Now I'm not sure about this any more but are pitbulls still illegal here in England? In my block alone there are at least 7 of them, one next door to me which has attacked my dog twice, we can't go past the house without feeling threatened because the woman who owns it always leaves her front door open. She's just moved here about a month ago and the barking is non stop, her kids wind the dog up too.

Theres a pair of females two doors down who go ballistic when someone walks past the door. Theres another pair of young males in the flat directly below us who are kept of these spiky harness things. In the block behind us theres at least 3 of them, not sure who owns them but once I saw the three of them out in the play area chasing the kids around and nipping their heels, the kids seemed to find it funny, apart from one who was crying while one of the dogs ran around her barking until the owner pulled her away and kicked her in the gut. I was pretty angry at that point and a lot of swearing and shouting ensued.

I know dogs play but to me that just seems dangerous.

The people that own these dogs, around here anyway, look like dirty Jeremy Kyler fodder and always stink of weed. It makes me sick that people use dogs as status symbols or to make themselves look tougher.

You can't go anywhere round here without seeing some pitbull type dog with an over the tope leather harness while its owner struts around in their tracksuit.

Whenever i see them i just want to roll my eyes and laugh at their immaturity, but the other half of me wants punch him in the face.

Would it be worth reporting the owner of the dog next door to us, seeing as its clearly a pitbull and is known to be agressive. I Know its not the dogs fault but with so many kids running up and down and my dog being quite frail, I don't want another (literally) bloody incident like before. Sometimes we can't even walk past to get to our flat because the dog is standing there barking and snarling and doing that thing where they leap forward at you. I try not to be threatened by it buts its hard not to sometimes.

i'm just worried that by reporting her, we might be forced to get rid of our dog because strictly speaking dogs arent allowed in this council block. Its not our fault we were forced to move here though.

Laura

> look like dirty Jeremy Kyler fodder

ROFL - Dirrrrty!

> seeing as its clearly a pitbull

what are  your defining characteristics for 'clearly a pitbull'?  How would you differentiate a pitbull from a poorly bred or even a well bred staffy?

> what are  your defining characteristics for 'clearly a pitbull'?  How would you differentiate a pitbull from a poorly bred or even a well bred staffy?

That's the whole problem, isn't it? - it's become a big melting pot of "Type" and even legit crossbreeds can resemble what we've been hyped up to think of as a pit bull. I guess unless you have had years of experience with true-bred Pits then nobody is qualified to answer that one, and many mixes resemble Type. there are no experts in the breed here as it's not considered a breed... and the Am Staff is identical, too, but not purposely bred for 'gameness' i.e. aggression.

That's also why one boxer cross has been languishing in jail in Northern Ireland for so long, because they can't agree on how to release him based on a loophole affecting NI, but not the rest of the UK.

I too wonder on what you base your identification of these dogs as Pit bulls.

Pit bulls were banned and those around at the time had to be neutered, so no pit bull should be alive as the law was passed nearly 20 years ago.

The breed or type is no illegal in Ireland, and I suppose it could be feasible that some illegal dogs have been imported (no quarantine or Pet Passports between UK and Ireland), but the owners of real puts are unlikely to advertise the fact they have such dogs.

Those that youths proudly state are Pits or Pit crosses have as much pit in them as my dogs have.

Any short coated medium to large muscular dog with a largish head and jaw could easily fall under the catch all description of pit bull type.

There are many such breeds, unrecognised breeds, pseudo breeds etc, as well as lots of badly bred Staffies and Staffie crosses.

> Pit bulls were banned and those around at the time had to be neutered, so no pit bull should be alive as the law was passed nearly 20 years ago. The breed or type is no illegal in Ireland, and I suppose it could be feasible that some illegal dogs have been imported (no quarantine or Pet Passports between UK and Ireland), but the owners of real puts are unlikely to advertise the fact they have such dogs.

Sadly there ARE true pits in the UK, smuggled in or bred from smuggled dogs. The PB looks identical to an American Staff so it's not hard to dual-reg with AKC where AmStaff is accepted but PB not... although the Am Staff is also illegal, because of its twin-relationship to the Pit.

I saw my first true 'type' dog when I lived in London... the local off-licence owner had one and proudly showed me its reg documents and pedigree.... It was AKC bred from imports and reg as an AmStaff.... and this was pre-DDA. However it might also have been a true Pit but dual registered with UKC (America's reg body that actually first came into existence solely to register Pit Bulls around 100 yrs ago).

I think the fact that it now has become a true genetic melting pot here in the UK, means that owners of genuine PBs can find ways around it, by claiming they are crosses etc.

Unfortunately it's no longer on BBC iplayer but a recent episode of Animal 24/7 which focused on Dangerous Dogs did highlight the issue - there really are people here who do have Pits. It was well worth seeing.

If the dogs behaviour is worrying, then report them for the safety of the community - any dog, nomatter what breed should not be frightening people and there are things that can be done.

> pitbulls still illegal here in England?

Yes, they are illegal, but I think as long as the dog is not being agressive/ a potential problem & the owner can prove thierself responsible, the dog can be kept by the owner as long as certain criteria is met.

> apart from one who was crying while one of the dogs ran around her barking until the owner pulled her away and kicked her in the gut

This owner needs reporting - that is blatant animal cruelty :(