Persuasive anti-BSL (somewhat Pit Bull )Speech Outline

[ktpaco]

Well I've done the best that I can. I submitted this outline a few minutes ago. Tomorrow, I'll actually start practicing the speech. I have to give it Friday afternoon. It's not exactly what I had set out to talk about - but given the requirements of the speech, I still tried to give some attention to pit bulls. It's only a 5 - 8 minute speech, so I don't have a whole lot of time to pack in a bunch of great info.





Specific Purpose: As a result of my speech, my audience will agree that Breed Specific Legislation is canine discrimination that is useless in the purpose of stopping dog attacks.

Central Idea: It is not a genetic gene that makes a dog aggressive or non-aggressive; it is the dog owner that creates this problem with a dog’s behavior.

Introduction:

I. Which dog is the actual pit bull? (You are condemning to death one dog, can you pick the right one?)

II. Breed Specific Legislation is equivalent to death, and this death is due to canine discrimination that is not upheld by scientific studies, but rather by the media and legislators who back the banning of a breed without even being able to correctly identify the so-called perpetrator.

III. One day without cause, the legislative finger could be pointed at you and your beloved Fido.

IV. I’ve done a lot of research on this subject, as I am the owner of not just one pit bull, but (2) pit bulls, (1) Rottweiler, and (1) Chow-chow.

V. Here are the two things I want to convince you of today:
a. *Breed specific legislation is an inappropriate response to irresponsible owner behavior.
B. There are better ways to handle this problem.

Transition: Let’s examine the problem

Body:

I. Breed specific legislation is an inappropriate response for irresponsible dog owners.
A. What is breed specific legislation?
1. Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) is, in simple terms, a statute or regulation that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs
2. But it has been proven, many times over, that BSL doesn’t work:
a. In Winnipeg, Canada – 1990 – pit bulls were banned, but dog bites still increase every year .
b. According to the British Broadcaster (similar to ABC, NBC, CBS) , hospitalizations due to dog bites increased by 25% after pit bulls were banned in Britain.
c. In Ontario, Canada – where pit bulls have been banned, the number of dog bites per year have not been reduced.

B. Because of the media, more people believe that BSL is needed. (www.coldsteelpits.com)
1. Headlines like:
a. “Pit Bull Mauls 3 Year Old’s Face” New York Daily News – Feb.7, 2004 - correct reporting would have stated “Boxer”.
b. “Man Struggles to Recover from Pit Bull Attack” – WTVO – April 25, 2003 – correct reporting would stated that the victim was running away from a dog and slammed into a passing van.
c. “Killer Pit Bulls Rip Granny to Shreds” New York Post – Dec. 11, 2002 – correct reporting would stated that “Granny” had received some dog bites after she had died from cardiac arrhythmia.
C. So far, all the “top dogs” concur that there is no scientific evidence that dogs can be genetically aggressive – there is no such dog gene. This is supported by the ASPCA, The Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Supreme Court of Alabama.
D. Dr. Karen Overall, who possess a MA, VMD, PhD, and DACVB says “In reviewing and studying over 448 cases of fatal dog attacks in the US, it is apparent that there are three factors that contribute to a fatal dog attack.” (www.workingpitbull.com)
1. *Function/purpose of dogs: fuzzy guns and four-legged doorbells.
2. Owner responsibility: dogs aren’t socialized nor trained properly
3. Reproductive status of dog: It was found that 6 out of 10 dog attacks involved an intact male dog.

Transaction: If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit.

II. These are the things that we can do to stop BSL
A. Don’t go by blind faith when it comes to the media – remember sensationalism sells.
B. Dogs don’t pick their owners, their owner’s pick them. Let’s make irresponsible dog owners pay the price, instead of a breed that had no say in who owned them.
C. Support anti-BSL laws – which “Punish the Deed, not the breed”
D. And let’s face facts, in the US during an average year 41 people are struck by lighting – compared to 24 people being killed by dogs. More children are actually killed by their parents per year than by the family pit bull.

Transaction: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.

Conclusion:

I. Statistics show us how breed specific legislation really isn’t working, so to provide society with the most effective canine measures, laws must not be breed specific.

II. Today it’s my dog, but tomorrow, it could be your’s.

III. So let’s punish the deed and not the breed, remember if the glove don’t fit, you must acquit.





Works Cited:

Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the US between 1979 and 1998, Sacks, J., Sinclair, L., Gilchrist, J., Golab, G.C., Lockwood, R. Journal of the American
Veterinary Medical Association, 2000 Sep 15; 217(6):836-840

University of Michigan College of Law, Favre, D, 27 March 2006, www.animallaw.info,

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Why Spay or Neuter?, 27 March 2006, www.aspca.org

Cold Steel Pits, Newspapers & Media Accounts of Dog Attacks, 29 March 2006, www.coldsteelpits.com

Dog Attacks – the Truth, & Breed Specific Legislation, Jessup, D. March 29, 2006, www.workingpitbull.com

Attacks on Innocent Dog Owners, March 27 2006, www.goodpooch.com


Visuals:
Pick the pitbull – test/handout
Posterboards - statistics

[rotti_lover0614]

Wow, I think that is great! I rescued a pit off the side of the road. He was just sitting on the side of the road next to a dump. I told my husband to stop the vehicle now. He pulled off and I slowly got out of the vehicle and knelt next to the door. I called here puppy and to my amazement, he came running. You could see every rib and vertebre and he was filthy and covered with wounds. We brought him home and he was initially very protective of his food, but in no time became buds with my male rotti. Unfortunatly, the vet said he had advanced stage of heartworms and there was no hope. We took him home and gave him the best 6 months of his life. He was such a sweet and loving dog. I wish I could have found him sooner when he had a chance. Noone can believe that I had an intact rott and an intact pitt living together with no problems. Hagan(pitt) was so subservent from being fought though. Towards the end his true personality shined through. At first all he wanted was to be in my lap or right under my feet, but he soon became independent and would leave me to play with the other dogs.

[rutylr]

Very good.
Hopefully it makes people think.
Donna

[Luvmyjob]

This is excellant! Not that I am qualified to judge, JMO, good luck!

[Hersheysmom]

I thought that it hit all your points it is an excellent presentation. Good Job !

[Savage Destiny]

Looks to be a great speech- Hope you change some people's minds.

[ktpaco]

Well... I was so nervous, but I did it. My speech was yesterday, and I got the word today on the grade (we get our grades online)...

I GOT AN A!!!!! (94% - 142/150)...... My best speech yet.

Don't know if I changed anyone's mind. But my professor said it was a very well done & very well researched speech.

Thank you so much, especially Savage Destiny, Rutyr (Donna's Dots), and others who gave me the links I needed to back up my arguements. I wouldn't have had the confidence I did, if I hadn't had the sites for my research, and MANY of you gave me some great places to go. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate it.

Now, who wants to help me with my special occasion speech???? Just kidding... this really helped my confidence, so this next one shouldn't be so bad.

Thanks again everyone for your help & support.

Sincerely, Kelli.