The problem is once you start down this road "the powers that be" will start banning other breeds. German Shepards, Boxers, Dobermans, etc., will all come under the ax.
The only proper solution that I see is to slam these dog owners. Felonies for attacking people/pets. Right now a slap on the wrist and putting the attacking dog down doesn't do anything to prevent that Pit Bull owner from doing it again.
VVV responds: The problem is once you start down this road "the powers that be" will start banning other breeds. German Shepards, Boxers, Dobermans, etc., will all come under the ax. The only proper solution that I see is to slam these dog owners ...
I agree. Add to that the slamming of pit bull "rescues." Those rescues and all who work at them should be 100 percent legally liable for any injuries or deaths resulting from an animal adopted from their "rescue." It's sad to put stray animals down, but a pit bull is a DOG, not a human. I say put them down if they don't have owners, instead of trying to farm them out to families in need of dogs.
If it's a chihuahua rescue, I say great -- if someone adopts a chihuahua from a chihuahua rescue and is a lousy "pet parent" and poor disclipinarian, that person is at most a minor pain in the ass to friends, family, and neighbors.
If someone adopts a pit bull from a pit bull rescue and is a lousy "pet parent," that person is seriously, perhaps lethally, endangering not only family, friends, and neighbors, but him or herself.
If I had my 'druthers, I'd shoot every single pit bull, Rottweiler, or presa canario I saw that wasn't on a leash or wasn't behind a damned good fence, but I HATE and DESPISE the idea of breed banning. Breed banning is wrong on so many levels. Listen, if owners would respect these dogs' dignity, this wouldn't be a problem. They were bred for serious work, to hold serious posts, to do serious jobs. People get them and want them to be the "little buddy" of the family, no wonder the dogs go nuts. It's like getting a highly intelligent Australian shepherd and forcing it to be a little old lady's "baby" living in a cramped trailer. It's cruel and morally wrong. And there may come a time when we'll be damned glad to have dogs like pit bulls, Rotts, etc. as our protectors, to stand serious posts, when they're in the hands of men who can handle them as opposed to "mommies and daddies" who think they're such cute little sweetums (until they tear some poor innocent's arm off). Breed banning should be banned!!! But by the same token, careless or cavalier ownership of pit bulls should be aggressively condemned.