Angelic Figure Appears
British Columbia, CA - On August 23, 4-year old Emma Cranford of White Rock was suddenly attacked by a pet pit bull while attending a family gathering. "Bite is not even the word," her mother Elizabeth Cranford told Peace Arch News. "She latched onto her neck and took a chunk. The bottom part of her right ear, right up to the chin was demolished." At the time of the attack, Emma was visiting her uncle's home for a barbeque. The pit bull belonged to her uncle's girlfriend.
A day earlier, Emma had sat next to the pit bull reading.1
Elizabeth said the unprovoked attack on her daughter "totally" changed her opinion of pit bulls. Rejecting the antiquated notion of "blaming the owner" when a dog is aggressive and believing that the pit bull breed itself is the problem. Both of Emma's parents are now calling on the B.C. government to ban pit bulls, just as Ontario and Winnipeg have. This determination by Emma's parents, "I want to fight this to the end," sparked a flurry of media and public attention.2
Just after the news coverage of Emma's attack, as well as a separate pit bull attack on 4-year old Hayden Bush in Kelowna, Miss Universe of Canada joined the debate supporting a pit bull law in B.C. Sahar Biniaz was crowned Miss Universe of Canada in May and plans to make her support of a pit bull law a major part of her reign. Sahar Biniaz herself is a pit bull attack victim. She was attacked by a pit bull at the age of 14; a year after her family adopted the animal.
On Friday, Peace Arch News reported a rare story, Dog Attack Victims Share a Universal Bond,3 which covered the beautiful meeting of Emma and Miss Universe of Canada at Emma's home. "I can understand what she went through and she's very brave," Sahar Biniaz said. She contacted Emma's family after learning about her attack and continues to pledge to raise awareness about pit bulls and dangerous dogs. "This is why my title is so valuable," Biniaz said.4
2The BCSPCA is expected to wage the most opposition. Longtime readers might recall the string of violent pit bull maulings in 2008 that rocked the region and also spurred calls for a pit bull ban.
3A theme left untouched by U.S. media.
4A reader sent in a comment about Miss Universe Canada visiting Emma: "What a great role model for those young women who are convinced that these dogs are the answers to their life." The comment refers to Rebecca Carey and the umpteen other young women like her bent on "saving" dangerous dogs.
Related articles:
07/09/12: New Canadian Study Shows Pit Bull Bans Result in Fewer Hospitalizations
11/14/11: Cities with Successful Pit Bull Laws; Data Shows Breed-Specific Laws Work
11/04/10: Ontario Gets it Right Again: Denies Cesar Millan's Pit Bull Entry into Province
Photo: PeaceArchNews.com
Pit bull advocacy fails to realize that the people who speak out for regulation of dangerous dogs, the people they characterize as "haters" are just ordinary folks who probably had no thoughts on pit bulls one way or another. Until, and this is the key point, they became victims of the violence. We pretty much all say the same thing after our attack "nobody should have to go through this, somebody should do something." It comes to us that we are the "somebody" and we demand regulation. Ms. Biniaz is a high profile somebody, and she is courageous to use her status to focus attention on the maulings. Emma's parents are somebody, the Soleskys are somebody. Every parent, and every pet or livestock owner who contacts legislators to demand action, they are somebody, every one of them. Colleen Lynn is a powerful somebody, she shines a light on the need to regulate a known danger. Thank you Colleen and thank you Miss Canada!
Great comment april 29 – It takes enormous courage to stand strong against the hostile, aggressive and abusive supporters of dangerous dogs. It's a sad fact that Pitbull apologists care only for themselves, and couldn't care less about Pitbll Attack victims. In my experience Pitbull Apologists are narcissists, and in psychological terms they are almost impossible to treat. Narcissists think everyone else is the problem, that there experience is the only one that counts and that they are somehow SPECIAL. Narcissists aren't very community minded as they are deeply self centred, and issues like eliminating maiming, mauling and murder by Pitbull isn't high on their selfish agenda. Unfortunately, it looks like it's up to the victims, a few strong and decent politicians and insurance companies, a strange combination, but it will have to do for now.
The attack on the 3yearold in Rochester has rocked my brain! A pit bull moved in across the street and that's what made the 100 pound male act "different" and try to bite the girl's head off.Both parents are said to be "disabled" and the pit belonged to grandpa's roommate and she was allowed to play with it her entire 3 years. Lollipop farm behavorist is going to tell the world why this might have happened and "HOW RARE IT IS"….LORD,HAVE MERCY ON US ALL!!!!
Preach it, Max!
In the past six months, I've been through some pretty heavy dealings with a narcissist. It's not fun.
Not that this person owns pit bulls, but it's still not fun.
A horrifying example of a pit bull owning family still in denial (and asking for donations!)
“Three-year old Jayden is listed in guarded condition and will have a long road to recovery after being attacked by a family pit bull, a dog she grew up with … The dog came around the couch and came up to her like normal … and just attacked her face and would not let go … Jayden has undergone six hours of surgery to repair a fractured jaw and damage to her nasal passages, tear duct, eye lids and bridge of her nose. She also lost five teeth in the attack.”
Another pit bull attack on a 4-year old child in British Columbia. THIRD pit bull attack victim family supports pit bull ban in province:
Four-year-old Alyssa was bitten in the face by the family's dog, Diesel. Alyssa was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery. A plastic surgeon stitched up her nose, which was "hanging off her face," said her mother.
Enter now the question:
Why can't the Pit Bull community regulate themselves and produce safe dogs in responsible number?
What are they waiting for?
"Why can't the Pit Bull community regulate themselves and produce safe dogs in responsible number?"
Well, they are people who choose to own fighting breed dogs instead of normal dogs not bred to display unrelenting, pointless aggression. So, they're not generally going to be the most responsible group out there.
Miss Universe is really quite brave. She's getting an unbelievable amount of flack for this.
Update from Barbara Kay: Barbara Kay: Beauty queen becomes target of the pit bully lobby. "The pit bull is a genetically manufactured ambulatory grenade and deserves every bit of condemnation it receives."