UPDATED: Man Attacked By Pit Bulls in Nauck

EGeezy3

Previous calls have been made to report these aggressive dogs, yet it requires a man being attacked for action to be taken?! I am an animal lover, but this is unacceptable.

Debbie Bell

Unfortunately, often pits are loose and aggressive. Don’t place the blame anywhere else but on the pit’s owners, the pit breeders and pit mongers.

The first responders simply can’t be everywhere, all the time. Had the police confiscated these dogs before they attacked, the pit mongers would attack the police, saying “these dogs just wanted to play, neither dog never hurt anyone!”

The fault for this attack belongs to the owner, but also to the pit breeders and pit mongers, who breed these handicapped dogs in the first place and who mislead the public,saying that pits won’t attack (pits won’t act like pits, using centuries of instinct and ability) unless trained to do so. Not!

No one says that about beagles, do they? Who would train a beagle to bark like that, run all over the neighborhood chasing rabbits, and not coming when called? Must take a whole lot of training to make the beagle so committed to all that! No, actually it is instinct.

And these pits did exactly what “good” pits do: attack without reason, attack without first trying to avoid the confrontation, attack without warning. Most dogs bark, rush, bite RELEASE and retreat as most dogs’ goal is to make the intruder leave, so they let the intruder leave, and live. Tragically, the goal of a “good” pit is the mauling, so their instinct is to simply attack and not stop. They usually won’t let go, won’t let the victim leave.

Endorphins are released during the attack so they are often difficult to stop.

Luckily these dogs stopped. Evidently they were just getting started.

Ban pit breeding. Unless you are a dog fighter who needs the pit dog fighting/mauling skills, you will agree. Let pits mercifully become extinct.

Everyone sane and compassionate wins, all dogs win, but especially these handicapped pits themselves.
- stephanie
  
  My beagle bit me… left a scar on my leg.
- G
  
  I witnessed the attack! I feel the fault completely lies with the owner for leaving the dogs unattended.
- KalashniKEV
  
  “The first responders simply can’t be everywhere, all the time.”
  
  *YOU* are the first responder.
  (to everything that ever happens in your life)
  - drax
    
    Wow, astute.
- SamW
  
  I was bit by my grandparents beagle when I was a child.
  
  My pit terrier has never been aggressive towards another dog. In fact, she’s been nipped at by several smaller dogs without provocation, and she merely walks away from them.
  
  Raise your dog properly, no matter the breed.
- dog lover
  
  I usually don’t bother to respond to comments, however, I wanted to know who made you an authority on pitbulls and dogs that look like pitbulls. Why don’t we just let all dogs become extinct so we don’t have to deal with any dog aggression or dog biting issues. The way a dog behaves can almost always be traced to how he/she was raised and not the type of dog it is. Check out the reports; other breeds actually have more bite records than pit bulls; they just don’t make the news because who wants to hear how the family lab just attacked someone for no reason. And, before you say anything, yes it does happen. Also, in case you’re wondering, no I don’t own a pitbull, but I have met plenty of them and fostered them as a rescue volunteer, and they are some of the nicest dogs I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.
  - Joanna McGinn
    
    Not true. What has come to be known as ‘The American Pit Bull Terrier’ is a ‘designer dog’ which was designed to be aggressive and tenacious in the attack. The evil humans who did this took perfectly wonderful breeds as foundation stock. (American Staffordshire Terrier & American Bull Dog) The ability of men to manipulate the traits they want in the breed by culling litters (killing the pups with unwanted traits) and breeding the bitches and studs who DO have desired traits. It’s not always a case of nature vs. nurture in the cases of dog breeding. They have shorter lifespans and you can manipulate traits both desired and undesired. SOME individual dogs may have escaped the genetic lottery but at the moment because we do not have enough research (and is anyone really willing to spend $$$ when we have too many dogs to begin with) to identify the lines of dogs that appear to be more aggressive. And yes, I’ve taught biology and life science, not a researcher, but I do understand the principles of genetics… and tracing the history of dog breeds is a hobby so I guess I do have more knowledge than the average man in the street.
- Laurie
  
  Let a certain type of dog become extinct because of the cruelty of humans who teach them cruelty. Brilliant statement.
  Not.
  - Joanna McGinn
    
    There aren’t OTHER dogs in need of homes??? what about the thousands that are killed daily in ‘shelters’ because there are not enough homes for the dogs in need of one.
    
    SPAY AND NEUTER until every dog is wanted and has a home.
    
    Why take a PitBull???? Sure, not every pit is aggressive… for the moment, but it’s like having a revolver around with one bullet in it… you never know WHEN it will go off. Some actually make it all their lives without going off, but far too many, thanks to indiscriminate breeding, DO. Are you willing to be responsible for the damages? Do you not have a concern for your fellow beings?
    
    If you really like the ‘look’ of the PB, go adopt (check with a rescue organization for that breed) an American Staffordshire Terrier or the American Bulldog which were the primary foundation stock for what is now called the American Pit Bull. Both of THOSE breeds ARE wonderful dogs and far more ‘reliable’.
    - Brady
      
      You’re ignorance about pit bulls is only to be outdone by your ignorance of guns.
      
      Pit bulls have been used as baby sitter dogs for hundreds of years and are some of the most loving dogs around. Only when they are raised improperly or to be intentionally violent do they lash out at people.
      
      And as far as your moronic comment about a revolver with one bullet just “going off” one day. No revolver, or any other type of handgun, will just “go off” one day without being fired.
      
      It’s typically good practice to know what you are talking about before talking out on a public forum.
- Phuong Loan
  
  check usps statistics on dog biting postal carriers and you’ll discover that the little ankle biters are the worse offenders.
  
  the fault rests solely with the owner or owners. the owner or owners of these pitts obviously don’t know how to handle dogs. any dogs will bite.
  
  pitts have bull dog genes. the bull dogs were used to manage bulls because of their ability to hold on to the bull.
  
  pitts suffered a bad reputation and image by association of those thinks possessing and training a ferocious dog makes them manly.
  - Joanna McGinn
    
    I know what you mean. I’ve been working in rescue for almost 50 years. I’ve been bitten 14 times…. NINE of those bites are by blank bland Chihuahuas….. annoying but not life threatening…. no stitches… never any bites necessitated stitches but you can NOT say that for PB attacks… if you Google Pit Bull attacks… you will see hundreds of cases with PICTURES of children, esp. with lines of stitches in their heads, faces as well as arms and legs.
    
    Just be real.
- Joanna McGinn
  
  BRILLIANT reply…. What a relief to see an intelligent posting!!! The dog was designed to rip and maul… let sanity de-breed this dog. I’m keeping a copy of your reply…
- CEW
  
  Couldn’t disagree more Debbie. You are sadly misinformed. Pits are not more inherently dangerous than other dogs. Unfortunately, they are some of the most mistreated and poorly trained dogs out there.
  
  Pits are incredibly loyal and loving dogs when loved and trained properly. Go figure.
  
  Letting pits “become extinct” is not the answer. And I am quite sane.
  - observer
    
    Research, please?
    - SamW
      
      http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanpitbull.htm
      
      “Their natural aggressive tendencies are toward other dogs and animals, not people. However if they are properly socialized with a firm, but calm, confident, consistent pack leader, they will not even be aggressive with them. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet, which is good with children and adults.”
      
      More importantly “They are very friendly, but not recommended for most people, because most people do not understand how to properly raise and treat a dog.”
      
      http://www.badrap.org/breed-history
      
      “Properly socialized dogs are quite affectionate and friendly, even with strangers, and therefore do not make good guard dogs. They’re intelligent and eager to please and tend to remain playful throughout their lives….. Severe shyness, fearfulness or human-directed aggression is not characteristic of the breed and highly undesirable in any dog.”
      
      Backed up here:
      
      http://www.ukcdogs.com/Web.nsf/Breeds/Terrier/AmericanPitBullTerrier
Your Mom

Pitbulls in Nauck, that’s a shocker.

Autoexec.bat

Cue the pitbull defenders in 3, 2, 1…

MC 703

Cue the pitbull haters in…
- Joanna McGinn
  
  People who see a RATIONAL view of PBs are not necessarily ‘haters’. Use that term too much and it looses it’s value. It simply indicates one who does not want to look at facts and reality. It’s too easy to call a name than to think.
  - WeiQiang
    
    Like using the term “pit bull”?

jackson

I’m not a breed apologist, but this is all on the owner. Letting them run free? He should definitely face charges.

Crystal City

A dog would never even have a chance to bite someone outside of its home if it is under the control of the owner at all times. That means on a short leash with the owner paying attention and not letting strangers come up and pet the dog. I don’t care if you have the sweetest dog that would never bite someone ever, ANY dog can bite at ANY time. It’s your job to make sure it doesn’t get the chance.
- Rick
  
  It is true that ANY dog can bite and ANY time, but the consequences of a bite vary dramatically by breed – with pit bulls being at one extreme. Logic dictates that regulation should take that into account.
  - jackson
    
    Substitute, say “gun” for “dog” and you can make the same argument (and also see why it’s not such a simple issue).
    - KalashniKEV
      
      LOL… Hmmmm, none of my guns have individual Will, do yours?
    - jackson
      
      I meant both guns and dogs “can” be dangerous and it is up to their respective owners to treat them as such. I was specifically referring to the line, “consequences of a [shot] vary dramatically by [gun]– with [x type of gun] being at one extreme. Logic dictates that regulation should take that into account.”
      
      And not so much the “guns will go shoot people on their own.”
      
      Just saying that screaming for a complete ban of *anything* is usually a few steps too extreme.
    - KalashniKEV
      
      I totally understood what you said, but we’re in agreement on guns and not dogs. ANY dog can bite and ANY time… regardless of what a nice guy the owner is- because dogs have individual will. Guns are inanimate objects and do not have individual will.
  - Mack
    
    Seriously. I have an Italian Greyhound, and if he bit anybody his teeth would fall out.
Debbie Bell

Had the pits’ owner instead chosen another dog, the results would have been much different.

The sheltie would stay 30 feet away from everyone, barking occasionally and away running down the alley if someone paid attention to the spooky little girl

The beagle would have been 3 blocks away, chasing rabbits on the golf course

The bichon would be barking from the owner’s front porch

the border collie would have run out and bitten the passerby, but immediately released her bite so the victim could leave

The english setter would be pointing at the mourning dove, recently fledged, hinding in the pine tree next door.

Let pits become extinct.

Till then, let’s try this for the lack of empathy that pit mongers always display:

Pit mongers say ‘Punish the deed”? What if pits that attack were not euthanized, but instead killed using machettes, clubs, spikes, knives, with puncture wounds, slicing off chunks of flesh, bones crushed. Pit mongers, pit owner must watch.

Don’t like envisioning someone you love being killed that way. Neither do the victims of the pit bull attacks.
- Reb
  
  Well said Debbie Bell. Pit pushers think the rest of the world is supposed to just tolerate their kids, their pets and themselves being mauled by these ill bred malicious dogs. Pit bulls should be strictly regulated or banned completely.
  - eddie
    
    You understand that the dogs on the top of the dangerous dogs list are, German Shepherds and Chow Chows… I bet you trust Fox news or CNN too don’t you. This is nothing but sensationalism and you bought it nice job.
    
    You’re on the internet but can’t take 15 seconds to google what you pass as fact.

Just Me

Why is this breed constantly in the news for attacking people for no reason? Yet people say the breed is fine, I am sure there are many pits that are nice dogs but we don’t hear of other breeds doing this. Something needs to be done about the breed.

Neutrino

I don’t like pits at all, but perhaps the breed isn’t inherently violent. Perhaps people buy them in particular so they can have tough dogs and treat them as such in order to make them violent.
- Joanna McGinn
  
  Then why not get an AmStaff or American Buldog???
Debbie Bell

These are the behaviors that pit breeders/fanciers/fighters intentionally created. These behaviors: to attack and do damage, without warning and for no reason, are what is needed in a good fighting dog.

Most pits won’t attack, but if pit bull tugging instinct sparks in your pit bull’s mind, and she begins tugging on a pet or a person…
she won’t need a reason
she won’t give warning
she won’t try to avoid the confrontation
she will immediately do damage
You will be amazed how happy she looks tugging
You will be amazed how much damage she is doing
You will be amazed how difficult it is to stop her
If she is alive when you stop her, she would love to go right back to snuggling on the couch if you’d let her.

These are Good pit bull behaviors, intentionally created by cruel pit breeders using centuries of selective breeding for these traits.

That is not sufficient reason to continue making more pit bulls, more masters of mauling. Pits are victims too. Stop making more victims.
- Dog Lover
  
  Just curious, you seem very knowledgable about dogs. Are you are dog trainer or vet? Where did you get your information from?
- WeiQiang
  
  Where do you cut and paste this stuff from?
  - observer
    
    . . . because she couldn’t possibly actually know what she’s talking about . . .
    - WeiQiang
      
      Did you read what was posted? I’m just trying to understand where drivel like this comes from.
    - observer
      
      Of course I read it. How do you know it’s drivel? You keep asking for research, where’s yours?
    - WeiQiang
      
      See my other posts with the links … and these:
      
      http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/dogbite.pdf [p. 1733, in particular]
      
      http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/biteprevention.html
      
      http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/publications/230603563_Pit%20Bull%20Placebo.pdf
    - observer
      
      This from the CDC might be more relevant:
      
      “More ominous is a 2000 study by the Centers for Disease Control looking at 20 years of data on fatal dog attacks in the U.S. Of 238 such incidents in which the breed of the attacking dog was reported, “pit bull-type dogs” were involved in 32 percent, versus 18 percent for rottweilers and rottweiler mixes and 11 percent for German shepherds and mixes.”
    - WeiQiang
      
      Read my other posts with other links. The CDC put the conclusion up front.
    - Joanna McGinn
      
      probably not a cut and past, just an observer… which is more than I can say for what the apologists for PBs on this article are.
Laurie

Actually it used to be Dobermans, Rottweiliers, and now it’s pit type dogs. News people are always looking for something to sensationalize and blame. What someone to blame? Blame the owner. Period.
CEW

On the contrary. Something needs to be done about the reporting.

Pits have become sensationalized in the media; thanks in no small part to their being used in dog fighting. Their image has been totally co-opted. Afterall it was a pit bull that was the main dog in the Little Rascals TV show proving that the breed at one time was not seen as inherently harmful.
Your Mom

You don’t really hear about to many lab attacks do you? It’s the breed and people raising the breed.

DeportEmAll

Is Nauck in South Arlington?

Just Me

Yes it is.

Crystal City

I’m sure lots of kinds of dogs attack people all the time. But even if your pit bull was the sweetest dog alive, I would think, being a pit bull owner and knowing that if your dog stepped ONE TOE out of line that it’ll be the news of the century, that you might want to actually have an eye on your dog.

AE

@Just Me

I am not an expert in the matter, but the usual explanation is two-fold: First, that a lot of attacks are wrongly attributed to Pitt Bulls because any dog that looks remotely like a Pitt Bull is assumed to be a Pitt Bull if it commits an act of violence and, second, that a larger than average share of owners that select Pitt Bulls make their dogs violent.

Of course, you rarely have issues with some breeds, say shih tzus, since they are usually too small to do much damage. Pitt Bulls, for better or worse, are capable of doing great harm.

Debbie Bell

When a shorthaired muscular dog, with jaws like a shark, whose owner says he bought his pit bull as a puppy and it never was mean before, does exactly what a pit was created to do and attacks and won’t stop, the pit mongers say “prove it was actually a pit bull.” hmmm

But wait a little and the pit mongers will have pit bull awareness daze, or a pit bull parade. How can they tell those dogs are all pits? Maybe they are pug/lab mixes.
So convenient!

And then a alcoholic woman falls on the railroad tracks and her dog is hit by the train, suddenly it becomes a pit bull pulling the woman off the tracks. No matter that it is impossible for a dog to be pulling a person off the tracks to be struck by a train. The dog would have been pulling the woman on to the tracks, in that case… but , no matter, it makes a good story and brings in $75,000 plus for the nearest pit-mongering-pound. So smart, not honest, but smart!
- meh
  
  You lost me with that last paragraph. Alcoholic woman? Huh?
  - Joanna McGinn
    
    You didn’t see the story???? a few weeks back a PB did pull a woman who turned out to be so drunk she fell on a train track… story is that some PB pulled her off… and because it was a PB positive story it was all over the net… surprised you didn’t see it.
    - WeiQiang
      
      So, after 5 hours of posts on here, are you claiming that there is a pro-”pit bull” bias?
    - observer
      
      So after 5 hours of posts on here, you’re claiming there isn’t? What, since you’re one of the pit pushers?
      
      You claim to have a pit bull that’s submissive and sweet WITH TODDLERS no less . . . well, that’s just dandy, and must apply to all properly cared-for pit bulls . . . indisputable, obviously.
      
      of course a responsible owner with a pit is going to be better than an irresponsible one. But even responsible owners can’t change how dogs have been bred over centuries. especially rescues, god knows where they came from, and what their previous owners did to them.
      
      You’re lucky, great. I don’t think we should be trusting to luck on this one.
      
      And yes, the CDC in the report you quoted recommended against anti-breeding policies. So what? It also acknowledges that fatal bites are a breed-specific problem. So why take the chance?
    - WeiQiang
      
      wow … ok. I’ve seen a slew of posts, cutting and pasting from DOGSBITE.COM and other anti-breed [as opposed to anti-bite] sites. I’m not a pit pusher. I wound up with a pit mix because she needed a home, because she was cute, and because she pooped in the corner instead of on my shoe.
      
      I’ve tried to present the most authoritative and science-based perspectives without the hyperbole. If you didn’t look at the links I provided, one whole slew of links was about Michael Vick’s dogs … over 50 known, abused dogs, many of which were rehabilitated or are undergoing rehabilitation. Some used as therapy dogs. Some adopted by families. … and these were abused dogs. This is not just anecdotal data. As one of the articles stated, the sheer number of dogs involved in the Vick case made it a staticistically-significant sample.
      
      It has little to do with luck. Dog behavior is very often predictable and observable … and when an accident or unforeseen circumstance makes is neither of those, a responsible owner is prepared to deal. My dog was not abused, but I followed the same AWLA-issued handbook every adoptive owner gets from AWLA … which is the same instruction and information that is provided by the CDC, AKC, Cesar Milan, PetSmart, whoever. I just did my homework and worked with my dog, as other owners I know do.
      
      This bred-to-kill schtick is old and, thankfully, is more often seen to be the distraction it is. [and thanks for ignoring the "other breeds may bite and cause fatalities at higher rates" part of the CDC conclusions] I believe that some people shouldn’t own dogs because they don’t have inclination or means to train them.
    - observer
      
      “may bite . . .at a higher rate”
      
      not “do bite . . . a higher rate”
      
      your conclusions are inconclusive. I’m glad you have heart-warming anecdotal evidence, and I wish you the best of luck.
      
      A few years ownership and the ability to google do not an expert make.
    - WeiQiang
      
      finally, you understand that the uncertainty in the data makes the man-hunting alarmist crowd look silly.
      
      don’t need luck, but thanks, man … and for the facts you presented as well. good times.
    - jackson
      
      I am starting to wonder if Deb, Reb, and Joanna might be… friends. Or possibly aspects of the mind of the same person. Flurry of posts for the first time, never seen again…

T:GEOA

Quick draw to shoot a charging dog

Marc

It takes about 2 seconds to draw, and fire an aimed shot (and that is on a still target.)

Pit Bulls can easily take multiple shots to the body, and will take 15 to 30 seconds to bleed out.

The have very thick skulls and can be hard to put down.

I imagine the officer that put one down, used a rifle or shotgun, or multiple shots from a distance.
- Tuttle
  
  He had a problem solver. And its name was revolver.
  - CW
    
    Benelli, more likely.

b

yes there are wonderful, friendly pit bulls out there… and in most cases the behavioral problems are the fault of their owner. That said, pit bulls are almost always the breed involved in this kind of thing. How often do you hear of a golden retriever, cattle dog, whatever, randomly attacking someone? Whether they’re predisposed to be more aggressive, or they just tend to attract crappy owners, whatever the case… We really should rethink allowing them. I know dozens of people are going to jump in and defend them… but seriously how can you not acknowledge that regardless of the cause, this breed is involved in this kind of incident at significantly higher rate than any other? Owner should face jail time and be liable for all injuries.

Frank

Uh, because it is most likely to be reported as a pit bull attack, whether or not the dogs are really pit bulls. If it happens to be a stocky dog, with a shorter face….must be a pit bull.

Unfortunately, these might have been, but we need to legislate to get the losers behind bars who mistreat any animal, including training any animal to attack for purposes other than law enforcement.

And I don’t even really like dogs…but I see a pattern here and it isn’t the breed of dog.
- Reb
  
  Wiki fatal dog attacks in the US and see if you see a pattern there. I’ll give you a hint: pit bulls KILL more people every year than all other dog breeds combined! Do a little research and you will see that it IS the breed of dog! http://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com shows the faces and tells the stories of over 300 people killed by dogs in the USA. Want to make a guess at which breed kills the most by a startling margin? You got it, pit bulls. They should be strictly regulated or banned outright. They were BRED to be unpredictable, savage and tenacious which is exactly what they are. They are not suitable to be kept as pets.
  - MC 703
    
    I think this website just may have an agenda.
    - meh
      
      They want to bring Paula Abdul back to American Idol?
    - Tabs
      
      Paula! Paula!
    - Joanna McGinn
      
      Try the CDC (now that dog attacks are MANDATED to be reported) and or the legal dog bite center (may not have that name correctly) However even with mandated reporting by hospitals, doctors and other agencies, some people may treat themselves (inviting infection and worse) to avoid having their dog turned in or confiscated…. so the ACTUAL rate of PB bites may be VERY under-reported. but that’s hard to gauge.
    - jackson
      
      You have the same habit of capitalizing CERTAIN words AS Reb…
    - observer
      
      And you have the habit of accusing people of being anti-PB trolls, like “Really now?” and others.
      
      Capitalization is rampant here. But is it capital or capitol?
  - Frank
    
    Ban cars. More than 40,000 people die each year in automobile accidents caused by someone’s negligence, just like this situation.
    
    Ban pools. More than 3500 people die each year from non-boating related drowning.
    
    If you do a little research – real research, you will see that only about 10 – 12 people die each year from dog bites.
    
    Do some research on real websites like the CDC – that has no skin in the game either way.
    - WeiQiang
      
      http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf
      
      Up Front:
      
      “Conclusions—Although fatal attacks on humans appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-typedogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite andcause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficultiesinherent in determining a dog’s breed with certainty,enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises con-stitutional and practical issues. Fatal attacks representa small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and,therefore, should not be the primary factor drivingpublic policy concerning dangerous dogs. Many practi-cal alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist andhold promise for prevention of dog bites. (J Am VetMed Assoc2000;217:836–840)”
    - drax
      
      Frank – difference is that we actually need cars, and we can and do regulate them.
      
      You can live with a different breed of dog.
    - Frank
      
      The point is that you don’t need to ban someTHING because some people are negligent, or some people are stupid.
      
      The actions should be regulated, and appropriate punishment applied for those that do not follow the rules.
      
      Quite frankly, it ticks me off that I can’t build a pool with a diving board now in some states because some boneheads don’t know how to not dive in shallow water or learn to swim so I can’t build a pool in my backyard with a depth of over 5 ft.
      
      Some else’s complete stupidity now doesn’t allow me to have something that is completely safe in my backyard under my control because I have taken the time to learn to swim, to learn to dive and understand that I shouldn’t dive in certain areas.
      
      It is the same with dogs. I should be allowed to have whatever dog I want to have, under my control in my yard or my home. If I don’t control my dog, I should be punished. Much like I would if I accidentally hit a person while running a red light or blowing through a stop sign in my neighborhood.
      
      Punish the action, or the inaction, not the breed of dog, not the type of pool, or the car I drive.
    - Phrank
      
      Should I be able to own any gun I want?
    - cool story, bro
      
      Love the sinner, hate the sin, dude.
  - CEW
    
    Reb,
    
    I’d wager a guess that the vast majority, if not all, of those pits were trained to be aggressive.
    
    And good luck defining exactly what a “pit bull” is. They are not “bred” to be “savage”; they are trained that way. A difference worth noting.
http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/2/24/I_see_what_you_did_there_super.jpg BoredHouseWife

Chows.
- Joanna McGinn
  
  without checking the dog bit center site, I think chows are #4… Rotties and GSDs are tied for #2 but the combining of ranks 2, 3, AND 4 do not equal the #1 which is the PB…

Enough already

Nice shot police officer, too bad you didn’t get them both

Arlingtonian

Dogs from some other breeds can be aggressive too, but they don’t do much damage. (A lot of chihuahuas are aggressive, in my experience, but they can’t do much other than annoy you.)

When I see someone walking a pit bull on the street, I always keep an eye out until I’m safely out of range. I don’t care to be the subject of one of these dog attack stories.

I hope the owner gets arrested. If someone has aggressive animals that have caused problems before, the owner should be criminally liable for any attacks. Tougher sentences could make other dog owners think twice about having dangerous animals and about letting them run loose.

Chris B

+1
thelevyisdry

Criminal charges are great, but my guess is that it’s the civil suit that will crush the dog owner … and rightly so.
- Debbie Bell
  
  Sadly, many who choose pits own nothing to lose in a lawsuit.
  Neighbors have suffered horrific injuries, lost limbs, lost work and livelihoods, lost health forever and pit owners walk.
  
  The one risk of slamming pit owners hard is happening elsewhere. Neighbor comes ot a picnic and is then dead. One severe bite wound? Did the pit’s owners fail to call for help as they waited and worried what their penalties would be?
  
  Will future pit attack owners KILL their pit victims after a pit bite, and dump the bodies rather than be charged with a felony?
  
  Simply make breeding pits illegal. Let them become extinct.
  - WeiQiang
    
    Crazy talk
  - MC 703
    
    Who are you? I don’t recall seeing your Name on here before. Definitely not posting every 5 minutes. Go away.
    - Observer
      
      What is the purpose of this post?
    - Henry
      
      Yeah, god forbid a knowledgeable person with relevant information posts on a topic that interests them.
    - jackson
      
      Relevant information?
    - WeiQiang
      
      I was going to question the “knowledgeable person” part …
    - Jackfan
      
      Who are you to tell anyone where and when they can post? Is this your personal website/social club? Jeebus…
      That said – this story is very sad and I do truly believe that it’s a nature v. nurture argument that’s way too difficult to answer. Pros and cons will have their facts and stats to back them up depending on agendas. I happen to love pits but am respectfully wary (if that makes sense) around pits that I am unfamiliar with.
  - Joanna McGinn
    
    We’re on the same page. I hate to keep pleading for people to adopt OTHER breeds and mutts from the ‘pound’…. keep those dogs out of the killing rooms. TOO many people turn in their dogs when they lose their jobs and housing…. so please adopt these unfortunate dogs…. they are already ‘broken in’ for house training, love to play and are ready to love.
    - SamW
      
      My Pit was an owner surrender who could no longer afford to take care of her two pits. Both had been with the owner since they were puppies (6-7 yrs), were housebroken, trained and full of love. These circumstances can and do apply to all breeds.

Dead Pit Bull

Don’t judge me. I got no love as a puppy.

Reb

Darla Napora’s pit bull got plenty of love as a puppy and as an adult dog but that didn’t stop him from chewing her throat out on the living room floor and killing her and her unborn baby. There is NO excuse for a dog to act like pit bulls do. Pit bulls MUST be regulated for the public’s safety, there is no other answer.
- WeiQiang
  
  Also crazy talk

Don’t want my Children to be Eaten

Arlington County should just ban pit bulls, and in the interim owners should be held strictly liable for any damage caused by these horrific animals.

When was the last time you heard of a Pomeranian sending someone to the hospital, while their young child watched in terrror?

stephanie

Arlington should ban Pomeranians for being worthless, hideous little creatures.
- MC 703
  
  Indeed.
- Bon Air
  
  +1
  - Tabs
    
    Oh God yes. I detest those little things (even though I’m otherwise an animal lover).
- Laurie
  
  And their owners.
Dog Lover

If they ban “pit bulls” which could be any look alike breed because pit bull isn’t a breed, they need to ban Rotweillers, Dobermans and German Sh. because all of these have had their moment in the sun for being killers.
- MC 703
  
  I was bit by a German Shepard as a child. I have lived with 2 pit bulls. I don’t think any dog breed should be banned. Except maybe those wolf hybrids. But then what do you do about large huskies that sorta look like wolves?
  - http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
    
    playa quit hatin’ on the wolves
    - Bon Air
      
      Were you in “The Grey”
  - Tabs
    
    Me too (bitten by German Shepherd).
  - movin on
    
    I have a hybrid… mine gets good gas mileage.
CEW

More crazy talk…

Not good

The officers should have shot the other dog anyway and prevented any other future problems or to prevent money being spent to keep that thing alive.

Reb

I totally agree with you. If I had been that officer, both dogs would have been shot dead on the spot. Pit bulls should be banned or strictly regulated for the public’s safety.
MC 703

The officers should have shot the owner. They handled the situation very well.

Skeptical

I don’t really care what breed of dog it is. If it isn’t on a leash and acts aggressive, I figure anyone is within their rights shooting it dead.

I was once charged on a park trail by something that I think was a Lab mix weighing forty pounds or so. Less than half my size, yeah but those teeth could have crippled my hands for life if they closed on the right place. I pulled out a pepper spray and shouted the dog to a halt — sometimes they stop if you point and yell — and the idiot woman supposedly in charge of it came running up yelling “DON’T SPRAY HIM! HE’S JUST A PUPPY!”

Yeah right. These are the same people that drive around totally oblivious to the fact that they are inside two tons of metal moving faster than they can control. They should have both their right to drive and their right to own animals taken away.

http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo

+7
http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo

but -8

Chris

Aren’t all owner liable for damage their property creates? I don’t think we need new laws we need to enforce the laws we have.

Nylssor

Dem rules don’t apply in da hood.
- The hood?
  
  South Arlington REPRESENT

Chris

FYI The CBS Radio News station read this article verbatim about 20 minutes ago….

Jon

wow

http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/2/24/I_see_what_you_did_there_super.jpg BoredHouseWife

Once upon a time in the 1990′s (early) my grandfather was working near the shed. He heard a bark, turned around to see one pit bull charging him and another ending his bark. My grandfather, still spry, got in his shed and closed the door, Yelled at everyone in the neighborhood to get back in their houses and to call the cops. The dogs were caught, and the owner moved them down to Florida. He used to train these dogs as puppies to grab a looped rope and attack it. I thought of furry land sharks as I watched those puppies snap their jaws on the dangling rope.

Debbie Bell

Yes, there are pits hang time videos on youtube Pits will hang from their clenched/locked jaws, STILL TUGGING MORE, for hours.

Yes, Landsharks is a good description.
- MC 703
  
  We should ban all rope toys. Today!
  - drax
    
    Nope, leave rope toys hanging from trees to distract dogs. Problem solved.

Maria

I was in the neighborhood right after the attack occurred today and a resident told me that one of the Pits had scratched at his door sometime in the recent past. If I’d known that there were Pits on the loose in this neighborhood my son and I would never have walked around there! The owner is criminally negligent and should be charged as such.

dava

Maria, were you already aware of how dangerous pits are?
- bringmetheyuppies
  
  Maria you did know you were moving to Nauck no? What did you expect?

Michael

To all the idiots blaming the breed.

Dogs of all breeds can and do attack people, and if they are large enough they do damage.

A golden retriever/lab mix recently killed a baby in NYC. Another Labrador killer here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003849/Boy-3-left-horrific-facial-injuries-Labrador-savages-Poole-Harbour.html

You here about pittbulls because everyone reports the attacking dog as a pittbull, even if it is another kind of terrier or short haired dog.

But just do so google searching for German Shepherd attacks, or even Labrador or golden retriever attacks, they happen.

Pittbulls ate the quintessential American dog. It was the dog that ran around with the Little Rascals, and sat in the RCA logo. You raise them right and they are extremely sweet and known for their gentleness with children.

Reb

Yeah, you go ahead and google attacks by ALL the other dog breeds and then google attacks by pit bulls and for every attack by any other breed there are literally DOZENS of attacks by pit bulls. This IS a breed specific problem. Pit bulls are different, they were bred to fight and kill and they MUST be regulated for the public’s safety!
FrenchyB

“Pittbulls ate the quintessential American dog.”

That’s one helluva typo there.
- Reb
  
  LMAO yep, that seems like it might have been a Freudian slip or something huh?
Westover

To all the idiot defending the breed, you are an idiot. Pit bulls ALWAYS go off eventually, that is what they were originally breed to do. Sure they can look cute, sure they can be sweet and protective of YOUR child, but they were breed to br vicious, and that is what they do today. They are not a breed that God or nature designed, they are a hibrid created by man.

Waycroft Mike

@Michael – Yes, lab attacks are quite common; your news story from more than a year ago…in England…is a great example.

Owner-schmoner. Pits are sharks with legs.

Reb

I totally agree with you. I don’t understand why pit pushers can’t seem to grasp the fact that their beloved dogs were bred to fight and kill. They always seem so surprised when their dogs suddenly go berserk and attack someone. Sharks with legs is a good description for pit bulls. They should be regulated or banned outright. They’re not suitable to be kept as pets.
- Dog Lover
  
  Where do you get your information from? Just curious…
  - WeiQiang
    
    I’d guess during his morning constitutional

Tre_Vick

Man must have been one of Vicks dogs.

Dog Lover

Ignorance amazes me when it come to certain topics and this is one. First, if your going to post something please check your facts and that dosen’t include just listening to the news because most of their information is incorrect. We have no idea what breed these dogs are because “pit-bull” is not a breed as many have referenced, this is a dump of up to about 100 different look alike breeds or mixes. Also, I guess most people are too young to remember the out-cry for destroying all Dobermans, Rotwelliers and German Shepherds in the 60s, 70s and 80s, you get rid of a particular “breed or mix” and there will be another to take its place becuase its not the dogs its the owners who do not feel the need to train or socialize their dogs. Finally, get the statistics from the police for Lab bites in Fairfax County, this “breed” has the most bites/attacks as of 2011 because there are so many of them and owners do not supervise or train them. Training is a must for any breed. Actually, there have been several articles within the last year but it dosen’t make news because its not a “pit-bull”.

Reb

Actually many of the bites from other types of dogs don’t make the news because they are just that: BITES. Pit bulls are known to SEVERE LIMBS and cause SEVERE LIFE THREATENING INJURIES when they”bite”. Also they are notorious for refusing to let go once they’ve latched onto something. Gee, do ya think that MAYBE that’s why pit bull attacks make the news while other dog bites do not?
- Westover
  
  Good points. There is a big difference between a nip from a playful Lab puppy that breaks the skin, and a vicious attack that practically tears somebody apart and needs a fire truck to hose all the blood off the street.
  - MC 703
    
    The blood was from the dog.
    - Westover
      
      I don’t think that is true. Not from the way the article is written.
  - NipTuck
    
    Here’s the story of a lab’s playful nip: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://mplsgirl.wordpress.com/2006/07/04/3/&sa=U&ei=qCoEUMW_L6iM0QG_8vioBw&ved=0CBEQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFLkK98NOT49iWWxsaZ9Ggk79n_HQ
  - Tabs
    
    my cat bit my big toe yesterday.
    - CW
      
      But the pit sympathizers will say that you should be allowed to own a Bengal tiger because they bite too, and all cat breeds bite so there shouldn’t be any unfair discrimination against certain cat breeds.
    - meh
      
      Hyperbole much?
- Dog Lover
  
  I disagree there are many dog attacks that cause death or severe injury by other types of dogs its just not news worthy because it dosen’t draw the same viewers or the news lies about the type of dog is involved to get the viewers…funny there is rarely a picture of the dog, only a caption in large letters… For example, in DC about three months ago 2 stations reported two pit bulls attacked teens and there was video that showed the boys up on top of a car. But that was wrong actually the dogs were Cane Corsos which look nothing like the “pit bull” type. Yet the stations that reported the dogs were “pit bulls” never updated their story. But people will continually believe what they read and hear without correct facts.
- WeiQiang
  
  Research, please.
Reb

Also, on the VERY RARE occasion when another type of dog does SEVER limbs or actually KILLS their victim, it DOES make the news. Pit bull attacks are in the news more often because they happen more often and when they happen they are much more severe and therefore much more newsworthy. If Dalmations or Collies or any other breed of dog were causing these kinds of injuries on a regular basis, they would be in the news all the time too. Prevent the deed, Banish the breed!
- BitintheFace
  
  Dalmatians are known for attacking children, especially when they are owned by people who don’t bother to educate themselves on learning about their breed. I was bit in the face by one as a child myself.
  
  This can happen with just about any large dog that hasn’t been raised or cared for properly. American pit bull terriers in the early 20th century were valued and bred for being excellent and loyal companion dogs, more here:
  
  http://www.cesarsway.com/dogbehavior/basics/How-Did-Pit-Bulls-Get-a-Bad-Rap
  
  pit bulls are the demon dog of the day. 20-30 years ago it was german shepherds and dobermans. people need to be more thoughtful about the pets they choose, especially when choosing large, powerful dogs.
  - Sunderly
    
    Wrong. Show any instances of a roving dalmatian or any other non-fighting type of dog that has attacked an adult in their own yard and put them in the hospital. show any instances of normal dogs attacks leaving large pools of blood that need to be washed away. Show any instances of any normal dog attacking a jogger off the dogs property that caused a grown man to lose his leg. That happened this year in Chicago. Show any normal dog off property unprovoked attack that amputated a girl’s arm, that happened in 2009 to a girl in Georgia.
    
    This doesn’t happen with normal dogs. The inmates are running the asylum if anyone believes that society will tolerate people being mauled on the streets unprovoked. pits must be regulated.
    - jackson
      
      How about this one: http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Police_Officer_Bitten_By_Dog_112882849.html

Joe

charges might be filed?? pretty sure they will be.

http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo

guys, i’m a wolf – therefore i am pretty knowledgeable about this kind of stuff.

my two cents – agreed, pit bulls are dangerous animals sometimes. but the real problem is the owners. lots of times deadbeat losers wanna buy these “tough” breeds of dogs because of the whole culture that surrounds it but are still real losers at life and can’t take care of the animals properly, etc.

as for people who think it’s “cool” to own wolves and try to domesticate us newsflash WE CAN’T BE BROKEN TO FOLLOW NO MAN’S WILL.

needless to say, don’t hate on the breed of dog, hate on the bad owners. as for the dude that was attacked, i really hope he makes a full recovery and sues the absolute soul out of these dogs’ owner.

*howls & darts off into the woods where the truly wild animals roam*

MC 703

Well put. Do you have HBO in the woods to watch Game of Thrones? I find it to be a very wolf-friendly series.
- Daenerys Targaryen
  
  I love me some dire wolf.
  - Bon Air
    
    The song or the beef jerky
  - Dragon
    
    Mommy!

Tre_Vick

Sick Boo Boo Sick, good dog

P. Monroe

“Ubu”
- meh
  
  And “Sit,” not “sick.”

Jay W

I think we should ban all the bros at Clarendon ballroom they attack unprovoked on a weekly basis. Seriously no breed should be banned but no dog should be sold only adopted.

JamesE

Man attacked by Bros outside of Mr. Days, one shot dead by police.
MC 703

Best point made on here yet. Millions of unwanted dogs are put down every year yet people spend money to buy genetically screwed up, sick puppy mill puppies.
- Tabs
  
  Yup.

AL

“A fire engine was called to the scene to wash the blood off of S. Oakland Street after the attack.”

Is that a good use of water?!

daniel

Should they have used club soda?
DarkHeart

[Brian Doyle Murray] Clean up that blood [/Brian Doyle Murray]

Facts

The “pit bull” description came from the police. Stop bashing the media for reporting what the trained police say.

SteamboatWillie

There’s no way I would tolerate a pit bull running loose in my neighborhood. As the saying about shooting a home intruder goes, “I’d rather be judged by 12 than (my child) carried by 6.”

drax

So you carry a gun at all times? This wasn’t a home intruder, it was outside.
- SteamboatWillie
  
  It was an analogy. If a pitbull is running loose in my neighborhood, I would have no problem removing the threat to protect my small children. Maybe not instantly, but it would be soon.
  
  And I didn’t mean to suggest that I would shoot the dog.
  - meh
    
    “Real nice looking dog ya got there. Shame if something was to happen to it…” [/prohibition-era gangster speak]
  - drax
    
    Okay. So how would you remove the threat?
    - One Solution
      
      Bear trap.

Bill

Dear AWLA,

Arlington County contracted with you to enforce the leash law. THIS is why you need to follow through on said contract.

Despite your fears that your donors will get mad and withhold their contributions.

Despite any admonishment from County Board members that we “don’t do” leash law enforcement in Arlington County.

Now this man is in the hospital–when if you had followed through on your contract and responded to the prior calls–he might have been saved.

Shameful.

MC 703

You do not have the facts. Apparently the owner was not home and the dogs (surely poorly secured) escaped. Get your facts straight. And I think you meant to send your snarky email to the AWLA. This is ARLNOW.
- Bill
  
  AWLA does not report officially a single statistic about how many citations they issue for off-leash dogs. Yes, visits to parks they report int heir publications, but not citations.
  
  If I’m wrong, go searching out and report where we can see the statistics on leash law enforcement. You know, beyond the “I can assure you the animal welfare officers are out and routinely write people up for violations” sort of thing.
  - Tabs
    
    I’m with Bill on this. Owners let their dogs run free in my neighborhood because they know they can get away with it.
    
    I’ve called AWLA and they just say “there’s nothing we can do.”
    - movin on
      
      I blame Obama
  - drax
    
    Since they don’t report them, they don’t exist!
drax

“Despite any admonishment from County Board members that we “don’t do” leash law enforcement in Arlington County.”

Where did you hear this? Please provide supporting evidence.
- Joe
  
  Nobody is stupid enough to put such a “command” in writing. Any such admonishment is done verbally–and thus impossible to prove. In that sense, the accusation is unfair.
  
  Having said that, the scenario makes sense. One member of the Board routinely sends out a DVD from the member’s pet dog to fellow dogs in the County, asking for their support in convincing their owners to vote for said County Board member.
  
  I would think said member would be less than likely to in turn support enforcement of the leash law, since that would make for an awkward conversation between these dogs when they run into each other in Quincy Park or Bluemont or wherever else in the County.
  - drax
    
    “Nobody is stupid enough to put such a “command” in writing.”
    
    Ah, the old “I have absolutely no evidence whatsoever” excuse. Much like “well, of course the government denies the existence of aliens!” Yes, it’s unfair.
    
    No, a dog video is not evidence that the board secretly allows leash laws to not enforced by the county. Don’t be absurd.
drax

Yeah, AWLA drove through Nauck five minutes earlier, saw to pit bulls running around leash-free, and did nothing!
- bringmetheyuppies
  
  AWLA is a pet sitting service in disguise. They have never responded to any call I have placed to them. Once my neighbors dog was barking for 3 hours straight in 30 degree weather and I called them. The woman on the line was heading home for the night and if I wanted to gather a petition with my neighbors they would look into it. I could not believe my ears. So I called the police. They came in a couple of hours when the poor dog was comfy inside. At least they knocked on the neighbors door and spoke to them for me.

Ballstonian

I walk my dog, always on a leash, and I do whatever i can to keep my dog away from other dogs because I dont know how theyll react and if they’ll have to be separated, bit one of the owners, etc. But there are so many people who either let their dogs off the leash or have them leashed but free to wander up to strange dogs, and I really dont want to have to risk injury to myself or my dog if one of them charges.

JohnB

Pretty sure Reb and Debbie Bell are trolls.

Tuttle

People I don’t agree with are trolls.
- JohnB
  
  Just never seen them on here before. Now all of the sudden they have very strong opinions. Adding Joanna McGinn to the list as well.
  - observer
    
    There are lots of lurkers on here. People comment on what they feel strongly about. Just because you have never seen those handles doesn’t mean they aren’t legit and knowledgeable.
    - Jackfan
      
      Good Lord – where does it say that you have to be a regular poster to get your opinions on this board? Last I checked it wasn’t privately owned and operated by a couple of people with too much time on their hands. So they feel passionate and post? What’s it to you?
    - meh
      
      You should change your name from Observer to Opinion stater.

ArlForest

I used to be one who thought it was always the owner and not the breed until a pit who was previously friendly since a puppy suddenly attacked my lab mix. Luckily my guy was able to hold his own until me and the pit owner jumped in. They both were cut on the face but nothing more than that thanks to his thick lab skin. All of my neighbors with smaller more fragile dogs were scared to death and I don’t blame them. Pits are simply unpredictable and dangerous. Sure, any dog can be made a mean dog but I don’t buy that it is just the way the stories are reported that explains it.

CW

Oh don’t be so small minded, you’re just being an evil breed hater. Pit bulls and border collies both kill with the same frequency, just like goldfish and great whites, or tigers and housecats. There are bad apples everywhere, stop playing into the media hype about breed hating.

/sarcasm

MeLikeBuffet

I am pretty sure the streetcars will solve this problem

Bon Air

The “Arlington Way” must be used to pacify the pit bull population
- DarkHeart
  
  Or Articulated Bus/Python.

Sunderly

“I’m sure lots of kinds of dogs attack people all the time.”

This is what is so horrific about these dogs. Other dogs don’t look for adult humans to attack for fun off property.

DON’T BE CRAZY. No normal dogs don’t escape from their home and just run around looking fo rpeople to attack. When was they last time you ever heard of any other kind of dog launch an unprovoked, off property attack on an adult?

Don’t pretend this is normal. This is highly abnormal, and unacceptable. Who wants to say its ok for their neighbors to keep a kind of animal that sometimes escapes and attacks people? pit bulls need to be regulated. They’re not pets.

jackson

I’ve been hearing quite a bit about HUMANS biting people on the face recently. How can we regulate them?
WeiQiang

How about we set up a meeting between my “pit” mix and you? She has a busy schedule hunting adult humans and knoshing on teacup poodles, but I’m sure we can fit in a few minutes.

In reality, you have a greater danger of being bruised by her wagging tail than suffering some horrible attack. Why? Because I raised her like any other dog should be raised. If someone else raises their dog – or worse, doesn’t spend any time raising their dog – to be aggressive, they are responsible for that dog’s behavior … just like I am responsible for mine.

I wish the best for the victim of this attack and hope for a complete recovery. The owner of the dogs should be held liable for the attack.
- Frank
  
  I bet these dogs were raised properly by their owner too. [rolls eyes]
  - WeiQiang
    
    If there’s a history of reporting these dogs, maybe not. Oh, I get it. You weren’t trying to be rational.
    - Frank
      
      My rational point, since you need it explained to you, is that proper raising of a dog does not guarantee they will not act up and attack somebody in all cases.
      
      So your platitudes about your dog really mean nothing.
    - WeiQiang
      
      It’s irrational to expect a guarantee in all cases. Then again, the same can be said of humans. … but I digress. How I raised my dog is on point. She is not aggressive precisely because of how I raised her, which is relevant to the degree that I raised, socialized, and trained her to behave in acceptable ways in response to certain stimuli or to not respond at all. Irrespective of her training, I will always accept responsbility for my dog’s behavior. It’s not rocket surgery.
      
      Thanks for explaining it, though, because your first mature post didn’t come across my pitbull-like thick skull. *who comes up withis tripe?*
    - Frank
      
      Doesn’t matter. I don’t know you. Without any context, your assurances about your dog sound like what an owner would say after their dog attacked someone to deflect the blame away from themselves.
      
      That’s why most people would rather assume a pit bull type is dangerous, rather than trust what a stranger tells them.
    - observer
      
      I have a hard time believing this dude owns a pit bull. Maybe he only *thinks* it’s a pit bull.
    - WeiQiang
      
      I adopted my pit mix from AWLA on Feb 1, 2010. She was 3 mos old at the time.
    - clueless straight guy
      
      cool man, you own a pit! You must be a really masculine dude. What kind of car do you drive?
    - drax
      
      “proper raising of a dog does not guarantee they will not act up and attack somebody in all cases.”
      
      True. But that’s true of all breeds.
      
      Here’s the truth – all dogs need proper training. Some breeds need it more than others. Pit bulls can be wonderful pets. On the other hand, they are more likely to turn into attackers if not trained right (or if actually trained to attack).
    - PBA
      
      Please do some research before you post nonsense. They are not more likely to become attackers than any other type of dog.
    - drax
      
      Yes they are.
    - Jackfan
      
      +1

Bon Air

The Pit Bulls represent the 1%

That poor man’s butt represents the 99%

Nothing will happen to the Pit Bulls.

Bon Air

*Correction: Nothing will happen to the Pit Bulls, except their marginal tax rates will be lowered.
- John Fontrain
  
  But their taxes will still be high!

SteamboatWillie

All breeds are likely to attack and kill a miniature horse, right? That’s what NFL player Joey Porter’s pitbulls or pitbull mixes did a few years ago.

meh

Now if you want to talk about an insult to the eyes of God by man, it’s the miniature horse. They’re handy for… what, exactly?
Beth J

NFL players as anecdotal evidence? On the flip side, several of Michael Vick’s pits are now therapy dogs.

catsndogs

Have you noticed how often such attacks are made by dogs — plural? Dogs are pack animals, and I believe that keeping more than one powerful dog, whether it’s pit bulls, dobermans, german shepherd dogs, or others is an invitation to trouble. I know lots of nice pit bulls, but when they play with each other, things often escalate rapidly.

drax

Yep. Same goes for humans.

Hank

Terrible thing to happen… especially in front of the guy’s kids. I wonder if there would be any positives or negatives to require a special license to own “bully breeds”. I don’t know exactly what the criteria would be, but perhaps some sort of proof of responsible ownership/criminal background, etc. Or would there be such a backlash to the perceived bureaucracy that even suggesting such a license wouldn’t be viable?

Beth J

The problem with breed-specific legislation is that it’s extremely hard to define and even harder to enforce the breed categorizations. It’s like when you ask someone what kind of dog they have and they say something like, “I think he’s a shepherd mix,” “The shelter said she was part lab,” “He’s part spaniel but we don’t know what else,” etc. Nobody really knows for sure with mixed breeds, and the dog DNA test results are all over the place, too.

When you start trying to legislate that, “bully breeds” might be considered any dog with a large head and/or muscular bodies, which is imprecise and subjective.
- WeiQiang
  
  … and it doesn’t solve the problems with irresponsible owners, who are accountable.
  - Beth J
    
    So very true. Denver’s been in the news a lot lately, as they enacted strong breed-specific laws several years ago but haven’t seen much, if any, improvement in dog bites or issues.
- Hank
  
  Good point. I’m not totally sure what mix my dog is. We know her mother was a bitch of ill-repute because we don’t know what the father was.

Tabs

What breed was the dog who ate the face of its owner, that Frenchwoman who got a face transplant? She’d passed out from boozing.

Bon Air

Italian-Greek

ArlRes

The whole issue of banning pit bulls is a nature vs nurture debate. Inherently, I don’t believe the dogs are born to be violent. However, there is a very strong correlation between the breed, and owners who buy them with the intent to train them in violent and aggressive behaviors. Not all owners purchase them for this reason, but there is a significant population that does. Few other breeds have this association, and few other breeds have the strength and ability to inflict such significant injury.

I believe they should be banned, solely due to the tendency for their owners to breed them to be violent, not because they are inherently born that way. That may seem unfair, but it’s such a significant problem these days. I have a few friends that have pit bulls and they are very sweet animals. I also have met folks where I feared to sneeze for risk of losing an arm or leg. While I could bet that chihuahuas probably causes more bites annually than a pit bull, the severity of the injuries are typically significantly worse with the pit, hence the need for regulation.

CW

No need to overthink this. Who cares about nature, nurture, intelligent design, or evolution. Just stick with the empirical evidence. Pit bulls, unlike golden retrievers, automobiles, handguns, or knives, attack and maim innocent bystanders without provocation and with statistically nontrivial frequency. No, “there was this one dalmatian that bit somebody once” is not an analogous argument. This should not even be up for discussion. These animals are on the same level as lions or tigers. Yes we can pschoanalyze them and call it breeding, or territorial defense, or pack mentality, or whatever, and no, I do not personally blame each one of those animals for doing what it was bred/designed/trained to do. But the outcomes are what matter and they speak for themselves.
- WeiQiang
  
  “These animals are on the same level as lions or tigers.” Seriously? You never watched the The Li’l Rascals?
  
  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129989424
  
  http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/%3Fid%3D6884146n&sa=U&ei=zzkEUJjSHunF0QGu-KW0Bw&ved=0CBgQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNFN3YaSF8mZIRbGOi_ujkMBq3eItg
  
  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/20/rescuing-michael-vicks-pit-bulls_n_731853.html
  
  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/06/AR2008070602351.html
- happycyclist
  
  “Pit bulls, unlike golden retrievers, {i}automobiles[/i}, handguns, or knives, attack and maim innocent bystanders without provocation and with statistically nontrivial frequency”
  - CW
    
    I think that was an attempt to disagree with the automobiles reference? Given your handle, I’d say you have a bone to pick with them. I cycle 7 days a week, so I can sympathize. But I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a car turn itself on, drive out of its yard, and run someone over. Though if I did, I’d probably suspect that it was Google’s fault.
    - drax
      
      Uh, CW:
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ5M11m9vI0
    - Tabs
      
      Stephen King could tell you otherwise…
      
      And on that note, with his obsession with demonic vehicles, isn’t it ironic and strange that he was hit by a car (while walking) and very badly injured?
    - CW
      
      Not as ironic as the Segway guy driving himself off the cliff on one of those things, unfortunately.
    - meh
      
      In his defense (RIP) I believe it was the guy who purchased the existing company and was riding one of his new toys, not someone involved in the creation of the thing.

Snoop

All Dog parks in Arlington should be closed!

All Pitbulls should be banned from County and or State

Laurie

Your comment is both ridiculous and ignorant.
drax

All dumb comments should be banned from this site!
- http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
  
  please don’t

Rachel

Make no mistake before you go on a pitbull witch hunt, these dogs were abused by the low life owner !! These dogs were not born mean, they did come into this world knowing violence. That was taught to them. The SOB owner should be thrown in jail for animal cruelty and forced to pay all medical bills.

KS84

The only relevant fact here is that a negligent owner with two (or maybe more) ‘resident’ dogs – defined as dogs that spend the vast majority of their lives tethered, caged, or fenced outdoors with no opportunities for socialization – allowed them to escape where they unfortunately caused injury and trauma. The breed isn’t relevant – the OWNER is. My dog (a pit mix) has been attacked, unprovoked, by off-leash dogs twice in my neighborhood. Neither attacking dog was a pit bull, and In neither incident did my dog bite back. In one instance, the owners of the other dog (a ‘purebred’ Boxer, as the woman insisted when berating me for the off-leash dog fine she received) continue to walk him with just a shock collar in lieu of a leash. Stupid people who ignore or can’t manage their dogs, or who feel that leash laws don’t apply to them, are a threat to the community, regardless of whether they have a 6-lb. chihuahua or a 150-lb. mastiff. Breed-discriminatory legislation isn’t going to eliminate these dangers – only spay/neuter promotion, leash law enforcement, and community outreach to areas with large ‘resident dog’ populations will.

HappyCyclist

are dog owners required to carry liability insurance for their dogs? Are they required to be trained in proper dog management?

SamW

They should be — and I say that as a pit/dog owner.
Kielhwl

No, you are not required to have “dog bite” insurance, you are covered under your household insurance. However, if your dog bites and they have to pay a claim, you will be informed that you are not longer covered for that dog – if it bites again you pay out of your own pocket. I do know from experience. My dalmation bit a girl in the face.

Laurie

@Debbie Belll – there is no such thing as a “pit” bull. This is a blanket term used to apply to over 20 breeds of dogs. You are correct when you say this incident is the fault of the owner. Unfortunately the dog will pay the price. One is dead, the other is as good as dead.
Many so called pit bulls ARE NOT dangerous, have not ever bitten anyone and yet hundreds are being euthanized all over the country because of the stupidity of human beings.
The most likely dog to bite is actually a Retriever followed by Daschhounds and yet so called pit bull types are blamed for being “bad”. This is wrong. Blame and punish the irresponsible owner. Not the dog. Not the breed

CW

Can you provide an explanation why this breed or group of breeds should continue to exist?

I am not saying that anything bad should happen to individual existing dogs because they are dogs, they do what genetics and training tell them to. They should live out their lives happily.

But I am asking why we should continue to propagate a breed of animals that is solely the product of hundreds of years’ worth of distillation of violent traits. Your arguments are retrospective and address effects, not causes – “pit bulls CAN be cute, they CAN be nice, etc. etc.”. Yes, individual dogs can make it through their lives without hurting anyone, and individual dogs can be nice until the first attack, just like no human is a murderer until they kill somebody.

What I am asking is why our society needs this to be perpetuated, and what societal value is added.
- CEW
  
  CW,
  
  There is a difference b/w “breeding” and “training.” These dogs aren’t be bred to be aggressive. But they can be trained to be.
  
  And good luck determining what constitutes a “pit bull.”
  - bman
    
    This is a fallacy.
    
    If that dog gets pissed off and goes nuts, it won’t matter it’s training or breeding. It will bite.

confused

why do we need dog breeds at all? why not just have, you know, dogs? Dogs were bred from wolves for hunting and companionship – weren’t all the specific breeds created later for specific economic purposes? from keeping sheep, to hunting rats, to fetchng dead ducks, to dogfighting? What is lost if a breed goes extinct (by not breeding anymore, not by euthanizing)?

I see arguments for no longer breeding pit bulls (whether thats a breed or a group of breeds Im not sure really matters) and I see a not particularly persuasive counter argument (that other “breeds” bite as often, which you know, kind of ignores the seriousness of the bite). But I don’t really see what the benefit to breeding more pit bulls is?

meh

What’s the benefit of breeding tiny dogs, or any breed of dogs, (or miniature horses), or having children who could grow up to be serial killers?
- drax
  
  He’s got a point though – why not simply get a different breed? Why get a breed as a pet that’s bred to kill? Because it looks tough? As guard dogs?
  - CW
    
    Because you like having a huge liability and a high probability that you’re going to be responsible for the injury or death of another human being, apparently. I guess people get off on that.
    
    Now true junk yard dogs are an exception. Guarding a lot with a big, high fence where people might be trying to break in. That is a good reason to have a big nasty dog.
    - another dog lover
      
      I think people who get pit bulls often do like to look “tough.” Kind of like small p*nis cars, you know what I mean?
  - confused
    
    no particularly significant benefit to breeding tiny dogs, but no social cost either, so I will allow the market to fulfil the (trivial) increase in utility someone gets from owning a tiny dog rather than a mongrel (though I still think its borderline immoral to deliberatelty breed ANY dogs when mongrels are being euthanized for lack of homes)
    
    OTOH a reasonable case (whether open and shut of not) for there being a net social cost to some varieties.
  - WeiQiang
    
    I got mine because she was at AWLA to be rescued from the fate that some posters here seem to wish she met.
    
    Why? Because she is cute and she went over to the corner to poop.
    
    She is submissive and snuggly … with us, our friends, our friends’ toddlers, and our friends’ dogs. This is how she was socialized and trained.
    - Nellie’s Regular
      
      ooh, you like ‘em submissive . . .
    - CW
      
      These pit bull descriptions remind me of when people get interviewed about their neighbor who turns out to be a serial killer.
      
      “Oh Fred was so kind, so sweet, always went to church and kept to himself, played with the kids. I just can’t believe they found that freezer full of bodies in his basement…”
    - observer
      
      lol, I thought so too.
    - confused
      
      what fate is that? Im not advocating for euthanization. Why not sterilize them all instead?
    - WeiQiang
      
      I believe that dogs should be spayed or neutered. No argument here.
    - SnipSnip
      
      Watch out, Cap’n.
  - meh
    
    Simple answer: Some people just like them. I’m not one of them, but if they are responsible owners and raise them correctly (true of ANY breed) why not?
    
    Should cigarettes be outlawed? Does secondhand smoke cause cancer? ( And yes, obviously a pit bull attack is faster than the effects of working in a smokey bar for 20 years…)
    - Bloomberg
      
      Simple answer: yes. See my edicts to that effect. Your cigarettes, supersized sodas, fatty meals and human-agressive dogs will soon be things of the past.
      
      Also any alcohol you like that is not red wine (proven to be healthy)
WeiQiang

DOGS DECODED:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html
- More TeeVee
  
  http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/one-nation-under-dog-stories-of-fear-loss-and-betrayal/index.html

Tommy

Why do people keep saying Pit Bulls were bred for killing? This is incorrect.

You do realize that when used for dog fighting, they are bred to not turn on the handlers in the ring.

BTW, there were some shooting over at Eden Center. Should we ban people too?

confused

we can’t ban people – who would enforce the ban?

The benefits of a ban on people are offset by the costs.

Tell me again the costs of banning further breeding of pit bulls?
Beth J

Good point, Tommy. Dogs’ aggression toward dogs is usually completely separate from their aggression toward humans — that’s in every dog behavior book I’ve read. Dog fighting dogs are encouraged to be aggressive toward other dogs but NOT toward humans. So the comments like “pits were bred for fighting [other dogs], I’m not surprised they attack humans” are uneducated.

Dave

@Debbie you are full of misinformation. I rescued a pitbull 15 years ago and was extremely concerned myself due to media sensationalism. Having had big dogs, and potentially aggressive dogs I did the research and read everything I could find both good and bad. What I found out is they are great family dogs, love bugs in fact. They are not human aggressive unless you make them that way (like any other dog) they sometimes don’t get along with other dogs or smaller animals because they were bred for certain activities originally.

I still miss Cicero, greatest dog ever.

Do the correct reseach before advocating any type of legislation in regards to anything. Breed Banning is not the answer, Pit Bulls are wonderful dogs.

Roy Horn

Likewise, White Tigers are wonderful, loving pets and do not harm humans if raised properly.
- Tommy
  
  Actually Roy, that is incorrect. Please stop trolling if you have nothing to add.
- Siegfried Fischbacher
  
  Honey, come back to bed.

Debs

Interesting comments…but maybe more to the story than has been reported. We had an english pointer once…nice dog…adopted from AWLA…We discovered that the neighbor’s kids were throwing rocks and sticks at the dog when he was outside in our fenced yard. They also bounced a ball against the side of the house when they thought we were at work just to hear the dog bark! I caught him ‘playing invisible’ in the back yard…he was actually hunting them! I corrected the issue with the parents of the kids…they made friends with the dog. But I NEVER trusted him alone. That dog had a long memory….Not saying anything here other than…maybe there is more to the story?

http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo

true story – i got bit on the head by a pitbull when i was 6. my gramps had several around his farm for protection from thieves, wild animals, etc. and 2 were fighting and i tried to break it up, play referee. one bit me on the head by accident and then backed off all scared after he did it. he was sorry i think. successfully stopped the fight, y’all. had to get some stitches & have a nice scar on my noggin’ that u can only see when my head is shaved.

summary – pitbulls are cool. blame the owners, not the breed.

cool story, bro

w/e dude. folksy anecdotes and cherry-picked studies don’t prove anything. Better safe than sorry, IMO. No need to continue to breed dogs that were meant to be pit fighters. Instinct is hard to kill, as I’m sure you know, wolf man.
- http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
  
  my instinct is to lash back at you with a poorly-constructed counter-statement, most of which is off-subject and irrelevant, followed by an insult aimed at your character to make up for my lack of argumentative logic. and i’m killing that instinct. just gonna reply with “cool.”
  - cool story, bro
    
    cool, man.
    
    Don’t know why you call my comment irrelevant and off-subject. the subject of this thread is pit bulls and the dangers they pose.
    
    What part of “folksy anecdotes and cherry-picked studies don’t prove anything” don’t you understand?
    
    *sniffs your butt, gotta admit that’s a nice scent, bro*
    - CW
      
      But the individual posters once knew this one example one time that didn’t exhibit the behavior that the whole breed was developed to exhibit; what part of “extrapolating that to the whole population” don’t you understand, bro?
    - cool story, bro
      
      I think you’re proving my point, actually.
    - CW
      
      Sarcasm detection fail.
    - cool story, bro
      
      oops. you got me, bro, I apologize
    - http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
      
      much thx for the scent compliment, bro!
      
      wasn’t calling your comment irrelevant & off-subject, as it was neither. i was referring to my potential comment that my instinct was driving me to make but refrained, which was in itself a tongue-in-cheek jab at many of the comments here on ARLnow. but now i had to explain it…. dang.
      
      and i don’t stand any of the part about “folksy anecdotes and cherry-picked studies don’t prove anything” i’m just a wolf my gosh what do u expect from me.
    - http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
      
      *understand, not stand. see, a wolf. can’t even type well cuz i have paws.
    - cool story, bro
      
      You don’t need to understand. Shh, no words. Let’s just sniff . . .
- http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
  
  and i’m a wolf, bro. not some kind of hybrid wolf man. those aren’t even real. i’m a wolf that has access to a computer.
  - Ghost of Wolfman Jack
    
    *ahem*
  - Typing Dogs
    
    Not to mention, being able to type !!
Cornholer

LOL. Whoever heard of shaving a wolf’s head? That’s a good one.
- http://purple.com/purple.html Captain Pup McPuppo
  
  lol @ that mental image

always right

why didn’t the police shoot the second dog? Is he adoptable?

Tommy

The sad fact is, too many people do not know how to train/own/treat/control dogs.

Every dog I’ve owned I have taken for training – and I don’t mean that petsmart once a week training. If you’re going to have a dog, any dog but especially a powerful dog, you owe it to the dog and yourself and community to have it trained and under control. Granted mistakes happen and people leave doors open, but it sounds like this person has had complaints of aggressive dogs before. But it’s not fair to those who have “pit bull type” dogs to be punished if they are responsible with their dogs.

Pit bulls were never bred to be aggressive towards people. Now if you’re talking about a breed like the Fila Brasileiro, which was bred to be human aggressive, that’s one thing. BUT, I have met several Fila’s that are completely friendly to people and even lived with other animals. So again, it’s not fair to judge all dogs based on the way they look.

Presa Canario

What about me?
- Tommy
  
  The presa’s that I’ve met have only been animal aggressive. I met some at the Rare Breed Show several years ago that were CGC tested and working therapy dogs.
  - Diane Whipple’s Ghost
    
    Absolutely. Only animal aggressive. Just ask me. Oh, wait . . .
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Whipple
    - Tommy
      
      LOL those were dogs owned by white supremacists who bought them to for dog fighting and kept them chained up. And if you read what I wrote, instead of putting words in my mouth, I said the ONES I’VE MET. And I actually mistyped. One of the several I’ve met was animal aggressive. The others lived with dogs and a cat.
    - Tommy
      
      They were also not 100% presa’s either. Some reports say Bane and Hera were part Presa and part English Mastiff (which is known to be one of the most gentle breeds out there.)
    - Diane Whipple’s Ghost
      
      Except there’s no evidence Noel and Knoller were white supremacists.
      
      And they didn’t keep them chained up. If they had, I would never have died.
    - Tommy
      
      You are incorrect. You have to look at the original owners. Nice try though.
    - Diane Whipple’s Ghost
      
      Actually, I am correct. Noel and Knoller were not white supremacists. The original owners were, yes. But surely after caring for and training the dogs for several years, Noel and Knoller could have made them sweet as pie, right? Because it’s the owners, not the breed, right?
    - Tommy
      
      I find it disturbing you’re saying anything good about Noel and Knoller. I can’t find anything redeeming about these people. And do you have evidence they ever trained the dogs to be “good” animals? I’d love to see how they tried to rehab these two dogs from being owned by a white supremacist who bought them to fight, was sent to jail and while he was there, let a woman with no dog training experience take care of them by CHAINING them up in a far off area of her farm.
    - Diane Whipple’s Ghost
      
      huh? If the couple in SF had kept the dog restrained, it would not have been able to kill me.
      
      So much for owners being able to alter a breed’s natural instincts.
    - Tabby_TwoTone
      
      “During the trial, Knoller and her lawyers argued that she had attempted to defend Whipple during the attack. This assertion was contradicted by witness testimony. Other witnesses testified about their level of control over the dogs, including a professional dog walker, who, after telling Noel to muzzle his dogs, was told to “shut up” and called offensive names. An acquaintance of Noel’s testified that Noel did not apologize after the acquaintance was bitten by Hera a year before the fatal attack.”
      
      An extreme and tragic example of the “my dog can do no wrong” attitude that is all too prevalent.
    - Diane Whipple’s Ghost
      
      Yup, exactly. Thank you.
WeiQiang

Your reason is not welcome here.
- J-arl
  
  WeiQiang, just wanted to say I applaud your sticking to reason and facts and trying to argue with these idiots. The sad fact is, it’s pointless. They get their facts from sensationalist news articles. Go to any museum dedicated to chronicling racial discrimination and you will see propaganda reminiscent of the way they speak and think (switch “pit mongers” with “money-lenders”; “Shark-like jaws” with “hook-like nose”; “all pits snap eventually” with pretty much any racist statement made against African Americans, ever). The overt racism of their thinking comes through when they comment that “people who own pits don’t have money to sue for.” They simply cannot understand the difference between animal aggression and people aggression, and between breeding and upbringing. Point out that these dogs were doubtless trained to guard or intimidate people and were roaming free? Forget about it. Not relevant. They were “pit bulls.”
  
  But I applaud you for trying and doing it well.

really now?

Joanna and Debbie, do you apply your stereotypes to people as well? A few news stories about a certain group and you have your opinion all set. Convenient way to classify people.

Observer

The owner of the dogs is hiding out like a coward, of course. Come forward, the police are looking for you. Come and collect the remains of your pets. Oh, and the local prosecutor might like to have a word with you.

Tommy

Ok. I realize you are trolling and not even following the conversation or just don’t know the backstory on Bane and Hera. Carry on.

nom de guerre

My sources tell me that these dogs were observed slamming a suitcase right before this incident.

cool story, bro

stick to the menus

The Bible

Pit bulls should all be killed.

More to the story?

I am guessing there is more to this story. The guy who was “attacked” was on TV last night with no major injuries…in comparison to the headlines which implied he was seriously injured. Also, the teenage son said the dogs ran off when he hit them with a plastic shoe…come on if these dogs were violent there is no way they would of run because of a plastic shoe. When an agressive dog is in attack mode it takes a “break stick” or something heavy to break the dogs (any dogs) bite. Don’t get me wrong, the dogs obviously weren’t being taken care of and obviously should of been restrained but again considering the headlines and the facts coming out … something just dosen’t make sense.

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