Monday, June 13, 2011

Over the Line

I am sorry to say that I got an announcement today from Ravishing Racks, a maker of very good clothing for prim breast users, that they have added to their business virtual pit bulls that can be made to fight. I cannot support that, even in a virtual world, so I won't be spending my L$ there. You will have to decide for yourself what you will do.

I hasten to add: pit bulls are not born aggressive and dangerous. Some are made that way by vile people who train them to be so, and I will celebrate on the day that practice ends and those responsible get what they deserve.

UPDATE: I am partly wrong: according to this page with a review of The Lost Dogs,
One law enforcement officer experienced with dog fighting is quoted as saying that as many as 80% of the dogs in a typical dog fighting operation never fight, even when coaxed and treated harshly and trained for it. 80% just don't show the aggression necessary.
So even though these scum try to make the dogs fight, the vast majority don't.

I am not wrong about pit bulls not being inherently vicious or aggressive. (Details here.) 

The Lost Dogs is the story of what happened to the dogs in the illegal dog fighting operation Michael Vick was involved in. From the page linked to above:
Out of the 51 dogs rescued, at least 20 were suitable for foster care immediately.  Others were sent to sanctuaries, and after some work, were then sent to foster homes.  Many of the fosters passed the Canine Good Citizen Test and the ATTS behavior test, and some are currently working as therapy dogs.

Only two had to be euthanized.  One for aggression, and one because of a severe health problem that was inoperable and causing the dog pain.
Only two.

And this was after the president of the Humane Society, Wayne Pacelle, publicly stated that it didn't make sense to keep any of the dogs alive.
UPDATE: Do read the comments.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am sure if you asked 100s of 1000s of Feminism of their feeling on on people dressing AVs up in provocative clothing and asking strangers to engage in internet sex,work as strippers or even escorts how they feel about your conduct on the web.Feel free to use your right of choice and choose not to shop with me.That is 100% you right and i would never use blogs to influencing people to draw lines in the sand and choose side.
In SL we have makers that have dogs people have sex with..I do not see boycotts to the Dark Delights shop over it...
Yes I had plan to have the dogs turn into Demon dogs
(horns,flaming eyes) and have a little hell spawn wars..no different then robots or the many other things in SL that do combat.
I do not think this post will see the light of day to give me a fair say..But hay at this point I am use to it :D

Melissa Yeuxdoux said...

Nope, your comment isn't spam, so I will happily leave it up.

Melissa Yeuxdoux said...

Oops; I stopped too soon.

First, I presume you meant "their conduct"--essentially all of the L$ I spend come from my RL work. I am not a stripper or escort, though I have friends who are, and as I've commented many times, I dress modestly, save that when in Knossos, I dress like a Minoan.

Second, I was blissfully unaware of what Dark Delights's existence, much less what they sell. They won't get any of my L$ either, now that I know, even though they make some pretty butterflies.

Third, here's the text of the notice sent out:

"Ravishing Mini PitBulls [sic]

"Full AOs in male and female
Sculpted pitbulls you can place on ground
you will be able to fight them and gain ranking fighting points for cash prizes.
And I know..some one will bitch taht [sic] I made dogs that fight...its SL ...people fight,animals fight..fact is no one getting hurt here.Please address your complains to the brick all [sic] at the shop..."

No mention of horns or flaming eyes or transformation into obviously fictional creatures--just pit bulls, a breed erroneously labeled as inherently vicious and aggressive.

Anonymous said...

I think its much to do about nothing really. No real animals are hurt and they are puppies,puppies fight for dominance that is part of the pack mentality. I could almost see a stink if the animals bleed or you had to put them down honestly this is a big hoopla over nothing.

Anonymous said...

Pitbull tears off north Florida man's arms in attack

Any pitbull stories on here yet?

Dogs tear off north Florida man's arms in attack

PALATKA, Fla. — Authorities say two dogs attacked an elderly north Florida man, tearing off his right arm and seriously wounding his left.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office reports that 74-year-old Roy McSweeney was doing yard work Friday morning when the dogs — either pit bulls or pit mixes — jumped the fence and attacked. Besides the damage to his arms, McSweeney also suffered severe facial injuries. He was taken to a Gainesville hospital, where doctors were trying to save his left arm. His condition wasn't immediately known.

Investigators determined that the dogs that attacked McSweeney belonged to his neighbor. The dogs were taken by officials and euthanized. The health department will test the animals for rabies.

I really do not think you know much about the breed and the facts.all I see is you using some crap a cop posted after a very public assult on Micheal Vick and every one wanting ot get a word in. Pitbulls are aggressive by nature,you need to do a little research before you go out there slandering a designer in SL like TammyT...

Melissa Yeuxdoux said...

The plural of "anecdote" is not "data".

People may wish to take the test at http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html and see whether they can identify the pit bull among the dogs shown--and then wonder how accurate attributions of attacks such as the one Anonymous quotes are.

While you're at it, read http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/stamford.html, too.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Anybody who thinks animal fighting is playful has no idea. Maybe read up on it or watch some Youtubes. Try Off The Chain or My Dog Is My Weapon. They get ears torn off, mangled, faces ripped off anything to win. Just to please their owners. Tammy says it's JUST sl, to lighten up. Most of us do things in sl we cannot do in rl. Things we'd like to do and aren't capable of. So why choose this? I don't think creating a sim for pitbull fights to win cash prizes is ok just because it's "just sl." People still have feelings and compassion behind the keyboard. I don't take many things in the game seriously, by all means have fun. But why something so gruesome and awful? When I read about pitbull fighting and shows in the news and such it really makes me lose hope in humanity. I think Ghandi put it best..."The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."