Conclusion

In this essay I have explored the role of stereotypes and labeling and the skewed effect it can have on one's perception of pit bulls through comparing ways that the news and animal shelters represent these animals. News sources tend to rely on sensationalized, violent, and graphic stories of pit bull attacks to represent pit bulls, unintentionally creating a "tunnel vision" perspective surrounding these animals that leads people to believe that they are all the same as the dogs that are mauling others. Animal shelters, on the other hand, rely on positive marketing and removing breed labels (i.e. the categorization of "pit bull") in order to allow people to broaden their understanding of these dogs instead of just focusing on anecdotal evidence that seems to prove that all pit bulls are bad. 

​

We wouldn't want to judge a person by their background. It would be unfair, discriminatory, and unethical. Shouldn't people be able to judge a dog based on their individual personality and temperament and from there decide if they are right for their family, the same way?