Dog Breed Discrimination: MLB Mark Buehrle Pit Bull Ban | Global Animal
MLB Pitcher & Pit Bull Thrown Curve Ball
November 15, 2012Carmen Iben
Carmen Iben, Global Animal
This Tuesday, a blockbuster trade in Major League Baseball sent pitcher Mark Buehrle to Canada, but he and his dog might have problems settling in, seeing that Ontario has enforced a ban on pit bulls since 2005.
Mark Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, pose with their four dogs. Photo Credit: Change.org
This is not the first time Buehrle and his family have faced trouble moving to a new location solely because of the breed of their dog, Yahoo! Sports reports. Miami-Dade County, where his previous team the Miami Marlins were located, also enforces a law that does not allow pit bulls, or any other type of dog that resembles the breed.
But luckily in South Florida, Buehrle had a nearby option for a place to live. However, with his new team, the Blue Jays, the closest he could live would be Buffalo, NY—almost a two-hour daily drive from Toronto.
The Buehrles own four dogs, but only Slater will be discriminated against. Although Buehrle hasn’t spoken about the trade yet, as it has yet to become official, his living situation is expected to be an issue.
Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports
Pit bulls have a bad reputation for their supposed aggressive nature, but causes such as last month’s annual National Pit Bull Awareness Day are fighting breed discrimination by promoting the truth about pit bulls.
Pet guardians have a substantial effect on the way their dogs behave as adults, and these irresponsible guardians are more often than not the reason for their dogs’ aggressive nature. Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, have recognized this fact and petitioned to fight the Miami-Dade pit bull ban and put an end to breed discrimination.
But Buehrle and his wife are no strangers to the dog community. Not only have they rescued their own dogs, spoken out against Michael Vick, and tried to raise awareness about the breed, but the long-time canine advocates have also created a pet adoption organization in Chicago called “Sox for Strays,” in which Buehrle has used his position as a MLB player to help link shelter dogs with fans interested in adopting pets.
Given that he has been so active in the fight against animal cruelty, it is a shame that Mark Buehrle, or anyone for that matter, has to face splitting apart his family because of a regional ban on pit bulls. His lovable pooch has been in the family for years and is not aggressive whatsoever, as so many falsely believe. Buehrle’s fans believe another petition against breed discrimination in Ontario is inevitable.
