[Scoutmaster]

A good 15 years ago, a little girl was being mauled by a pit bull somewhere in SW Atlanta . . .

Fifteen years ago would be the very beginning of the 'pit bull' problem. 1999 is the first year I find reports of a pit bull killing anyone, and even then, Rottweilers were the principal killers. For years, Rottweilers were the main killers, followed by German Shepherds. Before that, it was German Shepherds.

It wasn't until 2004 that pit bulls caught up with Rottweilers as the principal breed(s) causing human deaths, and since 2005, the three 'pit bull' breeds and mixed-breed pit bulls are overwhelmingly the most dangerous breed (with Rottweilers number two) for human deaths.

When breeding and ownership of American Staffordshire Terriers was in the hands of reputable breeders and non-thugs, that breed was not a problem.

[Himyar]

Staffordshire terriers are not really the problem. I doubt that very many of the “pit bull” attacks are made by purebred Staffies. It's the made up bully breeds that cause the problem. They may have some Staffie lineage, but they are a mishmash of several bully breeds. Dangerous animals. I know several pit bull “breeders”. They are definitely not selecting for reliability and disposition. This attitude ruins many breeds. For example people are breeding Great Danes for sheer size, losing type and disposition. A bad Dane is beyond dangerous, a good Dane is a pearl beyond price.