36 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2018. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 900 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 72% (26) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 7% of the total U.S. dog population.
In the United States, pit bulls are by far the most violent breed year after year. Initially bred for bull and bear baiting (wherein animals would be torn apart by dogs for the entertainment of onlookers), a practice so vile that even the 1500s English wanted nothing to do with it and banned the practice, pit bulls have since been bred specifically for the purpose of dogfighting and many cruel Americans continue to breed and train dogs to force them to fight eachother to the death.
Oftentimes, violent pitbulls may lash out and maul unsuspecting owners, animals, or strangers; In the latter cases, particularly sociopathic owners may even blame the mauled animal and its owner, and actively try to secure the release of dangerous pit bulls back into the community to harm more pets/people. For example a pit bull in South Africa ripped a man's poodle apart in front of him, and when he attacked the vicious animal with a knife he was arrested for animal cruelty. In another case, a pit bull killed a yorkie and was shot by the yorkie's owner, and the pit bull owner blamed the yorkie owner for the self-defense shooting. A Pomeranian was chased down by a pit bull and killed in its own home, and afterwards the pit bull's owners campaigned to have the vicious, dangerous animal not be put down, though BBCode's inconsistent and bizarre programming quirks make it impossible to link the story, here it is in code.
Though some other dogs like Chihuahuas have aggressive tendencies, the pit bull combines these with what can only be described as an incredible capacity for dealing damage.
- Pit bulls rip car apart attempting to kill cat hiding inside
- Pitbulls chew through minivan bumper trying to get at kitten taking refuge
- Pair of pit bull mastiffs tear their way into car's engine block to reach a cat sheltered within
- You've probably seen the meme with the dog that ate the telephone pole.
If you think this is an issue only affecting people who own pit bulls, think again. People are not even safe in their own homes:
- Two pitbulls scaled a fence in Orcutt, Connecticut and mauled a woman's German Shepherd, she shot the dogs and killed one of them
- A pit bull charged into a woman's house and mauled a PSTD-support shih tzu which later had to be euthanized due to its injuries. The dog's owners' son, only 17, risked his life to stab the attacking animal to death.
- A pit bull escaped it's fenced-in yard and happened upon a parked van with a 2 year old and 5 year old inside, the dog immediately tried to kill them but was subdued by the mother and neighbors.
- SIX pitbulls climbed a fence to kill an assistance dog.
- Pit bulls chew through fence, rush into home, hero chihuahua dies protecting 4 year old from them. Pit owners will not face charges.
Besides the problem of breed violence, shelters continue to adopt out dogs that are individually proven to be violent.
https://www.ldnews.com/story/news/local/2018/10/11/humane-society-lebanon-county-adopted-out-unsafe-and-diseased-animals-parvo-pan-leuk/1570563002/ / http://naiaonline.org/blog/shelter-rescue/adopting-out-dangerous-dogs-common-sense-shouldnt-be-uncommon/#.XSWnxq_QjyQ / https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/pets/dr-fox/some-no-kill-shelters-adopting-out-dangerous-dogs/article_e4c83b38-73d5-5dd0-8459-7102e166afee.html
Shelters destroying dangerous dogs rather than placing unsuspecting families at risk is something we should all be able to agree on regardless of position on pit bulls. Unfortunately it seems that many shelters, "humane societies" and "animal rights activists" (not in favor of the rights of all the pets ripped apart by dangerous dogs that should never have been re-homed apparently) refuse to concede even basic common sense measures like this.
Many countries have levied breed specific legislation on pit bulls, ranging from import ban, to requiring the dogs be sold only to people who can prove they will keep the dog secure both at home (with proper fences/walls) and outside (muzzle, leash laws while walking), to requiring all the dogs be spayed and neutered and banning their import; In some countries and locales, like Ecuador, extreme BSL can simply criminalize the ownership of a dog breed outright.
So NSG, I propose the question to you:
What should we do about pit bull violence, and dog violence in general (which is disproportionately and overwhelmingly represented by pit bulls)?
More specifically:
- What actions should be taken against owners of vicious dogs who bring harm to humans, pets, livestock, or property
- What action should be taken against shelters that re-home dangerous dogs?
- What should be done with vicious animals proven to be violent against other pets or people?
- Should breed-specific legislation restrict who can/can't own pit bulls?
- Should breed-specific legislation restrict who can/can't own other dog breeds?
- Should the federal government pass laws to prevent breed-specific legislation from being enacted by city governments?
In my opinion, we should take more action against shelters adopting out violent dogs of any breed, and hold owners liable for damage done by their dogs. While I don't think pit bulls should be banned, they are a dangerous breed with a clearly established pattern of violence towards other animals and people, their owners need to take more precautions than owners of most other dog breeds in making sure their dogs cannot harm others. IE: in considering criminal charges, a person having a four foot-high fence to keep his dachshund in would be much less negligent than someone with a four foot-high fence to keep a pit bull in.
