Beyond the Myth: A Film About Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination

Beyond the Myth: A Film About Pit Bulls and Breed Discrimination (2010)

*** (out of 4)

Good, but flawed, documentary taking a look at the various cities across the U.S. that are trying to put a ban on pit bulls. Some of these cases include Denver, CO where pit bulls are being removed from owners even if the animal didn't cause any sort of damage or harm to anyone. Other cities like Cincinnati are being looked at for bans that have been on the book since the late 80s when the documentary claims that the media's negative reporting on pit bulls caused people to have a false stereotype of the dog. A friend informed me about this documentary and I'll gladly admit that at first I feared it would just be some one-sided propaganda film by dog lovers for dog lovers. I do feel there were a few moments that were too one-sided but I think the message of the film was quite clear. I think most people, even those who hate dogs, will see that there are some pretty strange things being done to these animals and I'm sure even the most jaded person would see that there's no point in innocent dogs being taken away from owners for no reason. Yes, these people could always just move but the documentary wants to make the point that discrimination against dogs is no different than basing an opinion on a human for how they look. I will admit that I never put a dog's life over that of a human, which might not sit well with people. I found a few of the comments here to be very one-sided and I must admit that I found some to be rather offensive including remarks that say it's never a dog's fault when something bad happens. The film blames the owners and it even blames the parents of kids who are left unattended to be attacked by a dog. In certain situations this might be true but the documentary overlooks incidents where no owner or kid were at fault and something bad still happened. With that said, there's no denying that director Libby Sherrill had created a well-made movie. A few more details or opinions from the other side would have certainly helped to balance out the film but it still got its main job done.

I expected more of a history lesson of pit bulls but it's not really that it's more a defense for Pit Bulls portrayal in the media, which as we know a lot of times are mere propaganda and merely key-word journalism instead of actually presenting the facts

And it does a great job at doing that, and gives out great information on how actually uncommon it is for Pitbulls to lash out and bite someone, you won't believe what breed actually is at number one

Now I like most people when I see a pit bull on the street I do get caught off guard a little and shrug back, and I know that's wrong as well but the way media has been forcing these images of Pits being violent raged monsters into your head it's hard not to just as a cautionary measure

I hope and think that this movie has made me change a little in that regard, and watching the movie made me actually want to get a Pit Bull myself, if that will happen or not remains to be seen but the fact that a documentary can have that impact on you makes it something out of the ordinary for sure

And there were moments in the doc that I almost dropped a tear when I heard the stories of the American government taking well-behaved Pit Bulls away from good responsible owners and killing them for no reason except for their race... That was truly shocking to hear about...

A movie recommended for everyone whether you love or hate Pit Bulls... If you do the latter, even more so cause I think this movie would serve as a good wake up call people...

This film was so captivating! It did Pitbulls good! It explains just exactly what Breed Specific Legislation is and how it really hurts responsible owners and there dogs. Also gives some history of the Pitbull. I was thrilled with the work of this! The vast majority of these dogs are very loving and sweet, as I have known all along. The ones that ARE aggressive are because of irresponsible or abusive owners. BSL is really about discrimination against one breed. It's very sad. In the film it shows the good side of this wonderful breed of dog, breaking down the mass hysteria of fear. In conclusion, I would like to highly recommend this film to every living soul, especially those afraid of Pitbulls.

I have owned and loved APBTs for over 20 years and this film opened my eyes to the injustice that is going on in other states that I didn't know about. I am so thankful for the time and energy that was put into it. I only hope more people around the world get to see it and see what is really going on. I was shocked and stunned to learn that in certain states they can seize your dog if it has some of the characteristics of a "PitBull" and then ultimately destroy it. So very sad.I cannot imagine my dog being taken from my yard without my consent and destroyed! This is happening to families across the United States in this day and age? Apparently so, and if it can happen to them, it can happen to all of us.

I am a lover of the pit bull breed and spend countless hours working, rescuing, protesting, and fighting due to the plight of one of America's most precious breeds. Formerly AMERICA'S Family Dog, these dogs have all but been exterminated due to the people who fight them and abuse them. The film promotes the pit bull and the BSL that is of great concern to any bully breed type dog. This is a very educational film. I highly recommend it. The film is of high quality and it tells of the plight of this very dear breed of dog. What is being said is this, "If you ban the pit bull, what do you ban next?" This film invokes one to think of what allowing the specific banning of certain breeds could one day turn into. Any dog that the media portrays as dangerous, and brain washes its viewers/readers to believe is a potential candidate for BSL.