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What makes you believe this? Let me guess: It's simply the fact that their statistical studies suggest pits are responsible for more maulings than other breeds. It's based on statewide figures on maulings and that's all. Thest numbers are published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which is then compiled at the end of the year, for the scientists' viewing pleasure. But I bet you didn't know that. The CDC is composed of a variety of practicing scientists with MDs, PhDs, and Masters degrees who are experts in the fields of microbiology, epidemiology, virology, zoology, statistics, and other fields. They have no dog in this fight.
It states right on the CDC website that media accounts were a large part of their data gathering.
Hardly unbiased.
Not sure where you got the "statewide figures" idea.
The USPS is actually the expert on dog bites. The biting-est dogs are German Shepherds so I guess we'd better eliminate all of them.
The truth is, there are no bad breeds, only bad owners.
I transport rescued pets for several rescues in the Southern Missouri and Southern Illinois areas.... and in the five + years and 200,000 + miles and probably 2,000 + dogs I have taken, the pit bulls, as a group, have been my best passengers..... The only time I have been bitten while on transport was a poodle, although several others have come mighty close.... NONE of them pit bulls....
One has to understand that transport can be stressful and frightening for the dogs and their real personalities may not be evident on transport day.... just as it is not when you see them in the shelters.... but I'll take a pit bull as a passenger any day of the week before I take, oh say, an adolescent retriever type or a high strung nervous nellie.....
these two were my passengers a couple of weeks ago and sweeter, calmer, more affectionate dogs would be hard to find.... It was hard to pass them on to the next driver.... all that in spite of where they came from....ears mutilated and both heartworm positive at the age of 10 months....
so unless or until you have direct experience with a particular breed or type of dog, I REALLY don't see how you have a leg to stand on when passing judgment......
I transport rescued pets for several rescues in the Southern Missouri and Southern Illinois areas.... and in the five + years and 200,000 + miles and probably 2,000 + dogs I have taken, the pit bulls, as a group, have been my best passengers..... The only time I have been bitten while on transport was a poodle, although several others have come mighty close.... NONE of them pit bulls....
One has to understand that transport can be stressful and frightening for the dogs and their real personalities may not be evident on transport day.... just as it is not when you see them in the shelters....
these two were my passengers a couple of weeks ago and sweeter, calmer, more affectionate dogs would be hard to find.... It was hard to pass them on to the next driver.... all that in spite of where they came from....
so unless or until you have direct experience with a particular breed or type of dog, I REALLY don't see how you have a leg to stand on when passing judgment......
Sorry, but how two dogs act during transport isn't persuasive evidence of anything. I have also been involved in rescue, and have done many interstate transports and shipping by air, however, they were mostly Great Danes and other giant breeds. I have volunteered in animal shelters and have ample statistical evidence from those experiences at the SPCA that pit bulls coming in more frequently and more often because of aggression issues. Dogs are all over the map with how they behave during transport, however, most of them are nervous during transport and interact very little, no matter what the breed. So far, pit bull people have been unable to answer the questions I posed in Post #127:
Why don't rental companies want to rent to pit owners?
Why don't homeowner's insurance companies want to insure pit owners' homes?
Why are there a ban in some cities on even owning the dogs?
Why is there story after story of attacks on people, perpetuated by these dogs?
Why are so many of these dogs euthanized for aggression issues?
If you shoot and killed someone's pit,can you get sued by the owner or charged with cruelty to animals?
Not if shooting it was done for a legitimate reason like self-defense (i.e., a Pit is either attacking you, or going to attack you, and you shoot and kill it. This is perfectly legitimate. You could even sue the Pit owner for medical damages afterwards).
Not if shooting it was done for a legitimate reason like self-defense (i.e., a Pit is either attacking you, or going to attack you, and you shoot and kill it. This is perfectly legitimate. You could even sue the Pit owner for medical damages afterwards).
If you prefaced your post with something like:
"I specialize in gun laws throughout the U.S.A. and have handled many litigious arguments RE: dog attacks......"
As a retired dairy farmer, I see a big similarity between owners of pit bulls and owners of bulls.
My dad used to say..........." the only tame bull hangs in a butcher shop"
I knew many farmers who proclaimed THEIR bull was tame and thus totally different from rowdy bulls. Many a farmer got maimed or killed by their " tame " bull.
I believe no bull should be trusted to the point of precautions forgotten.
I believe no pit bull should be trusted to the point of precautions forgotten.
As a mailman, I have dealt with thousands of dogs in many years on the job. I have been bit several times, all by ankle biters like chihuahuas, and dachshunds. They are the nastiest most aggressive dogs I run across. I have run across some very aggressive pit bulls who fortunately were always behind a fence or otherwise leashed so I have never been bit by one. Pit Bulls are not the most aggressive breed, but that is beside the point.
When pits are aggressive, they are about the most deadly dog around because their jaw configuration can produce a powerful bite that can easily rip through human flesh and snap human bone with an ease that other dogs don't have the power to do except a few breeds like Rottweillers.
I'd rather be bit a dozen times by a dachshund or even a mutt than even one time by a pit bull.
One more problem I have with pit bulls. They are one of the hardest dogs to read as far as their mood. That itself can lead to dangerous situations because you can't tell when they are in attack mode until it's too late. Most dogs will give more warning.
"I specialize in gun laws throughout the U.S.A. and have handled many litigious arguments RE: dog attacks......"
I'd take you seriously.
But you're from Canada.
Legal reasoning in the context of self-defense is pretty much invariant. Of course there are particular circumstances in every case that may warrant special exceptions, but generally speaking, it is safe to say that if an animal or person is attacking you, or attempting to do so, you are allowed to employ enough force against the assaulter to terminate their attack. If this entails killing the assaulter in self-defense, then so be it -- it can be justified depending on the circumstances. So for instance, if a Pit Bull will not stop mauling you unless you kill it, you're perfectly justified in killing it.
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