352 C Lawson • docked ears and tail—usually by the dogmen—to prevent the other dog gaining purchase and causing damage and also to make the dog harder to read as it will inhibit normal body signals related to aggression • filed teeth—to make them sharper and more dangerous • drug misuse—steroids, amphetamines or other illegal drugs are used to enhance size and aggression and to relieve pain to enable dogs to fight longer • starvation, beating and torture (for example, cigarettes burned into their skin) to increase aggression • forced training routines on treadmills and with increasing weights to develop strength • amateur veterinary treatment, such as IV or subcutaneous fluids, drugs to combat swelling and diuretics so that the dogs will empty themselves to make the necessary weight • multiple physical injuries including bites that puncture, loss of blood, shock, dehydration and bone fractures during the fight, frequently resulting in death from trauma or infection some time after the event • being drowned, shot and/or when they lose a fight or come to the end of their fighting career When a dog that Vick had by a nylon cord refused to die, it was lifted into the air and slammed into the ground in order to kill it In the process of enhancing the dog’s aggression, dogmen abuse their dogs in unthinkable ways This inhumane treatment can make fighting dogs, and indeed any breed of dog, aggressive and dangerous Consequently, the reputation and life of all so-called ‘bull breeds’, identified with dog fighting, are negatively impacted, ‘thereby driving the pit bull’s negative media image and fuelling support for breedspecific bans’ and compulsory euthanasia of these breeds (Medlin 2007, pp 1298–1299) Boucher (2011) details the problems that pit bulls encounter, particularly in the USA where there is wider ownership in society and a mixed response across the 50 states regarding breed specific legislation Delise (2007) tackles similar issues and also places the myths surrounding this much maligned type/breed in the context of society’s response to other breeds of dog Both these monographs lay out a very convincing argument as to why pit bulls should no more be singled out than any other type of dog and why they are so attractive to those with criminal intentions People with criminal intentions desire bigger and more aggressive bull breeds, thereby, fuelling the myths and