Should Pit Bulls be banned?

[Dobeyxxl]

I'm not sure where I stand concerning this issue but it is hard to argue with the statistics that Pit Bulls are responsible for more serious injury and death to people than any other breed.

I just read another article about a Pit Bull killing someone.

"A California man opened his front door to find a nightmare waiting: His pregnant wife fatally mauled by a family pit bull still snarling over her blood-spattered body.

Attempts to save Darla Napora were unsuccessful, and the 6-months-pregnant woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The family owned a second pit bull, and the animal was turned over to the Peninsula Humane Society

Carlson said she was stunned by the brutal killing."

"They are not barking dogs," she said of the Naporas' pit bulls. "They seemed friendly ... It's really sad."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...pit_bull_.html

[StellarAwesome]

Nope.

However I do support the banning of people who treat their pitbulls as an extention of their Penis.

This article suggests that the dogs killed their own owner, but it says little about the circumstances which lead to the killing. Were these dogs properly trained at all, or were they used as guard dogs? Were the owners abusive to the animals? I can't fathom a pit under healthy, normal conditions simply turning on their owner, I just don't believe that happens. I think people who get a breed they know nothing about, not training and reinforcing bad habits leads to this kind of stuff.

Pitbulls are not for everyone, they're giant terriers with a high prey drive and strength behind that. And people forget.

Also- I know pitbulls get a bad rap just from the media alone. I remember a few years ago a woman was attacked by a Lab. The news said Pitbull but when people called to complain the dog in the photo was a lab and not a pitbull, the news site simply took down the photo of the lab being hauled away by animal control. They left the pitbull headline.

[cizin]

Your stats are wrong though. WHEN a pit bull attacks, it is more likely to make the news, but they are NOT the most common biter. According to the most recent study I found:

1. German shepherd
2. Chow chow
3. Poodle
4. Italian bulldog
5. Fox terrier
6. Mixed breed
7. Airedale
8. Pekingese
9. Mixed German shepherd
10. Pit bull

Is a pit often actually a mixed breed? Yes. They just have the reputation now that Rotties and Dobermans had in the past. Watch a movie from the 80s. Pits aren't the bad dogs, it's one of those breeds. Now, it's all pits. In 10 years, it will be something else.

I've trained dogs for a long time, Pits are whatever you make them be. You want the best family dog ever? A pit. Pits were the American dogs for generations. In the early 1900s they called them the nanny dog.

That said, aggression is proven to be genetic, which is why police dogs trace their lineage back 30+ years.

[Crestielovely]

No, I don't think they should be banned. I think people need to be more responsible with their pets. As much as people like to think of their dogs as family (I do so myself) they still need to remember that they are still dogs and need to be treated as such. Any dog can turn on it's owner. I feel that breed discrimination is wrong. These animals become exactly what we train them to become.

[tiedyegecko]

Don't blame the breed blame the owner.
Train,neuter and excersise your animal properly and you can avoid problems like these.
I'm sure the story in question isn't all fact.
The media can twist ANYTHING to put the blame on pitbulls. It's because of this that people who know nothing about pitbulls support breed specific legislation.
It really comes down to people putting the blame on things they don't care to understand.

It dosen't take owning a pitbull to realize this. Just watch a couple episodes of Pit Boss on animal planet and you'll be moved to support pitbulls too.

[Whimsy]

I never considered myself to be a 'breedist'. I stood firmly behind "There are no bad dogs only bad owners".

Then I worked at a vet hospital. Now I am a 'breedist'.

If I see a rat terrier, poodle, chihuahua, dachshund, min pin, or many other small breeds I grab a muzzle. I have been bitten, snapped at, snarled at, or scratched, or lunged at by every breed I've listed above. Now, that's not to say that every Chihuahua is going to try and rip my throat out, I have met plenty of nice ones. But the fact is that if I'm going to be bitten by something, it's much more likely that it'll be the chihuahua than the pitbull.

Pitbulls, rotties, dobermans, etc I have never, ever had an issue with. I can get right in a pitbull's face and get nothing but slobber in return. I have had pitbulls stand quietly for their nail trims and I've seen 3 people try to trim a min pin's nails.

I have been lunged at by labs and even golden retrievers. The only times I ever had to go to urgent care was the result of a lab mix and the second because of a shih tzu. I have never had an issue with a pit bull. Ever.

Now, that's not to say that there are no bad pit bulls. There are plenty of bad people out there who have fighting pit bulls who are not always so nice. But banning pit bulls will not deter them.

People who follow the law are not the issue. Criminals who think they are above the law are the problem. Banning good, law-abiding, tax-paying people who responsibly spay and neuter their pets from owning pitbulls won't do anything. A criminal who already illegally fights pit bulls, illegally owns a gun and illegally deals drugs won't all the sudden go 'Whoa! Pit bulls are banned. Guess I'll give up my fighting dogs now because it's the law!'. It'll only hurt people who follow the law already.

For ever 'pit bull killed their owner' story there are thousands more stories of the sweet good natured pits saved from fighting rings and given a second chance that wouldn't hurt a fly.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that every breed has their characteristics, and people need to know what their breed was bred for, and the individual personality of their pet. Shepherds, for instance, need a lot of socialization. Dachshunds are still terriers and shouldn't be treated like accessories.

Any dog of any breed can become vicious in the right situation with a bad owner, bad training, or if they're just scared of of their minds. Pit bulls are no exception. But in my personal experience they are wonderful family pets and people who are responsible pet owners should not be banned from owning them.

[Dobeyxxl]

Your stats are wrong though. WHEN a pit bull attacks, it is more likely to make the news, but they are NOT the most common biter. According to the most recent study I found:

Is a pit often actually a mixed breed? Yes. They just have the reputation now that Rotties and Dobermans had in the past. Watch a movie from the 80s. Pits aren't the bad dogs, it's one of those breeds. Now, it's all pits. In 10 years, it will be something else.

I've trained dogs for a long time, Pits are whatever you make them be. You want the best family dog ever? A pit. Pits were the American dogs for generations. In the early 1900s they called them the nanny dog.

That said, aggression is proven to be genetic, which is why police dogs trace their lineage back 30+ years.

The question is not about which breed bites most but which breed inflicts the most serious injuries and death to humans.

Research from DogsBite.org shows that during the 6-year period from 2005 to 2010, American pit bull terriers and rottweilers accounted for 71% of the total recorded fatal attacks.

A report by ANIMAL PEOPLE with data between 1982 and 2010 shows that pit bulls (166) and rottweilers (73) and their mixes accounted for 65% of the total recorded fatal attacks (368). Fatal attacks committed by pit bulls and their mixes more than doubles the attacks by rottweilers.

Dog Bite Prevention for Law Enforcement and Other First Responders, by Randall Lockwood, PhD and The Care of Pit Bulls in the Shelter Environment, by Leslie D. Appel DVM, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals agree that pit bulls pose substantial danger directly due to their selective breeding for dogfighting.

Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls frequently fail to communicate intention prior to an attack (surprise attacks); they possess a lethal bite style (hold and shake) and a ruinous manner of attack (gameness).

Through selective breeding, pit bulls have developed enormous jaw strength, as well as the "hold and shake" bite style, designed to inflict the maximum damage possible on their victims.

Pit Bull Rescue Central, encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a "break stick" -- a device used to pry open a pit bull's jaws -- in case their dog "accidentally" gets into a fight

Whether a pit bull bites more or less than another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit bull inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often leaving its victim with permanent and disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, it may take firearms to stop it.

This is only the tip of the data pool. I am personally a dog lover but when I look at all the data with a open mind it seems that pit bulls whether the fault of breed, owners, or breeders are killing and maiming people in disproportionate numbers.

[Crestielovely]

Whimsy, seriously, I wish I could add more thanks to your post. It just goes with everything I think and feel about it. Very good post. Thank you.

[Crestielovely]

I feel that a lot of this is simply because pitbulls tend to be much stronger than other breeds, not more viscous. Yes, they are stronger so when they attack, yeah they probably will be more fatal. But there are less attacks from them than others.

The question is not about which breed bites most but which breed inflicts the most serious injuries and death to humans.

Research from DogsBite.org shows that during the 6-year period from 2005 to 2010, American pit bull terriers and rottweilers accounted for 71% of the total recorded fatal attacks.

A report by ANIMAL PEOPLE with data between 1982 and 2010 shows that pit bulls (166) and rottweilers (73) and their mixes accounted for 65% of the total recorded fatal attacks (368). Fatal attacks committed by pit bulls and their mixes more than doubles the attacks by rottweilers.

Dog Bite Prevention for Law Enforcement and Other First Responders, by Randall Lockwood, PhD and The Care of Pit Bulls in the Shelter Environment, by Leslie D. Appel DVM, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals agree that pit bulls pose substantial danger directly due to their selective breeding for dogfighting.

Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls frequently fail to communicate intention prior to an attack (surprise attacks); they possess a lethal bite style (hold and shake) and a ruinous manner of attack (gameness).

Through selective breeding, pit bulls have developed enormous jaw strength, as well as the "hold and shake" bite style, designed to inflict the maximum damage possible on their victims.

Pit Bull Rescue Central, encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a "break stick" -- a device used to pry open a pit bull's jaws -- in case their dog "accidentally" gets into a fight

Whether a pit bull bites more or less than another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit bull inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often leaving its victim with permanent and disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, it may take firearms to stop it.

This is only the tip of the data pool. I am personally a dog lover but when I look at all the data with a open mind it seems that pit bulls whether the fault of breed, owners, or breeders are killing and maiming people in disproportionate numbers.

[Whimsy]

The question is not about which breed bites most but which breed inflicts the most serious injuries and death to humans.

Research from DogsBite.org shows that during the 6-year period from 2005 to 2010, American pit bull terriers and rottweilers accounted for 71% of the total recorded fatal attacks.

A report by ANIMAL PEOPLE with data between 1982 and 2010 shows that pit bulls (166) and rottweilers (73) and their mixes accounted for 65% of the total recorded fatal attacks (368). Fatal attacks committed by pit bulls and their mixes more than doubles the attacks by rottweilers.

Dog Bite Prevention for Law Enforcement and Other First Responders, by Randall Lockwood, PhD and The Care of Pit Bulls in the Shelter Environment, by Leslie D. Appel DVM, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals agree that pit bulls pose substantial danger directly due to their selective breeding for dogfighting.

Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls frequently fail to communicate intention prior to an attack (surprise attacks); they possess a lethal bite style (hold and shake) and a ruinous manner of attack (gameness).

Through selective breeding, pit bulls have developed enormous jaw strength, as well as the "hold and shake" bite style, designed to inflict the maximum damage possible on their victims.

Pit Bull Rescue Central, encourage pit bull owners to be responsible and to always carry a "break stick" -- a device used to pry open a pit bull's jaws -- in case their dog "accidentally" gets into a fight

Whether a pit bull bites more or less than another dog breed is not the point. The issue is the acute damage a pit bull inflicts when it does choose to bite. The pit bull's "hold and shake" bite style causes severe bone and muscle damage, often leaving its victim with permanent and disfiguring injury. Moreover, once a pit bull starts an attack, it may take firearms to stop it.

This is only the tip of the data pool. I am personally a dog lover but when I look at all the data with a open mind it seems that pit bulls whether the fault of breed, owners, or breeders are killing and maiming people in disproportionate numbers.

I just think that's like saying we should all ride bicycles because when you're hit by a car, you're more likely to die. So even though being hit by a car is a relatively rare occurrence, if it does happen you'll likely die so ban cars and everyone ride a bike because bike accidents are rarely fatal.

I appreciate your post and your statistics are from reputable sources, but I respectfully disagree that the solution is to ban the breed. I believe the solution is to go after people who use pit bulls for fighting and breed, raise, and train aggressive dogs for morbid entertainment or to protect their cocaine.