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Pitbulls: These Dogs Present a Special Risk to Non-Owners and Owners Alike:
Roughly a couple of years ago; ago here in Boston, a special pit-bull restrictions law was implemented, or they at least attempted to implement it. ; Given the special dangers that Pit-bulls present, I believe that a restriction on these dogs is a good thing. Nobody is asking pit-bull owners to get rid of their pets, but the owners ARE being asked to take the responsibility that goes along with owning such a dog. Here's why I support this kind of restriction on pitbulls:
First, we'll start with a little bit of history as to how Pit-Bulls came into being. The pit-bull is a cross breed between a REGULAR bull-dog and a terrier. The American Bulldog, which is NOT to be confused with the pitbull, btw, was originally bred as a work dog, frequently used by farmers in ploughing and tilling or used in sheepherding AND for protecting the herd of sheep or cattle against marauders such as wolves, etc. If a member of the herd seemed unable to catch up to the rest, the bulldog would nip the lagging member of the herd in the ribs, and then corkscrew the herd member to the ground, hence forcing them to catch up to the rest of the flock.
They were primarily used in the rural south for this purpose. Later, however, with the advent of herding machines that were used to control the herds, the bull-dog ultimately disappeared from the scene The terrier, on the other hand, was primarily bred and designed to kill rats that ended up on board ships with immigrants who crossed over from the old world to the United States. Hence, the terrier provides the pitbull with the aggressive and combative temperament. Later, however, British bulldogs, which were much tougher and had a much more powerful jaw also came into existence. Hence, the pitbull that's known here in the United States today developed what's known as the "steel-trap" or locking jaw.
All of this is not to say that OTHER dogs don't have a ferocious temperament, or can't inflict serious damage when they bite, because they can and they do. However, (and there are peopole who disagree with me here, which is OK), the pitbull poses a special risk to non-owners AND owners alike. Here's why: First of all, pitbulls, unlike most dogs, have been bred primarily for fighting, and as attack dogs. Their genetic breeding (a combo of Stafford Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff and/or bulldog) gives it the kind of temperament that makes many owners and other people select such dogs to train as fighters. Drug dealers often use them to protect their stash of drugs and territory, and other people who train them for dog fights train them to fight to the death, which pitbulls often will do.
This is not to say that ANY dog, under certain circumstances, can't snap and become aggressive and combative. However, unlike most dogs, including dobermans, rottweilers, and some other species, pitbulls have what is called a "steel-trap", or locking jaw, which is actually constructed differently than the jaws of most dogs. Unlike most dogs, who will bite and immediately release their hold and back off, and then bite again if they want, and also immediately release their grip pitbulls tend to not only bite, but to clamp down and hold on to their prey, and have even been known to shake their prey around like a toy, unlike most dogs.
More to the point, unlike other dogs, the bite of a pitbull actually penetrates deeper into the musculature, and crunches the bones of their prey, therefore inflicting even more horrific damage.; Babies and small children have been attacked without provocation and even killed by pitbulls. There was a horrific story last fall of a 12-year-old boy in San Francisco who was killed when two pitbulls that were not muzzled by the owners, attacked, mauled and killed the boy in a San Francisco park. A few years before, a woman was attacked and killed by two pit-bulls in her San Francisco apartment building, also without provocation, when the owners did not keep them under control and muzzled.
A year ago (I saw this on the 11 o'clock news), a 16-year-old girl in suburban Belmont, MA., was walking her dog one evening when they were attacked by an unmuzzled pitbull.; The pitbull bit, clamped down and started to shake the girl's dog around like a toy.; The 16-year-old girl bravely went and pried the pitbull's jaws off of her dog.; Both she and her dog sustained some rather nasty-looking injuries, which left some deep scars; they were treated, and were OK.
Another horrific case occurred in one of Boston’’s neighborhoods, where a woman's dog was severely mauled and seriously injured when an unmuzzled pitbull attacked them.
A neighbor who happened to be walking by came to the aid of the woman and her dog, rescuing them by clubbing the pitbull to death with a baseball bat. The dog who was attacked barely survived. In yet another horrific incident, in downtown Boston, an out-of-controll, unmuzzled pitbull attacked a police officer, who ended up having to shoot the pitbull in order to get the pitbull to let go of him. This occurred in broad daylight, and there were many people around. There was a potential danger here too--the unmuzzled pitbull could've also resulted in an innocent bystander getting hurt or killed.
Contrary to what many people believe, it's not just "the owner". Pitbulls are not like any other dog. Not only are their bites more dangerous and inflict much deeper, more serious injury than the bites of most other dogs, but pitbulls are even more likely than other dogs to attack just out of the blue, without any provocation whatsoever, which in all the above-mentioned cases, the pitbull did.
Moreover, even a pitbull who has supposedly been "bred to be gentle" can and will snap, and attack out of the blue, with horrific results. I know a woman whose family had a dog who was a pitbull mix when she was growing up When she was quite small, the dog turned and attacked her out of the blue, biting her in the face, clamping down on her nose and holding on, until the father finally got the dog off, and, ultimately got rid of it. The woman has a deep scar on her nose because of that incident. Not surprisingly, pitbulls have also been known to turn on their owners in a number of cases
Here's what the pitbull restrictions law entails (or would entail):
All pitbull owners are required to have their pitbulls on a leash AND to have them muzzled when taking them out in public. Owners are also required to put warning signs outside their property to warn guests, clients, meter readers, etc., of the presence of pitbulls on the property. I believe that, since pitbulls DO present a special danger, not so much because of their temperaments, but because of their bites, that this is not so much to ask of the pitbull's owner. The owner is NOT being asked to get rid of his/her pet, but to take the responsibility that goes along with owning a pitbull
Having said all of the above, I believe that if and when the owner of a pitbull refuses to complly with this law s/he should be prepared to take the responsibility for the consequences.; If, for example, the owner of a pitbull refuses to muzzle his/her pitbull when s/he takes their dog out in public and the dog seriously injures or kills a person, or another person's pet, the pitbull's owner should be prepared to pay the doctor's and/or veterinary bills that the injured person or the owner of the injured or dead pet would ordinarily end up paying, OR, be faced with a stiff fine, and/or short imprisonment by the city if the pitbull owner doesn't complay, AND, be prepared to pay the cost of the funeral/burial/crematorial processes that would ordinarily be paid for by the injured or dead pet's owner.
All of the above having been said, I believe that the pitbull restriction is perfectly moderate and reasonable, and a way to address what is a real public safety issue without putting undue hardship on pet owners. To reiterate my position on this subject, while it's important to keep dogs on a leash when taking them out in public, and to train and control them, it's especially important that pitbulls be kept under forceful control, due to the special risks that these particular dogs present.
While there are many people who argue that it’s how they’re raised by the owners, I firmly believe that the DNA of pitbulls definitely makes them a much more prime choice for breeding for the purpose of illegal entertainment/sports such as dog-fighting. If people are the root of the problem, the root of the problem lies with the people who insist/persist on breeding, importing and selling pitbulls in the first place. This being said, I believe that animal control and law-enforcement people should work together, at the state, local and national levels to halt the breeding, import and sales of pitbulls altogether. That way, guys such as Michael Vick and others like him would never have the opportunity to get involved in the disgusting business of dog-fighting in the first place.
Yeesh. Scary article. I don't think I want to own a pitbull. I'll stick with smaller, quieter dogs that are easier to deal with. That photo of a pitbull in another thread that was eating a car tire looked a little too high energy for me. I've never seen a dog go after a car tire like that. Most dogs I know prefer stuffed animals and some even carry them in their mouths like babies.
The problem isnt with the breed it with the owners. I know quite a few owners of sweet, people loving pitbulls. I also know if few pitbull owners with terrbile vicious pitbulls but its the owners who TRAINED their dogs to be this way. I will fight any bill/law/legislation with all that I have to prevent anyone (government, law enforcement, uptight citizen) from placing any type of ban on this breed.
I do support having laws/legislation on the type of people who can own a pitbull though. If a person is a convicted felon or is on any type of probation he should be prevented from owning a pitbull. I also beleive that a pitbull cannot be kept, boarded, kenneled or at any time living at a property that is a residence of a person who is a convicted felon, is on probation or has arrest for violent crime (including hate crimes, gang activity and drugs).
Some are nice dogs, but as a general rule they are bred for fighting and aggression. They have distinct personality traits as do goldens, labs, and terriers.
Ya know, If i wanted to, and I know I will be doing soon I can get all the info on dog attacks / roaming from around the town. I can get the breeds of dogs that have been put down for being vicious. Animal Control has already told me that "pitbulls" are not top of the list. People dont seem to care. They find a breed, read into all the sensationalism and run with it. Do you care that my friend wont walk his Pit because it was attacked by a Shepheard ? Probably not.
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First, we'll start with a little bit of history as to how Pit-Bulls came into being. The pit-bull is a cross breed between a REGULAR bull-dog and a terrier. The American Bulldog, which is NOT to be confused with the pitbull, btw, was originally bred as a work dog, frequently used by farmers in ploughing and tilling or used in sheepherding AND for protecting the herd of sheep or cattle against marauders such as wolves, etc. If a member of the herd seemed unable to catch up to the rest, the bulldog would nip the lagging member of the herd in the ribs, and then corkscrew the herd member to the ground, hence forcing them to catch up to the rest of the flock.
And dont forget this "This eventually led to bloodsports such as bull-baiting, popular for both entertainment and the potential for gambling. These practices extended not only from the British Isles but also to the colonies she acquired during this time, including what is now the United States and in particular the South; many settlers brought their dogs with them to help around the farm, hunt in the woods, guard property, and use in gambling."
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Hence, the pitbull that's known here in the United States today developed what's known as the "steel-trap" or locking jaw.
Absolute rubbish, its a proven fact that "pitbulls" do not have a locking jaw. This is pure myth and its been proven they have regular jaws. Research this.
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All of this is not to say that OTHER dogs don't have a ferocious temperament, or can't inflict serious damage when they bite, because they can and they do. However, (and there are peopole who disagree with me here, which is OK), the pitbull poses a special risk to non-owners AND owners alike. Here's why: First of all, pitbulls, unlike most dogs, have been bred primarily for fighting, and as attack dogs. Their genetic breeding (a combo of Stafford Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff and/or bulldog) gives it the kind of temperament that makes many owners and other people select such dogs to train as fighters. Drug dealers often use them to protect their stash of drugs and territory, and other people who train them for dog fights train them to fight to the death, which pitbulls often will do.
They were bread for 100% loyalty to people, a trait, which when trained right (like ANY) dog still shines out. The bit about drug dealers is obsurd too, they use any dog that will bark to let them know people are here, my ex neighbor used a GSD and Lab as his guard dogs.
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Contrary to what many people believe, it's not just "the owner". Pitbulls are not like any other dog. Not only are their bites more dangerous and inflict much deeper, more serious injury than the bites of most other dogs, but pitbulls are even more likely than other dogs to attack just out of the blue, without any provocation whatsoever, which in all the above-mentioned cases, the pitbull did.
Pitbulls do not just attack out of the blue no more than a lab or retriever does. In fact, there are studies out there to show that Pits have a better temprement, just troll the forums to see.
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All pitbull owners are required to have their pitbulls on a leash AND to have them muzzled when taking them out in public. Owners are also required to put warning signs outside their property to warn guests, clients, meter readers, etc., of the presence of pitbulls on the property. I believe that, since pitbulls DO present a special danger, not so much because of their temperaments, but because of their bites, that this is not so much to ask of the pitbull's owner. The owner is NOT being asked to get rid of his/her pet, but to take the responsibility that goes along with owning a pitbull
I always have my dog on a leash, so its a no brainer. EVERYBODY should have their dog on a leash. Muzzles are foolish. I muzzle my Staff, a lab attacks it and the I am in danger. I have to put my arm in their and pull the lab off my muzzled and leashed Staff, I get bitten. Well guess who I sue ? I sue the owner of the lab for me being bitten then Ill sue the City / County for putting me in that situation in the first place. Good law right there. A warning sign ? Should it have "Please Sue Me" under there too ? or "I have a dog thats classed as dangerous, please get scared for no reason and sue me". Absolutely foolish. If one person has to do it, every breed owner should.
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While there are many people who argue that it’s how they’re raised by the owners, I firmly believe that the DNA of pitbulls definitely makes them a much more prime choice for breeding for the purpose of illegal entertainment/sports such as dog-fighting. If people are the root of the problem, the root of the problem lies with the people who insist/persist on breeding, importing and selling pitbulls in the first place. This being said, I believe that animal control and law-enforcement people should work together, at the state, local and national levels to halt the breeding, import and sales of pitbulls altogether. That way, guys such as Michael Vick and others like him would never have the opportunity to get involved in the disgusting business of dog-fighting in the first place.
So now you are lumping me and my family dog in with an ignorant multi millionaire thug with nothing better to do ?
I know there is no way to make people of your beliefs see sence, but come on! LMAO
Some are nice dogs, but as a general rule they are bred for fighting and aggression. They have distinct personality traits as do goldens, labs, and terriers.
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I would disasgree, what is the general rule that they are fighters ? Ive never met a fighting pit in years. They have gameness, but gameness isnt agression. They do excellent with other dogs, if socialised. Like any breed. There must be 100's of pictures of our great dogs playing with other dogs.
Not a hint of agression. In fact my Staff is submissive when the Great Pyrenese wants him to stop. A perfect trait.
I know there is no way to make people of your beliefs see sence, but come on! LMAO
Excellent post, BrianH...and the above pretty much sums up how I feel about anyone who chooses to post rubbish stats and IMO do it to get a rise out of people and stir that pot. It's nonsense. Nothing like beating a dead horse...*tongue in cheek*
I would comment....but I won't waste my time. I'd rather put it to better use with my local chapters and rescue shelters where I know my opinions are welcomed and people are willing to put down their misinformed notions and learn a thing or two....
Speaking of rescue shelters, it's a shame that there are so many pit bulls and pit bull-like dogs filling them these days. The small cute dogs get adopted right away or rescued by the purebred rescue groups, but the pitties are stuck there and most get eventually euthanized. No one wants a pit bull of unknown history, it's just too scary.
Excellent post, BrianH...and the above pretty much sums up how I feel about anyone who chooses to post rubbish stats and IMO do it to get a rise out of people and stir that pot. It's nonsense. Nothing like beating a dead horse...*tongue in cheek*
I would comment....but I won't waste my time. I'd rather put it to better use with my local chapters and rescue shelters where I know my opinions are welcomed and people are willing to put down their misinformed notions and learn a thing or two....
I'm with you. I won't waste my time commenting when we have tons of other threads with fabulous educated posts on this topic. Yes, MIU, the C-D pitbull crew might descend on MA for a possible chance on educating the public, but the fact that there is an actual term for us "C-D pitbull crew" stems the idea that maybe others are recongizing there's more to these kinds of articles than meets the eye( and makes me kind of proud). WE ALL know that media and newspapers are incredibly influencial to their publications and blow up information to suit their needs.
Brian was good at just taking the article and pointing out some key points. OutoftheBay is right. No need to express opinions we already know. The only thing we can do is bring up facts and keep educating. Unless someone has a question here about pitbulls, this can be just proving to us that we still have a long way to go to protects our dogs from the ignorance of mankind.
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