You basically prove the point being made by everyone who protested Verizon's ad. Pit bulls do not have a "natural inclination to viciously attack humans," but this commercial reinforced that stereotype with enthusiasm. And you bought into it.

Like so many people, you are apparently unaware that the breed standards for all "pit bull" breeds mandate human-friendliness. It's commercials like Verizon's that give pit bulls the stereotypical "bad dog" reputation that 1) attracts cruel and vicious dog owners who then abuse and neglect their dogs until the dogs become unsocialized menaces, and 2) frighten away all the good, responsible owners who might have raised perfectly normal, social, happy pit bulls.

For anyone who has ever known and loved a pit bull, the commercial was disgusting and disturbing on so many levels. For anyone who has ever done research on dog attacks, the commercial was unquestionably a threat to public safety. As dog attack researcher Karen Delise has found, "an increase in a breed's negative image or reputation for aggression unfailingly yields an increase in the number of substandard owners." And what happens when the number of substandard owners increases? Dogs are abused, neglected, undersocialized–and dog maulings and human deaths increase as well.

Furthermore, the ad encouraged the use of pit bulls as guard dogs–never mind the fact that pit bulls are simply not guard dogs. There are several other breeds that have been bred and used as guard dogs for centuries. Why not use one of those breeds? What was the point of using a non-guarding, designed-to-be-human-friendly breed? Simply put, Verizon was capitalizing on the mythology and stereotype surrounding the breed-type–and in doing so, they spread the incorrect message that pit bulls are preferable to other types of dogs when it comes to guarding. Is that a responsible message to send in a country where chained dogs and guard dogs are predictably involved in the majority of fatal attacks on humans; where pit bulls are chained, abused, and neglected to such a degree that PetAbuse.com has its own category just for pit bull-type dogs; and where dog attack researchers all agree that dog maulings will never end if we continue to perpetuate the idea that dogs make acceptable guardians and protectors of property and people? I don't think so; and thousands of people who saw the ad agreed.

Oh, and don't give the credit to PETA for this blow to corporate irresponsibility. PETA kills animals–including pit bulls–in order to "save" them–and they don't see anything hypocritical about it. Thousands of ordinary pet owners were outraged by this commercial. PETA kept their mouths shut until the very end, when victory was assured.

Hello everyone my name is Yvonne. And I'm in desperate need of help for my poor dog "Dozer". We have been harrased by a women that lives down the street from us for the last 2 years now .. She is determined to have my Dozer put down' Yes she stated that right in the court room that she will not stop untill my dog is dead.. Now she is taking me to court again.. She's lying saying that she seen my dog running loose again.. And I feel that she will win again just because of all the bad media that the pit bull are getting.. so there is alot more to this storey and I'm hoping that one of you can help .. please get back to me asap thank-you Yvonne Mckinny

Natural inclination to attack humans? Right.. and blacks have a natural inclination to steal… Ignorant POS… Pitbulls are so loyal and friendly if raised in a loving environment.

whiny twats. it's a fucking commercial. go take your iphone using, verizon hating asses elsewhere.

lawdy, everyone has something to bitch about now days.