When Mark Buehrle signed a four-year, $58 million contract with the Miami Marlins this offseason, he became one of a number of additions to a team that is trying to make waves with its new ballpark and location. I’m sure Buehrle is very pleased with the money the Marlins are giving him, but the drive to work could be a bit of a hassle. According to the Miami Herald, Buehrle and his wife Jamie cannot legally settle in Miami-Dade County because they own an American Staffordshire terrier. That breed of dog falls under the county’s pit bull ban.
“It’s kind of ridiculous that because of the way a dog looks, people will ban it,” Buehrle said. “Every kind of dog has good and bad, and that depends on the handlers. If you leave a dog outside all the time, it’ll be crazy. Slater would never do anything harmful.”
Mark and Jamie are known animal lovers, as they are spokespeople for the Best Friends Animal Society. According to the Herald, the Utah-based animal society took in 22 of Michael Vick’s pit bulls after the dog fighting scandal. As you may remember, Buehrle had some harsh comments for Vick after that whole incident came to light.
As you can see from the photo above, Buerhle’s dog doesn’t look like much of a killer. He is right about dogs being a product of their handlers, but unfortunately many people who own this particular breed have a tendency to turn them into aggressive animals. The law was passed for a reason, even if it is unfortunate for people like Jamie and Mark who are responsible owners.
Fist pound to Big League Stew for sharing the story with us
