​www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/n-carolina-gov-seeks-help-critically-endangered-red-wolf-just-n1107446

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is seeking assistance in protecting and rehabilitating the last remaining red wolves after it was discovered that there were only 14 known red wolves left in the wild. This comes after there were no red wolf pups born in 2019 for the first time in the history of the red wolf reintroduction program, alarming the Governor and inspiring him to reach out, demanding assistance in protecting these beautiful animals before they ultimately end up extinct.

Red wolves once occupied a large portion of the eastern US but were trapped, hunted, and suffered immense habitat loss through the years pushing them closer and closer to extinction. The wolves were then reintroduced in North Carolina in 1987 occupying space in 5 North Carolina counties. Changes in management strategies over the years have allowed for the wolves once again to begin dwindling in numbers while the federal government continues to push aside the issue. In fact, proven wolf rehabilitation strategies such have been ignored despite their successes in the past. This blatant disregard for red wolves is now putting them in grave, immediate danger of going extinct if more is not done to help them.

The Fish & Wildlife Services issued a statement claiming to be bringing on scientists to in 2020 to come up with an adequate recovery plan but this leaves too many questions as to when things will be done. As mentioned earlier in the article, there are only about a dozen red wolves left in the wild throughout North Carolina, we need exact dates when things will be done. We need a realistic timeframe that the government can be held accountable to, not an open ended commitment.

Red Wolves are in serious danger and it's incredibly important that something is done NOW! I will update you guys with more information as it becomes available. Read the full story from NBC News through the link at the top of this post!

HAPPY VEG

I am from Ontario Canada, the only province in Canada that has enforced a complete ban on pitbulls and pitbull type breeds since 2004. Other provinces in Canada have bans in certain cities or regions and others list them as restricted breeds which in my opinion, is basically the same thing as a ban. Outside of Canada, various countries across the globe have either enacted full bans or allowed individual cities to enforce their own bans on pitbulls. In some extreme cases like New Zealand, pitbulls cannot even be put up for adoption and will in fact, be euthanized simply for existing.

The reason behind this is the perceived notion that pitbulls are aggressive, menacing, and dangerous. The media sensationalizes pitbull attacks further promoting the idea that pitbulls are these aggressive, ill tempered beasts just waiting for an opportunity to attack. We hear about pitbull attacks and pitbulls being involved in dog fighting schemes and these stories motivate our governments to enforce bans on the breed entirely without actually investigating the root cause of these attacks which is not the dogs themselves, but the people who are responsible for caring for them. The logic behind blaming the breed is simply unethical, incorrect, and discriminatory towards a breed that now has a horrendous, undeserved reputation.

In the case of pitbulls, this breed is one of the most abused and exploited of all dog breeds. Simply because they are the breed they are, they are looked at as ideal for bloodsports like dog fighting. These dogs are often starved, teased, taunted, and forced into becoming aggressive so that when it comes to fighting, they will be ready to attack. This environment allows for these dogs to become aggressive and promotes the idea that pitbulls are dangerous to humans especially after the media gets a hold of these stories. The people who get busted for dog fighting are often penalized for the sport itself, but rarely do we see them held accountable for what they've put their dogs through and ultimately, for allowing their dogs to be deemed dangerous and potentially euthanized after being seized. These poor babies spend their entire lives being beaten and taunted into aggression only to end up being euthanized after being exploited to such a high degree.

We cannot hold an entire breed accountable for the actions of people who have put these wonderful creatures into these positions. I remember a time when Rottweilers and Dobermans were also deemed dangerous but once that subsided, we moved on to pitbulls. Look, put any dog in a cage, abuse it, starve it, tease it, taunt it etc., it will become aggressive, this is not breed specific. It's unfortunately discriminatory towards pitbulls because those are the chosen breed to engage in all of these horrendous activities. To blame the entire breed is wholly unfair and unethical and now has put these beautiful dogs in danger of being euthanized simply for existing.

The logic used to label pitbulls as dangerous is completely unjust and focuses only on these incidents without actually investigating whether or not these dogs would have been aggressive if brought up under the right circumstances. Using this logic and applying it to humans, if we identify that almost all mass shootings and serial killings are committed by middle aged white males, should we not also be taking measures to protect our citizens from middle aged white males? We don't do this however because we continue to value human life over animal life so it's easy to simply label the breed as dangerous and start banning them because they're only animals. It's wrong and discriminatory in every way.

What we should be doing is lifting these bans and ensuring there are pitbull specific rules in place. Registering your dog on a yearly or bi-yearly basis, ensuring your dog has obedience training, making sure your dog leaves the house with a muzzle or other approved mouth gear, etc. We haven't given these animals a chance and it breaks my heart to think that these misunderstood and mislabelled animals could potentially be euthanized simply for being born despite being all around good dogs with a reputation that puts the nails in their coffins. 

My point through this story is simple, we have put pitbulls in the position they are currently in through our own actions. Using these dogs for fights, spreading falsities about the breed itself, and promoting the idea that these dogs are nothing more than vile, aggressive animals just waiting for the opportunity to attack, these things have all been detrimental to the position pitbulls now find themselves in. It's wrong and these dogs continue to suffer because of this.

Lift the bans, give the dogs a chance, and stop blaming the breed. 

HAPPY VEG