A flier circulating around the Internet is pulling a few tricks on dog owners by proclaiming Halloween as “National Kill a Pit Bull Day.” Should pit bull owners be terrified, or is National Kill a Pit Bull Day just a hoax?

Fortunately, we are able to report that National Kill a Pit Bull Day is a hoax, although the idea for the fake planned massacre may have been borne from a sliver of a truth (and it’s a fairly thin sliver).

With the help of Twitter and other social media sites, dog owners and animal advocates were outraged over the flier announcing National Kill a Pit Bull Day. The flier has gone viral, just as it did in 2012, when it was deemed a hoax.

The flier purports to be written by Terry Jordan, which happens to be the name of a city councilman in Slater, Mo., who helped pass a vicious animals ordinance in the city that drew the ire of pet owners. The ordinance originally applied only to pit bulls but was expanded after backlash.

But Jordan told the Marshall Democrat-News last year that he was not behind the National Kill a Pit Bull Day flier (the grammar of the piece helps back up his claims). The councilman said he was just as angered by the notice as animal advocates were.

"We don't know who posted it, and I don't know how to stop it," Jordan said in 2012, when the National Kill a Pit Bull rumors gained steam.

Some believed the flier was payback for Jordan’s ordinance.

Last year, a Tumblr warned dog owners to keep their pets safe on Halloween and said the flier was not a hoax. The blog gave out Jordan’s phone number and said the councilman “does indeed hate our dogs.”

Here is the full text of the 2012 flier, now being circulated again this year:

Warning!!

Don't plan on your four legged friends walking around with you on Halloween this year.

KEEP ALL DOGS IN A LOCKED HOUSE

October 31 (Halloween Night) is trying to become National "Kill a Pit Bull Day"

Not only is Pit Bulls part of this "Holiday". Any breed is fair game. Especially, any look alike breeds.

Terry Jordan - Yesterday

I'm here by announcing October 31 National kill a pitbull [sic] day. After you take the kids trick or treating keep your costume on round up some friends and kill as many pitbulls as you can before midnight. Baseball bats, knives, bricks and poisons (a hotdog soaked in radiator fluid works well) are all suitable tools. Their owners like brag about there [sic] high threshold for pain. So don't worry them suffering they can take it. So remember to spread the word!

OCTOBER 31, 2012 NATIONAL KILL A PITBULL NIGHT

Please feel free to scan to spread the awareness.

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