Letters to the Editor
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Collie fighting ring
Ever notice how these don't exist?
As a society we choose to limit the general ownership of some items due to the risk to the general public irresponsible ownership brings. Rocket launchers, dynamite, flamethrowers... While most of us would handle these items responsibly, the few who don't would make life tremendously difficult for the rest. Hence the restrictions. We restrict and liscence all kinds of things- piloting airplanes, driving certian sized trucks, fishing.
Yet, for some reason the author is calling for unrestrained ownership of an agressive breed of dog, and suggesting that those of us who are concerned by this are racists.
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@ Alvador
http://0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf
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An obvious flaw in the lawmakers' plans...
Um, dogfighting is illegal, yes? As is abuse of one's dog. So, obviously, people who are breeding and keeping pit bulls for fighting purposes, and training them to kill, are lawbreakers. I don't think the majority of them routinely parade these dogs in their front yards or on leashes for all to see; I don't know a ton about dogfighting, but they probably keep these animals hidden to some extent.
So it follows that these awful people will probably make up the majority of pit bull owners who do not obey new laws banning the breed. Responsible pet owners who walk their dog daily and otherwise publicly take care of their dogs (registering them with the city, etc.) will be forced to give them up because they will be easily found. Less visible "pet owners" who have probably always been rather covert about their vicious dogs may be able to better hide them.
So basically, these laws will have no effect on the events that inspired them -- dog fights will surely still exist -- while killing the dogs of responsible folk. Charming.
And seriously, Hans B -- if you weren't planning to teach your child not to kiss strange dogs of all breeds, thank god you aren't raising a pit bull. Or a golden retriever, or a cocker spaniel, or even a pug.
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Heritage
Pit bulls aren't called pit bulls because they dig deep holes. The association, as I understand it, is with the bull pit or the bear pit, places where dogs were used to bait large animals for sport and betting purposes. The sport was banned in the middle of the 18th century in England, but dog-fighting took its place and flourished for a long time after (didn't it -- see M. Vick). Pit bulls and Staffies and others were bred to be cool around people while ferocious with other dogs. This hard-wiring can obviously be interfered with through bad training and traumatization, but it's still there.
My Australian shepherd has never seen a sheep nor have I ever trained her to herd anything. But her entire relationship with other animals, including other dogs, is to try to herd them.
We've been very good at creating dogs to suit the tasks we want them to perform. In the case of the pit bull, I'm afraid it's a bit like the handgun -- too easily misused to be allowed to roam the streets freely.
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erratum
Make that "middle of the 19th Century"
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I never said pit bulls bite more often.
Nor did I say they have a different temperament or that their jaws lock. What I did say is that when they do bite, the consequences are worse.
Quote from a Center for Disease Control study:
"Despite these limitations and concerns [the authors refer to owner-related issues], the data indicate that Rottweilers and pit bull-type dogs accounted for 67% of human dog bite related fatalities in the United States between 1997 and 1998. It is extremely unlikely that they accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities [my italics]."
You can disagree with this conclusion but you can't say I'm making it up. 67% for just two types of dog, that's hard to explain away.
As for the nose-kissing: I just meant to say that kids should feel comfortable going up to domestic animals, without panicked parents running after them and screeching, "danger, danger".
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Not All Owners or Dogs Are Created Equal
It must be stated: ALL dogs will bite.
Under certain conditions, all dogs — large or small, meek or macho — will bite.
A few years back I worked as a volunteer for a dog park support association in the Seattle area. The topic of dog bites and dog aggression came up often. We discussed how we could best address the issue and avoid a unfavorable opinion of dog parks from taking hold in the press, etc. There was careful tracking of incidents in the parks and we all got to examine the numbers.
The incidents of humans being bit or attacked were thankfully quite low.
But startlingly higher than expected was the growth in the number of incidents of serious injuries (and deaths) to dogs due to dog on dog aggression.
The overwhelming number of the serious injuries and the few fatalities were ALL from the Pit breeds.
Now. True. There was only a slightly higher ratio of Pits out of the total number of breeds involved in fights at the parks. And the sample was small. But word from other volunteer groups across the west coast indicated that Pits were often involved in dog on dog aggression and injuries. Though, while I believe it, that is admittedly anecdotal.
Still, the rate of injuries and all the deaths of other dogs were like 89% due to Pit breed bites in our area.
So you may tell me that Pits are not MORE dog aggressive than other breeds. But you absolutely will never prove to me they are not more dangerous when they do bite.
Think of it like this. A .22 caliber Ruger and a AK47 are both guns. Both CAN kill you. And statistically the .22 is involved in more gunshot incidents over all (becuase there are more of them) but the % of fatalities from the AK47 is going to be far higher. It is a powerful weapon. It is designed to be more powerful.
Poodles and Pits are both dogs. Both will bite. BUT. The Pit is a powerful dog. It is often more dog aggressive than most other breeds. So when it DOES bite, even with the best of owners, the potential for injury or death is far higher than the poodle.
While I don't believe Bans will work I do think that larger aggressive breeds should be specially licensed. And for once it would be nice for Pit owners to come to terms with reality instead of coping out and crying "unfair" or racist or what have you.