Pit bull ... Those are fighting words for people who love that breed of dog. Owners of the much-maligned dogs are quick to take offense about the way pit bulls are portrayed in the media, so I wondered how long it would take to get some reaction to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's comment.

The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is "lipstick," she told the Republican National Convention.

Last week I got my first e-mail news release on the topic.

Mrs. Palin "insulted Democratic pit bulls and their left-leaning owners across the nation by comparing herself, a so-called hockey mom, to a pit bulls," says Earl Weingarden, president dvMail, an advertising agency based in Evanston, Ill.

Mr. Weingarden has created a T-shirt with a picture of Vivian, a 4-year-old pit bull he adopted from a rescue organization. The dog -- white with a brown spot around one eye -- is posed in front of an American flag under the headline, "Pit Bulls Against Palin."

"I don't like Palin comparing herself to a pit bull," said Mr. Weingarden's release, which I hope is at least partially tongue-in-cheek. "Sarah Palin knows as much about pit bulls as she does foreign policy. We encourage you, your friends and family to vote for Sen. Barack Obama for president."

He is selling the T-shirts online for $20, and a portion of the profits will be donated to "pit bull rescue organizations," according to the news release.

Go to Google and search "Palin" and "pit bulls," and you'll get thousands of hits, including blogs and message boards. The Alaska governor should "distance herself" from a breed "that has been banned in many cities," said more than one Palin supporter, and that's exactly the kind of statement that makes pit bull lovers cringe.

A growing number of animal lovers aren't joking at all when they demand to know where local, state and national candidates stand on animal issues. That's often difficult to ascertain because most candidates aren't that involved in animal issues and animal issues generally aren't high on the list of issues that concern political reporters and editors.

I don't think the president and vice-president of the United States generally get involved in issues of concern to animal lovers, which would include breed specific legislation that could ban pit bulls and other breeds of dogs, funding for animal shelters and support for spay and neuter programs. Laws affecting animals are passed by the legislative branch of government, while governors and the U.S. president and vice president are in the executive branch of government.

But still, animal lovers are watching and wondering.

An online article with the title "Where Do the Veep Candidates Stand on Animals" is making the rounds of e-mail lists, including local lists and blogs, and The Huffington Post. The article is written by Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, who also works with the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

"The contrast could not be more clear," Mr. Markarian writes. "Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) has been a leader in the Senate to protect marine mammals and exotic wildlife. Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) has denied the threats facing polar bears and has led her state's efforts to gun down wolves from airplanes and helicopters. "

When the Bush administration announced its listing of the polar bear as a threatened species, "she filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse the decision," Mr. Markarian writes.

"Sen. Biden has been a longtime friend of animal welfare in the Senate and has received high marks year after year" from the Humane Society.

"In the current session of Congress, Sen. Biden co-sponsored measures to stop horse slaughter, upgrade the penalties for animal fighting, ban the possession of fighting dogs and attendance at dog fights and called on Canada to stop its annual massacre of baby harp seals," he wrote.

Mr. Markarian promises we'll hear more about the presidential election from the Humane Society. Go to www.fund.org for more information and updates.