New Yorker, stuck in Vermont, Moving to Austin! (Howe, Justin: fit in, renters)

[Magnolia618]

Hey All!

My name is Chea, and I'm currently living in Winooski, Vermont. Winooksi means 'Onion' and it's basically a suburb of Burlington. I've been here for about a year.

I have two dogs named Maggie and Trey. Maggie is 8 years old and Trey is 4. They are both pit bulls, and the biggest babies in the world. I love them to death.

I love tattoos. I love gardening and houseplants. I have worked with animals my whole life, but I'm currently working in a natural foods co-op, which is surprisingly wonderful.

I just sent out my resume to several different animal-related jobs, and I'm hoping to be able to find a dog-friendly home so I can be in Austin in February.

It's cold here!!!

[cmiller1014]

Please just make sure you keep an eye on those pits. They all seem great but we all know why they are bred. We recently had someone nearby killed by one, and below is a 5 year old friend of the family who was attacked a couple weeks ago. He almost died.

Justin - Pit Bull Attack

[Magnolia618]

I'm not having this debate. Obviously you do not know "why they are bred". I have worked with thousands of dogs, most of them pit bulls. I would trust a pit bull over any other breed.

I did not start my post to have a debate on my dogs.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

[love roses]

Don't let one person bring ya' down so much...I say welcome to Austin I'm sorry that something like that happened to cmiller's friends. I know how terrifying it can be to be afraid for your childs life, but that doesn't mean everyone who owns a pit is an irresponsible owner. My daughter had her forearm chewed up pretty badly by my neighbors Australian ridgeback but it wasn't the fault of the dog owner, and we're still friends. In fact, my border collie bit a girl on my street on the leg and he had to spend a week in doggie jail. Any breed can have its quirks. But, I'm getting off topic, so I'll stop now.

Austin is very dog friendly, has some off leash parks too. If you rent, it may be a little tough finding somewhere with pits, just have to search. If you are buying, it's easier. My husband was in Michigan a little over a week ago and said it was really, really cold. It's cold here right now too, but I know nowhere like where you're at.

[cmiller1014]

Pit bulls were brought over from england and ireland in the mid 1800's when bulldogs were crossed with different color english terriers to create the ultimate fighting dog after the sports of bull-baiting and bear-baiting were abolished by the english parliament as "cruel". The then useless bulldogs had very little interest in fighting and that's why they were crossed to make a fighting dog. According to many sources, pit bulls have caused over 1/3 of the nations dog-bite fatalities since 1979. AKC alone recognizes something like 157 different breeds, so for ONE of them to cause 1/3 of the nations fatalities is really something.

No pit bull owners want to have this debate. They all want to believe that pits are bred for something other than fighting. Have fun with that thought - facts are facts. Most insurance companies wont cover property where pitbulls live, and most renters wont allow pitbulls either. Not to mention, several cities around the world have issued BANS on pitbulls. I think that says a lot about the breed.

My builder shot 2 on his porch last year because they setup camp on his porch and threatened his family as he went to take his kids to school. I carry a .45 at all times around my neighborhood in the event that one should come from nowhere - and one does come after people and cars from time to time. Around here they are used to protect meth labs, grow spots, etc because of their natural, mean nature.

Like I said though... you believe what you want to believe. The facts are the facts. Be a responsible owner of the wild animal you choose to raise, just like any other wild animal owner, and you are ok in my book. I know of another lady recently who had two, just like you do. Trusted them with her life and that's exactly what they took the day she had a seizure on the floor of her kitchen.

Welcome by the way... I hope you find a great spot. I love tattoo's too... have a full sleeve + chest plate, and a portrait of my daughter on my other forearm. All done by Ironage in St. Louis. We too love animals. Have 2 yellow labs, and a great dane. I think you will fit in well in Austin from the little bit that I have seen. The dogs have a TON of great places to chill with you out here too. I think its a great place all around.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Magnolia618

I'm not having this debate. Obviously you do not know "why they are bred". I have worked with thousands of dogs, most of them pit bulls. I would trust a pit bull over any other breed.

I did not start my post to have a debate on my dogs.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

cmiller just moved here and is still getting adjusted

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by cmiller1014

Pit bulls were brought over from england and ireland in the mid 1800's when bulldogs were crossed with different color english terriers to create the ultimate fighting dog after the sports of bull-baiting and bear-baiting were abolished by the english parliament as "cruel". The then useless bulldogs had very little interest in fighting and that's why they were crossed to make a fighting dog. According to many sources, pit bulls have caused over 1/3 of the nations dog-bite fatalities since 1979. AKC alone recognizes something like 157 different breeds, so for ONE of them to cause 1/3 of the nations fatalities is really something.

No pit bull owners want to have this debate. They all want to believe that pits are bred for something other than fighting. Have fun with that thought - facts are facts. Most insurance companies wont cover property where pitbulls live, and most renters wont allow pitbulls either. Not to mention, several cities around the world have issued BANS on pitbulls. I think that says a lot about the breed.

My builder shot 2 on his porch last year because they setup camp on his porch and threatened his family as he went to take his kids to school. I carry a .45 at all times around my neighborhood in the event that one should come from nowhere - and one does come after people and cars from time to time. Around here they are used to protect meth labs, grow spots, etc because of their natural, mean nature.

Like I said though... you believe what you want to believe. The facts are the facts. Be a responsible owner of the wild animal you choose to raise, just like any other wild animal owner, and you are ok in my book. I know of another lady recently who had two, just like you do. Trusted them with her life and that's exactly what they took the day she had a seizure on the floor of her kitchen.

Welcome by the way... I hope you find a great spot. I love tattoo's too... have a full sleeve + chest plate, and a portrait of my daughter on my other forearm. All done by Ironage in St. Louis. We too love animals. Have 2 yellow labs, and a great dane. I think you will fit in well in Austin from the little bit that I have seen. The dogs have a TON of great places to chill with you out here too. I think its a great place all around.

cmiller if you do a little more research you will discover that many attacks by pit bulls are not actually done by pit bulls. Lay people misclassify dogs all the time. Any stout dog pretty much gets classified as a pit bull (rottweilers etc). You will also find out that as fighting dogs after being in the pit and injured they needed to be handled without attacking their handler. Any pit bull that attacked a human after being in the pit would be destroyed. Over time they had bred into them the instinct not to attack people even when seriously injured. True bred pit bulls are a real danger to other dogs, but not to people.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Austin97

cmiller if you do a little more research you will discover that many attacks by pit bulls are not actually done by pit bulls. Lay people misclassify dogs all the time. Any stout dog pretty much gets classified as a pit bull (rottweilers etc). You will also find out that as fighting dogs after being in the pit and injured they needed to be handled without attacking their handler. Any pit bull that attacked a human after being in the pit would be destroyed. Over time they had bred into them the instinct not to attack people even when seriously injured. True bred pit bulls are a real danger to other dogs, but not to people.

I did the research, but elected not to get a pit bull because I knew that my neighbors wouldnt let their kids near one, right or wrong.

[cmiller1014]

Originally Posted by Austin97

True bred pit bulls are a real danger to other dogs, but not to people.

True bred pit bulls have the instincts of a wild animal and are a threat to anything that moves, like a wild animal.

[TexasHorseLady]

I would suggest that, as the OP stated, we not have this debate here, as it is off topic.

However, ON topic, it's true that you might have a bit of difficulty finding a rental because of the insurance regulations regarding pit bulls - landlords' hands may be tied by their insurance carriers. But that doesn't mean it's impossible, just a bit more difficult.

What kind of animal-related jobs are you looking for? And welcome to Austin!