I will explain this section by an answered
e-mail sent to a person whose name will remain unknown by obvious reasons. The
following text, is the e-mail received at the FIAPBT and the response to the
latter.
Mariano:
First, I send to
you a warm salutes. Here, in my country, we are interested in any sport done
with our breed and we find ourselves very motivated to carry out events like
the MaratyhonPit, But when reading that a ADBA registry is needed, I was sad,
due to the inexistence of dogs with that registry, only two breeders sell dogs
with the ADBA registry.
Under
my point of view, this event is discriminatory.
Grettings.
Answer:
Hello my friend, how are you?
I hope you are doing fine around your
family, friends and APBT´s.
The big problem nowadays with the American
Pit Bull Terrier in the different countries, as you well know, are laws that
induce to the extermination of the breed. This happens because they see our
breed as a mix-breed, precisely because they ignore that there is a International
Official Pedigree and this is that of the ADBA. Furthermore, you
know the FIAPBT, only recognises the ADBA registry only.
For the FIAPBT, the ADBA is the
institution ,that by far, offers the most credible pedigrees compared to other
organizations. In the ADBA, a Department of Investigation exists, to
check the veracity of the pedigrees, contacting breeders directly if needed,
something not done by other organizations. The ADBA has a well defined
computerized control to avoid in a 100% the falsification of pedigrees.
Not to say, that it is the only APBT organization in possession of a DNA
testing service.
From 1909, the ADBA is developing a
magnificent work in the control, conservation, promotion and defence of the
breed, and we can’t ignore this fact. The ADBA enjoys of a great reputation
due to the honesty of the people that manages it, the Greenwood family.
I could mention other reasons why the ADBA registry is the only one
recognized by the FIAPBT, but I think is not necessary. However, it
is important to say that once the ADBA has done an investigation and if this
one is favourable, it can approve pedigrees by other organizations (UKC,
IKC,BFK,SDR,etc.) as ADBA pedigrees. In consequence, this pedigrees are immediately
accepted by the FIAPBT.
We the FIAPBT understand, we have to
adequately promote the breed for later equally adequately defend it, in front
of those governments that continuously try to exterminate the APBT´s. Precisely
for this reason, it is so important that we promote the breed in hand with the
ADBA pedigree. This way, governmental Institutions can comprehend they are
dealing with a canine breed, as any other, and thus, they wouldn’t take
unfair measures for the only fact of believing they are dealing with a
mix-breed.
This Governmental Institutions have been
misled by those people in charge of the
canine sector in their countries. This same people are anti-APBT and wish
the extermination of the breed in their countries, and thus, recover the
popularity and sales of the breed they represent. The best way to mislead those
in the government is by wrongly advise them about our breed, by treating it
with contempt and with a discriminatory attitude referring to them as a quite
“people-dangerous mix-breed dogs”, maybe functional group, or just mix-breed.
In the FIAPBT, we accredit and confirm
that the ADBA registry in the APBT is the only document that certifies the purity of the
breed, along with its official standard, and the international institutions that support the breed like the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), that can be considered as the “Canine mother of the APBT”, an international title given by the International
Federation of the APBT (FIAPBT). The addition of
this three circumstances officially determines
that we are talking and dealing with a
working Canine Breed (functional) and not a group of
mix-breed dogs like some anti-APBT declare (governmental advisors). The intent of
these groups of anti-APBT is, to deny the APBT as a canine breed, thus leaving
them helpless before those who make the laws. This is the case in many
countries were our wonderful and noble breed has been banned using these
arguments.
In 1999, in first instance, the Spanish
Government decided to ban the APBT in all the national territory after been
advised, with the arguments explained before, by Manuel Martin Rodriguez,
president of the Royal Canine Society of Spain (RSCE). The
prohibition of the APBT do not get to make, given the intervention of the
President of the Spanish Government in that moment, Mr. Jose Mª Aznar,
motivated by the information that I send him on the matter from the APBT and
other canine engineering datas.
In the other hand , we are all aware of
the existence of breeders that mix their dogs with other breeds or mixed
breeds, and sells them as authentic APBT. This is another big problematic
the FIAPBT wants to put a stop to, because we know this can also destroy our
efforts of fighting for a pure breed and will definitely be a danger for the
extinction of the breed.
The FIAPBT and myself know of the
existence of authentic APBT´s without ADBA pedigrees, but the amount of them in
comparison of those that are sold as authentic and are not authentic, is
minimal.
Due to the impossibility to recognize
whether these APBT´s are authentic or not, even by the experts, is the reason
why we find not possible to accept dogs without registry to our competitions or
events. If we admit to this minority of authentic not registered dogs, we have
to consequently admit all the others. In this case, instead of promoting and
defending the pure breed we would be doing the opposite, which is, promoting
and providing mix-breed dogs as authentic, and this would bring us to
contribute to the extinction of our so loved, the authentic, original and
genuine American Pit Bull Terrier. I am absolutely convinced that this is
not what real lovers of the breed want of the APBT´s, but surely their enemies
do, which are not a few.
You are right when you tell me that the
MarathonPit is discriminatory. I had done in that way on purpose. In some
occasions some people have also accused me of been discriminatory for not
accepting mix-breed dog or other breed in APBT events or competitions. I
consider, tough, that my fault is to be a purist of the breed, and I am sorry
for that, but I also have to say I will keep acting this way.
In the other hand, I have to tell you, I
will consider a serious fault in a person’s attitude, to abandon or to get rid
of a dog after realizing the dog is a mix-breed or not a APBT, and in
consequence getting a pure APBT instead, to participate in the events or
competitions. This would be an absolute atrocity.
I consider myself an animal lover above
all, and I love any mix-breed dog as well.That, is not an issue for me. I have
adopted different mix-breed dogs and cats in my life, and if possible I will
continue doing it in the future to offer them a better quality of life. Those
who know me known what I am talking about. Thus, these two things shouldn’t be
mixed up. Been a purist of the APBT doesn’t mean I don’t care about other
breeds or mix-breed dogs. The first circumstance it is aimed to protect and
conserve a canine breed, the APBT, and the second is to protect and
conserve the mix-breed dogs and the abandoned ones. These are two different
things, one is not contrary to the other.
Working for any of these two circumstances for anyone, it is a totally praiseworthy act, always that they are not mixed for hidden purposes. If we mix both things, the first will be affected and damaged by the second. This is something that the purist of the breed do not want, as well as, for noone who loves the American Pit Bull Terrier. If this happens, the days for the APBT as a pure breed will be gone forever.
Some supposedly APBT “enthusiasts” want to
mix these two different circumstances for mostly economic interests.
Also in this group of people we find those
who don’t really known what we are talking about, as it is said, “love is
blind” and that is the reason why they think they are helping and defending
the APBT´s with the attitude of wanting to accept as authentic APBT’s to all
mix-breed dogs or other similar breeds as authentic APBT´s. Actually, what they
are doing is condemning the APBT to its end.
This message I will be published in the
FIAPBT web site, hoping some of these APBT enthusiasts, reading them, will open
their eyes and start supporting and defending the breed with another sight.
Hopefully, this will be the case, because the APBT world is in need of people
with this positive sight, so that they can be defended from many of their
enemies of all kinds.
I think you are one of these people. Your
love and passion have prevent you from having a correct sight, in the sense I
am telling you. If I am wrong, please let me know.
I have created the MarathonPit to achieve
these goals that I explained to you above. With
the MarathonPit and through the combination of man and dog (different from the
conventional APBT sports, so that, we can associate the sporting people with
the sporting APBT’s) we can achieve, as fast as possible, a positive image of
the APBT before society. This way, the governments of the different
countries can understand they are dealing with a breed similar to any other,
and not with mix-breed “killer dogs” or crazy “people eaters”. It seems that
these politicians have soon forgotten that dogs have always been and will be
man’s best friends.
It is also to be said, that a dog’s
strength does not equal aggressiveness, as you may well know. Furthermore,
given the great social job that the APBT have been playing in society, as
rescue dogs among other tasks, in the year 2000, the FIAPBT labelled the
American Pit Bull Terrier as a “Very Beneficial Canine Breed for Humanity”.
With the new modality of MarathonPit, it
is probable that we will not achieve a 100% of ours goals, but we will surely
place a lot of difficulties to those breeders who want to deceive the
enthusiasts by selling them mix-breed dogs or other breeds as authentic APBT´s.
Due to the great similarities in the physical conformation with other breeds or
mix-breed dogs, these unethical breeders find it easy to trick their clients.
The more difficulties we place for these breeders to defraud, the better for
the APBT’s and their owners.
These frauds happens in all breeds, and
our is not an exception. For example, to give a pedigree of an authentic APBT
to one that is not, it is something that happens in all other breeds. All will depend
in the breeder honesty and work ethic.
The buyers, should always take
references and look for the breeder’s credentials. These frauds can also
occur when buying an APBT with ADBA registry, but obviously the possibilities
of been deceived are much less compared with the possibilities of the same
thing happening when buying a “supposedly APBT” without a ADBA registry. Thus,
having our policy, we are dissuading fraudulent breeders in the benefit of the
breed and their enthusiasts.
There are breeders, that even if they have
dogs that clearly are not APBT for their enormous size, have a ADBA registry.
Those who own a dog from them may participate in the MarathonPit competition.
The lack of functionality of this dogs will be the determinant, and will soon
get tired or will quit. This owners will soon ask questions about their dogs to
the breeders and people around them with no answers, and will doubt about the
APBT been the working dog by excellence. What may have happened to their
dogs to get such a disappointing results. What a contradiction, Right?
The MarathonPit as well as been a way of defending and promoting positively the
breed, also it is important as a tool to evaluate the APBT’s and the
breeders or Kennels they come from, and to find out their job.
Talking about the weight in dogs, we have
to say that things fall from their own weight, and time places things where
they belong. Some last more, some less, but finally all will be where they
deserve, and this is true also with fraudulent breeders. In the 23 years that I
have been around this breed, I had the pleasure to meet hundreds of
enthusiasts, among them, many breeders. Most of them are not longer active.
This few enthusiasts have proved their “game” for their perseverance with the
breed. All having to stand great difficulties of all kinds in the last years. I
hope and wish, that these few enthusiasts that have persisted will be the role
model to follow by the new generations, which as far as I know are a bunch of
them and with strong determination.
The enthusiasts and the breed in your
country now have a great opportunity to promote the authentic APBT through the Man-Dog
sport, more specifically the MarathonPit. It could be a great tool for
advancing in that direction and achieving these goals. Anything related to the
sports will benefit from the good image it portraits to the society and of
those who practice them. In this case, this good image will strongly affect the
man (owner of an APBT) and of course, also the APBT itself. The intention, is
that man would give the merits to the breed, to defend it and promote it
adequately.
Getting the good image of the APBT back
before society, everything will change completely. Policy makers would realize
about it, and would stop the persecution that APBT is suffering all these
years, in many countries now and in those where soon the same thing is going to
happen.
We shouldn’t be worried by the small
number of ADBA registered dogs, in order to promote the MarathonPit. This is the case in all countries and not only in yours. But what we
have to consider is, that the important thing is to educate and make people
aware of the importance of acquiring APBT’s with the most guaranties
possible, which is equal to getting an ADBA register APBT, that means, it
has to come with the International Official Pedigree.
The FIAPBT, by creating a new event, the
MarathonPit, set this project in order to help everyone in a fast and
efficient way and, improving the positive promotion and recovery of the
good image that the APBT has enjoyed in the past.
Our goals for this project, could be seen as an utopia, but the MarathonPit in Spain is already started and it is a reality right now. I can assure that not too late, the image of the APBT in Spain will positively change. It is also starting to be a reality in other 12 countries that have adopted the MarathonPit, through Official Clubs of the MarathonPit by the FIAPBT. There are also other countries waiting to adopt the MarathonPit in a short time, fro example: Philippines, Canada, Venezuela, USA, Italy, South Africa, and Australia.
The more and the closer we are, the faster we will achieve our goals, which are no other than fighting for the well-being of the breed and the preservation of the authentic and genuine American Pit Bull Terrier.
Well my friend, we will keep in contact
and any doubt that may come across about this subject or any other, please let
me know.
A big hug from your friend,
Mariano
HISTORY
MARATHONPIT
THE MARATHONPIT AND
THE PEDIGREE
Countries with Official Club of
MARATHONPIT by the FIAPBT
XXXX COUNTRIES with BSL
WE MUST BOYCOTT
XXXX
The July 4th
2008 in IADCRO we inaugurated the International battle against the BSL across
the globe! “UNITED WE STAND".
All together WE CAN. IADCRO´S WEB SITE
Petition to
eliminate the BSL in any place of the world.
SIGN PLEASE, IS ONLY 4 SECONDS: http://www.petitiononline.com/stopBSL
This ONLINE PETITION OF SIGNATURES
unifies all petitions towards those countries, cities or City councils that
have implanted the BSL, so will be annulled. The BSL, does not correspond to
the present times of modernity in which we lived, rather corresponds to the
dark times of the average age. ¡¡¡ Pass it on !!!
The
FIAPBT is thankful to the hundreds of fans to the American Pit Bull Terrier
worldwide, to deposit his confidence in us and to visit our work, thanks. In
very much countries that visit to us, we have representation of
the FIAPBT with his corresponding Delegation.
We hope
that you enjoy observing our work in favor of the APBT from January of 1985 and
in different facets, as, many of them have been reflected in the different
sections from our Web site for their enjoy and information.
We hope
and we whised to return to see you here again. The FIAPBT is your home and will be always
WELCOME here the lovers of the animals, specially the lovers of the American
Pit Bull Terrier.
The blue points of the world-wide map, they are the
countries from where visit the Web site of the FIAPBT. In order to see that concretely
City comes last the 25 visits, you must click in the map. The visits update
every 5 minutes and the map once to the day.