Hi Bill,

Your blurb about the dog attack in the recent issue ("Pit Bull Attacks Jogger's Dog on Monon Trail", Vol15. No.15) got my heart pumping, albeit for a different reason than you might expect. I sympathize with the victims and wish them a speedy recovery- we are frequent trail users and want everyone to feel safe. What got my heart beating faster, though, was the profiling and demonizing of a certain breed of dog. I am a dog mom to a mid-sized, short-haired, mutt adopted from the Humane Society of Marion County- you might call her a "pit bull". I've noticed many of us in the Broad Ripple neighborhood adding such dogs to our families. Responsible dog ownership (or lack thereof) is the underlying issue here, not the phenotype of the dog. Any dog can attack any dog. Support for community efforts toward training, education, spaying, and neutering can help minimize these occurrences. Discrimination of any kind has no place in our neighborhood and I encourage you to read more about the history of the issue (Bronwyn Dickey's Pitbull is a great place to start.)

Thanks,

Daisy Winkler

Broad Ripple Resident and Animal Lover