Woman dead after being attacked by her two pit bulls in animal hospital

[ansible]

A woman is dead in Irving after her two pit bull terriers mauled her at an Irving animal hospital Saturday morning, Irving Police confirmed.

The attack happened at 11:45 Saturday morning, police said in a news release. The woman, 33-year-old Johana Villafane of Irving, was at the O’Connor Animal Hospital in Irving trying to feed the two dogs outside in an exercise area when her two pit bull terriers, a male and a female, attacked her, police said.

The dogs were already in quarantine for veterinary observation after they previously bit another person, according to police.

O’Connor staff and paramedics tried to rescue Villafane, but the dogs would not let anyone near them or Villafane. Irving Police was called in and they couldn’t get close to Villafane, either.

“They were unable to retrieve her to give her any medical attention because of the animals,” Irving Police officer David Dickinson told WFAA.

Police were forced to shoot and kill both dogs.

“I don’t believe that [the officer who shot the dogs] had a choice,” Dickinson said. “His job is to intervene to safeguard human life, and that’s what he attempted to do.”

Villafane was rushed to Parkland Hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.

https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/woman-dead-after-being-attacked-by-her-two-pit-bulls/63-a437f400-041b-4ec5-8b23-df5d747e8e5b

[gyroscope]

1. Darwin Award!

it amazes me people still keep them as pets despite the constant daily news stories of people getting mauled to death by these animals.

[flvegan]

3. Probably

has something to do with those "people" you talk about not being complete fucking idiots, driven to opinion by much bigger idiots.

[rainy]

104. Lots of breeds suffer "those people"

No other breed has the reputation of fighting to the end. Pointers point pit bulls fight to the finish. Females are less likely and pit mixes less likely.

[Dr. Strange]

143. I open a pit bull thread, and what do I see?

[mr_lebowski]

4. It's not constant and daily ... don't exaggerate ...

I've been around PLENTY of absolutely wonderful Pitties that wouldn't hurt a fly. Including one in my home for 10 years.

Some of them get f***ed up by asshole parents. And there is a problem with 'breeding' and 'lineage' ... But that's kinda like humans, come to think of it.

But we don't call people who get murdered by people ... Darwin Award winners, do we now?

[gyroscope]

7. No exaggeration

do a search on "pit bull attack" in Google news.

you will find literally dozens of different stories of pit bull attacks in the last week alone.

don't delude yourself into thinking these animals are harmless. many kinds of dogs are abused by their owners, but only certain types such as pit bulls are known to maul people to death.

[gyroscope]

11. You may be next

congrats future Darwin Award winner!

[mr_lebowski]

22. From a CDC study, Mr. Know-It-All ...

https://www.pitbullinfo.org/statistics.html

You think you know, but in fact, you know DICK.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

28. Malamutes?

Really? Why then don't we ever read about the Malamute fatal attacks? What is missing here?

[mr_lebowski]

38. Not many people have Alaskan Malamutes, whereas ... there's a whole messload of Pit Bulls?

I mean, I'm going out on a limb here somewhat, but ... that's going to be my guess ...

[TexasBushwhacker]

73. Yes, pit bull type dogs are very popular

Because they are popular with backyard breeders, most are not pure bred. Most are some mix of Staffordshire terriers, American bulldogs and who knows what else. There are 3 to 5 million in the US. The vast majority are not biters.

[Scruffy1]

152. What I consider a Malumute is a wolf cross.

Under no circumstance should anyone own any dog with wolf blood. I've seen a lot of cases over the years of wolf crosses suddenly and unexpectedly turning into killers.

[Beringia]

34. I found different stats

Your chart takes into consideration population size relative to numbers of bite fatalities.




https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-multi-year-fatality-report-2005-2017.php?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxI3E7Jia4QIVrR6tBh1UUQhoEAAYASAAEgIYmfD_BwE

[mr_lebowski]

39. Interesting ... I'll look into this ... meanwhile, are you suggesting that population size of the

animal is ... not relevant?

Cause I'm thinking it is, offhand.

[Beringia]

107. I think population size is relevant

It suggests pit bulls are the largest population. But when I looked up stats for dog populations, I don't see this mentioned at all, regarding pit bulls being the largest population. So I am wondering about the reliability of any of these stats.

[Hortensis]

154. I've read that 1/2 of all 2 years and under deaths

were by pit bulls and Rottweilers, without breaking out those breeds specifically.

Note that virtually all these babies and toddlers would have had one or more adults very close by who could not save them once the attack started.

[mr_lebowski]

16. I will grant that only a small % of dog breed have the capability, physically, of doing so ...

And Pit Bulls are one, yes. And sadly, some people have purposefully 'bred' lines of this dog to be aggressive. There ARE some that are probably not-savable, and inherently unsafe, due to this fact. That is true.

And then you have the fact that a certain % are abused, and purposefully made to be mean.

Both because people suck.

But there's also MANY MILLIONS of these dogs that were NOT bred that way, not raised that way, and that are just like any other dog, and I've met and known over a dozen of them. In fact, when they're NOT? They're frickin' amazing animals.

I've seen it ... many times.

[Kaleva]

58. Your arguement is simiiar to what pro gunners say

There are several hundred million guns out there and only a very small percentage of those guns will ever be used in a deliberate or accidental gun shooting resulting in injury or death.

[Lordquinton]

109. We're talking about living creatures

Not objects. The comparison cannot be made.

[Lordquinton]

33. That's mostly because every dog attack is declared from a pitbull

Someone gets bit and they say it's a pitbull. Most people have no clue about dog breeds.

[tblue37]

102. And that includes official dog "experts," who have been shown to be unable to

distinguish between pitbulls and other breeds.

[Lordquinton]

108. Yep

People are clueless about breeds. I knew a vet that would sign papers saying that the dog was a terrier mix for people moving into "no pitbulls" places and it would always work.

[Cold War Spook]

117. And when there is a picture of the dogs,

very rarely do they look anything like my Brindle colored American Pit Bull Terriers. I do not keep them with my other dogs. I do not allow other people to go inside their enclosures or near any of my dogs. I have them for the same reason I have my other dogs. I found them sick and starving. Every dog I have had was suffering from heartworm.

[Doremus]

139. Yep. Pitties often take the blame for attacks by other breeds/mixed breeds. Take the test.

[LanternWaste]

155. You should post on the Moon Bombing for your next trick...

Delusional, indeed.

[whathehell]

30. Thank you..

and no, we do not callously call people murdered by people "Darwin Award Winners". You've got to be "all heart" for that.

[Drahthaardogs]

59. As a breed, they are a complete genetic mess

Poor breeding, no breed club with objectives, and backyard breeding at all time high.

Then you have the "it's all how you raise them" crowd who have no idea what they are doing and think you can "love" them into docile dogs.

They operate out of prey drive and need skilled handlers. These are the dog version of assault rifles.

[mr_lebowski]

88. Yes there are a lot of Pits around that were bred to be mean/fight

But you can just as easily do the opposite, and then they're very much like other large-breed dogs. Asshole people have purposefully created a bunch of them that are mean, I thoroughly believe that to be reality.

Yes, not everyone should own one, ESPECIALLY not one from a fighting line. That type of breeding needs to STOP, pronto. Anyone breeding mean dogs (outside perhaps some very isolated and sanctioned circumstances) should go to jail in my book.

But there are PLENTY of pit-bull types around (sure, many of them are probably not pure-bred, but have enough American Staffordshire Terrier in them to LOOK like Pits ... as you say, they're a genetic mess) that are perfectly safe, kind, gentle dogs just by nature, esp. if you train and treat them well.

They're not ALL 'prey-driven', loose-cannon dogs.

[catbyte]

25. You certainly are painting with a broad brush.

I'm 63 years old, grew up around all kinds of dogs and have never run into a violet pit bull-type dog, and I've been around plenty. A Pomeranian put my grandfather in the hospital for 2 weeks with blood poisoning. He almost died. Don't condemn a whole breed. Statistics show that other breeds are much more dangerous, yet they don't have the reputation of pit bulls because they're not used in dog fighting.

[Drahthaardogs]

61. I'm much younger than you but I train dogs professionally

For hunting and I do some protection work. I've seen plenty of pitbulls that are violent.

They also are bad at protection work for multiple reasons.

[Cold War Spook]

164. The main reason is,

an American Pit Bull Terrier will attack even without a command if it senses an attack on its master. The wrong movement by a person can bring on an attack if the dog thinks it or its master is threatened. That is why I do not allow people access to any of my dogs.

[Drahthaardogs]

167. And a real.protection dog is smart enough and balanced enough

To have appropriate aggression.

[Soxfan58]

49. It's a status thing among trumpers

And sometimes they are trained to be mean.

[SharonClark]

55. Where did you get the trumper info?

I agree that a bad owner can run a dog but this has nothing top do with Trump.

[LuvNewcastle]

51. I adopted a pit bull mix last month and she is a sweetheart!

She just wants to play with other dogs and love on humans. I haven't seen her get really aggressive with any dogs other than a couple who got aggressive with her first. She's never been aggressive with a person as far as I've seen. If I had kids, I would let her play with them any time. That dog wouldn't maul anybody. I suspect that a lot of those stories are selective reporting.

[Cold War Spook]

165. The only large dog I will allow around children is a pure bred collie.

Farm raised, not from a puppy mill.

[USALiberal]

71. Nice comment about a dead person, I am sure her family thinks it funny. nt

[cwydro]

142. Classy.

[tenderfoot]

146. It appears that this poster has been put down.

eom

[rusty quoin]

2. Oh boy. I wonder what made the dogs act that way.

[gyroscope]

5. They were doing what pit bulls do

try reading the article.

these dogs were already under quarantine for attacking someone else.
despite being under quarantine, they managed to attack and kill their owner.

[mr_lebowski]

6. They were doing what an infintessimally small fraction of them do ...

Try checking the numbers.

This situation was mishandled, clearly.

Who knows WHAT they had against their owner, but I'd bet ... they had something.

Or they may've been bred to be purposefully mean ... which is more PEOPLE bullshit.

[mr_lebowski]

14. Like f*** I am, pal ...

What you see in that video? THAT is real. I've been around PLENTY of these dogs.

Are there some bad apples?

Yes.

Are they arguably more dangerous than most other dogs due to their strength, IF they're raised wrong?

Yes that is true.

But they are not bad dogs. Period.

And you're not somehow stupid to have one. You're just wrong on this, sorry.

Here's my Pit Boy, the one on the right. His 'brother', the Pointer? Believe me, he'd kill you way before that Pittie would kill you. Not that either are killing anyone, but ... the Pointer is far more aggressive.

[gyroscope]

19. So in your world pointers are more dangerous to people than pit bulls?

only in La La Land, which is where you will find all the pit bull owners. lmao.

[mr_lebowski]

24. I know my two dogs, been around 'em 10 years ...

I didn't say 'Pointers are more dangerous', I said MY pointer is more dangerous than my Pittie. Granted, the Pointer we rescued at about 7 months from a bad neighborhood, and the Pittie my ex-wife got at about 10 weeks (prior to us being together) so he was raised by her, but ... yeah. That Pointer is a WAY more dangerous dog.

I think I know after 10 years. Believe it or not.

[arthritisR_US]

27. I believe you. My Pitbull/boxer is big and strong and the most gentle

babe. She is in love with every breathing, moving thing.

[mr_lebowski]

31. I believe you, too :)

My ... well, my ex-wife's ... Pittie ... when we took him out on walks, we'd encounter toddlers out for walks from time to time ... and I'm not kidding, when the Pit would see a small child, he'd just stop, and sit and watch. You could tell he wanted to 'meet' them, but he just knew to not approach them w/o permission.

On the occasions that the parents of the toddlers were amenable to a greeting, we could just say "It's okay boy!", and I swear to you, he would army-crawl on his belly over to the child, as if he knew that they might be afraid if he just charged at them ... and then just fall on his side when he reached them. Saw him do that like 4 times, w/random tiny kids ... w/o ever being trained to act that way.

Granted, he also grew up around our 6 nieces and nephews, seeing them regularly ... all of which are were within +/- 4 years of him, so maybe that was a factor in his deferential nature.

But you'll never convince me they are 'bad animals', esp. if they're not in a 'pack' with other pits. I've been around a lot them, practically everyone in my ex-wife's family had them. But granted, only 1 of them in each case. So I cant' swear from personal experience how they might be when there's multiple pits. It may be it's best to only ever have 1, for all I know, first hand.

[Soxfan58]

50. Owners train them to be mean

Its like owning a gun, their fear drives them

[mr_lebowski]

89. Some of them are also bred to be mean, by a-holes who want to create fighting dogs

So they can come from a line with someone having purposefully bred their meanest male w/their meanest female ... that DOES happen. I'm not saying every Pit Bull is a safe animal at birth and that there aren't some that just ... maybe shouldn't exist.

I don't think it's the breed's fault that people have done this.

And the large majority of pit bull types out there in the world are not like that though.

[Drahthaardogs]

63. That's not a full blooded pointer

I do schutzhund with my Germany- imported pointer. Weimerieners in Germany are required to achieve a schutzhund I title prior to being approved for breeding, on top of their field work.

They were actually expected to guard and gave some aggression. Pit bulls we're bred to fight animals to the death.

[mr_lebowski]

79. Could swear I read that Pit Bulls in general are terriers, bred to kill vermin

And yeah, I think my other dog is a Braque D'Auvergne (sp? - which is a French Pointer), with some Great Dane.

Thanks for you input, when it comes to dogs, I know you know your stuff

[Drahthaardogs]

92. Pit bulls we're bred to bait bulls and bears

Eventually each other. Great Danes we're guard dogs and some are still aggressive.

[ProudLib72]

145. It was my understanding that Great Danes were bred to be war dogs

Or could that have been the Molossus they were derived from?

[Drahthaardogs]

151. Originally, they were boar and deer sight hounds

Ears were cropped to avoid tears. Eventually they became Noble's guard dogs/court dogs.

I think you have to go way back to find their ancestors as war dogs.

[tblue37]

103. Pretty boys you have there! (I love Pitties' heads and faces.) nt

[Ms. Toad]

125. Kids should not be putting their faces in ANY dog's face.

Nothing to do with the breed - it is just a very dangerous practice because it pits dog's natural resource-guarding/defensive behavior against small children's ability to "read" the dog's reaction.

The smallest children in this video were not well trained, and engaging in dangerous behavior (face in dog's face and hands on dog's food or toys).

[mr_lebowski]

127. Yeah, I know the worlds full of well-intentioned rules ... and I avoid following a large majority

of them, myself ...

Ask me when the last time I explicitly washed my hands before I ate a meal was?

Then ask me when the last time was I last time I was sick with so much as a cold (hint on this one: it's been over 25 years).

Personally not huge on 'the rules' ... so many of them seem 'wrong', frankly.

YMMV ... good day, Ms T

[Ms. Toad]

130. The consequences of a disfiguring or fatal injury

from failure to wash your hands is quite a bit lower than that associated with children and dogs. Bacteria is not likely to feel its food or resources are threatened by a small, unpredictable child, invading its space or threatening its food source. I also have the experience of my not-so-small child (7-ish) being bitten by an enthusiastic dog while they were playing (just missed her eye). That was just a big bouncy dog with its mouth hanging open close enough that it encountered my daughter's face - it was not intentionally trying to defend its territory. So I tend to be more careful about tempting fate. (Thankfully the dog wardens recognized it was not a deliberate bite, so the dog did not have to be put down.) No idea what its breed was.

I don't wash specificaly before I eat, although i do wash my hands and avoid touching doorknobs or other frequently touched surfaces (especially leaving the bathroom). That was a habit I developed when my bosses liked to come to work hacking and coughing all over everything (pretending they were not ill) and scheduled surgery depended on avoiding catching their respiratory bugs.

I pay more attention to food/animal safety rules when the consequences of breaking them are higher - and dog bites can have significant consequences.

[mr_lebowski]

132. Ya know, it's funny, I have one significant scar on my body ... you'll never guess why?

Its on my upper lip, and I got it because, in nursery school, someone brought a St. Bernard to class, and I asked the lady 'can I sit on the doggies back?' (it was lying down at the time) and the lady said 'Sure' ... so I did so, and moved my head towards the dogs head to cuddle and wrap my arms round it's neck ... and guess what?

It decided ... time to get up!

It quickly raised it's head just as I was lowering mine toward it, and BAM ... split the skin from my lip to my nose, and I still have the scar. My mustache has never grown from that little sliver of skin my whole life. I was 5 I think.

In fact I even remember to this day the dastardly doctor who insisted 'it's just 3 quick stitches, he doesn't need ANESTHETIC!' to my mom. Hurt like a MOFO man.

But since then I've seen hundreds instances of kids (and it's never since stopped me either!) put their faces right up to dogs faces, get kisses, etc ... Never seen a case where it worked out badly ... I guess my own injury was all I'm going to see in this life ...

I guess we all have our experiences that shape our opinions on things

[Ms. Toad]

135. My daughter was mad

because the sutures were someplace she couldn't watch them stitch her up. They did use anesthetic.

Thank goodness they have moved beyond needing to stick a needle in the wound to numb it - my experience with stitches around the same age. Unfortuantely, I didn't get a teeny tiny scar - I've got a 5" long, 1/4" wide beast running down tmy shin Next time I go back to see my ortho guy I'm going to read him the riot act for giving me a new monster scar (to repair this winter's spiral fracture) just above the one I've had for nearly 6 decades, rather than using the old one (That leg's now got about 8" of scars on it now. Good thing my modeling days never materialized )

[rusty quoin]

13. They were probably trained in ways to attack.

The breed is not bad. They were chosen because of their large bite to be trained to be bad. They are aggressive, but usually against themselves and other animals.

That said, they don’t attack their owners. A Jack Russell can be viscous and territorial, and it will not attack its master. These dogs were not bred for quit time with children, though I understand they can be be great protection for kids.

I’m not big on dogs these days. I’m a cat person now, but are you suggesting killing off pit bulls?

[rusty quoin]

17. I'm not arguing with you. But do you think the breed should be put down?

And other breeds like Dobermans and German Shepherds, which have been bred for attacks, should they too be put down?

[gyroscope]

18. Where did I ever say any breed of dog should be put down?

who are you arguing with? the voices in your head?

[rusty quoin]

20. Oh, you're angry. You don't like Pitt bulls and don't think they should be around.

What do you suggest be done my sensitive friend?

[Tipperary]

62. Lol, where did he go?

Womp womp.

[Mariana]

29. The story says these ones did attack their owner. Now what?

I think any dog that bites a person should be put down, with very few exceptions. If the dogs in this story had been destroyed after they attacked their first victim, the person they killed would still be alive.

[mr_lebowski]

35. I dunno about just biting, but attacking? Sure ... and yah there's some bad Pits, unfortunately ...

There's also a phenomenally much larger % of them ...that are amazing, loving dogs.

It may be that it's a bad idea to have groups of them ... although, whether it's any 'worse' %-wise vs. having groups of some other large breeds, I'm not sure, but ... they're absolutely not all bad dogs.

In fact, on a per-dog basis, Pit Bulls don't attack and kill any more people than other large breeds, you just don't read about the others. Per-dog, in fact, Alaskan Malamutes are by far the worst killers of people. Granted, they have more wolf blood than any other dog ...

[Drahthaardogs]

64. Bullshit

Labradors are once again the #1 breed in America. They didn't even make the list.

I actually don't dislike the pitbull, I just think they are a serious dog for serious owners. I've owned malinois and honest to God man stopper German shepherds ( not the new sport dogs).

There comes a responsibility with owning a dog like that, the first being understanding you have an animal capable of killing a human and that dog must be managed.

I find people like you who refuse to address this problematic. Most people who own this breed should not.

[mr_lebowski]

82. What's bullshit?

I didn't say EVERY OTHER large breed, I say 'other large breeds'. Per-Capita, dog-wise I mean, their rate of killing people matches many other large breeds.

I didn't have to 'manage' my Pit like you're saying. He's probably a mix, in truth, wife got him from rescue at like 10 weeks. He was timid as a freakin' mouse. I posted his pic above, you saw it. That look like a dangerous dog? He's not. AT ALL. He's 12 now and never bit or nipped ANYONE. If you talk even remotely sternly to him, he'll cower and shake, even though he's never been hit by a person (that we know of).

I wouldn't have a Dog I wasn't confident I had a handle on.

[Drahthaardogs]

93. You have to understand prey drive, fight drive, and defense drive

To really understand these dogs. They have almost no defense drive and extreme prey drive, and THAT'S why they generally suck ass as protection dogs.

A real man stopper operates mostly out of defense drive, thus once the threat is mitigated they break off. Pits are unbalanced dogs and have poor defense and too much prey. The ones with weak thresholds are problematic. The ones with high thresholds are generally fine unless REALLY triggered .

[mr_lebowski]

100. I defer to your superior knowledge on these subjects Mr. Drahthaar ...

I was unaware that we were discussing the relative utility of the Pit Bull-type as a 'Defense' dog.

I believe that yes, there are a somewhat significant population of mean, dangerous pits around ... but this is primarily because @sshole people have purposefully bred their meanest male with their meanest female to produce a dog that'll either fight to the death, or 'appeal to the tough guy who wants a tough dog' by being generally aggressive.

That said, I also don't like seeing every single pit bull-type smeared and labeled a 'potential killer' ... just because of the actions of these idiots. It's a small % of the overall total that truly 'loose cannons no matter HOW you raise them'. I'm sorry, I been around enough of 'em to know that there's PLENTY of wonderful pit-bull type dogs in this world.

Even while stipulating ... there also some real asshole individual pit bull types too. And those ones ARE dangerous. But I think its cause they were made that way, by people.

Granted, all breeds are basically made by people at this point.

[Drahthaardogs]

106. The problem is the "prey" drive, I used a protection dogs as an example

It's like this. Those dogs weren't mean, they were prey-driven. This is how those things happen. A dog with intense prey drive sees a squirrel. It REALLY wants that squirrel. It can't get it; it becomes frustrated.

Woman enters pen with highly aroused dog. She yells, moves too fast... whatever. The dog transfers onto her because it is essentially a coiled spring and all that potential energy has got to go somewhere.

She starts screaming when the dog bites, this sounds like prey to the dog so it intensifies its attack. The second dog now sees and hears this, it too goes into the red zone. Now the scent of blood only intensifies the attack. Woman is mauled to death.

This is what happens when you have high prey drive dogs with low thresholds. This is GENETIC. You must NEVER allow these dogs to get into that frame of mind. Most people are not up to the task it takes to own such an animal.

[cwydro]

144. A stray showed up on my property some months ago.

He’s a pit, and I was immediately concerned because I have chickens, geese, cats, two small dogs, and a medium size dog.

He has fit right in; he’s afraid of the geese, is nice to the chickens, the cats and small dogs sleep on top of him, and the medium dog adores him.

He’s obviously been abused, previously broken forepaw, scars etc. My vet and all his staff think he’s wonderful.

He’s a big, sweet, lovable baby.

[ms liberty]

153. Deleting. This posted to the wrong reply. Sorry!

[Progressive Law]

21. Every pit bull is the nicest sweetest thing...until it goes on a killing rampage.

[Luciferous]

26. When we first discussed getting a dog my husband wanted a Doberman. I told him I'm

not getting a big dog because if it turns on me I want something I could actually stand a chance against. We got a puggle

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

86. I hope it's not an attack pug ...

... those things will soak your ankles with slobber. Very scary.

[Luciferous]

97. Oh yeah, and her tiny little nubby teeth are terrifying lol

[Blue_true]

115. You better keep an eye on that thing. A thousand bites to the ankle can kill anyone. nt

[Luciferous]

120. :)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

32. I'm constantly amazed at those here who stoutly defend Pit Bulls as being

gentle dogs that almost never attack.

Hmmm. Why then don't I read articles about the chihuahuas or the dachshunds that attack and kill their owners? Or the poodles or the labradors? Or various other breeds?

Okay, so I'm not a big fan of dogs to begin with, and don't get me started about the neighbors dogs who bark 24 plus hours per day, or the friends whose dogs are simply not trained and jump up on me when I visit. Yuck.

This is a large part of why I prefer cats. You do not hear cats meowing from half a block away. A cat doesn't jump up on a person who comes to visit, and even if it did, have you ever noticed how small cats are as compared to large dogs?

Anyway, and more to the point, certain breeds of dogs really are more problematical than other breeds. And stop defending them. It's analogous to the pious claims that it's only the irresponsible gun owners who are responsible for the many gun deaths (more than 13,000 each year) not the responsible gun owners. Yeah, like the mom who leaves a loaded gun in her purse so her two year old gets it and kills her. THAT'S responsible. Or the six year old who finds a gun in dad's bedside table and shoots and kills his three year old sister. Yep. THAT'S responsible.

Oh, back to pit bulls. They are not safe dogs. No more safe than unsecured guns. There really is a parallel here.

And at least this woman was killed by her own pit bulls, and they didn't kill someone else. That's a small blessing.

[mr_lebowski]

36. That's because ... we know them.

And no offense, but it sounds like ... you don't. Other than what you read on the news. And NOTHING but Pit Bull attacks ... make the news. And there's a LOOOOOOT of Pit Bulls. So you do the math there

But yeah, the bigger the dog, the inherently 'more dangerous'. Sure, no getting around that fact. Chihuahua's ain't killing ANYONE. They're TINY. Neither are any cats ... at least, not domesticated ones. Mountain Lions, however ...

These numbers are from a 20-year span CDC study ...

[Lordquinton]

37. I'm not a fan of Pit Bulls personally

Not the smartest dogs, but they don't deserve the reputation they have.

In fact we can look into why they have this reputation, and with a bit of research you can find it has rather racist roots. Maybe a bit deep for the conversation, but it's there and people should know about it, imo.

[Blue_true]

116. Do you mind explaining the racist roots?

Were they used to hunt down runaway slaves? By the klan?

[Lordquinton]

163. The association with drug lords

and criminals parallels the criminalization of the black community. So associating them together is the racist part.

[Blue_true]

169. Ok, got it. Thanks. nt

[honest.abe]

69. That's an odd table considering this..

[smirkymonkey]

83. Surprised to see Labs on that list.

Especially ahead of Boxers and Dobermans. My family has mostly had Labs and they have all been sweet, gentle, affectionate dogs. As has every Lab I have ever personally encountered.

[honest.abe]

87. Well you do need to keep in mind these are totals.. not percentages.

Since Labs are the most popular dog in the country that number is actually quite low in comparison to the other breeds. The Pit Bull numbers are also affected by the popularity of the breed but that is huge number and Pit Bulls are not as common as some think.

From animals24-7.org:

Pit bull advocates often allege that the popularity of “bully” breeds is why they inflict upward of 80% of all fatal and disfiguring dog attacks on humans and 95%-plus of fatal attacks on other animals.

The 2016 ANIMALS 24-7 survey of classified ads offering dogs for sale or adoption, however, shows the pit bull category slipping from market share of 6.7% and 6.6% in 2014 and 2015, to 4.9% in 2016, consistent with a seven-year average of 5.2%.

The pit bull group as logged by ANIMALS 24-7 includes any dog advertised as a pit bull, an American bulldog, an American bully, an Ambull, a Staffordshire, a bull terrier, or other bulldogs exclusive of English and French bulldogs. (Olde English Bulldogges, however, are pit bulls.)

https://www.animals24-7.org/2016/07/29/2016-survey-list-of-top-5-u-s-dog-breed-types-ousts-pit-bulls/

[Ms. Toad]

129. Not odd at all, if you understand numbers.

What the two charts together tell you is that even though the absolute number of fatal pit bull bites is higher, it is only becasue there are a lot more of them than the other 8 more-prone-to-fatal-bites breeds.

Simplified - One of every 100,000 pit bulls is involved in a fatal bite, but 2 of every 100,000 husky was involved in a fatal bite.

If there were 100,000 of each breed, there would be one fatal pit bull bite and 2 fatal husky bites.

But there are more like 284,000,000 pit bulls (to produce 284 fatal bites) and only 6,500,000 huskies (to produce 13 fatal bites). In other words 44 times more pit bulls produce 22 times as many fatal bites, because the huskies are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal bite than a pit bull is. That's a gross simplification, because one report is a 15 year report, and the other is a bite rate, and I've rounded the bites off to whole numbers. But it's pretty close.

[honest.abe]

131. I do understand your numbers are probably bogus.

The total percent of dogs that are 'pit bulls' is not well known or defined. They are not a recognized breed according to the AKC so they dont have registration numbers on them. Also, what specifically defines what is a 'pit bull' is not consistent among dog breed experts. Seems the best we can do is from estimates based on advertisements or vet data.

Here are some numbers from animals24-7.org which suggests pit bulls are not as popular as some think:

Pit bull advocates often allege that the popularity of “bully” breeds is why they inflict upward of 80% of all fatal and disfiguring dog attacks on humans and 95%-plus of fatal attacks on other animals.

The 2016 ANIMALS 24-7 survey of classified ads offering dogs for sale or adoption, however, shows the pit bull category slipping from market share of 6.7% and 6.6% in 2014 and 2015, to 4.9% in 2016, consistent with a seven-year average of 5.2%.

The pit bull group as logged by ANIMALS 24-7 includes any dog advertised as a pit bull, an American bulldog, an American bully, an Ambull, a Staffordshire, a bull terrier, or other bulldogs exclusive of English and French bulldogs. (Olde English Bulldogges, however, are pit bulls.)

https://www.animals24-7.org/2016/07/29/2016-survey-list-of-top-5-u-s-dog-breed-types-ousts-pit-bulls/

So that means a breed which comprises about 5% of dogs is resposible for 80% of fatal and disfiguring attacks. Thats alarming.

[Ms. Toad]

133. They're not "my" numbers -

I was reconciling the two charts - one of which counted total bites by breed, and the other of which counted fatal bites per 100,000 dogs by breed - in response to a suggestion that the two charts could not be read together in a way that made sense. They can, if you understand numbers.

Whether each chart is individually accurate is an entirely different question, and not the one I was answering.

[honest.abe]

134. Thats the question.. where are those numbers coming from.

I suspect they may not be accurate based on numbers Ive seen from other sources.

[Ms. Toad]

136. You may have intended to question the validity of the first chart -

but what you said (and I responeded to) was a comment that the first chart was odd in relation to a second chart. It's not. I have no idea whether either chart is accurate - but one is not odd in comparison to the other. They are just wo different wasy of looking at the data.

[honest.abe]

137. Its odd regardless.

If one breed is responsible for 80% of serious attacks and its population is not anywhere near 80%.. then they are a very dangerous dog in relative terms. Yes, the real question is the actual population of pit bulls. I suspect the method to determine that is inconsistent which is why some of these stats are bogus.

[uppityperson]

41. Maybe because news knows "omg pitbull" sells

I've posted articles on du about dog attacks that aren't "pit bulls" and they sink. I wonder why?

[LuvNewcastle]

54. Pit bulls are a DU touchstone.

Write a post about a woman breastfeeding a circumcised pit bull in Olive Garden and watch it take off.

[smirkymonkey]

84. *snort*

[EX500rider]

168. While watching porn I assume you mean....

(the breastfeeding woman, not you)

[TexasBushwhacker]

75. I love dogs but I'm with you on cats

No matter how sweet dogs are, they can NOISY, and sometimes they just will not shut the fuck up. There was one in my apartment complex yesterday.

[milestogo]

110. I live in an apartment building with a dog-aggressive pit bull that wants to kill my dog.

Yeah, I'm sure he's really sweet with his owners and I don't care. He has attacked another dog in the building and the owner got hurt trying to protect her dog. I wish they would be forced to get rid of their dog or get evicted.

I hate this dog... it wants to kill my dog. The owners are complete idiots who know NOTHING about the breed or how to socialize a dog. In other words, they are typical pit bull owners.

[Blue_true]

118. Do you carry bear spray with you when you leave your apartment with your dog?

If not, you may want to start.

[milestogo]

121. I have bear spray but I don't always carry it.

Thanks for the reminder.

I've been known to let out a full scream at the top of my lungs upon opening the door to the stairwell and finding this dog on the other side - while I had my dog on a leash.

[Blue_true]

123. Blast it in the face with the bear spray once, problem solved.

It it is waiting to jump your dog at your apartment, your act is the correct interpretation of stand your ground.

[Texasgal]

141. Actually, I have read plenty of stories

of Chihuahua and weiner dogs biting peoples faces and hurting them severely.

I think the reason why Pit Bulls are mentioned so much is because it's a popular dog. If you happen to look at rescues I want to say a large percentage of them are pit mixes.

[The Figment]

40. I have a Husky/Catahoula cross that is by far and away much more

Dangerous than any Pitty!

Timber was kept in a cage for the first year of his life and was used as a sire for lotsa batches of puppies for a mushing breeder.
He is 70 pounds of unpredictable, biting,barking bullheaded, antisocial, stubborn, meanness.
He was never socialized to people or other dogs properly, he has food and territory issues, he does NOT like children, other Male dogs,or ANYBODY in Uniform at all. ( tho he LOVES Cats! )
Tho he loves both me and my lady he has nipped her and drawn blood on me more than once.
He has been quarantined three times for biting people in 12 years,I'm required to have him on a leash and a muzzle when he is out in public ( which isn't very often!! )
My vet makes it a point to schedule him as the last one he sees that so as to make sure that his office is clear of all other dogs.

Why did I post this you may ask? Simple,Pit Bull Breeds are NOT the angry,stupid,over Muscled,attack critters that most think they are!
They are lazy couch potatoes, goofy slobbering snuggle buddies, very intelligent goofballs,who like belly rubs,warm sweaters, and like to be the center of your universe.

Its stories like this that lead to breed specific laws (read that as anti Pittie) in places like the 5 county area around the Denver/Boulder area. Breed specific laws are Stupid and Discriminatory, brought on by Uninformed Paranoia, and do nothing to lower tha number of Animal attacks in any metropolitan area.

Just my .02 cents

[Rorey]

42. Good luck

For 7 1/2 years we had what appeared to be a chow/shepherd mix. He had a lot of issues. He was at least 15 when we finally had to put him to sleep. He behaved very well for me, personally, when nobody but my then-husband and I were around, but he was unpredictable and I was always on edge when someone else was around. I told my then-husband that if he ever bit me or anyone else, he was a "gone dog". The only person he ever did bite was my then-husband. I knew with that dog that I had to be his alpha, not his friend. My then-husband didn't understand that concept. I never once physically disciplined the dog, but there were times I'd put on his harness and I'd have him on a very short lease, just so he'd understand who was going to be in control. That harness was an amazing tool. It really showed him who was boss.

After he was gone, someone asked me to take one of their dogs because he didn't get along with their other dogs and wasn't good with kids. I had to decline. It was time for me to get to live a normal life again in which I didn't have to be worried. We worked and worked with our guy, but he never did reach the socialization level that I would have liked. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't.

[spinbaby]

60. Chows can be very dangerous

Chows were bred to be companion animals and are extremely protective of their people. We had neighbors with a chow mix once. She was a very sweet dog once she got to know you, but was a terror with strangers. She knew me well, but if I was talking to her owner, she would stand on front of him leaning against his knees and staring at me, leaving no doubt that she would attack me if I threatened him in any way. I’m sure she would have bitten a UPS driver had they given her half a chance.

[Rorey]

70. He was one of the smartest dogs I ever knew

But I kind of think that only made him more dangerous.

You're so right about them being fine once they get to know you. He got arthritis in his back when he got older and I took him for laser treatments several times per week. He had no problem with the vet techs, or really anyone who worked in the clinic. Of course I always kept my grip on his harness when we were going in and out so we could pass through the waiting room without incident. He seemed to realize that when I did that, I was the one in control, so he didn't attempt to do anything.

I remember the first time I lifted his entire front end off the ground, using his harness, when he started to act aggressive once. I had read that dogs don't have much control if you do that. When I put him down, he seemed to be in awe. I only had to do that a couple of times.

We were just so damned lucky that nothing bad ever happened. Like I said, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't.

[IrishObserver]

150. Any heavy dog is dangerous

Personally, I would never own an animal I could not restrain if it attacked me or my kids. This case, like so many others, features a victim who could not be helped because the dogs were too powerful to restrain. If you have kids and you put a dog you could not restrain if something spooked it then you are wilfully ignoring your children's safety.

[The Figment]

67. Oh how well I hear you!!

My next dog will weigh less than 12 pounds! I love my furbaby,but would not do it over if given the chance.

[Rorey]

72. We always have high hopes

The constant vigilance is draining.

[madinmaryland]

122. My daughter brought a dog home and promptly couldn't take care of.

Never again will we have a fucking dog in the house. He’s four which means we are stuck with him for another few years.

[The Figment]

68. See # 67. Nt

[exboyfil]

43. Why would you keep a dog like that?

I wouldn't want to live next to you or someone who had a pet tiger or a pet chimp. You are responsible and try to keep your dog from hurting others, but even in zoos mistakes happen.

[The Figment]

66. I live in a very rural area,

Have a very secure yard with a very secure dog pen.
I've had him for 13 years and he obviously won't be long for this earth.

[Rorey]

74. I was worried about how mine would be when he got old

He actually seemed to be better in the last two years. I told my then-husband that it was like he forgot he was a mean dog.

[mr_lebowski]

81. Hear, Hear ...

SOME pits are bad dogs, and probably should be put down. That is a fact. And if you keep a dog like that, you're not too bright. I think it's likely pretty rare you legit 'have no clue' your animal is dangerous. AND because of their size they're more likely to be physically able to kill you, if they're a bad dog, this is also true.

Ones I've been around have mostly been awesome dogs though, and the one I had was just as you say, and wouldn't hurt a flea.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

114. Why on earth would you keep a vicious dog?

You've described an animal that is completely NOT a lazy, snuggly couch potato. He's bitten you and your lady. He's been quarantined three times for biting people. I'm surprised that the animal control people have not had him destroyed.

I know, someone will probably alert on this because I seem to be saying such unkind things, but honestly, how happy would you be if your neighbor had a dog just like yours? Or do you just thinking getting bitten and having blood drawn is just a normal thing with a dog?

I don't.

[The Figment]

124. I'm describing pit bulls as "couch potatoes "

Not my dog,Timber is anything but a couch potato.

[The Figment]

126. Simple...

For all of Timbers faults ( and there are many ) he would be the first one to take a bullet to protect my lady or me.

Kinda hard to argue with.

I've had what are considered "viscous beasts" most of my adult life ( 40 years or so ) Malamutes, Pitties, Huskys, Catahoulas, Chows,Dobermans,Belgian Sheaperds and so on,we ran a rescue for "hard to handle dogs" until 2014 when my health made us close,Timber is the last of a long line of these critters.

This is why I live on a 1/2 acre property with a 7 foot steel paneled fence with a corresponding escape proof pen/kennel set up in a town of approximately 20 people that is 11 miles from the nearest paved road.

Just because some critters breeding makes them "hard to handle" does not mean they are all like this...if you think a Pit Bull is a Badass look up Catahoulas aka Louisiana Hog Dogs.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

140. Okay, so he'd take a bullet to protect your lady, whom he has already

bitten at least once according to you, and he's been quarantined three different times for behavior.

Dear lord, have you not read about the times a dog (without bothering to name any breeds) has turned on his owner and viciously mauled him? Or killed? Do you honestly think that could never happen to you? I'm, betting all those other owners thought the same thing.

Quite frankly, I don't give a flying fuck if some other extremely rare breed is even worse than a pit bull. What I do care about is that people WILLINGLY own a specific dog who has done damage to humans in the past. THAT'S what I don't get.

[exboyfil]

44. My daughter scans Petfinder all the time

Her observation is that there is an incredible number of pit bulls on the site. There are very few of what she would considerable adoptable dogs. Many dogs are also described as something mix, but a good number are obviously pit bulls.

I think there is a huge number of idiots out there who like to own pit bulls, but don't know the first thing about having a dog. The good pit bull owners are swamped by these numb skulls. Part of these idiots profile is the failure to spay or neuter their dogs.

The most afraid I have ever been was on a walk where someone had two pit bulls on a lease. They were struggling to get to my dogs and almost pulled the owner over.

[LuvNewcastle]

56. I adopted my pit bull from the Humane Society, and because

they have so many pit bulls there they were willing to give her to me. I gave them a donation, though, because I appreciate the work they do and they spayed her before I took her home. They probably have to put down a lot of pit bulls because there are so many amateur breeders out there who end up having their dogs taken away and the city takes them all to the Humane Society. My girl was brought down there by her previous owners and already had a name, so I figured she would be all right. Adopting that dog was one of the best things I've ever done. She's a very loving animal.

[mr_lebowski]

91. It's funny, ex-wife and I used to walk our pittie and our pointer mix, and I had to take the pointer

Cause the pointer was ready to friggin kill any other dog he saw out walking if they so much as looked at him sideways let alone bark at him.

Absolute LOVEBUG with ALL people, but he did NOT like other dogs other than his 'brother' the pit. He was rescued at 7 mos so we don't know what happened to him as a young dog. I took him to group dog training when we got him but it was a constant struggle to keep him docile around the other dogs. Any of them barked he would freak out.

The Pit was totally friendly with everyone and everything. Worst he'd do is try to hump. He's 12 now and has never so much as nipped a person. And he's been around small children tons of times, loves kids.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

147. So if the pointer was

"ready to friggin kill any other dog he saw out walking if they so much as looked at him sideways let alone bark at him." why would you keep a dog like that?

I think what bothers me the most is that I know how many dogs (and cats, but we're talking about dogs here) are euthanized every year, every day. Many of them are gentle, wonderful animals, who would NEVER attack a human or another dog. And yet, people, some of whom post here on DU keep dangerous animals, who have already attacked humans or dogs. Why not say, "I'm sad, I'm sorry, but it's time to move on" and euthanize the dangerous dog and adopt one who needs a home.

About twenty years ago (hard to believe it was that long ago, but it really was) I did volunteer work for a local animal shelter. At the time it was located in an old home, built in the 1940s, that had been donated to the shelter. While I was there they built a new, wonderful, dedicated animal shelter. But in the beginning, I worked at the reception desk, greeting potential adopters as they came in and directed them to the appropriate place. The dog walkers, a truly wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers, had to bring the dogs by where I was. I was struck by how every single dog wanted to greet every single human they came across. It was a wonderful lesson in dogginess. I learned to appreciate dogs as dogs.

Dogs have been with us humans for a very long time. They (with genuinely rare exceptions of those who turn on humans) are dedicated to us. They want to be with us. For the most part we do very well with them. I'm not a dog person myself, but that time at the shelter made me genuinely appreciated the human dog connection. Which is truly incredible.

I wish I could recall the specifics, but at the time the shelter had a flyer that pointed out that for every single cat and dog to be adopted from shelters, each and every family would need to house something like seven dogs and eight cats. Maybe it was three cats and five dogs, but you get the point. There is simply no way all of the cats and dogs in shelters could possibly be housed.

And so, I put it to you. Why keep a dangerous dog? Why not do the merciful thing, have him euthanized, and adopt a dog that would otherwise lose his life, and give him a good life? You have done your genuine best with this dog. Maybe it's time to say good bye.

I realize that you may have a very different answer from me. And that's okay. There really is no one correct answer. And no matter what, we are back to the issue I mentioned above: there is simply no way that all of the cats and dogs in shelters can possibly be housed.

A personal note. I'm a cat person. About a decade ago I had three cats. They have since moved on to, as I like to say, that great litter box in the sky. Right now my life is such that I can't even keep an indoor plant alive. Someday, when my life is less peripatetic, I will have more cats. I will go to the nearest shelter and adopt the oldest cat they have, or (better yet in my opinion) two or three cats who've been together for years. whose owner has died or gone into assisted living where the cats can't go, but need to be together. I will be so very happy to take in those cats.

Oh, and I've told my son that if I ever need to go into assisted living or a nursing home, he needs to make sure I'm in a place with resident cats. I'm sure there are similar facilities with resident dogs. Actually, both would be nice. Plus parakeets and fish. Honestly, we all need non human companions.

[milestogo]

111. "Part of these idiots profile is the failure to spay or neuter their dogs."

That is the tip of the iceberg of pitbull owner stupidity.

[IrishObserver]

45. Pitbull owners are beyond reason

When pitbulls were banned in the UK, society did not collapse. Some people continued to keep the animals illegally and when their dogs killed people the owners went to prison. Again, society did not collapse because one type of dog was banned. People in the UK largely accept that the rights of human beings trump those of dogs. And as dogs go, pit bull type dogs have demonstrated that as domestic pets they have been involved in more fatal attacks than any other breed of dog. We have our own vociferous dog lobby here too, but the ban on pitbulls will never be rescinded. When discovered, pit bulls are euthanized. Children are safer for it. They come first in my eyes, not some dog.

Given the numerous fatal attacks involving pitbulls, many raised in loving homes, you have to question the mentality of someone who goes out and buys one of these animals.

The fact that people could not rescue the victim in this case because the pit bulls would attack them too is very telling - and has been a feature of many pit bull attacks. Do you think the people would have hesitated to move the dogs if they were, say, labradors? Why should society have to play Russian Roulette with a breed of dog that consistently tops the list of deadly attacks? Dogs are good pets and there are plenty of other breeds to choose from - and these are breeds that when they bite at least people can physically remove them.

I often hear pitbull owners bleat that "all dogs bite". This directly contradicts their other claim that the dogs that attack must have "treated badly". So, which is it? If all dogs bite then it's irrelevant how a dog is raised. And if all dogs bite why then would opt for a breed that has the most devastating and destructive bite behaviour when it does attack? Well? If "all dogs bite" would you not rather have a breed with the least destructive bite around your kids? Well?

The arrogance, indifference and sheer bloody mindedness of pitbull owners never ceases to amaze me. "It will never be my dog, we treat him well" - despite multiple incidents of well treated pit bulls killing their owners.

[GeorgeGist]

48. Post 36 shows that you are wrong.

[musicblind]

52. Check Post 34.

The majority of attacks are indeed pitbulls.

[IrishObserver]

53. No, it doesn't

I note no link is attached to the post you refer to.

And even if those figures were true, would it not make sense to not own any dog on that list - especially if you have children?

I love dogs and I have children. If I do decide to purchase a dog it will definitely not be one from that list. I put my children's safety first, you see.

Pitbull owners claim "all dogs bite". If that's the case why buy powerful breeds with devastating bites, especially if you have kids? If all dogs bite then why not prioritize you children's safety by getting a breed you can actually physically restrain if it attacks?

I wouldn't have any large, powerful dog near my kids? Why? Because all dogs bite - well, that's how the pit bull defenders see it.

If all dogs bite, as the pit bull advocates claim, then why own a powerful heavy dog with a devastating bite?

You see the where I'm going with this?

[mr_lebowski]

94. It's my post, and there's a URL at the bottom of the graphic.

I understand your logic, but at the same time, as someone who's been around plenty of 'pit bull types' and having seen all of them be wonderful dogs, and not, in fact violent, having owned one that's now 12, in his doting years, who's the sweetest damn dog you've ever met ... it just SUCKS to see them get bad-mouthed as killers, and euthanized just for being a pit-bull type. You're saying they do to dogs that've never bitten in the UK? Well, I'm not a fan of that.

YES some people have purposefully bred dangerous Pits, to either fight, or to be 'tough dogs for tough people' type of deal. These @ssholes have f***ed over the whole breed. If nobody had purposefully created a bunch of mean ones, by breeding their meanest female w/their meanest male, these dogs would be like any similar large breed dog.

And the ones that DON'T come from lines like that, somewhere in their recent heritage ... are mostly wonderful animals. I've met MANY of them, and I'm here to tell ya, they exist. LOTS of them.

[Socal31]

57. Ignorance.

[Blue_true]

119. Why?

Why do people smoke?
Why do people buy assault weapons?
Why do people drive fast?

Some people just have needs that others find irrational. If I lived near a dog breed that has a reputation as being dangerous and I had kids, I would always be on alert with the capacity to stop the dog if it tried to attack my kids or my wife.

[Owl]

138. +1

[allgood33]

46. Breading people and animals to kill is inhumane anyway. nt

[Croney]

47. Judge Judy asks people (always the defendants) if their landlord or insurance company knows

they have a pit bull. I've never seen a person answer yes.

I think some pit bulls are good, harmless dogs. But insurance companies base their policies on statistics; on facts. I don't hate the breed at all, because I just love dogs. But I wouldn't have a pit bull. Sorry.

[TexasBushwhacker]

76. I would not have any dog without liability insurance

One of the worst nippers I ever knew wasn't a pit bull. It was a Golden Retriever mix. She didn't maul anyone, but her owner, a friend of mine, paid for ER visits at least 3 times.

[Rorey]

78. As a landlord, that's a big issue with me

My insurance company won't cover certain breeds, so I just can't allow them. I do love dogs, but I'm not going to risk losing everything I own.

[aikoaiko]

77. Working with animals is inherently dangerous. Its a low risk, but we spin the wheel every time.

When I was 10 I watched the family Irish Setter maul the 10-year old son of the family because he took a sock out of the dogs mouth. An effing Irish Setter.

My mother's Springer Spaniel almost took my 6-year old son's eye out when he gently tried to pet it.

Spin the wheel.

[honest.abe]

80. We live in PG county Maryland where owning Pit Bulls are prohibited.. thank goodness!

I know many will dispute this saying that Pit Bulls are much more common so that why there are more attacks.

That's seems to be a hard number to define since the AKC doesnt even recognize the breed. However there are some stats that indicate they are not as common as some think:

From animals24-7.org:

Pit bull advocates often allege that the popularity of “bully” breeds is why they inflict upward of 80% of all fatal and disfiguring dog attacks on humans and 95%-plus of fatal attacks on other animals.

The 2016 ANIMALS 24-7 survey of classified ads offering dogs for sale or adoption, however, shows the pit bull category slipping from market share of 6.7% and 6.6% in 2014 and 2015, to 4.9% in 2016, consistent with a seven-year average of 5.2%.

The pit bull group as logged by ANIMALS 24-7 includes any dog advertised as a pit bull, an American bulldog, an American bully, an Ambull, a Staffordshire, a bull terrier, or other bulldogs exclusive of English and French bulldogs. (Olde English Bulldogges, however, are pit bulls.)

https://www.animals24-7.org/2016/07/29/2016-survey-list-of-top-5-u-s-dog-breed-types-ousts-pit-bulls/

[leftyladyfrommo]

85. I have a friend that is a vet. She would like to see a

Breed ban. She said she sees lots of pit puppies that are sweet and finely and cute. Then they hit puberty and many become very dog aggressive. And these are dogs in good homes. They have never been abused.
.

I am a pet sitter and I won't take any of the bully breeds. I had an American bulldog try to attack me. I won't take that risk. There are other breeds I can't do because they are very territorial: German Shepherds, dobermans. Sheep guard dogs. Chows. They can all be dangerous but most of them don't kill people. Pits, Presa canarios, Cane Corsos American Bulldogs, boxer pit mixes. There are lots of breeds bred as guard dogs that can be dangerous.
Some are just a lot more dangerous than others. I think you hear more about pit attacks because there are so many of them and that causes the numbers to be higher than say the number 2 dog which are rottweilers .


You have to be realistic. I see pictures if people who let their dogs get right next to babies. That is so dangerous. 3 month old babies seem to be killed more often than other ages. It is awful.

Dogs are dogs. They are not babies. You always have to remember that. I know if one case where a pomeranian killed a new born.

I work with dogs 24 hours a day. I have great respect for their intelligence and instinct. But I am also always on the alert for signs they may be getting too agitated, too nervous or too scared.

[Thekaspervote]

90. Agree! Our no kill shelter..almost all the dogs are pit bull or a mix. No life for the dog either

[leftyladyfrommo]

95. I think 60 percent of the dogs in our shelter are pits

Or pit mixes.

The vet community is discussing this case. If those dogs were quarantined they are not supposed to allow anyone including the owner to get near them. They could be in big trouble.

[ismnotwasm]

96. A PUTBULL thread?

Lord...

[wasupaloopa]

98. But thet are such sweat dogs

[leftyladyfrommo]

101. They can be. Some of them are just fine.

And some of them aren't.

[wasupaloopa]

158. The problem is you don't know untill they kill you or someone else.

They should not be bred at all.

Many of the people that I see with pit bulls (what a name for a sweet dog) look to have issues with their manhood.

[ravencalling]

105. Every situation is different - Husband attacked by Pitbull after heart attack

My husband was attacked by a pitbull in our neighborhood when he was out for his morning walk shortly after bypass surgery. He fortunately was wearing a very heavy jacket with strong canvas, lined. If it wasn't for that jacket, not sure if he would have survived it. The dog ran straight at him from across the street and jumped him. He used his arm in front of him and that is what the dog bit into. He pushed out with his arm, and fortunately the dog let go and he was then able to get away and run for his life. The dog bit through the material, and the bite tore through his forearm despite the jacket. He had stitches and rabies series. Authorities never found the dog or the owners.

Animals are very attuned and sense fear. My husband has a big fear response with dogs. Even more so now. It can bring out aggression in many animals. Saying that doesn't mean not having fear will protect you, it has just been my observation that even if a dog is not immediately aggressive to a stranger, dogs may more likely go after someone who is demonstrating fear and may act out. Pit bulls have a strong bite and do not easily let go. So I ask generally that no matter what type of dog you have please keep the dog under your control. We have a right to be able to walk outside without fear of being attacked by uncontrolled animals regardless of the breed or how sweet that animal may be to its owners. Husband still walks the neighborhood after this but he does not like Pits and is of the opinion they are dangerous and no-one is going to change his mind on that.

We have cats..

[Beringia]

112. Picture of woman and pit bulls

They look completely normal to me.








https://blog.dogsbite.org/2019/03/dog-bite-fatality-pit-bulls-kill-owner-bite-quarantine.html

[Karadeniz]

113. My former vet had to have facial plastic surgery after an estsblished Dachshund attacked

him during a normal exam. He'd never had a problem with that dog before. My male Maltese was an utter embarrassment. For one thing, he wasn't neutered. Ask hubby why. We didn't breed him. Secondly, he led a very sheltered, spoiled life for his first year. When we moved to Germany, we could take him everywhere and did. He was awful to any stranger, growling, lunging. Ditto in England. Fortunately, he was so lightweight, I could just yank him up by his halter to protect the world. But I did something awful in order to scurry off. I looked at the innocent bystander with eyes very wide, forehead in a puzzled expression, not spesking. The message conveyed was, "what did you do to infuriate this 7 lb. Package of long, flowing tresses?" It was bad of me, but I'd long since tired of making excuses for the little monster. On the monster's good side...on a Greek ferry in the middle of a huge storm, word of glamor.boy spread and a drunk came from visiting the helm and offered $1M for him....a video from some family's trip to the Parthenon consists mostly of one Maltese with attractive barettes holding his fur out of his eyes...my hubby warned me that an Italian man (chest hair sneaking out of his collar, gold chains) was eying me lasciviously, but when I looked, the man was staring at the Maltese, so I offered him the dog and he spent the funicula ride nuzzling and kissing pretty boy...the waiter who brought him water on Capri and held it for him until he was finished. I could go on and on...Yikes! The mad king Ludwig s palace fiasco!...But I'm starting to miss the little devil!!!❤

[wasupaloopa]

157. Do you also write novels?

[Karadeniz]

170. I just looked at the length of my reply...that's my first novel!

[underthematrix]

128. I'm terrified of pit bulls.

I don't walk alone in my very nice safe neghborhood because some of my neighbors who own pitbulls can't seem to keep them in their respective yard.

[leftyladyfrommo]

161. I am afraid of them, too. And I work with dogs

All the time.

[ManiacJoe]

148. There is nothing special about pit bulls.

Any dog that is not properly socialized is going to be a problem regardless of breed.

[IrishObserver]

149. Again with the 'properly trained' nonsense

The records are full of loving pit bull owners savaged and killed by their 'pets'. Indeed, pit bull advocates are the first to scream "All dogs bite" as if that somehow exonerates pit bulls.

If all dogs bite then would anyone buy an animal so powerful you can't physically restrain it as it savages someone? Sheer idiocy and wilfull indifference to the safety of others. Thankfully, where I lived pit bulls are euthanized. I love dogs - but I love people more. I certainly don't believe society should have to play Russian Roulette with children's safety because one type of dog has 'rights'! Absolutely idiotic some of the comments from pit bull lovers.

[wasupaloopa]

156. That is complete bull shit. "Any dog" doesn't kill their owner.

[leftyladyfrommo]

160. What is special is the power in their jaws

And their muscles. Pits can pull 1500 pounds.

They can rip an arm clear off. They have a very strong prey drive and low impulse control.

[honest.abe]

159. Here is the best peer reviewed study I have seen comparing fatal attacks on humans by breed.

Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks
in the United States between 1979 and 1998
Jeffrey J. Sacks, MD, MPH; Leslie Sinclair, DVM; Julie Gilchris

Conclusions—Although fatal attacks on humans appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite and cause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficulties inherent in determining a dog’s breed with certainty, enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises constitutional and practical issues. Fatal attacks represent a small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and, therefore, should not be the primary factor driving public policy concerning dangerous dogs. Many practical alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist and hold promise for prevention of dog bites. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000;217:836–840)

https://www.dogsbite.org/pdf/1979-1998-breeds-dogs-involved-in-fatal-human-attacks-us.pdf

[Blues Heron]

162. Screw pitbulls

Worst fad ever. What a plague they are. Dog owners need to step up:

Leash your dog
Don't leave your shitbag in the woods
Don't get a pitbull
Don't let your dog bark all day and night
Thanks

[BigDemVoter]

166. I do not care what people say. I would never have a Pit.

I have known some nice ones, but there have been too, too, too many people killed by these dogs.

I live in San Francisco, and for several years in a row, we had somebody killed by a pit, including a little boy, a teacher who was killed in her own apartment building in her hallway and several others.

Great Mastiffs are another breed I wouldn't have either.