DEADGAME14
06-07-2005, 07:01 PM
Between the years of 1965 and 2001 there were 101 fatalities atributed to "pit bulls" and pit bull crosses. This number is about twice as much as the next highest dog on the list. Sounds really scary, doesn't it? Those simple numbers are blared across the media and pointed to with fervor in courthouses looking to get the "pit bull" banned. The real truth of the matter is much more complicated than a single number.
First of all let's address the issue of breed. As I have stated before , the "pihttp://s96980453.onlinehome.us/library/nottapit.jpgt bull" is not a breed, but a 'type' of dog. There are 5 different breeds classified as "pit bull", and approximately another 13 or so that look similar enough to be mistaken for a pit bull even by a more experienced dog-lover. The problem arises when under the stress of an attack the victim or witness incorrectly identifies the breed. In the heat of the moment, any medium-sized short-haired muscular dog is a "pit bull". The dogs in the pictures were called a 'pit bull mix'. See if you can identify the pit bull HERE (http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html), and then think how hard it would be http://s96980453.onlinehome.us/library/nottapit2.jpgto pick if you were being attacked by one of these dogs, or were witnessing an attack. "Because there are so few fatal dog attacks, any error in breed identification can critically affect a breed's reputation. With only approximately 20 fatal attacks in any given year, inaccurate identification of a conservative three or four breeds can result in an approximate 20% margin of error"(1). For example: in 1989 in CA, a man was attacked by a pack of Shepherd/Doberman/unknown mixes that were originally identified as pit bulls, and in 2000 in FL a medium-sized reddish dog chained to a doghouse attacked and killed a child. The newspapers claimed the dog was a pit bull, but the shelter workers and sheriff's department classified the dog as a mixed breed dog, with no predominate breed. That being said, of the 101 fatal bites that occurred, an astonishing 57%, more than half, were inflicted by "pit bull type dogs (this includes anything that was reported to be a pit bull, but was unconfirmed)", 32% by pit bulls, 13% by pit bull crossbreeds, and only 2 bites are attributed to American Staffordshire Terriers. One attack was by a pack of 6 bull terriers that were allowed to roam free, although this attack is so old (1947) it is not included in the statistics. There are NO attacks attributed to the Staffordshire Terrier. (percentages are approximate)
Chart 1: summary of breeds
57% "pit bull" type dogs
32% pit bull terriers
13% mixed breed dog with "pit bull" apparant in breeding
2 attacks American Staffordshire Terrier
1 attack Bull Terrier
0 attacks Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Now let us turn our attention to the reasons behind the bites. There are several factors that contribute to a bite. One of the largest impacts on the numbers are chained dogs. "Chaining a dog creates an unnatural and unhealthy environment. Dogs require excercise, mental stimulation and social interaction with either other dogs or with the humans who aquired them. None of these requirements can be met living at the end of a chain."(1) Chained dogs make up 36% of all fatal "pit bull" attacks. The next largest group is dogs running loose, at 21%. (by "running loose" I refer to dogs allowed to run around the neighborhood frequently, not a dog that has simply gotten out). Shortly following this is visitors to the house, at 17%. Almost all the attacks in this category are small children that were left unattended with the unfamiliar dog. Another 9% of attacks occurred when the victim entered the property where the "pit bull" was housed, in most cases by climbing over the fence (or into the kennel in one case). In these cases the dog was defending its territory. There are 9 cases involving dogs used for fighting, 5 cases of dogs used as guard dogs, 2 cases of dogs guarding a place of business, 1 case of a dog used as a murder weapon, 1 case of gross human negligence (mother abandoned days old baby in yard with 2 "pit bulls"), and 1, yes only ONE case of pit bulls turning on thier owner. If you understand the cruelty these dogs are subjected to, it is supprising the numbers aren't higher. "Dogs are tortured, teased and abused in hopes of making them mean. Those refusing to fight or those who lose are horribly killed or left to die in alleyways... People from the worst segments of our society seek these animals out to guard drug houses, intimate other gang members, thwart police action and enhance thier vacuous self-esteem. Any real or imagined viciousness on the part of the Pit Bull breeds pales in comparison to the brutality, callous disrespect for life, and inhumanity of many of thier owners."(1) Also take into consideration the sheer numbers of "pit bulls" and pit crosses there are across the country. Although it its basically impossible to guess the actual population, you can get an idea how many there are, and the type of "quality care" they receive, from these few examples: New York City reports the Pit Bull to be its 3rd most populous dog in 2001, Los Angeles CA reports that 40% and San Francisco CA reports 1/3 of all dogs entering thier shelters are pit bulls or pit crosses, in 1999 the Pennsylvania SPCA reported finding over 4000 pit bulls wandering the streets, most scarred and/or abandonded, and the Michigan Humane Society reported that in only 3 of its shelters over 1,820 pit bulls were destroyed in 2000. It is estimated that there are at least 250,000 pits involved in dog fighting nationwide. The ADBA registered 220,000 American Pit Bull Terriers in 1999, making them the #1 dog in America. It is estimated that The American Pit Bull Terrier and other Bull Breeds make up 9% of the total canine population in the USA, which is more than 55 million dogs in the USA.
Chart 2: summary of circumstances
36% chained dogs
21% dogs allowed to run loose around the neighborhood
17% visitors (usually unattended children)
9% entered dogs property or territory
9 cases of dogs used for fighting
5 cases involving guard dogs
2 cases of dogs guarding place of business
1 case of dog used as murder weapon
1 case gross human negligence
1 case pair of pit bull type dogs attacked and killed owner
Compared to the sheer number of 'pit bulls' present, the number of attacks is supprisingly small, so why then do we hear about 'pit bull' attacks in the news every other day?
The media has vast influence over our perceptions of which breeds of dogs are dangerous, as they decide which dog attack stories to publish. With over 4.7 million dog bites recorded each year in the United States and with over 800,000 of these attacks serious enough to require medical attention, the resources for dog-bite stories appear unlimited. Yet, the media seems to delight in Pit bull related stories, so much so, that in their haste to report the latest Pit bull attack story the truth often takes a backseat to sensationalism.
First of all let's address the issue of breed. As I have stated before , the "pihttp://s96980453.onlinehome.us/library/nottapit.jpgt bull" is not a breed, but a 'type' of dog. There are 5 different breeds classified as "pit bull", and approximately another 13 or so that look similar enough to be mistaken for a pit bull even by a more experienced dog-lover. The problem arises when under the stress of an attack the victim or witness incorrectly identifies the breed. In the heat of the moment, any medium-sized short-haired muscular dog is a "pit bull". The dogs in the pictures were called a 'pit bull mix'. See if you can identify the pit bull HERE (http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html), and then think how hard it would be http://s96980453.onlinehome.us/library/nottapit2.jpgto pick if you were being attacked by one of these dogs, or were witnessing an attack. "Because there are so few fatal dog attacks, any error in breed identification can critically affect a breed's reputation. With only approximately 20 fatal attacks in any given year, inaccurate identification of a conservative three or four breeds can result in an approximate 20% margin of error"(1). For example: in 1989 in CA, a man was attacked by a pack of Shepherd/Doberman/unknown mixes that were originally identified as pit bulls, and in 2000 in FL a medium-sized reddish dog chained to a doghouse attacked and killed a child. The newspapers claimed the dog was a pit bull, but the shelter workers and sheriff's department classified the dog as a mixed breed dog, with no predominate breed. That being said, of the 101 fatal bites that occurred, an astonishing 57%, more than half, were inflicted by "pit bull type dogs (this includes anything that was reported to be a pit bull, but was unconfirmed)", 32% by pit bulls, 13% by pit bull crossbreeds, and only 2 bites are attributed to American Staffordshire Terriers. One attack was by a pack of 6 bull terriers that were allowed to roam free, although this attack is so old (1947) it is not included in the statistics. There are NO attacks attributed to the Staffordshire Terrier. (percentages are approximate)
Chart 1: summary of breeds
57% "pit bull" type dogs
32% pit bull terriers
13% mixed breed dog with "pit bull" apparant in breeding
2 attacks American Staffordshire Terrier
1 attack Bull Terrier
0 attacks Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Now let us turn our attention to the reasons behind the bites. There are several factors that contribute to a bite. One of the largest impacts on the numbers are chained dogs. "Chaining a dog creates an unnatural and unhealthy environment. Dogs require excercise, mental stimulation and social interaction with either other dogs or with the humans who aquired them. None of these requirements can be met living at the end of a chain."(1) Chained dogs make up 36% of all fatal "pit bull" attacks. The next largest group is dogs running loose, at 21%. (by "running loose" I refer to dogs allowed to run around the neighborhood frequently, not a dog that has simply gotten out). Shortly following this is visitors to the house, at 17%. Almost all the attacks in this category are small children that were left unattended with the unfamiliar dog. Another 9% of attacks occurred when the victim entered the property where the "pit bull" was housed, in most cases by climbing over the fence (or into the kennel in one case). In these cases the dog was defending its territory. There are 9 cases involving dogs used for fighting, 5 cases of dogs used as guard dogs, 2 cases of dogs guarding a place of business, 1 case of a dog used as a murder weapon, 1 case of gross human negligence (mother abandoned days old baby in yard with 2 "pit bulls"), and 1, yes only ONE case of pit bulls turning on thier owner. If you understand the cruelty these dogs are subjected to, it is supprising the numbers aren't higher. "Dogs are tortured, teased and abused in hopes of making them mean. Those refusing to fight or those who lose are horribly killed or left to die in alleyways... People from the worst segments of our society seek these animals out to guard drug houses, intimate other gang members, thwart police action and enhance thier vacuous self-esteem. Any real or imagined viciousness on the part of the Pit Bull breeds pales in comparison to the brutality, callous disrespect for life, and inhumanity of many of thier owners."(1) Also take into consideration the sheer numbers of "pit bulls" and pit crosses there are across the country. Although it its basically impossible to guess the actual population, you can get an idea how many there are, and the type of "quality care" they receive, from these few examples: New York City reports the Pit Bull to be its 3rd most populous dog in 2001, Los Angeles CA reports that 40% and San Francisco CA reports 1/3 of all dogs entering thier shelters are pit bulls or pit crosses, in 1999 the Pennsylvania SPCA reported finding over 4000 pit bulls wandering the streets, most scarred and/or abandonded, and the Michigan Humane Society reported that in only 3 of its shelters over 1,820 pit bulls were destroyed in 2000. It is estimated that there are at least 250,000 pits involved in dog fighting nationwide. The ADBA registered 220,000 American Pit Bull Terriers in 1999, making them the #1 dog in America. It is estimated that The American Pit Bull Terrier and other Bull Breeds make up 9% of the total canine population in the USA, which is more than 55 million dogs in the USA.
Chart 2: summary of circumstances
36% chained dogs
21% dogs allowed to run loose around the neighborhood
17% visitors (usually unattended children)
9% entered dogs property or territory
9 cases of dogs used for fighting
5 cases involving guard dogs
2 cases of dogs guarding place of business
1 case of dog used as murder weapon
1 case gross human negligence
1 case pair of pit bull type dogs attacked and killed owner
Compared to the sheer number of 'pit bulls' present, the number of attacks is supprisingly small, so why then do we hear about 'pit bull' attacks in the news every other day?
The media has vast influence over our perceptions of which breeds of dogs are dangerous, as they decide which dog attack stories to publish. With over 4.7 million dog bites recorded each year in the United States and with over 800,000 of these attacks serious enough to require medical attention, the resources for dog-bite stories appear unlimited. Yet, the media seems to delight in Pit bull related stories, so much so, that in their haste to report the latest Pit bull attack story the truth often takes a backseat to sensationalism.