Posted on 04/03/2009 7:25:12 PM PDT by Chet 99
Sabillasville woman attacked by family pit bull
Originally published April 03, 2009, 8:40 PM - Updated
8:40 PM, April 03, 2009
From Staff Reports
A Sabillasville woman is being treated for cuts and puncture wounds after she was attacked by the family pit bull Friday evening, according to Frederick County Animal Control.
Animal Control Officer Rachel McVey said that the victim was cleaning up her dog’s food scraps when the 5-year-old male pit bull came downstairs and bit her left thigh.
While the woman tried to restrain the dog, she was bitten on the face, leaving her with a cut through the middle of her lower lip. She was taken to Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown, McVey said.
According to McVey, the victim’s husband reported that this was not the first time the dog had bitten his wife. McVey said the dog may be put down after a 10-day quarantine period.
I believe this is the fourth or fifth report of a pit bull attack in as many days! As much as I’d like to believe that pit bulls are really terrific dogs and the vicious ones are rare, that’s getting harder and harder to believe. I would never, ever own one.
What the hell? If your dog did that much damage to you, would it still be alive? Mine would be dead before I even considered stopping the blood flow.
The kicker is “...this was not the first time the dog had bitten his wife.”
The prevalancy of pitbull ownership is the main reason why I’m considering becoming a gunowner (as a single homeschooling mother). There is something intrinsically flawed about people who own them, IMHO — knowing the risks, knowing the fear they incite in the public. In our town they’re the new gang-banger status symbol, which is, I’m sure, true in many other towns across this country. The arrogance and denial that accompanies pitbull owners is a danger to every community, supporting a legal ban on ownership in my opinion. Yeah, yeah — tell us how friendly and playful your pits are around little children all day long. But just ask ANY emergency staff about what it does to the medical profession each time they have to treat children(primary victims of pits) — the horrific wounds, and the apathetic response of pit owners, when anyone dare hold them accountable for their dog’s actions.
It’s a scary enough world we live in. Why make it worse by owning a pit, when there are so many dog breeds that make awesome pets, even larger breeds, who need loving homes?
Bring it on...i know you pitowners want to go to the mat on this issue. You should pick topics worth fighting for.
And to the poster who put up the playful pug dogs on top of the pitbull — that pit could eat all of those dogs for dinner in a heartbeat. Show us THOSE pictures.
You are over-reacting. It was not the dog’s fault, anyway. Besides, attacks like these from pit bulls are very very rare.
Or so I have been told.
the victim’s husband reported that this was not the first time the dog had bitten his wife.
~~~
Put him down too,,,
Typical Thug!!!...
You think attacks by pit bulls are “very, very rare”?????
Are you kidding? You’re kidding, right? Do you know that a pitbull (the REAL ones) are physiologically incapable of unlocking their jaw once they’re clamped on to an animal or a person? Do you know that even multiple gunshots might not even drop an attacking pitbull?
Some education without the hysteria might be good. Sometimes the reputation matches the actual FACTS. In the case of breeding pitbulls, it absolutely matches.
When do you ever hear about a shitzu or a dachsund or a golden retriever mauling an animal or person? Ya don’t...that’s the point.
That's only because Chet99 is incredibly obsessed with this subject, and goes out & finds these articles to post over & over again. He ignores attacks by dogs of other breeds, and ignores the positive pit bull stories, even though many of been presented to him.
You're statement - "As much as I’d like to believe that pit bulls are really terrific dogs and the vicious ones are rare, that’s getting harder and harder to believe." is probably making him jump up & down with glee right now, because that is what he is trying to do ~ poison your mind with this one-sided garbage.
Check out my post:
Dog Hero! Pit Bull Saves His Family From Intruder
& you'll see the OTHER side of the story ~ the side Chet doesn't want you to see.
I actually have to laugh, because I can see the only reason Chet chose this particular story as this time is because I just posted that story of the pit bull who saved his family from an intruder ~ so he has to re-poison everyone's mind with this story! LOL!
Don't get me wrong...I feel very bad that the woman got hurt, but Chet is just playing a game here, & like I said, he is obsessed with poisoning people's minds with this one-sided garbage.
Also, check out this website:
http://www.bestfriends.org/vickdogs/ ~ It's the story about how Michael Vick's pit bulls (including his "best" fighters) were taken in by Best Friends Animal Society & were completely rehabilitated! Some of them are even getting adopted out into loving homes, & some are now serving as therapy dogs for the elderly.
LOL! You have to see the video of one of the Vick dogs, now named Halle...check her out hamming it up for the camera about 35 seconds in:
THAT is the reality of the majority of pit bulls out there, not this... like I've said many, many times ~ yes, there are bad dogs in the pit bull breed, just as there are bad dogs in EVERY single breed out there. BUT, there are many, many more good than bad, but thanks to people like Chet here, only the bad ones get noticed.
I thought I didn’t have to add the /sarc tag to my post. Obviously, you must be new to the Pit Bull threads;)
I hate Pit Bulls and, after my own little special rendezvous with one, I firmly believe it should be illegal to breed the beasts.
Also, here’s the comments from the original page of the post I made of the pit bull hero saving his family:
Mar
31
2009
3:08pm
As a dog lover/animal lover/pit bull lover/pit bull attack victim I always love to hear the good stories.? They are wonderful, it’s the owners that are stupid and unfortunately the owners aren’t the ones that get put to sleep.? People need to be educated and made aware of the innocent victims - the dogs!? Nice story...
Flag
View EllieMae Profile EllieMae Roebuck, SC
Mar
31
2009
1:45pm
Why wouldn’t a rescued pit that is shown real love by a real family not defend them.? Come on people, it’s not the breed that is a vicious breed, it’s the stupid people who make them fight and give the loved ones bad names!
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View SweetOcean10 Profile SweetOcean10 Fresno, CA
Mar
31
2009
3:48am
Finally a positive and REALISTIC view into a Pit Bull Terrier’s life!
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View SweetOcean10 Profile SweetOcean10 Fresno, CA
Mar
31
2009
3:47am
I totally agree with the comment below me! I own a Pit myself and he’s the sweetest dog there can be! I’m sure any of these dogs would save their family if they needed to.
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View napoleonsmom Profile napoleonsmom Louisville, KY
Mar
25
2009
10:31pm
I am so glad to see this type of story about a Pit Bull! All you see on the news “ Pit Bull attacks blah blah blah” As an owner of a Pit Bull, I know the loving, loyal and gentleness of the breed. I have 8 grand children ranging from 14 years old to 8 months old. They can do ANYTHING to my Pit, he lays there and lets them all the while loving it up! My family refers to the children as Napoleons kids. You say to him “your kids are here!” and that dog goes nuts! He loves those babies. And since my husband died, that dog has been more thaan a dog. He is my companion. He grieved as much as I did when his “daddy” passed away! THANK YOU FOR PUBLISHING THIS ARTICLE!!!!!
Myths vs. Facts—The Truth About Pit Bulls
What are pit bulls really like? How did they become such “underdogs” in the first place? Is there any truth behind their terrible reputation? Find the facts here!
Fact 1: Surprise—A “pit bull” isn’t even a breed of dog
“Pit bull” is a generic term that refers to a number of breeds, including American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and others. At Midwest Rescue, we’re dedicated to helping all of these breeds, including pit bull mixes.
Fact 2: Pit bulls AREN’T mean and vicious
Pit bulls do carry a terrible stigma, and we’ll get to the reasons why in a minute. For the moment, put your preconceptions aside and read this description provided by the United Kennel Club—one of the most-respected authorities on dog breeds:
“The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog…The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work.
Eager to please? Extremely friendly? Noted for their love of children? Yes, that’s the real pit bull!
Fact #3: Pit bulls make great family pets (and we have the numbers to prove it)
The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS) is a professional organization that objectively tests the temperaments of various dog breeds.
They do this by methodically exposing members of a breed to a series of confrontational situations, then measuring their reaction. The more aggressive the reaction, the lower the score the dog receives. The score is based on the percentage of dogs in a breed that passed the test:
Here are some of the most recent results available. We’ve included some widely considered “most friendly” (like beagles and poodles) and some labeled “dangerous” (like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and of course, pit bulls.
Warning: you will be surprised by the results!
ATTS Scores by Breed
Afghan: 72%
Australian Shepard: 79.2%
Beagle: 78.2%
Cairn Terrier: 70.7%
Chihuahua: 70.6%
Cocker Spaniel: 81.5%
German Shepherd: 82.8%
Golden Retriever: 83.6%
Labrador Retriever: 91.1%
Rottweiler: 82.3%
Toy Poodle: 80.9%
Yorkshire Terrier: 80.0%
Now, compare these to the pit bull breeds:
American Pit Bull Terrier: 83.4%
American Staffordshire Terrier: 83.3%
Staffordshire Bull Terrier: 93.2%
For this study, the ATTS evaluated more than 25,000 dogs and more than 200 breeds. The average score for all breeds together: 81%. As you can see, when it comes to having a reliably friendly temperament, the pit bull breeds well exceed the average!
You can find these scores and more at www.ATTS.org
Fact #4: Pit bulls are widely abused by dog fighters (and therein lies the problem)
We don’t understand why anyone would take pleasure in watching animals fight for their lives, but apparently some people find this high entertainment. Shame on them!
Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors enjoyed bull baiting and bear baiting, other bloodthirsty forms of animal abuse. Similarly, ancestors of the pit bull were bred for this purpose—to fight in a ring against bulls and bears, generally to the death.
In short, bull dogs (known for their strength) were bred with terriers (known for their agility and feistiness) to produce the pit bull breeds. Today, these dogs continue to be a favorite with dog fighters, for several reasons: they are very strong, supposedly have a high pain tolerance, and have a strong desire to please their owners, even if it means dying for them.
At Midwest Rescue, we have participated in rescuing puppies from the hands of dogfighters. We believe these sweet babies were going to be used as “bait.” The good news is, these pups are now on their way to good homes. This is the horror we are up against. This is why we need your help.
Fact #5: Yes, some pit bulls are “animal aggressive”
Because of dog fighting, some pit bulls have been bred to be “animal aggressive”—i.e., aggressive towards dogs and other animals.
A dog that is animal aggressive may still make a fine pet. The key is socialization and training.
All our dogs undergo socialization and obedience training. Before we make any dog available for adoption, we test it. If a dog needs to be in a one-pet household, we clearly state that upfront.
That being said, many pit bulls are quite friendly with other animals. Our volunteers tend to own multiple pets—pit bulls, other dogs, cats, even kittens—and they get along just fine.
Fact #6: Very few pit bulls are “human aggressive”
Pit bulls have never been bred to be aggressive toward people. As the United Kennel Club notes, this is uncharacteristic of the breed.
So what about those headlines you see in the newspaper? For the media, printing a “pit bull attack!” headline is like yelling “shark!” on the beach. It draws attention.
Putting sensationalism aside, it is nearly impossible to get objective statistics regarding dog attacks and specific breeds.
However, we do know this: dogs that are abused are more likely to become human aggressive. And in urban America, pit bulls in great numbers have been grievously mistreated in an attempt to make them fighting dogs and guard dogs.
When we rescue a dog, we observe, test, and train it. We firmly believe human aggressive dogs should never be placed in a home. If a dog is found to be human aggressive, we will arrange to have it humanely euthanized.
Fact #7: Another surprise— pit bulls were once the #1 family dog!
In the early part of the 20th century, pit bulls were the most popular breed of dog. Think of the RCA dog, the Buster Brown dog, Tige, and Pete the Pup from the Li’l Rascals.
Helen Keller, President Teddy Roosevelt, and General George Patton all owned pit bulls. Were these very smart people somehow unaware of the pit bull’s dangerous reputation? No, the pit bull’s bad reputation is a recent development.
Fact #8: Pit bulls are indeed “underdogs!”
It is estimated that there 60,000 pit bulls in the city of Chicago alone! Tragically, urban pit bulls are at very, very high risk of abuse. The majority shelters won’t even accept them (we’ve listed some pit bull-friendly shelters—see Links). As a result, instead of finding loving homes, hundreds of friendly, loving pit bulls are euthanized every month.
At Midwest Rescue, our goal is to explode the myths, improve the statistics—and secure a brighter future for pit bulls, one dog at a time.
<< Do you know that a pitbull (the REAL ones) are physiologically incapable of unlocking their jaw once they’re clamped on to an animal or a person? >>
Myth - “Pit Bulls have locking jaws.”
Fact - The jaws of the Pit Bull are functionally
the same as the jaws of any other breed, and this has been proven via
expert examination.
The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the
skulls, mandibles and teeth of Pit Bulls show that, in proportion to their
size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is
no different than that of any [other] breed of dog. There is absolutely
not evidence for the existence of any kind of ’locking mechanism’ unique
to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier,
says Dr. I. Lerh Brisbin of the University of Georgia (from the ADBA
booklet, “Discover the American Pit Bull Terrier.)
I went to your link. Please correct me if I am wrong but I didn't see:
where is says they were completely rehabilitated? I saw a bunch that were still in therapy!
where it says that any were adopted?
where it says that some are now serving as therapy dogs for the elderly.
Myth - “Pit Bulls attack more people than any other breed.”
Fact - Bite statistics are
difficult to obtain accurately. Dogs that are referred to as “pit bulls” in
statistical reports actually are a variety of breeds and mixes all lumped
together under the “pit bull” heading. Also, many people have a difficult
time properly identifying a true Pit Bull, so added to the statistics are
those dogs that have been misidentified. Considering these factors, the
actual number of attacks attributable to American Pit Bull Terriers is
considerably lower than represented. Also important to understand is
the extreme popularity of the Pit Bull and pit bull-type breeds. By some
estimates, numbers-wise they are the most popular of all dog breeds. It
is only logical to assume that the breed with the higher number of
individual dogs would be represented with a higher number of bites.
Viewing older statistical reports for the Center of Disease Control, one
will see that trends in breed popularity reflect in the number of bites
attributed to a specific breed during a specific period of time.
Uh, pit bulls are widely used as fighters because, well, uh, they are vicious fighters?
Excellent example for your side showing that pit bulls are not vicious. He didn't even attack the intruder!
I love animals, and have spent my whole life around all kinds of domesticated animals, including dogs.
Sorry, but the dog in your pictures, even as a puppy, looks dangerous to me.
That's what they all say, until one day the dog maims or kills someone.
Then it's "I don't understand how this could have happened; Genghis was always such a gentle dog, blah, blah, blah."
Vicktory dog goes home! - She's the first, others will follow. :-)
Also, an excerpt from this article:
<< During a walk in Golden Gate Park one day, Jonny was mobbed by a group of kids. Cohen wasn't sure how Jonny would react to all those little hands thrust at him, but the dog loved it. He played with the children, and Cohen realized Jonny had an affinity for them. He enrolled Jonny in training for the program Paws for Tales, in which kids who get nervous reading aloud in class practice their skills by reading to a canine audience of one. Jonny was certified in November, and now once a month he sits patiently listening to children read.
He's not the only one of Vick's former dogs lending a hand. Leo, who lives with foster mother Marthina McClay in Los Gatos, Calif., is a certified therapy dog who spends two to three hours a week visiting cancer patients and troubled teens. Two other dogs are also therapy dogs, and two more are in training. A total of six have earned Canine Good Citizen certificates, issued by the American Kennel Club to dogs who pass a series of 10 tests, including walking through a crowd and reacting to unexpected sights and sounds. "It's great to show people how much these dogs have to offer," says Cohen. >>
Those excerpts are on the bottom of page 4 of the article, which is an awesome story about other Vick dogs that didn't go to Best Friends.
(Just from memory of the article, I said therapy for the elderly ~ it was apparently for troubled children, teens, & cancer patients)
:-)
:-)
Patton’s bull dog didn’t look anything like the monsters that are called pit bulls today.
If you are bound & determined to have a pre-conceived notion about pit bulls, then nothing anyone says is going to change your mind...
I have stated the facts, given you an answer to your question ~ take them as you will...
Have a good one ~ I’m out of here for now!
:-)
Uh, your link does not back up your 'facts' as you posted it did. Now, when asked where you got your 'facts', you duck and run. Thank you.
It is not 'pre-conceived'. It is based on observations, some very close. One was a good friend that had his dog turn on him. Another was my ex's father. It took an attack on him at the dinner table before he ended his love affair with chows.
Apparently, you didn't read your link.
Wow, glad I decided to check back in here after I went to other message boards...
OK, “my link doesn’t back up the facts” was your statement ~ I remember your question in one post being similar to “Where in the link does it say any dog got adopted, & where does it say any are therapy dogs”?
In post #23, I directed you to the article of a Vick pit bull getting adopted (providing a direct link to the article, mind you), and also provided a direct link to the article about a couple of Vick dogs who are now therapy dogs (with others in training)...not only did I give you a hyperlink to the exact article, I even posted the excerpts. AND I even told you exactly where you could find those paragraphs & on what page!
Are we cool now? Can I go watch some TV now, or will I again be accused of “ducking & running”?
:-)
This is simply not true. No dog can "lock" it's jaws, not even the big bad pitbull. All the bully breeds simply have very strong jaw muscles.
Besides, if it were true that they couldn't release a hold, then why aren't folks having to surgically remove a biting pit?
Homeschooler, educate thyself.
1) There are many more reasons to own a gun than just pitbulls.
2) No, pit bulls do not have ‘locking jaws’.
3) Allowing the government to regulate what kind of dog you can own using nothing more than a subjective set of physical characteristics is retarded.
If your a new shooter take some classes,,,
You'll meet the nicest folks at your local range/gunshop...;0)
it’s obvious she was being sarcastic.
Did you get your dog fixed once he was old enough?
The puppy picture does not look dangerous. He looks like a little beagle puppy if you didn’t know what breed he was.
I’d take anything he says with a grain of salt.
He posts stock photos and makes up captions for them.
Sounds like the arguments against private gun ownership by the Brady bunch.
Yes. You posted:
"Halle has just been adopted into a loving home:
I posted that you apparently did not read the link you posted to me which said:
However, Traci can’t officially adopt Halle quite yet.
Please maintain some accuracy in your post. Thank you.
Because I want people to KNOW there is a positive side to pit bulls also, that the majority of pit bulls out there are not ones who attack, I am going to try to bring this point out again...hopefully, I'll do it "perfect" this time.
Halle has gone to a home, and is no longer at Best Friends. To quote this article about her..."The first Vicktory dog has gone home! How’s that for a statement worth shouting from the rooftops? This is one happy ending a long, long time in the making."
The woman who's home Halle is at right now has previously adopted another pit bull from Best Friends (not a Vick pit bull)...again, from the article ~ "Then something happened. A big, goofy lovable pit bull named Tacoma came to Best Friends from a shelter. Tacoma is as friendly as a puppy. He even did a stint as office dog at the Best Friends clinic. Aside from knocking over all the furniture and thoroughly licking everybody who strayed close enough, he excelled as an office dog.
The adoption folks contacted Traci and told her about Tacoma. He, too, needed a home. Would she consider him? She took one look—and was hooked. Traci adopted Tacoma and they’ve been best pals ever since."
The time came when Halle was ready to find a home of her own, and Best Friends contacted Traci...once again, from the article ~ "When these two met, it was a cosmic case of love at first sight. They romped and played together and never had a moment’s trouble. In fact, they snuggled side by side on the bed with Traci during the initial sleepover. Talk about a deal-clincher! Traci and Tacoma took Halle home.
However, Traci can’t officially adopt Halle quite yet. The Vicktory dogs came to Best Friends with specific legal requirements, one of which is a six-month foster period before adoption. Still, if the first week of fostering is any indication, it looks like Halle has found her forever home. "
Finally, from the article, this quote ~ "So for now, it’s one big trial run. But with all the obstacles Halle has overcome so far, a six-month waiting period should be a cinch. Congrats to Halle, Tacoma, and Traci. It’s a happy-ever-after most certainly worth waiting for."
(Dang, that took 20 times longer to write out than "Halle has been adopted out into a loving home", but I guess in order to distract from that awesome news, the word "adopt" had to be seriously nitpicked over....so there you have it, the adoption can not be made official until a 6-month waiting period while Halle is in Traci's home).
Since you all had to suffer through this whole long story to explain the technicality of the word "adopt", please feel free to watch this video of Halle (yes, this is actually Halle). Check out her acting playful & goofy about 35 seconds in (just for the official record, the 35 seconds is approximate...it could be 34 seconds, or 33, etc.)
Have a great day, Coldwater & everyone else!!!
:-)
I guess in your world, someone that is engaged is really already married?
I’m going to be dead honest with you here, ColdWater ~ I truly do feel bad for you. To keep striking out at a person that has just told you they are wearing down from your constant strikes is very sad...
You must be filled with anger in your heart to do that ~ I did what you asked, and “tried to maintain some semblance of accuracy” in my posts (that might not be the exact quote from you ~ I’m just going from memory).
In keeping in compliance with your request, I did what I could to explain the whole entire deal so as to maintain the positive story about Halle, yet do it as “perfectly & accurately” as I could.
But that did not satisfy you yet ~ you found the need to strike out at me again to again distract from the story, even though I already told you at the start “You’re wearing me down”...that right there should have told a person who has true love in their heart ~ hey, this person has just told me they are hurting from my actions, so maybe I should back off a little so I don’t cause them any more pain. They tried to explain the whole situation according to my request, and I commend them for that.
But you chose to immediately strike out at me again...that is what leads me to believe you have anger & hatred in your heart instead of true love. I’m going to start praying for you, ColdWater...I really am. Am I guaranteeing you have hatred & anger in your heart? No, but it is your actions that I have seen here that tells me you do, and I really feel bad for you about that ~ therefore, I will pray for you that you can find the true love that God wants you to have.
I seriously do hope you’ll have a great day & an even better week, ColdWater, because everyone deserves true happiness in their life!
:-)
Your actions are counter to your words. Your writings keep getting longer!
I don't keep striking out at you, I merely post a short reply to your posts.
I wonder, how many dogs have not been taken care of and put to death while man-years of effort have been devoted to the rescue of these fighting dogs that to date none have been adopted.
Please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think I ever struck out at you. Only pointed out errors in your posts.
Did you really write that out or just copy and paste? As I said before, please keep your posts accurate.
Your posts in defense of the pits were rational, courteous, and informative. It’s easy to see that other posters were harassing, nitpicking, and playing games.
I have no particular affinity for a pit bull, I happen to like mastiffs, of which I own one. I also own a minpin. The species aggressive, and human aggressive dog in my home is the minpin, because she was raised for nine months in a puppy mill to be bred for money. Luckily, I got her early enough to socialize and train her. She still will snap, if someone messes with her food or toys.
The mastiff, properly raised, is gentle and trustworthy, although he can look very intimidating.
It’s NOT the breed. It’s the owner, it’s the conditions, it’s the socialization, etc. Dogs have innate characteristics, but properly raised dogs are for the most part safe (with the exception of some small breeds).
Peace, I’m sorry some FReepers have to behave like a pack of hounds chasing a rabbit.
I have stated over and over and over.....I rarely get on these threads anymore.
It is not the dog but the owners on the most part. Yes, there are some bad animals. It is a givern such as bad people.
If she was bitten before this....
I have met a “pittbull” that I was worried about.
I hate these threads.....
Well dang! This explains all of the threads about children having their faces ripped off by Chihuahuas. That is one mean nasty dog! Thanks for the info. My opinion of the dog is changed entirely. I was going to get a Cairn Terrier but to heck with that or a Toy Poodle or a Yorkie. Those are vicious killers. I'm going with the Pit Bull instead.
One has to wonder tho - why didn't Michael Vic breed Chihuahuas?
Hey, here's a question, if the octa-mom had just used our money to take out 14 life policies, what type of dogs would she make America buy to keep the kids company?
Allow me to advance a theory - what people are likely to have their family pit bull tested? Responsible owners who have a concern because it is a pit bull. What people are likely to have their yorkie, golden, * terrier, etc. tested? An owner with a problem dog. This is going to skew the statistics - big time. Go dish the stuff that plastic bags are for on walks elsewhere. I'm not buying.
Please note *important*: the dirt bag with his ball cap brim sticking out sideways, who is walking his pit bull and has lots of plastic bags in his pocket (but not for the dog) is not going to get the dog's temperment tested.
My westie digs up our yard all the time because we have moles. It is spring so I can see the mole damage throughout the yards of neighbors - some with dogs. None of them have craters dug out by their dogs because their dogs were not bred to root out varmints. My friend with a border collie has watched his dog heard his kids at the park. Why do you suppose that is? Now, then - follow along here - what, exactly, have pit bulls been selected and bred to do?
Have irresponsible owners helped to give the breed a bad name? You bet. But let's not be intentionally ignorant in order to satisfy what we would prefer. The government doesn't pass laws forcing owners to register bb-guns (yet) now do they? There is a confluence of factors that make pit bull terriers particularly dangerous. It's build, strength and jaw size, the greater likelyhood of a pit bull being owned by a jacka$$, along with it's ability to revert to "type" all make this dog a very substantial threat. No amount of skewed statistics will change that.
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