(sorry...couldn't resist)
DogsBite.org - Today we released our multi-year dog bite fatality report (2005 to 2017). The report identifies the breeds of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans, victim age groups, number of dogs involved, household factors, criminal charges and more. The 9-page report also examines key changing metrics since a government body last examined this issue in 2000 -- the rise of adults killed by dogs and the increasing number of fatal attacks involving 2 or more dogs.
The report contains six table charts, including a list of all dog breeds involved, a comparison of two periods within the 13-year period, the rising number of adult victims and the decreasing number of attacks inflicted by a single dog. The tables also show the nine states with the most fatal dog attacks over the period, which states brought the most criminal charges after a fatal dog mauling, and in the case of one state, Illinois, how no criminal charges have been filed since 2005.
I personally think pitbulls should be banned or at least require a licensing or legal permits to own...but two of my closest friends are dog trainers and one specializes in rescuing and training pitbulls.
I doubt that this data is available but consider if pit bulls were 70% of the dog population a 66% bite fatalities would be unremarkable.
And if pit bulls are 3% of the dog population (probably closer to the truth) that statistic is all the more remarkable.
Of the three pit bulls I’ve ever patted, one has killed another dog in the household.
Pit bull is not a breed but mix of several breeds. You can’t go to a shelter in Houston without 2/3’s of the dogs being some kind of bully mix. Ban them all? Kill them all? How much bully breed mix is too much? We have always had rescue dogs. Most have had some type of bully breed in them, meaning the big block head, muscular frame.
When my oldest daughter wanted a dog to take back to college with her, I helped her in her search. Really wanted a medium sized dog, at least a year old, and I didn’t want it looking too pit like, not because I have anything against the breed, but because others do. After fostering several dogs, we finally found the cutest Boston Terrier mix that was in terrible shape. White parts of her fur were yellow, she had demodex, could barely walk a block because she had been crated too long. She was almost a year old and 35 pounds. We spent the next few weeks of summer nursing her back to health and my daughter took her back to school. When we visited a few months later, the dog had put on 15 pounds of pure muscle, and other than being black and white, no longer looked like a Boston. She was beautiful, but no denying she was “pit”.
Just out of curiosity, and because South Carolina towns have breed restrictions, I had the dog DNA tested to see if it possibly cleared her of that “pit” label. 11 out of 12 of her ancestors were pure bred English Staffordshire Terrier with one Great grand parents being pure bred English bulldog. Needless to say, we stick with the vet records and adoption records that label her Boston mix.
She is the sweetest baby ever. Strong, menacing looking, but a sweetheart. I would have never thought adding the responsibility of caring for a dog would be beneficial to a college student, but it has been remarkable for her. So, I don’t like the broad brush stroke for all “pits”. 3 out of 4 of our dogs have been some kind of mixture. If they had been aggressive, we would have put them down. And good luck adopting a dog from a shelter in a major city. Almost all of the medium to large size dogs have some kind of bully breed in them. We always hear the terrible stories. Here are a couple of good ones.
https://people.com/pets/newly-adopted-pit-bull-dog-hero-saves-6-year-old-boy-drowning/
http://www.crimeonline.com/2018/06/23/missing-boy-found-safe-after-police-follow-paw-prints-of-pet-pit-bull-mix-who-never-left-toddlers-side/
http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2011/02/pit-bull-saves-woman-child-from-attacker/
https://nypost.com/2018/06/11/pit-bull-puppy-saves-family-from-fire-carries-baby-by-diaper/
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/stray-pit-bull-saves-georgia-woman-stabbed-times-article-1.2736430
If dog fighting was made a Class B felony, and prosecuted accordingly, we’d have a lot fewer of these dogs around to kill people and pets.
Dogsbite is about as rational and unbiased as CAIR.
If they said the sky is blue I would double-check.
These statistics are breedist.
We should move pit bulls to the border.
I’ve got my third rescue pit bull now, a three legged female named Bella. She sleeps with my kids and is the sweetest dog.
Pit bulls are the only breed of dog I’ll own.
But, but...but...how are pits not responsible for 100% of dog bite fatalities?
I think all breeds on the list should be banned, just to be equitable.
/s
Pit bulls are the most favored breed for drug dealers.
(sorry...couldn't resist)
No integrity, can't be trusted. The dog version of the SPLC.
People that continue to use them as a source after being informed numerous times of DBO's lack of integrity,
also lack integrity and are interested only in their own agenda, not in the truth.
What race, age and gang affiliation were the pit bulls’ owners?
Dogs are normally social animals but like people when they are raised in isolation they lose it. If you chain, pen or use any other way to isolate the animal he turns back to genetic disposition. In other words he regresses to a wolf state.
Biting a random person on the street is one thing. Biting someone who threatened their person or is in the back yard at two am trying to pry a window open is quite another.
Do you know if there is any correlation between neutering/ spaying rates per breed and attacks?