Say no to breed-specific legislation by Pam Spaulding

This father's wonderful pit bull saved his son's life. Titus ran downstairs in distress barking and then tugging at the dad's sleeve. He went upstairs to find his baby hanging by the window shade cord gasping for air. He was saved thanks to the family bond Titus has with his "pack." Say no to Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).

The fact of the matter is that you cannot predict which dog, by breed alone, is a danger either to a person or another dog. BSL usually calls to ban any breed that even LOOKS like a pit bull, AmStaff or other breeds of that type. So you could have a litter of pups from a cross between a Lab and a pit bull, one with the familiar broad head and jaw, another with a Lab-shaped head. Under BSL, the one that appears to be a pit, with a Lab temperament is banned and could by destroyed, while a one with a Lab appearance could have be unbalanced, nervous and a fear-biter, and be adopted out to a family with kids with disastrous results. That's madness.

BSL means if we take Casey on the road, there may be states where we cannot stop to let her out or she could be reported and taken from us. That's BS.

The pits are the last to be adopted, first to be euthanized, and people are missing out on good family pets like Titus and Casey, our beloved pit. Look at these lovely dogs up for adoption at the Animal Protection Society of Durham -- Madeline and Edison.

The real issue is that a lot of these dogs end up in shelters because people don't research a breed before adopting. The last couple of times I went to the APS, there were Chihuahuas (lots of them are not good around kids) and Jack Russell Terriers (need a lot exercise or they will destroy your house).

At the APS they temper test the dogs and label right on the kennel whether they are good with kids or other dogs, whether they are high-energy or need a quiet home. Judge a dog by its behavior, not the breed.