A history of demonizing dogs

Putting breed stereotypes into their historic and societal contexts

“Pit bull” dogs are not the only ones to have been maligned throughout history. The below infographic is a snapshot of the history of demonizing dogs. In every case, we can trace this demonization back to human actions. The dogs are merely a scapegoat, a way for human beings to deflect and avoid larger issues within society.

Scroll through the images below to learn about the history of demonizing dogs and find out where many breed stereotypes come from.

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