1908: ‘Pit’ Bulldog Muzzle Ordinance, Statesville, NC

Posted on February 3, 2014 by notforgotten

After Vicious Dogs
Charlotte Observer
January 10, 1908
Statesville, NC

After Vicious Dogs
Statesville City Fathers Determined to Have Them All Muzzled
Statesville, Jan 9 — There has been quite a stir in “bulldog circles” during the past few days. As a recent meeting of the board of city aldermen all rules were laid aside and an ordinance requiring all bulldogs and other vicious dogs that are allowed to run on the streets to be muzzled … The law went into effect January 1st, but the officers did not take action at once in order to give bulldog owners a little time to comply with the ordinance … Hereafter (Jan 9), however, all bulldogs and other vicious dogs seen on the street without muzzles will be shot by the policeman and the owners prosecuted. – Charlotte Observer

The bulldog of the late 1800s and early 1900s is the same dog as today’s pit bull terrier. The only thing that has changed about this dog breed in the last century are the different names it goes by: bulldog, pit dog, bull pit, bull terrier — pit bull terrier. Modern dogfighters still call their fighting pit bulls “100% bulldog.” (See: Disguise breed name)
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