This morning I was reading the newspaper online and came across the weekly question asking, "Are you in favour of banning pit bulls?"

When I read this I became outraged. Why would this even be up for consideration?

This is to those who voted Yes. Have you ever seen a pit bull? Have you ever played with one? Have you ever been around one for more than five minutes? If you said no to any of those questions then you should have been banned from voting yes.

Many people pass judgment on a pit bull without ever encountering one. Maybe they have seen one going for a walk, but the majority of people are going off hearsay. Here are some facts about pit bulls for those people.

German shepherds are more prone to attack someone for no apparent reason;

Pit bulls are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and are faithful family pets;

They are very social;

They were initially bred in England, Ireland and Scotland. They later arrived in the United States with immigrants from those countries;

They were used for catch dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt and drive livestock and as family companions (much like a border collie);

In the early 20th century a bunch of irresponsible individuals decided to use them as fighting dogs (in the U.S.);

There is no evidence for the existence of a physiological "locking mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs;

According to the American Temperament Testing Association pit bulls have, on average, an 85.3 per cent passing rate compared to a passing rate of 81.9 per cent for all other breeds;

Every year, more than 2,000 children in the U.S. are killed by their parents or guardians either through neglect or abuse. A child is 800 times more likely to be killed by their caretaker than a pit bull.

It's 2011 and people are still unable to make their own decisions based on facts and proof. One would think that by now people would be able to do so. If you are one of those people who voted yes without knowing much about the breed, shame on you. If you have legitimate reasons for voting yes, then vote yes. But don't go off hearsay.

Any animal can cause harm, but it's all about how that animal is brought up and raised. Pit bulls should not be banned or discriminated against because of hearsay and a bunch of irresponsible pet owners.

NICOLE DURHAM

Kamloops