptions-in-the-hugh-and-cry-over-pit-bulls-20111206-1oh81.html#ixzz1foWowrfH

Bolding is mine...!

Edited December 7, 2011 by Quickasyoucan

[Souff]

Dr Wirth has shifted significantly his thinking on dealing with American pit bulls. He no longer supports a legislative approach. ''What I'm saying is that there is no hope of any legislation, including the latest legislation in Victoria, dealing with the problem of having pit bull terriers in the community,'' he said.

''It just will not work. It's not worked in England, it's not worked in Holland, it's not worked in Belgium, and it hasn't worked in Italy. And all those countries have withdrawn the legislation because it's so time-consuming.''

Oh.

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars are spent every time there is even a small change made to legislation and when new legislation is brought in the cost is even greater.

Do taxpayers get a refund when it is found that legislation, which many dog people warned would not work, is found to be not working?

The only people who ever benefit out of new laws being made about dogs, or amended, is the legal profession.

Nobody else.

Souff

[GeckoTree]

I don't know why anyone would take stock of anything that comes out of that dinosaur trolls mouth. Good or bad, make him insignificant to your lives. His words mean nothing, actions even less.

He is the worst thing top have ever have happened to the RSPCA, sadly WSPA as well.

Edited December 8, 2011 by GeckoTree

[GeckoTree]

Dr Wirth has shifted significantly his thinking on dealing with American pit bulls. He no longer supports a legislative approach. ''What I'm saying is that there is no hope of any legislation, including the latest legislation in Victoria, dealing with the problem of having pit bull terriers in the community,'' he said.

''It just will not work. It's not worked in England, it's not worked in Holland, it's not worked in Belgium, and it hasn't worked in Italy. And all those countries have withdrawn the legislation because it's so time-consuming.''

Oh.

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars are spent every time there is even a small change made to legislation and when new legislation is brought in the cost is even greater.

Do taxpayers get a refund when it is found that legislation, which many dog people warned would not work, is found to be not working?

The only people who ever benefit out of new laws being made about dogs, or amended, is the legal profession.

Nobody else.

Souff

Well you know imagine how many people would be without jobs with out BSL, Hays recruitment has certainly been busy in Vic on the centerlink scheme, 2 day work shops for the gutless local councils and all.

Edited December 8, 2011 by GeckoTree

[tarope]

Does anyone really care what Hugh kill,kill,kill them all Worthless believes or says - I think not! :D

[Aetherglow]

Does anyone really care what Hugh kill,kill,kill them all Worthless believes or says - I think not! :D

The trouble is that he has been a high profile public figure commenting on dogs for so long that people look to him as an authority. I'm rather sad that after all these years of bad-mouthing larger and bully breeds and advocating breed bans even his slight change of heart will probably go mostly unnoticed because he is no longer so high profile and not commenting as often in public as he did. If he were trumpeting this change of heart from the rooftops like he used to do with his other opinions I think people would take notice.

Hugh put me off years ago when he stated publicly he didn't like boxers :D That's been compounded with some of the things he says on his segment on Melbourne radio, but I have learned enough to take some of what he says with a very large grain of salt. I think a lot of people don't. After all, he's a vet, surely he knows, right?!

[tarope]

Does anyone really care what Hugh kill,kill,kill them all Worthless believes or says - I think not! :D

The trouble is that he has been a high profile public figure commenting on dogs for so long that people look to him as an authority. I'm rather sad that after all these years of bad-mouthing larger and bully breeds and advocating breed bans even his slight change of heart will probably go mostly unnoticed because he is no longer so high profile and not commenting as often in public as he did. If he were trumpeting this change of heart from the rooftops like he used to do with his other opinions I think people would take notice.

Hugh put me off years ago when he stated publicly he didn't like boxers :D That's been compounded with some of the things he says on his segment on Melbourne radio, but I have learned enough to take some of what he says with a very large grain of salt. I think a lot of people don't. After all, he's a vet, surely he knows, right?!

Some people still think the R$PCA is this wonderful society till they find out otherwise,anyway leopards don't change their spots do they.

[mita]

The evidence is now so strong that banning specific breeds does nothing for public safety, that it would be hard for anyone, who has professional credentials in veterinary science, to stick with a breed ban position.

Here's hoping that these more enlightened positions will lead to better understanding of humans interacting with dogs....and how safety around dogs, all dogs, can be managed.

As others have said, tho', the 'old' position led to the legislated killing of so many innocent dogs, who'd never done harm and showed no likelihood of ever doing so. They just happened to be a pitbull... or someone armed with authority said they looked like they had pitbull in them.

[Alyosha]

Is about time he was reined in and stopped from publicly spouting his personal opinion as if it were national policy.