Dog attacks

[skpaw]

Over the last few years more and more fatal dog attacks have been in the news. A 6 year old girl was killed by the families two pitbulls a couple months ago. A 12 year old boy was killed recently in CA by the family pitbull.

What do you think of the proposed laws to limit ownership of these dogs (not allow them in some cities)?

I have been attacked by large dogs and I know they can be a real problem when allowed to run loose. I want the stories of dead kids to stop.

[gemini9961]

I think they should be limited to responsible owners only. Any breed can attack, pits always get a bad rap though. I have seen many on here that would not hurt a fly, so it all comes down to the owner in my opinion. Some breeds need an owner who is a little more experienced.

[finn's mom]

I think regulations could be put into place. Obviously, breeding should be restricted, i.e. spaying and neutering for all animals that aren't bred by licensed, educated breeders. I also think that it's ridiculous to ban a breed entirely. Guns aren't banned, and, they kill far more people than dogs do. It's more bad breeding, I think, even, than bad ownership. But, stupid people raising their dogs to be vicious, are definitely only making the situation worse for everyone involved. Outlawing a breed is only going to make it so that outlaws own the breed.

[Kfamr]

Stories of dead kids will stop when people stop being so stupid and irresponsible.

Pit Bulls are wonderful dogs, my favorite breed, when properly trained, raised, socialized, and when in hands of responsible owners. Unfortunately, the media is incapable of reporting good stories.

[finn's mom]

Originally posted by skpaw
Over the last few years more and more fatal dog attacks have been in the news.

And, keep in mind how the media works, too. They are going to put on the news what the majority of viewers want to see. Regardless of what actually might be going on out there in the world, the reporters have a quota to meet, and, they forsake a lot of other situations that are happening, in order to get a story they know will be shocking. News is trendy, really. If the big thing is hearing about razor blades in apples, you're going to see every possible story they can find about kids being injured while eating halloween candy. (remember that whole thing years ago?!) I'd be willing to bet that if you were able to really get ahold of some actual statistics, or even just local humane society reports, emergency room reports, etc...that you would probably be surprised at how many dog bites or attacks come from breeds that aren't labeled vicious. I had a friend that worked with animal control, and, she said she was bitten by more cocker spaniels than any other breed, and, she'd never been bitten by any of the large, "vicious" breeds (like rotties, pits, dobies, etc). And, I am not saying (and she wasn't, either) that cockers are vicious or that they bite more than any other breed. But, in her experience, the medium and smaller breeds were more likely to bite her than bigger breeds. But, the majority of the public don't want to hear about a cocker spaniel or a golden retriever or lab or poodle attacking someone. They want to hear about the pit bull, because that's what's trendy to be afraid of right now. (It used to be German Shepherds, Dobies, etc.) Anyway, my point is that you can't really gather accurate information on how many dog attacks are taking place solely based on your nightly news program.

EDITED: And, even if certain crimes are on a decrease from years past, if you see it over and over on the news, it's going to look like that particular crime has increased. Does that make sense?

[Bigyummydog]

I've only been "attacked" by small dogs. One did bite me. The other missed because I saw her coming. I won't say what breeds because I don't want to offend anyone. I don't hold it
against either breed. I would hold it against the owner. Besides,
small dog attacks, don't sell newspapers, or make the news.

[gemini9961]

Originally posted by Bigyummydog
I've only been "attacked" by small dogs. One did bite me. The other missed because I saw her coming. I won't say what breeds because I don't want to offend anyone. I don't hold it
against either breed. I would hold it against the owner. Besides,
small dog attacks, don't sell newspapers, or make the news.

I agree with you. Small dogs do not make the news. They only report about large dogs that attack people. It's so sad how large dogs get such a bad rap, it's not their fault.

[Ginger's Mom]

Originally posted by Bigyummydog
Besides,
small dog attacks, don't sell newspapers, or make the news.

Small dog attacks don't end in death, I am sure if it did it would be in the paper.

However, I do not agree with banning any dog. I don't know what can be done to ensure that everyone who owns a dog is responsible and compatible with the breed they bring into their home.

[senorita02]

I do NOT agree with banning any breed, however i DO agree with banning people from owning certain breeds, some larger breed dogs need only to go to owners with experience with that breed or another larger breed dog, it takes a LOT of training dedication and love to raise them, and in the wrong hands yes it can be deadly, they should screen people and also have them checked on making sure all dogs have good loving homes.

[elizabethann]

I love Pit Bulls but if I don't know the Pit Bull, I have to admit, I get VERY nervous. I've had Pit Bulls play with my 20lb terrier mutt at the dog park and they were fine. However, there is a Pit Bull at the dog park that has been aggressive toward big and small dogs so I won't bring my dog in if I see it there. I blame the owner for this aggressive Pit Bull because he is such an ignorant, uneducated fool who just stands there when his dog is aggressive to other animals. I've yelled at this creep before in the past about his stupidity but because he's so stupid, he just swore at me.

It all comes down to the owner. Some people really shouldn't own a dog (Pit Bull or even a 20lb terrier mutt). If you can't train your dog or have control over it, you need to get a fish. These are probably the same people who shouldn't have children either.

[cyber-sibes]

I do NOT agree with banning any breed, however i DO agree with banning people from owning certain breeds
To put it another way...... "I do not agree with banning any breed, however I do agree with banning CERTAIN people from owning certain breeds"
Anyone whose dog has been involved in serious attacks, whether on dogs or people, should NOT be allowed to own another dog, until they've gone through training and an evaluation. I know you can't enforce something like this, but wouldn't it be a good idea?
And if that person is involved in multiple attacks, like any other criminal they should not be allowed to own their "weapon" of choice. Fewer idiot dog owners would help curtail the problem.

[lv4dogs]

I agree with everything that was already said.

The breed itself is not bad it's the:
breeders that keep breeding such poor examples.
owners that don't know how to trian/control their dog.
stupid greedy people who train them to fight for money & fun.

I worked as a vet assistant for 5 years and was an intern for 2 years prior to that, I also volunteered at a few local shelters & assisted with obedience, agility & behavioral. I can't count the times that I have been bit by a pit bull or any other "bully breed" because I have never been bit by such a dog. I have however been bit by 2 different yellow labs and TONS of small/toy dogs.
All of the poeple that I have worked & volunteered with had about the same experience. We would all get bit WAY more often by small breeds than large breeds.


Cyber-sibes: That is one heck of an idea, I've been thinking about it for years!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Do we ever hear the part of the story that describes how the dog was provoked to initiate the attack? I don't ever remember hearing that portion. I agree with the others who believe that these attacks/deaths will stop when people become more responsible. I am personally very disgusted of the way the media sensationalizes these attacks just for the drama without really knowing or caring what the actual story was. Banning certain breeds is utterly ridiculous and not a sensible solution. Banning certain people from owning these breeds is a wonderful idea. As a matter of fact, I think some people should be banned from owning ANY breed of dog period!! Why do the animals ALWAYS get blamed for everything, but the humans never seem to have been held accountable for any of their actions? This is a very serious situation in this world and someone with good common sense should take charge to improve it. As soon as this happens, maybe kid's deaths will stop.

[IRescue452]

I got attacked by a hound/shepherd mix as a kid, a doxie severly bit my hand, my mom's cocker spaniel tore into me once,and currently the little skye terrier mix next door tries to bite me each time I ever so kindly rescue it from the road and take it home.
The first one was not my fault because the dog was running loose and didn't like any kids. The last three were my fault for bothering the dogs. I think dog owners should be educated and aware of their dogs and children should be more disciplined today. Other countries don't have very many dog bite cases at all because they don't have the overbreeding / overpopulation / irresponsible owners we have in the U.S.
I think it should be illegal to breed and sell dogs without proper licensing and we should crack down on this majorly. Not until we control the people selling the dogs will we be able to control the owners and dogs themselves.

[cali]

I did a presentation on this just the other day, what I found in my research was that while its the pit bull attacks that are covered by the media, many times these dogs were NOT pitties, when I read a lot of storys half the dogs were actually LAB mixes, and one turned out to be a dachshund and one a dalmation mix lol that and there has been 49 serious non pit bull attacks in the last 2 months alone, such as the toy poodle that ripped off a little girls face, and the pomeranian that was declaired a dangerous dog, a golden retr. that attacked a mom and child, and a lot of bull mastiff attacks and Lab attacks, and the sringer spanial attack, 2 labs and a chow attacked a woman etc.. the media also does not include the story behind the attacks, example, the familitys pitties attacked a kid. the story behind it:

-the male was intact
-the female was in season
-they had been kept locked away in the basment with no human contact
-they were malnourished
-the female hhad been previously shot and had a bullet in her groin.

[robinh]

How true:


"I do not agree with banning any breed, however I do agree with banning CERTAIN people from owning certain breeds"
My niece has a brindle pit and he's a big baby! Zeus has been through obedience training and Joni researched the breed very well prior to getting him.

In our city, you have to meet certain guidelines to have a pit. She has a 6' wood privacy fence around the entire backyard, $100,000 insurance policy, up-to-date vaccinations, a 6' run for the dog if it's out by itself and a current license. If you don't have the first four things, you can't get the fifth. Her neighbors have called the police on her so many times that she keeps all her verification info right inside the door so that she can show at a moments notice.

[finn's mom]

And, it's not just that the small dogs don't make the news, because small dogs can't kill.....you don't see a lot of the larger breeds (like retrievers, poodles, spaniels, etc) make the news, either. And, I'm sure there are cases where those other large breeds have done serious damage or killed someone. And, I would think a small dog could actually kill an infant. But, I don't know of an actual case, or I'd quote it.

[chocolatepuppy]

I have been attacked by large dogs and I know they can be a real problem when allowed to run loose.

I have been walking for 18 years. I have came across both small and large dogs. Never has one of the large dogs even threatened me. The small dogs, well that's why I carry a stick. I have been pinned in the ditch by 30 lb. dog and danced the jig fighting off a 10 lb. dog who wouldn't even back off, just kept trying to bite me. Another 25 lb. dog ran circles around me. Although they were smaller, it is still very frightening. Ironically, the 25 lb. dog has a 35lb. sibling that is a pit bull 'type' dog and he is friendly! I agree, large dogs could hurt someone worse than a small dog, but my problems have been with the small dogs.
I'm NOT dissing small dogs in any way, I love all dogs, just sharing what I have dealt with.

*dogs weights are approximate*

[cocker_luva]

ive had more goldern retrievers and old english sheepdogs attack me at work that any other breed. ive had afew mixes growl or even snap at me, but only a golden retriever and 2 OES have actually lunged at me with bared teeth.

[crsvstang]

I believe that certain breeds are not meant to be family dogs. I'm sorry for those that do not agree with me. I also believe that certain breeds (acutally any dog) should be neutered or spayed before going to their new home. I think that they should go to people that have experience with the breed/s.

I know little dogs bite, my aunt was bit by a one. But they do not kill like the larger breeds.

[k9krazee]

And I think there are a lot of small dogs out there that are a lot worse than the bigger dogs. My 7.5 lbs Kyra gets very nervous around kids and I don't trust her at all around them. I am way more worried about her biting someone than my 110 pound rottie!
Pitties are my favorite breed, I have always wanted one but my parents would not allow it because of the bad rap and stories about them and it is too bad because they can really be wonderful dogs!

[finn's mom]

I've only been bitten by a Sheltie and a Lab. The Lab bit me because I got in the way of him trying to attack Finn. The Sheltie bit me because he was just a protective dog, with inconsistent training. He was a sweetheart, in general, just overly protective of one person. He bit everyone but his mother. And, my boss from Texas has a miniature dachshund that has bitten about ten people. He's been reported for two of them, and, been in doggie jail because of those reports. One more reported bite, and, he'll be euthanized. (He bit when people invaded his personal space. He didn't just run up and start attacking people. I'm not condoning him, he needed more training and discipline, but, I just wanted to give a little explanation.) My dad was bit by our cocker spaniel.....I've never had one of the breeds deemed "vicious" attack me. I do remember being lunged at by an on leash pit bull, and, I'm pretty sure that I would have been harmed if he'd been able to get to me. And, as far as seeing dogs that look scary because they're baring their teeth and acting aggressive or threatening, I've probably seen more pits and dobies behind fences as guard dogs than any other breed. But, that's more because that, again, is the trend. It's unfortunate for the breeds, for sure. :(

[wolfsoul]

There have actually been hundreds of cases of small dogs killing. Mostly babies and small children, but I've heard stories about small dogs going straight for the jugular and killing adults.

I've been bit by several breeds, because I'm around dogs so often -- not a single one of them was a pit bull. In fact I've been bit by more of the "loving family dogs" than anything else. It goes to show that bad breeding can really take a turn on you, along with bad ownership.

[dappledoxie]

I too think banning a breed is wrong.

While working at a vet hospital for 8 months I've been bitten by only smaller sized dogs, not saying I don't like small dogs, because I own two small dogs. Out of all the dogs I've handled, I've been nipped/bitten on the hand or arm by dogs around the 20lb and under range.

I was even bit by a mini. dachshund once, but I still adore the breed. I love pits and all the ones I've met were great dogs and I've met quite a few of them.

Also, of all the dogs that came in for rabies quarantine for biting someone, I only remember about 3 out of about every 10 being large breeds. That's an approximate guess from my observations at that clinic.

[pnance]

I agree that banning a dog based on breed is not the answer. I think making sure owners are held accountable and educated might help. There's no consequence in most cases for the owners. The attack in CA by the pits that were family pets, what happened....the dogs were destroyed but no reprimand for the family, even though I read an article that said the mom was nervous around the male because he was protective of his in heat female companion. It's absolutely horrible they lost their child, but its the child and the dogs that paid for their irresponsibility (all they had to do was spay/neuter their dogs) and they have to live w/that, but I doubt they see it that way at all. As to only big dogs being aggressive, I volunteered at a vet hospital when I was in college and in 2 years only was bitten once after handling just about every breed of dog, even those deemed "aggressive" breeds through sometimes painful medical procedures. The dog was a jack russell. I watched a friends pets while they went on vacation. They said don't worry about the boxer but be careful with the cocker, so who's to say a big dog is more aggressive than a small I think it's all how they were raised. Just my 2 cents...

[skpaw]

The dogs that actually attacked me were a Husky and a Rotweiler (sp?) Each time I was walking on the sidewalk and they were loose. In Detroit this spring a 6 year old girl was killed by the family's two Pit Bulls. She was on her way to school and the dogs cornered her as she walked in an alley. They had known her since they were pups. The other children there said she did not do anything to provoke an attack, she was going to school and the dogs "somehow got loose". The media did report on this, but they also report on a child who is hit by a car and injured. That case was only in the news for about two days. A child was DEAD, that is important enough to mention. http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0504/06/B01-139928.htm

I know my little dogs can bite -- they don't though. Even if they had a VERY bad day if they went nuts and chomped someone, they have small mouths and little teeth. They have trouble with a tennis ball. Any wounds they could possibly make would not be fatal.

I think the authorities need more restrictions on owning some large breed dogs. Making it mandatory to spay/neuter before they are allowed to go homes, required dog training classes and specifics on their housing. Fences should not be optional. They should not ever be off leash in public.

I know people who have these dogs might not agree. I had large dogs as a child and I know they can be great friends. There are just too many idiots out there who don't take care of their animals and turn them into weapons that end up killing people. It is just so sad. There are plenty of other fatal dog attacks, this one just stuck in my mind as a total waste of a child's life.

[CagneyDog]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by crsvstang


I know little dogs bite, my aunt was bit by a one. But they do not kill like the larger breeds. [/QUOTE


Actually, many small dogs have killed people. The size of the victim is a better predictor of how bad the bite will be. Small breeds, such as Yorkshire Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire Terrier, Pomeranian, and Lhasa Apso, Terrier have killed people.

Banning Pit Bulls is just pointless. First of all, some dogs looks like Pit Bulls and actually aren't. Crosses between Labs and Rhodesian Ridgeback often resemble pitties. Determining a breed is subjective when the parents are not known.

Some of the regulations that come with banning the breed are stupid. For example, you are not allowed to walk a pittie with out a muzzle on, but really, dog attacks in a public areas are not a big threat. Only a couple of attacks have happened when a dog is being walked. Unmuzzled dogs walking account for the least number of bites.

There are SO many better alternatives.

We should all enforce spaying and neutering. Aggression can be elimanated when a dog is neutered/spayed.

People should also be more educated about dogs. Most attacks are because the dogs are provoked or feeling threatened. People should be taught how to confront dogs properly!

If people would look at the facts they would realize that pitties are not the little monsters they suspect them to be!