Sitgmatized Canines

1
Not to Label Dogs
By:
Samuel Bates

Primary Audience:
To: Barbara Kyle
Secondary Audience:
To: Osceola County Humane Society

Sitgmatized Canines

To:
Barbara Kyle and Osceola County Human Society
From: Samuel Bates Research Assistant at UCF
Date:19 April 2015
Re:
Proposal not to label dogs by breed

I am requesting that you no longer label animals who come into the shelter. The research that I
will present shows that breed labels are generally wrong. This is regardless of the education and
experience of the person making the label. This change will theoretically create more equal
chances of adoption for all canines.
Present Issue and Problems
It is clear that some dogs are not being adopted out of the shelter(s). Orange County,
Florida had the same issue, and they proposed a solution with a minor change in the discourse
used with animals. In early 2014, Erin Sullivan of the Orlando Sentinel announced that Orange
County Shelters will no longer label their animals by breed. I am proposing we follow this
nascent concept. This type of project requires a few years before a conclusion may be made of its
efficiency. Regardless, changes in language alter society (Foucault). In this case, the change will
move society forward by de-stigmatizing animals. The changes primarily benefit pit-bulls, but
any canine could be saved by this minor change in rhetoric. In the next section, I present a vast
amount of research about the constraints of language on canines. I will use a few different breeds
in this proposal, however, I ask that you generalize the breeds I mention to all dogs. I will also
present two different definitions of what a pit-bull is; I ask that the board use both definitions
interchangeably. The intent is to reduce stigma by eliminating labels, not clarify what labels go
with what dog. I have compiled data from a variety of sources to support my proposition that
you make the same changes.
Recent Research
There are a large percentage of canines that either get euthanized for not being adopted, or
get stuck in a form of limbo in no-kill shelters. Research shows that the key reason for this is the
way dogs are labeled (Kass). Some dogs, because of their label, never get adopted because of
beliefs associated with the breed. This happens through social interaction, the label influences
stigma and fears associated with various breeds; this is important when a dog is incorrectly
labeled (Hoffman, C. L., Harrison, N., Wolff, L., & Westgarth, C. 2014). Dogs who come into
shelters are rarely labeled by what they actually are, rather than what the workers at the shelter
believe will get adopted. Some dogs, such as pit-bulls are highly stigmatized because of the
media (Hoffman). Various breeds are portrayed as different things creating various ideologies in
the public. There is a movement in Orlando to try to reduce stigma by not labeling dogs in the
shelters. The paradigm is that if people do not know what they (or other people) have, then there
cannot be any stigma attached to that dog. Not labeling dogs will allow for reduced stigma, and
thus more dogs will get adopted. Fewer dogs will be euthanized, or stuck in the limbo of no-kill

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shelters.
Before an analysis like this one may be completed, an understanding in what causes stigma
and fear of dogs should be explored. Doogan and Thomas did a study addressing fears in both
adults and children and how fears may be created. This research addresses the classical
conditioning concern in researching the fear of canines. For the statement "fear of dogs rises out
of a bad experience with dogs" (Doogan and Thomas) to work, then everyone who has had a bad
experience with dogs should be fearful; this is not the case. Most of fearful adults claimed that
they acquired the fear while a child, but could not recall an experience with a canine causing
them to be afraid. This means that the fears are generally learned from other people. This
translates into stigmatized breeds because fears of these breeds rarely have to do with an attack,
rather fears of particular breeds are learned.
This covers how the fear of dogs may created, but the stigmatization should still be
explored. Research shows that various breeds of dogs are more stigmatized than others. Twining
found that the dog most associated with stigma is the pit-bull. Two different definitions of a pitbull have emerged through research: from an academic perspective, a pit-bull is the American Pit
Bull Terrier, nothing else. From a societal perspective, a pit-bull is any canine with a small head
and a muscular body (Difficulty of breed identification). Some adults are fearful of dogs, but
even the canine fanatics may be apprehensive about pit-bulls. Over the past few decades, these
pit-bulls, or "devil-animals" have shifted from a family dog, to a highly stigmatized breed
(Hoffman). Hoffman also found that most of this is due to media portrayals. These portrayals aid
in the fear of dogs and have unintended consequences. The fears ripple into how people adopt
dogs. Kass and Scarlet found that dogs who have perceived behavior issues are less likely to get
adopted from shelters.
The research thus far indicates that all labels are bad. In 1999, Baldwin and Norris did a
study that found this is not the case. Labels may be good at times. Having a label to classify
various breeds under gives people certain characteristics to associate the given dog with.
Different breeds have different traits. These traits stem from the cultural background of the
breed. For example, Dobermans are loyal and protective, their cultural background was "war
dogs". Huskies pull sleds, their cultural background are working dogs (Coppinger). These traits
are necessary for individuals looking for specific characteristics. The argument I wish to make is
that shelters in specific should not label their dogs. Shelters are where the most dogs can suffer
most from being labels. The symbolic value of pure breeds is a argument of intrinsic beauty.
People who are looking for specific breeds are unlikely to go through shelters. They are more
likely to go through a breeder or a rescue. When shelters have a breed labeled "pit-mix", that dog
is less likely to get adopted. This is again because of behaviors associated with pit bulls (the
research presented shows that aggressive behaviors associated with pit bulls are learned). If
shelters do not label breeds, then the friendly puppy with the man-mad title of "pit-mix" may
have a better chance at a good home. The blatant problem with these types of label is that
research shows that most of the time, people (both the hoi polloi and educated individuals) are
wrong about the breed.
Method for Implementation
This change will cost nothing to start. I am not asking for any resources. It will call for

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taking a single step out of the process when canines come into the facility. This is the step when
an individual decides what kind of dog they think it is. The only potential cost is people not
wanting to adopt dogs if they do not know what they are getting. This could increase the number
of dogs in the shelter thus increasing food and care costs. This argument does not hold
significant weight as I covered it in the research. People looking for specific breeds will be going
through a rescue as opposed to a shelter.
Qualification
I have presented substantial research to enforce my thesis that you should follow Orange
Counties lead. I hope I have fulfilled all aspects of the argument with academic sources. I am a
skilled researcher at navigating secondary data. I hope I have met the needs to make a solid
argument.
Primary Argument
Humans have a need to classify and label everything (Blumer). By labeling dogs, all
society does is create expectations on them. Words like "pit-bull" are nothing more than a mental
block that restricts societies collective ideas of how dogs should behave. In return, the dogs are
the victims of this unnecessary labeling. I am writing to Osceola County's Humane Society
requesting that you do away with breed labels. The symbolic value of certain dogs will not be
damaged. People looking for such dogs go through ether breeders, or rescues for that specific
breed (Florida Boxer Rescue). The other fear is that pure bred dogs will not be identified and not
picked up from the shelter. These types of dogs statistically are not in danger of not being
adopted. The dogs that are in danger of not being adopted are the stigmatized breeds. Please,
make this change to help save these animals.

Sitgmatized Canines
Works Cited
Baldwin, C. K., & Norris, P. A. (1999). Exploring the dimensions of serious leisure:" Love melove my dog!". Journal of Leisure Research, 31(1), 1.
Blumer, H. (1986). Symbolic interactionism: Perspective and method. Univ of California Press.

Coppinger, R., & Schneider, R. (1995). Evolution of working dogs. The domestic dog: its
evolution, behaviour and interactions with people. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 21-47.
Difficulty of breed identification. (n.d.) retrieved 1 March 2015, from
http://stopbsl.org/bsloverview/impossibleid/
Doogan, S., & Thomas, G. V. (1992). Origins of fear of dogs in adults and children: The role of
conditioning processes and prior familiarity with dogs.Behaviour Research and
Therapy, 30(4), 387-394.
Foucault, M. (1971). The discourse on language. Truth: Engagements Across Philosophical
Traditions, 315-335.
Hoffman, C. L., Harrison, N., Wolff, L., & Westgarth, C. (2014). Is That Dog a Pit Bull? A
Cross-Country Comparison of Perceptions of Shelter Workers Regarding Breed
Identification. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 17(4), 322339. doi:
10.1080/10888705.2014.895904
Kass, P. H., New Jr, J. C., Scarlett, J. M., & Salman, M. D. (2001). Understanding animal
companion surplus in the United States: Relinquishment of nonadoptables to animal
shelters for euthanasia. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 4(4), 237-248.
Twining, H., Arluke, A., & Patronek, G. (2000). Managing the stigma of outlaw breeds: A case
study of pit bull owners. Society & Animals, 8(1), 25-52.
Sullivan, Erin. Orange county animal service says it will no long label dogs by breed. Orlando
Weekly. Feb 5 2014. Accessed Mar 20. 2015
FAQS about labels and language. Retrieved March 20 2015 from http://
www.animalfarmfoundation.org/pages/Language-FAQs