Posted on 06/26/2011 3:08:13 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A recent attack on a 75-year-old woman by two pit bulls fuels the ongoing debate as to whether or not the breed should be considered dangerous.
The woman suffered severe injuries, including multiple bites and a heart attack.
The incident has reignited the debate: Are pit bulls unsafe?
Dangerous Dogs
The controversy surrounding pit bulls has been argued for decades. A special report released by the U.S. Center for Disease Control in 2000 displayed that pit bulls were responsible for the majority of dog bite related fatalities.
The report has since received an overwhelming amount of dissonance from pit bull advocates. The CDC later released a statement saying there was no accurate way to identify which breeds are more likely to kill.
However, advocates at the nonprofit organization Dogsbite.org performed its own study that revealed more than 50 percent of fatal dog attacks are from pit bulls. The Texas-based website serves to warn the public about dangerous dog breeds and educate the public about possible solutions to prevent pit bull attacks.
Colleen Lynn, founder of Dogsbite.org, said the example of the recent attack exposes pit bulls as a hazardous breed.
“We know not all pit bulls are going to attack,” she said. “Pit bulls are not born vicious, they are born dangerous. If you’re going to own one you need to know.” Lynn believes both genetics and a dog’s surroundings play a role in dog attacks.
“There’s no question that environment can play a role,” Lynn said. “But pit bulls bite, clamp, hold and shake. That’s totally genetic.”
Lynn suggested the pit bulls that attacked Emako Mendoza were displaying typical pit bull breed behavior. She said keeping multiple pit bulls elevates the risk, especially with puppies.
Lynn worries that the dogs’ owners will not be able to pay for Mendoza’s injuries. Because of instances like this, Lynn wants to enforce legislation, which would make pit bull owners obtain insurance.
“These dogs can cause serious damage,” she said. “It’s very self-centered considering the risk they could pose.”
Nature vs. Nurture
Are pit bulls attack dogs by nature, or does training play a role?
The Pit Bull Rescue Central website advocates against the notion that the breed itself is dangerous. Marcy Setter runs the website educating dog owners and restoring the pit bull image.
“It’s not a breed issue, it’s a dog issue,” Setter said. “I hear about dogs getting loose and that relates directly to irresponsible dog owners.”
Setter said it’s important to socialize any dog, and expose them to as much as possible.
“A dog is a dog at the end of the day, and all dogs bite,” she said. “Every breed has attacks or fatalities against them.”
Despite negative connotations people have of pit bulls, Setter said people are still interested in adopting them because they are friendly and loyal.
“I would tell a new dog owner the same thing I’d tell other dog owners,” she said. “Make sure to socialize the animal with other dogs and animals.”
Taking Responsibility
San Diego seems to be a pit bull hot spot; simply stroll by Ocean Beach and one will see owners walking pit bulls along the boardwalk.
Michaela Myers, a volunteer with the Pit Bull Rescue San Diego, said pit bulls are a popular dog type not just in San Diego, but also across the nation. As a pit bull owner, Myers believes the dogs make good pets despite unfavorable attention they often receive.
“They’re goofy, loving and great companions,” she said. Myers has two pit bull mixes, one that is a certified therapy dog.
Myers said some people want pit bulls for the wrong reasons, such as enhancing their image as someone who is tough.
“When they become popular with the wrong people for the wrong reasons pit bulls get a bad rep,” she said. Myers said the recent attack must take into account how the dogs were kept and treated.
At the San Diego league experienced trainers evaluate pit bulls to determine whether or not they are temperamental, according to Myers.
The local rescue league also encourages newly adopted dog owners to understand the image they present with their pit bull.
“I do think dog owners have an extra responsibility because the public scrutinizes,” she said. “We want them to be extra responsible with how they present themselves with their dog.”
Ping
Pit Bulls are perfectly safe.Just ignore all the documented attacks by the little fellers.
In my present place we had a pit bull across the alley for three years that was the friendliest and most gentle dog anyone ever saw or hoped to see.
I don't think a breed makes one's set of teeth sharper than another's.
A pitbull thread!
What could possibly go wrong?
“It’s not a breed issue, it’s a dog issue,” Setter said. “I hear about dogs getting loose and that relates directly to irresponsible dog owners.”
Setter said it’s important to socialize any dog, and expose them to as much as possible.
“A dog is a dog at the end of the day, and all dogs bite,” she said. “Every breed has attacks or fatalities against them.”
So, where do I go to find out about the deaths caused by Chihuahua's???
Thursday or Friday, I had two pit bulls run into my living room, run around the kitchen, and then flee when I got up.
Insurance companies consider them dangerous. So do I. Next question?
My next door neighbor got attacked by two pit bulls a few years back. He was in his garage cleaning a pair of cleats. They came from across the street and attacked entirely unprovoked.
I don’t know if they represent the breed as a whole, but those two dogs were definitely dangerously temperamental.
I personally knew a family with little children who owned a pit bull.
I “saw” the kids play with her and rough house.
Never did the dog do anything other than watch me very carefully in case I made a move toward the children she disliked.
It’s the owner not the breed but they have been ruined by poor breeding and cruelty.
It’s a no win proposition to defend them in today’s climate regarding them.
At the turn of the last century they were America’s favorite dog.
No kidding...
http://buzzlog.yahoo.com/buzzlog/94449/pit-bulls-surprising-past-nanny-dogs
that article is bogus. You can tell the photos are photoshopped. Yahoo fell for it.
>>>So, where do I go to find out about the deaths caused by Chihuahua’s???
Might be easier to do a news search for “Toy Poodle Mauls Toddler”.
A few weeks back, while we were in our front yard, two pit bulls (a male and a female) came running up into our yard. Neither had any identification on them, but did have collars/harnesses. We put a leash on each, and attempted to locate the owner by walking around our neighborhood, but with no success. All we accomplished was to anger a woman down the block who was working with one of her labs in her front yard - her lab bolted out of the yard, running up to one of the pits. The owner of the lab was upset out of fear the pit would attack her dog. It didn’t. We wound up having to call animal control to come pick up the dogs. Fortunately the local animal shelter has a no-kill policy for non-violent strays. Hopefully the owners went and reclaimed their dogs.
30 Years ago ,I would have said yes but today,The breeders are less than desirable.
Only the Army should be allowed to own pitbulls.
That has been my experience as well. To an animal, every pit bull I’ve encountered has been a big pussycat. Surprisingly friendly dogs. However, I think problem is that as a breed they have very powerful jaw muscles (right up there with rottweilers) and can produce tremendous bite pressure, so if you get a bad one you’ve got troubles. Usually the problem seems to come from people who have packs of them and train them to be vicious. Or they trust them unsupervised with an infant, which is a bad idea with any dog.
I know there’s a range, some are nearly scared of their own shadow and some are killers. The only dog that ever scared truly scared me though was a pit bull. Been around some super spooky wolf hybrid german shepherds and a 200 lb rotweiller and we got along fine.
My buddy had one though that was well over 100 lbs and was the most powerful, muscular, explosive and lightening quick dog I’ve ever seen. Even when he was in a good mood and playful he was frightening, he could knock you around like a ragdoll and I’m well over 200 lbs.
He had it well trained but even then you could sense the animal’s volatile nature. I would never be able to close my eyes around that dog.
We have a pitbull at work (not my idea) named Sally, aodpted as a small pup. Sweet dog, but......... we have about 120 acres at work and one day a coyote crossed our property. Sally ran it down and visciously ripped it to shreds.
Yup, Sally is sweet, but I sure hope it never turns on someone.
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