Argumentative Essay Sample on Banning Pit Bulls

There are indeed many reasons why pit bulls should be banned in every country on earth, and among these is the vicious nature of pit bulls. As much as there are those individuals who may argue that pit bulls are loving pets that only suffer negative publicity from the media, the facts on the ground speak a different story. A lot of individuals from different parts of the United States of America have reported their pets being mauled to death by pit bulls, and such cases just go to demonstrate the vicious nature of these animals. It is true that pit bulls tend to be very loyal and loving to their owners, but it is also true that these animals have powerful instincts that drive them to attack other dogs and even human beings. Not only are pets viciously attacked by pit bulls on a daily basis, but also human beings are also often attacked by pit bulls. This is especially true when people end up in territories that pit bulls believe are theirs. Unlike many other dogs species that may let go of a victim, a pit bull rarely lets go of its victim, and its powerful grip often results in a fatality.

Another reason why pit bulls should be banned is that the owners of these dogs rarely accept accountability for their pets’ actions, instead choosing to blame attacks on the animal’s natural instincts. It is only natural that if an animal attacks, bites, or even kills, the owner should be looked for so the owner can be accountable for not controlling their animal. While the owners of other pets, in most cases, accept accountability for their pets’ actions, the owners of pit bulls are often vicious defenders of their animals and tend to blame the individual for the actions of their pit bulls.

The high statistics of pit bull attacks are scary enough to warrant a ban on these animals. In the US, pit bulls account for approximately 5 percent of the total dog population. However, of the approximately 100 dogs’ bite fatalities reported, close to 55 are attributed to pit bulls. Breaking down these statistics illustrates that a US citizen dies every three weeks due to a pit bull attack. Therefore, continuing to legalize these animals can be taken to imply that more importance is being placed on the lives of these dogs than on the lives of human beings.

According to the historical data, these dogs have been bred intending to be aggressive. Pit bulls are descended from English “bulldogge” that is extinct now. In the 19th century, many people used this tenacious and huge breed in a cruel sport called “bull baiting. All spectators gathered together in order to watch how pit bulls were tearing apart poor animal. In the early 1830s, Victorian activists banned this sport. However, it just turned into dogfighting that became even bloodier than bull baiting.

The uncommon breeding history of pit bulls has some unusual behavioral traits that were described by one of the editors of “The Economist.” In the middle of the controversy caused by the pit bull ban in the United Kingdom, the editor mentioned that these dogs are faster to anger than the majority of the other dogs, perhaps due to unusually high levels of neurotransmitter L-tyrosine in their blood.
What is more, this breed is alarmingly tenacious. The attacks of pit bulls usually last for fifteen minutes or even more, while neither kicks nor hoses can make them stop. This can be explained by the other anomaly in their behavior – their unbelievable insensitivity to pain. The majority of pit bulls beaten during a fight will give in the next time they meet the victor. This is also caused by some chemicals in their blood. Their body produces endorphins that, in turn, serve as natural painkillers. It is important to mention that endorphins may cause addiction. That is why dogs tend to search for pain in order to get the endorphin kick-in.

As much as there are those who may argue that it is not only pit bulls that bite, and that all dogs have the potential to bite, the fact that pit bulls are more likely to bite than other dogs cannot be simply ignored. The high likelihood of these dogs biting and injuring individuals and other dogs can be traced to the fact that these dogs tend to be more aggressive and irritable, compared to other kinds of dogs. These dogs are not only dangerous to outsiders but can also harm their owners or even members of the owners’ families. What is more important, most dogs usually warn people before they attack. Not the pit bulls! If they want to attack you, they do it without any warning.