A clip from a 2017 interview with Jon Bernthal is making the rounds on-line, bringing renewed consideration to the actor’s passionate protection of pit bulls. Within the resurfaced footage, the “Punisher” star argues that worry of the breed is rooted in unfair stereotypes, even going as far as to explain it as “canine racism.” His previous feedback have reignited on-line dialogue in regards to the stigma surrounding the canine breed.
On August 1, “The Howard Stern Present” reuploaded a 2017 interview that includes actor Jon Bernthal, during which he defended pit bulls. The resurfaced clip rapidly gained traction, with quite a few media shops and social media accounts highlighting his remarks, turning them right into a trending subject on-line.
The dialog turned to pit bulls when Howard Stern requested the actor a few 2009 incident in Venice Seashore. Bernthal was arrested following an altercation with a drunk particular person who tried to seize his pit bull. The actor punched the person, who ended up unconscious after hitting his head on the bottom.
Stern requested why his pit bull didn’t assault, to which Bernthal answered, “My canines are the best, and so they’re unbelievably effectively skilled.” He additional added that the stereotype in opposition to pit bulls being aggressive is simply “canine racism.”
“To be afraid of a breed of canine is totally ridiculous. It’s like being afraid of someone for his or her race or their sexual orientation,” Bernthal told Stern.
The Actor Positioned The Duty On Canine House owners
Bernthal admitted that it could “suck” to be bitten by a pit bull. Nonetheless, he claimed that “they’re no extra more likely to chunk you than a chihuahua or every other breed of canine.”
Furthermore, the actor believes {that a} canine’s conduct relies upon largely on its proprietor and the way it’s raised and skilled, whatever the breed. “I feel that a number of knuckleheads, sadly, are connected to that breed of canine,” he added.
The resurfaced clip sparked a web-based debate. Whereas many agreed together with his view, others argued that genetics additionally play a task. One stated blended breeds are liable for many assaults, however in terms of particular breeds, “pit bulls are by far probably the most harmful.” One particular person commented, “When you meet a pit bull who’s an a-shole it’s as a result of an a-shole human taught them to be an a-shole.”
Jon Bernthal Is An Advocate For Pit Bulls
Bernthal has lengthy been vocal about his love of pit bulls. In 2014, he shared that he usually traveled by automobile to work as a substitute of taking a airplane, as he wished to deliver his pit bulls, Boss and Venice, with him.
“They’re stunning. They’re sweethearts,” the actor stated, including that other than them being his greatest pals, he wished to vary the general public’s notion in regards to the breed. “It’s fairly sick and twisted how individuals really feel about them a number of the time, and my canines are complete sweethearts,” he informed Live Science.
In 2015, Bernthal, who starred in “The Strolling Lifeless” for 2 seasons in 2010 to 2012, stated there wasn’t a day when his canines weren’t on set with him, and so they had been additionally his companions to conferences and auditions. “Our canines are a part of our household,” he stated, per CBS News.
The Actor’s Father Served As Chair For The Humane Society
Bernthal isn’t the one one in his household advocating for pit bulls. His father, Eric, served as chair of the board of administrators for the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) till 2019.
In 2012, the Maryland Courtroom of Appeals declared pit bulls and pit bull mixes “inherently harmful” breeds. By means of his management, Eric and the HSUS fought the choice and known as out Maryland lawmakers for issuing a “loss of life warrant” for 1000’s of canines in shelters. The court ruling was overturned, and a brand new breed-neutral invoice was enacted.
Bernthal credited his father for uplifting his ardour for canines, particularly pit bulls, saying Eric “beloved canines to an insane degree.”
Deadly Canine Assault Statistics
The position of breed in canine assaults stays a divisive challenge, with pit bulls and Rottweilers on the heart of dialogue.
In 2025, there have been 84 reported deadly canine assaults within the U.S. and Canada, with 64 involving canines recognized as pit bulls. Regardless of the statistics, several studies have proven {that a} canine’s breed doesn’t correlate to its aggression.
Each the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) and the American Veterinary Medical Affiliation (AVMA) have beforehand warned in opposition to breed-specific fatality statistics, as they usually depend on visible identification, which can be inaccurate.
