Parents for Dog Bite Awareness

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 🐾🚨

The way this post about Stewie is written reads almost identically to how abusers and narcissists justify harm.

Notice the patterns:

• 𝗘𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. The attack is reframed as an “altercation,” as though two dogs had a minor disagreement. The bitten dog and the injured owner are glossed over. This minimizes the violence, a common manipulation tactic.

• 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿. The pit bull is described as a “gorgeous boy,” “a good boy,” and a “friendly and affectionate” pet. This is equivalent to an abuser being praised as “charming” or “Such a nice man,” ignoring the destruction he caused.

• 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺 𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲. The injured dog and human disappear from the narrative. Their trauma, medical costs, and fear don’t matter, only the pit bull’s family’s “devastation” counts. Classic narcissistic gaslighting: erase the true victims and cast the aggressor as the one who suffers most.

• 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Responsibility is deflected to circumstances: a sitter, an “incident,” “processing delays in the judicial system.” This mirrors how abusers blame alcohol, stress, or “a bad day” instead of their own choices.

• 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 & 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻. Instead of acknowledging a dangerous mauling, the author appeals to sentimentality: “comfy bed,” “snuggles,” “showered with love.” This emotional redirection is exactly how abusers demand empathy for themselves while their victims remain invisible.

• 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. The author portrays the court’s involvement as an injustice: “heartbreaking,” “a year to resolve,” “animal welfare should come first.” The dog’s right to comfort is centered over the public’s right to safety and the victims’ right to justice. 

𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀

When pit bull advocates frame attacks this way, they are engaging in abuser logic:

• Minimize the harm.

• Erase the victim.

• Recast the aggressor as sympathetic.

• Shift blame onto external forces.

• Demand empathy for the perpetrator.

Just as in domestic violence or child abuse cases, this manipulative storytelling protects the violent party while silencing those harmed. This tactic is known as #DARVO, which stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. It’s a form of gaslighting used to protect abusers from accountability. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲

Society must recognize these narratives for what they are: gaslighting tactics that perpetuate cycles of abuse. Public safety should never be sidelined for sentimentality toward bloodsport breeds. 

The true injustice is not that Stewie was seized. The true injustice is that an innocent dog and its owner were attacked, and their suffering has been erased from the story.

#dba #DogBiteAwareness 🚫🐶🩸