So many residents in Council Districts 8 & 5 (East Ft. Worth) are pimping their Pitt Bull dogs for "extra money," as one homeless man said yesterday. You can drive the neighborhood streets and every once in a while see a yard sign that reads "Pitt Bull puppies for sale." Why is the Pitt Bull breed so popular? Because it makes one appear tough, cool and untouchable as the rappers are trying to project on their music videos and singing about in their songs and teaching the young kiddos of today. One more waving red flag of the need for us as a community and society to address the need to help at risk children get the very best education possible and add some self esteem building, self responsibility building life skill teachings. We have got to find a way to counter the "normal" way of life that these at risk children see every day if and when they get home from school (if they even went to school!) We have got to find a way to hold parents accountable when they don't assume the responsibility of their children. Otherwise our local, state and federal taxes will continue to rise year after year because the need for more prisons, animal shelters, animal adoption centers, homeless shelters, charity organizations, re-entry services, city jails, and on and on. We have to address the root of problems or will we never make headway in solving them.
I have sent many emails to the Mayor and City Council members explaining the need for solutions to the dog neglect, abuse, strays roaming the neighborhoods on the Eastside. Months ago the Council did pass a no tethering ordinance and they have passed other dog related ordinances. However, those ordinances were way late in coming and the problems were already out of control due to lack of City government acknowledging they existed. The three top Districts in Ft. Worth for animal control calls are District 5 (Frank Moss), District 8 (Kathleen Hicks) & 2 (Sal Espino). It is my understanding that Sal Espino does now have a Responsible Dog Ownership program in District 2.
The dog problems create tension in the neighborhoods, especially the neighborhoods that have a hearty mix of races, income levels, major cultural differences in upbringing and values, etc. I have heard several residents say they would like to move out of the Eastside strictly because of the dog abuse/neglect that they see & hear on a daily basis. Dog abuse/neglect hits on so many fronts such as cruelty, quality of life for the residents (and the dog), public safety, domestic safety, etc. The other day, Animal Control had to call the FWPD to the scene because the irresponsible dog owners were so angry and probably threatening, like they had been to the neighbors, when Animal Control knocked on their door.
It was interesting to see how much our Council rep, Kathleen Hicks cares about dogs and/or the issue of stray dogs in the District at the Neighborhood picnic this summer. The picnic was at the park and low and behold there was a stray dog hanging around, I brought the stray dog to her attention to show her that all the emails we sent to her about the high number of stray dogs roaming around in her District were in fact true and here was an example. Her reply was "Oh Lord," and she kept walking. She didn't no more care about that stray dog or the issue of such than she cares about gas drilling safety.
