This once again is someone who knows NOTHING about the breed...
I know this person isn't here to read my replies but I really need to bust a couple ridiculous myths in this letter..don't believe the bull people...

Don't trust pit bulls
How about we not trust ourselves either? We are afterall, the ones who created this "monster breed"

These were family dogs that "snapped," and the violent rampage that resulted nearly cost my son his life.
Firstly my deepest sorrows about her son.

But sorry to say that dogs do not just "snap."

"Dogs don't just suddenly "snap and turn" against people. Bad apples with sketchy temperaments and/or troubled dogs that can be provoked to bite show clear warning signs well in advance of causing harm. Pit bulls in particular are a ‘What you see is what you get' breed and knowledgeable dog handlers find them easy to read. Unstable examples of all breeds give off plenty of signals way in advance of escalating to human-
directed aggression.

Dogs with unstable temperaments can be provoked to aggress via mishandling or abuse. They may be especially problematic if they’re unfixed (females in season and males who are attracted to females in season) or defending territory."
(From: http://www.badrap.org/rescue/index.cfm)


Quote Originally Posted by cassiesmom
My message is simple: In going to a shelter to adopt a dog, unless you know exactly where the dog came from, you don't know how it has been bred. If you are interested in a pit bull, the one you get from a shelter may have been bred to be extremely aggressive and violent. This violence can display itself at any time, with seemingly no provocation.
This statement is so utterly ridiculous....

Time to do a little more myth busting...

"Many people feel more comfortable meeting the parents of their new puppy or dog; they mistakenly believe that the puppy will turn out to be a carbon copy of its parents. If the parents are mild-mannered and friendly, the puppy will be the same, right? In reality, two very nice parent dogs can easily produce a temperamentally-compromised puppy or litter. Additionally, the "end result" - the adult dog - is shaped by how the owners raise, train, socialize, and treat their puppy. Even a puppy with excellent temperament can be totally ruined by ignorant, irresponsible owners.

Although most rescued dogs do not come with a pedigree, and their history is unknown, such mystery does not automatically make the dog "dangerous" or "risky." At a reputable shelter, dogs with obvious temperament flaws (those that suggest the dog is a danger) are not offered for adoption. New owners of adopted dogs can also reduce the liklihood of behavior problems through proper training and socializing -- something that has to be done regardless of whether the dog is purchased or adopted.

The risk you face by adopting a dog with unknown history is about equivalent to the risk you face by purchasing a dog from a breeder. (Besides, do you really know the history or genetics of the dog you purchase, other than what the breeder claims to be true?)"

(From: http://www.happypitbull.com/index.html)