Tackling Dogfighting
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Robert Ferguson was no stranger to dogfights. “My friends and I would see other people fighting dogs,” the pro football player tells us. Often, fights would take place right out in the open, on the street or the sidewalk.
This wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings knows no dog deserves to be treated that way. That’s one reason he joined a group in Houston that works to stop dogfighting. The group spreads the word that the breed of dogs known as “pit bulls” are pets—not fighting machines. It also teaches people how to properly care for their dogs. He took a quick time-out to tell us more.
KIND News: Some kids who witness dogfighting might grow up thinking it’s okay. Why do you think that, instead of learning to fight dogs, you learned to respect and care for them?
Robert Ferguson: As a kid, I saw a lot of dogs being misused and abused. I just developed a passion for them. When you see good dogs being treated badly, you get a soft spot for them.
KN: What advice would you give to kids who might be in the same situation?
RF: The same thing I would tell any kid who’s growing up around drugs or other bad influences: Just stay away from the people who take part in it. Don’t think just because one person is fighting dogs that it’s right.
KN: Tell us about the anti-dogfighting group you joined in Houston.
RF: It’s “Punish the Deed, Not the Breed,” a group of people who want to raise awareness. The group teaches people about pit bulls and how to take care of their dogs.
KN:
What have you done with the group?
RF: One thing we did was go and talk to kids at the local Boys and Girls Clubs in Houston. We try to teach kids at an early age that fighting is not the right thing to do with dogs. It’s about getting to the source of the problem so you can stop it before it starts. Some people still believe the stereotype that pit bulls are supposed to fight. That’s not true. Dogs aren’t naturally mean and pit bulls aren’t meant to fight. It’s all about how the dogs are raised.
KN: Do you think the group helped in the community?
RF: I think it helped a lot. It was amazing how many of these kids have pit bulls and thought it was okay to make their dogs fight. They just didn’t understand the consequences or why it was wrong. After we talked to them, a lot of them changed their minds about dogfighting.
KN: What would you say to people who are afraid of pit bulls or who want to ban keeping pit bulls as pets?
RF: I would tell them that pit bulls can be as smart, loyal, fun, and friendly as other dogs. Banning the whole breed is not the way to solve anything. People who want to ban pit bulls should come visit my dogs! All my dogs would do is lick you to death. You would just fall in love with them.
