Ban Pitbull-Type Dogs

Health
536

I don’t really agree with all out bans on dog breeds. But for those saying it’s the owners fault, I’m sure that was of great comfort to victims as they were mauled to death. And for those repeating the trope “Ban the bad owners”, what exactly do you mean by that? And do you recommend we ban the bad owners before or after their dog kills someone?

The statement that likely best reflects reality is that it is both the dog and the owner. Problems arise when there is a mis-match between the temperament of a dog and the experience/expectations of the owner.

So…instead of either banning breeds or trivializing valid concerns based on statistics, why don’t we focus on promoting responsible ownership, responsible breeding, accurate information (both good and bad) and responsible breed selection that fits lifestyle.

537

This post and idea you have is purely ignorant. It’s not the dog it is the owner. And the thought process you have I pray you never own any animals.

538

They are a loving breed of dog who some assholes have abused them and turned them into mean dogs.

539

So don’t get one!!

540

American Veterinary Medical Association states the following:

Nearly 90 million nice dogs… but any dog can bite

Any dog can bite: big or small, male or female, young or old. Even the cuddliest, fuzziest, sweetest pet can bite if provoked. Remember, it is not a dog’s breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog’s individual history and behavior.

From nips to full-blown attacks, dog bites are a serious problem. Hundreds of thousands of people in the United States seek medical attention for dog bites each year. The number of recorded dog bite injuries is significantly higher in children than adults. The elderly and home service providers such as mail carriers and meter readers are also high on the list of frequent dog bite victims.

Fortunately, there are several things we can do to prevent dog bites.

Why do dogs bite?

Dogs bite for a variety of reasons, but most commonly as a reaction to something. If the dog finds itself in a stressful situation, it may bite to defend itself or its territory. Dogs can bite because they are scared or have been startled. They can bite because they feel threatened. They can bite to protect something that is valuable to them, like their puppies, their food or a toy.

Dogs might bite because they aren’t feeling well. They could be sick or sore due to injury or illness and might want to be left alone. Dogs also might nip and bite during play. Even though nipping during play might be fun for the dog, it can be dangerous for people. It’s a good idea to avoid wrestling or playing tug-of-war with your dog. These types of activities can make your dog overly excited, which may lead to a nip or a bite.

541

The following is also from the American Veterinary Association against Breed Specific Legislation. They explain why and what should be done instead:

The problem with breed-specific legislation

AVMA’s policy on dangerous animal legislation states: “The AVMA supports dangerous animal legislation by state, county, or municipal governments provided that legislation does not refer to specific breeds or classes of animals. This legislation should be directed at fostering safety and protection of the general public from animals classified as dangerous.”

There are several reasons why breed-specific bans and restrictions are not a responsible approach to dog bite prevention:

Breed-specific laws can be difficult to enforce, especially when a dog’s breed can’t easily be determined or if it is of mixed breed.
Frequently, breed-specific legislation focuses on dogs with a certain appearance or physical characteristics, instead of an actual breed. “Pit bulls” are the most frequent targets of breed-specific legislation despite being a general type rather than a breed; other breeds also are sometimes banned, including Rottweilers, Dobermans and boxers. However, it is extremely difficult to determine a dog’s breed or breed mix simply by looking at it. A study conducted by Maddie’s Fund, a national shelter initiative, showed that even people very familiar with dog breeds cannot reliably determine the primary breed of a mutt, and dogs often are incorrectly classified as “pit bulls”. Because identification of a dog’s breed with certainty is prohibitively difficult, breed-specific laws are inherently vague and very difficult to enforce.

Breed-specific legislation is discriminatory against responsible owners and their dogs.
By generalizing the behaviors of dogs that look a certain way, innocent dogs and pet owners suffer. BSL can lead to the euthanasia of innocent dogs that fit a certain “look,” and to responsible pet owners being forced to move or give up dogs that have never bitten or threatened to bite. Furthermore, dogs that are considered to be of a “dangerous breed” may already be serving the community in positions such as police work, military operations, rescue purposes, and as service animals. Contrary to being a liability, these animals are assets to society; however they, too, suffer due to misinformation and breed-based stereotypes.

Breed bans do not address the social issue of irresponsible pet ownership.
Dogs are more likely to become aggressive when they are unsupervised, unneutered, and not socially conditioned to live closely with people or other dogs. Banning a specific breed can give a community a false sense of security, and deemphasize to owners of other breeds the importance of appropriate socialization and training, which is a critical part of responsible pet ownership. In enacting breed-specific legislation, cities and states will spend money trying to enforce ineffective bans and restrictions rather than implementing proven solutions, such as licensing and leash laws, and responding proactively to owners of any dog that poses a risk to the community.Puppy socialization prepares dogs for training and interaction

It is not possible to calculate a bite rate for a breed or to compare rates between breeds because the data reported is often unreliable. This is because:

  1. The breed of a biting dog is often not known or is reported inaccurately.
  2. The actual number of bites that occur in a community is not known, especially if they don’t result in serious injury.
  3. The number of dogs of a particular breed or combination of breeds in a community is not known because it is rare for all dogs in a community to be licensed.
  4. Statistics often do not consider multiple incidents caused by a single animal.
  5. Breed popularity changes over time, making comparison of breed-specific bite rates unreliable. However a review of the research that attempts to quantify the relation between breed and bite risk finds the connection to be weak or absent, while responsible ownership variables such as socialization, neutering and proper containment of dogs are much more strongly indicated as important risk factors.

A better solution to dog bite prevention

Animal control and legislative approaches to protecting a community from dangerous dogs should not be based on breed, but instead on promoting responsible pet ownership and developing methods to rapidly identify and respond to owners whose dogs present an actual risk.

The AVMA recommends the following strategies for dog bite prevention:

  1. Enforcement of generic, non-breed-specific dangerous dog laws, with an emphasis on chronically irresponsible owners
  2. Enforcement of animal control ordinances such as leash laws, by trained animal care and control officers
  3. Prohibition of dog fighting
  4. Encouraging neutering for dogs not intended for breeding
  5. School-based and adult education programs that teach pet selection strategies, pet care and responsibility, and bite prevention

AVMA’s report A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention (PDF) highlights tangible steps that veterinarians can take alongside state and local leaders to implement effective dog bite prevention programs in their community.

542

Disagree. This is an owner issue. You can propose mandatory training of the owner, dog and people who don’t know how to be around a dog.

Sorry, I grew up around German Shepards, Doberman and Rottweiler. They are super sweet.

I have a friend who rescues Pit Bulls. Some of which were taken by the Police from abusive homes. They are so sweet. It is unbelievable.

The dog is not the issue.

Yes, dogs can bite. If we ran into a pack of wild dogs they may kill us. I heard of a case where a pack of wild dogs jumped a fence and attacked a girl in the back yard. She survived but it was horrific. They were wild dogs.

The breed is not the issue.

I will support efforts to increase public awareness and knowledge on how to properly treat and train dogs. Also awareness and knowledge on how to act when encountering a dog for those who do not have that knowledge.

Dogs are not humans. They communicate different. They are very intelligent. Studies have been done that show dogs understand words; not just the tone of voice. They actually know the word no matter how it is said.

543

You should be banned for stupidity. No dog is bad. It’s how they are raised. In that case we should ban snakes, or cars, or trees, more people die walking on a sidewalk every year then killed by a pit. So I propose we ban sidewalks. STOP SIDEWALKS THEY KILL.