Dixie The Brindle Pit Bull (Click to enlarge)
I’ve been discussing high and low key photography of late. I post Dixie today for a few reasons. Notably, she is a Pit Bull, but we’ll get to that shortly.
This image is an example of what I call the high drama of the low key shot. When I set my key and hair lights at a 1:1 ratio, that is, both are set to the same power, with a dark subject against a dark backdrop – low key shot. I could have even under-exposed this more to only show the highlights of her coat, but I liked it like this quite a bit.
The real reason I’m posting this sweet Pit Bull today is to talk about this breed and the horrors which seem to befall them more than any other. Dixie is of noble stock; highly intelligent and fiercely loyal. Do you see that here? I think so. Yet there are those who would kidnap her or any of her cousins to be used for fighting. High prices are paid for certain dogs.
As people take interest in the ability of animals to make money, the lives of the animals become less important than the money they generate. You’re not a believer? In the racing industry, winning records are of maximum import, not the health, happiness or well-being of the racers. The more money that’s involved, the more likely that the animal may be drugged and pushed to execute commands they would not choose to do.
Just because Greyhounds are born to run does not mean they shouldn’t do other things…like live and play outside cages and crates. The same holds true for Thoroughbred horses. Animals do not exist for human entertainment. You are probably saying, hey there, you’re preaching to the choir. After all, my readers are not fighting Pit Bulls. However, my readers are fans of football, as am I.
You know where I’m going with this, I’m sure. Yep, the poster child for the worst humanity has to offer dogs, in the guise of a rehabilitated football player trying to get back into the good graces of the NFL. On Saturday, August 8th, he appeared at a dog training class in an Atlanta inner city suburb to say to the hand-picked audience how sorry he is, and how he’s smarter now.
The 23 months Mr. Vick served cannot erase the horror hundreds of dogs suffered at his hands. He is not remorseful. Everything Mr. Vick does has only to do with getting him back to making multi-millions of dollars. It is folly to have him be a spokesperson for the Humane Society, speaking against dog fighting. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society, said they want to be open and reach as many people as possible with its anti-dogfighting message. Do pedophiles get rehabilitated in pre-schools? Do rapists get rehabilitated in women’s gyms? Don’t get me started on a possible rehabilitation for Lorena Bobbitt.
Read this, Mr. Vick: If you want to rehabilitate yourself, you need to spend long hours doing the anonymous, thankless work in the hundreds of thousands of animal shelters around the country, caring for abandoned, neglected, abused and mutilated pets, with the true knights of valor who struggle to make ends meet, because their time and resources are spent trying to heal the pets you’ve hurt. You do not fool me, Mr. Vick.
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