response: Yes they are!  Did you know that dog fighting's now illegal in the US?  However that breed is still used in illegal fights.
original_response: Unfortunately, even though dog fighting has been banned, they are still the breed of choice in underground, illegal dog fighting operations.
history: Pit bulls are great dogs, but quite often they are misunderstood. Oh are they?  I know they are a kind of dog. Pit bulls are a descendant of bulldogs! Maybe that's where the ''bull'' comes from. What do you think? I have no clue.  Originally, they were developed as dogs for fighting.  They cross bred bull-baiting dogs and terriers. They do sometimes serve as search and rescue and police dogs, so they do have a purpose. I have friends that own them and they are wonderful pets if trained correctly. Oh is that so?  I know that besides being used as family companions, they have been used in the US as catch dogs for hogs and semi-wild cattle.  They've also been used to drive livestock! I have cats, so I don't think they'd get along with a pit bull, but I'd consider it otherwise. They are certainly a working breed!
knowledge: Despite dog fighting now being illegal in the United States, it still exists as an underground activity, and pit bulls are a common breed of choice.