Time For The Elimination Of The Pit Bull

[FirefightnRick]

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/16268923/detail.html

While my company and I were fighting a very large, well involved house fire on east Richmond Avenue yesterday we heard Careflight very close overhead and I remember thinking to myself..."Surely we don't have a victim here in this house? Afterall, it's boarded up?". As it turned out, it wasn't for a fire victim, it was for the little girl above and our Engine 22, who would have been at the fire with us, was instead helping the little girl. We heard later from a couple of their guys and folks, I'm absolutely done with these dogs. I'm sick of making the mauling calls, some of them so bad and severe it would turn your stomach, and now another innocent child is the victim of some sorry ass, ignorant morons' carelessness. It makes me so sick and freaking angry that this continues to be allowed to happen. The sorry side of mankind is to blame as the bread of this dog and it's bloodline is ruined, forever and they need to be eradicated by any means necessary and they need to be illigal to own. If I'm making calls at the rate that I am, and I'm part of only one of 3 shifts working a small portion of east Fort Worth, then how much is this happening nation wide every day? The low-lifes who carelessly abuse and keep these dogs do so because they think their bad asses and that it's a status symbol, they need to start getting citations for illegal ownership. It's a status symbol alright, a status symbol of someone who needs their own nads chewed on by one of their own dogs. The lower than pond scum dregs of society who go the next step further and train these dogs to fight need to have more than their nads chewed on AND go to jail without any soap on a rope.

I'm extremely pissed off right now!

Rick

[SUMG]

Let's see....according to what I read about the case:

1) The aunt (who was keeping the little girl)..lived in a trailer, with two pit bulls which she kept inside (at all times). Those dogs stayed inside so much....that others at the mobile home park, didn't even know the dogs existed.

2) The reason why the dogs were kept inside...is that the mobile home park (to its' credit) has rules which prohibit residents from having dangerous breed dogs (pit bulls, Rotweilers, dobermans, etc).

I'm sure the aunt is grief stricken....but she ought to be charged with something.

Hey dumbasses in Denton, bring pit bulls to the dog park. That's why I no longer go there. One of my dogs was attacked there...by a pit bull.

Edited May 15, 2008 by SUMG

[Green Mean]

Michael Vick could use some Pit Bulls

[KRAM1]

I am on the side of getting rid of this breed of dog. They should be banned from every city in the country. The more I read and hear about these dogs the less I like them. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why ANYONE would want anything to do with this breed. And, plaese do not come on this board and tell me how sweet and gentle they really are...that's like telling me baby tigers can grow up to be great pets...SURE...until they turn on you or someone else. Ask Roy of Sigrid and Roy fame about that...and they are two of the very best animal "tamers" the world has ever seen. The pit bull is a very dangerous breed, and has proven time and time again that they ARE not pets!

[UNT_92_Fan]

We had our chopper from the tv station over the accident when they were loading the girl into the careflight... The girl was messed up BAD...

[KingDL1]

I am on the side of getting rid of this breed of dog. They should be banned from every city in the country. The more I read and hear about these dogs the less I like them. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why ANYONE would want anything to do with this breed. And, plaese do not come on this board and tell me how sweet and gentle they really are...that's like telling me baby tigers can grow up to be great pets...SURE...until they turn on you or someone else. Ask Roy of Sigrid and Roy fame about that...and they are two of the very best animal "tamers" the world has ever seen. The pit bull is a very dangerous breed, and has proven time and time again that they ARE not pets!

I dated a girl that provided homeowners insurance, and at the time Chows had the worst record on her sheets, followed by Rots, Pits, and Dobermans. I grew up around several people that had pit bulls and they were great dogs, friendly, gentle, and protective of the kids in the family. I think the Little Rascals may had something to do with their popularity when I was a kid. I don't know what has happened in recent years, if the owners just get these dogs to mean to them and don't control them or if the breeding has just become whacked out. Its seems like it is usually the owners fault. When I was a UPS driver chows were the biggest pain, and only rottweilers truly intimidated me.

I thought this was interesting

Some knowledge on pits

Edited May 15, 2008 by KingDL1

[yyz28]

I've been around Rotts and Pits that are great dogs -

...however, the numbers simply can't be ignored. While they may be doscile and "good dogs" 99% of the time, the unknown instinct to ATTACK built into these animals simply make them too dangerous. I wouldn't have them anywhere near my kids. Many breeds can be very agressive, but pits seem to just lose it more often.

A lot of it has to do with training (or lack thereof) but I think time has shown that the ban is a good idea.

[KRAM1]

If I had an insurance company I would not insure any homeowner with a rot or a pit bull. And, if I rented, there would definitely be a clause in the laese about such things...the liability is too great and there are some many "pit bull" lawyers out there just waiting to sue! The attack instinct in these animals is just too much of a risk. While they are "protective of kids" one minute, they are attacking the same kids the very next. Not a risk I care to take, and not a risk I care to have anywhere near me. If you own one I do hope you find a way to keep them locked up and away from everyone else. And, why would you want a dog like a pit bull when there are so very many other great breeds of dogs available. Might just say something about the owner...I am just thinking....

[Eagle1855]

(understandably) emotional post from well-respected poster + ignorance en masse = jump to conclusion mat!

I can't believe the comments in this thread. Pit bulls are great animals. You can't eradicate a species just because some piece of shit human being neglects them or trains them to hurt others. Start fining or jailing the sub-human trash that does this! Make people get a license to breed them. Don't just kill them.

My sister had a pit bull for a while, was a great animal. Unfortunately she was a runt, ended up getting really sick all the time, but she was a very sweet dog. It is unfortunate the dog-fighting subculture has made it such that you can hardly even own these pets outside your own property. IF you kill off all the pit bulls, these losers will just find some other dog to breed and manipulate into a dangerous animal.

I hope people do some research and form their own opinion instead of going off one person's experience... and that includes mine. These animals are the byproduct of a much bigger problem.

The lower than pond scum dregs of society who go the next step further and train these dogs to fight need to have more than their nads chewed on AND go to jail without any soap on a rope.

Couldn't agree more.

Edited May 16, 2008 by Eagle1855

[KRAM1]

Yes, it is the owners' fault, but the breed is a "problem breed" at best. I have researched this issue several times for various reasons. The fact remains, even if your sister did have a "nice" pit bull, that the breed is dangerous. There are case after case of problems with the breed even when the owner takes as much care as possible to train the dog properly...BUT, the question remains, why would one have a dog that must be "trained" not to be an attack dog and one that had to be restrained and watched all the time? This just seems like such a problem and a "tragedy waiting to happen". I know some people keep dangerous pets around and never have a problem, good for them, but why in the name of anything intelligent, would anyone want to take a chance and have this breed as a pet? It is beyond me, the dog is UGLY (and that is being kind!) and it is dangerous! Some people swin with sharks and nevr get hurt, but that does not mean that sharks would make great pets for your family swimming pool!

Reminds me of the story about the frog and the snake...snake wants to get across the pond but can't swim, so he asks a frog to carry him across...frog says "no" because you are a snake and would bite me...snake says "no" because he needs the frog's help...frog agrees and carries the snake acroos the pond where the snake immediately bites the frog. Frog asks why since he said he wouldn't and since the frog helped him as asked...snake says...well, you knew what I was when you agreed to help!

You know what a pit bull is when you acquire one...why be surprised when it attacks...you knew what it was in the first place...go figure some people!

[Eagle1855]

Yes, it is the owners' fault, but the breed is a "problem breed" at best. I have researched this issue several times for various reasons. The fact remains, even if your sister did have a "nice" pit bull, that the breed is dangerous. There are case after case of problems with the breed even when the owner takes as much care as possible to train the dog properly...BUT, the question remains, why would one have a dog that must be "trained" not to be an attack dog and one that had to be restrained and watched all the time? This just seems like such a problem and a "tragedy waiting to happen". I know some people keep dangerous pets around and never have a problem, good for them, but why in the name of anything intelligent, would anyone want to take a chance and have this breed as a pet? It is beyond me, the dog is UGLY (and that is being kind!) and it is dangerous! Some people swin with sharks and nevr get hurt, but that does not mean that sharks would make great pets for your family swimming pool!

I happen to think the dogs are actually pretty animals. I'm not saying there aren't risks associated with owning one and I agree, if someone DOES own one, they should be responsible for taking care of it. This is true for any pet or even CHILD for that matter.

It isn't that you have to train them to "not kill", it's that so many people train them to BE aggressive. Which is what Rick is talking about. These loser douchebags that think it's cool to have a "tough" animal that is always ready to attack because for many it IS a status thing. When one of these animals gets out, they don't know any other way to react to humans or other animals. They have been trained to be aggressive.

The shark comment isn't really relevant. Just because I have a large back yard doesn't mean I'm going to raise a freaking elephant or throw baboons up into my trees.

Edited May 16, 2008 by Eagle1855

[adman]

Yes! Indeed we should kill every last Pit on the face of the earth. That would cure dog mauling once and for all. No chance the people that raise their Pits to fight would ever move on to another breed once the Pit is gone.

And why stop with Pits? Let's ban everything that causes the most damage/death in it's category.

Kids Toys - Ban Bikes

Home Improvements - Ban Swimming pools

Car Collisions - Ban SUVs/Trucks

And while we're at it we should probably burn most books. They don't do anything but cause trouble either.

[meangreendork]

I'd say we have special licensing on pit bulls and their owners. Make sure the dog is properly trained and cared for in the right environment. Should keep the dogs out of the wrong hands without making them more of a criminal element (ala Prohibition).

Banning them probably won't fix anything, and the way sensationalist media works with the generally ignorant public, we'll be looking at a ban on knives before we blink.

[KRAM1]

"Pit Bulls Apparently Kill Boy"...headlines from the Dallas Morning News Section 1 page 3A TODAY (5/20/08). Just another case of "friendly and gentle" pit bulls

attacking and killing a 7 year old boy in Abilene, Texas. The youn boy was found about 150 yards from his house where he had been playing, and 50-75 yards from the house where the pit bulls were owned. The neighbors seemed to have owned four of these "friendly" dogs...two of which attached and killed this young boy! GREAT DOGS...I find it hard to believe that anyone could support having this breed of dog around as a pet!

[FirefightnRick]

Folks like 1855 and Adman have probably never experienced anything like I, or emmitt or countless thousands of other emergency workers have before, so it's easy for them to simply dismiss my post as being an emotional, Knee-jerk or overreacting comment. And that's understandable.

The girl was taken to Westmead Children's Hospital at Westmead where she is expected to undergo micro-surgery later today.

By Rachel Browne

September 11, 2005

The family of a five-year-old boy who was savagely mauled by an American pit bull terrier has launched legal action against the owner.

Jordan Wisby was attacked by the dog while walking the 400-metre stretch home from his primary school at Illawong, in Sydney's south, in April.

Jordan suffered multiple lacerations to his head, throat, left arm and back during the attack.

After being rescued by a passer-by, Jordan underwent surgery and is continuing to seek medical treatment for his injuries.

Takoma Park considers Pit Bull ban after attack

Pit Bull attack nearly kills three year old.

2 five year olds recovering from Pit Bull attack, one requiring plastic surgery. ..16 U.S. cities currently have Pit Bull bans with 9 others considering it.

Pit Bull attacks mother protecting 3 year old.

Pit Bull ban stands in Aurora, attack numbers dropped since ban took affect.

Boy survives Pit Bull attack.

Dominic Solesky, 10, of Towson underwent two surgeries after being attacked by a neighbor's pit bull in April.

Three year old bitten 72 times, grabbed by the throat and mauled to death.

9 month old recovering from Pit Bull attack.

"I think she probably just used him for a ladder basically you know climbed on him and maybe stepped on his foot or something like that but she was in no way being mean to the dog," says L.J. Donaldson, Elsie's father.

Woman dies in Deltona dog attack

"He was dragging her, and all her scalp was hanging by her side. He wouldn't turn her loose.

Pit bulls blamed in death of 7-year-old West Texas boy

It was the second serious pit bull attack on a child in four days in Texas.

On Wednesday in Fort Worth, a woman's two pit bulls attacked her 2-year-old niece as she was preparing to give the child a bath, police said. The little girl was critically injured, and her aunt also was injured as she lay over the child trying to protect her, police said.

Animal control officers later euthanized the dogs.

Camp Lejeune says a three-year-old was killed by a family friend's dog who came on base for a visit yesterday.

A 4-year-old Kentucky girl is lucky to be alive after a gruesome attack by the family's pit bull. Child In Stable Condition; Scalp Found In Dog's Stomach

Pit bull mauls 2-year-old in dog's second attack; owner charged

4-Year Old Recovering After Pit Bull Mauling

PALESTINE, TX — A 7-year-old Palestine girl injured late Sunday afternoon in a pit bull attack underwent surgery for her injuries Monday at a Dallas hospital.

Rick

Edited May 21, 2008 by FirefightnRick

[Green Crazy]

One time at Tyler State Park I was camping with some friends and while walking to the bathrooms I looked over to the camp site next to us and saw the campers with their two pit bulls off their leashes, the next thing I saw was the female pitt sprinting towards me. I new not to run and just kept walking at a normal pace, hoping that the dog would stop and go back to the owners who were yelling at her, but the pitt didn't, it lunged at me full speed and bit my leg, luckily it didn't latch on and only left me with a few puncture holes in my calf. After that the dog ran back to its yelling owners, I was in high school and I guess in shock because all I did was ask them if the dog had it's shots a continued to the bathroom. By the time I got back from calming my self down in the bathroom and walked back by their camp site they had packed their s*** and left.

I agree that the longer those idiots tamper with these dogs, that the more attacks will happen, but I don't getting rid of the breed is the best answer. We should get rid of the f***ing morons who train these dogs to have hair trigger tempers. Those dildo's should be put in a cage with other peoples pitts and have to fend for themselves. For the most part the people who are drawn to pitt bulls are stupid and irresponsible people who shouldn't be breeding themselves let alone dogs.

The sad thing is that the longer these fu**s train pitts to be like this more and more diluted the breed becomes with bad apples and eventually should probably be done away with.

[FirefightnRick]

The sad thing is that the longer these fu**s train pitts to be like this more and more diluted the breed becomes with bad apples and eventually should probably be done away with.

The thing is, many of these maulings occur by dogs that are the family pet, never taught to attack or fight other dogs. The two that attacked the Fort Worth girl hardly ever left the house. The neighbors stated that they didn't even know the woman owned dogs. Fact is this breed is out of control beyond repair. And now the humane society is getting them in growing numbers to the point in which they won't adopt them out anymore because they know what the outcome will be if they do, so they put them down anyway's. So my stance is to do away with them period because at this point there's no turning back. Make it illegal to own them(16 cities now do this with 9 others considering), or at least force licensing. Some accountability is needed if their ownership is going to be allowed to continue.

Rick

Edited May 21, 2008 by FirefightnRick

[Eagle1855]

Rick, nothing I said was meant to detract from you or Emmitt's experiences. I appreciate the work that you guys do more than a stupid comment on a thread could ever express. I never accused you over overreacting. I said your emotions were understandable (and I'd feel the same way).

You can dismiss my opinion all you want. I will never advocate the elimination of an animal. The problem for me starts with the pieces of garbage that train these animals to be aggressive. If you kill these dogs, these losers will just find some other breed. You can keep patching a hole in a tire all you want, but at some point you're going to have to address the problem- the tire itself.

I won't bother sharing any more of my opinions on the subject as I clearly do not have the vocational experience to do so with merit.

[Cerebus]

I won't bother sharing any more of my opinions on the subject as I clearly do not have the vocational experience to do so with merit.

That has never stopped anyone on this board from saying anything, ever. I don't see why it should start now.

I am torn on this issue, on one hand, I have seen no dog attack stats, but at first glance pit bulls do seem to be involved in a disproportionate amount of maulings. On the other, the inner libertarian in me doesn't like for "the government" to tell me what I can and can't do.

I mean, at some level, I really do feel that I should be able to ride down the middle of the street in a sled pulled by cloned velociraptors with a select fire weapon in each hand.

I don't support that for my neighbor though, I mean the guy can't even adjust his mower so that he doesn't scalp his lawn.

Also, on first hand experience, my grandparents had many dogs as I grew up. One of the was a pit bull, and it was a very friendly, very sweet dog. The exception that proves the rule? Perhaps.

One of the other dogs they did have was a Chow Chow, and that thing was DEATH INCARNATE. If pits are ever banned, that will probably the next dog that knuckle heads keep as status symbols.

Excerpts from Wikipedia:

Their keen sense of proprietorship over their homes paired with a sometimes disconcertingly serious approach to strangers can be off putting to those unfamiliar with the breed.

The proper Chow owner will be just as willful and stubborn as the Chow they keep, thus weaker-willed individuals would be best served to evaluate their commitment in controlling an animal who is happy to take over any household.

Chows are extremely loyal to their own family and will bond tightly to their masters. The Chow typically shows affection only with those it has bonds to, so new visitors to the home should not press their physical attention upon the resident Chow as it will not immediately accept strangers in the same manner as it does members of its own "pack".

Research indicates it is one of the first primitive breeds to evolve from the wolf. Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog.From what records survive, some historians believe that the Chow was the dog described as accompanying the Mongolian armies as they invaded south into China as well as west into Europe and southwest into the Middle East during 12th Century

[KRAM1]

Lots of other great breeds to choose from...why ANYONE would select a Pit Bull as a family pet is beyond me...WAY beyond me...I think it says something about a persons "mind set" when they pick a Pit Bull as a pet. You decide what that "mind-set" is for yourself. If I ever get on the Denton City Council (don't worry,. I won't...I have no desire to get into that mess) I would move quickly to either ban the dogs from the city limits (if possible) or work to set some VERY strict guidelines for owners of such animals...including financial responsibility!

BAD DOGS...BAD DOGS.....

[KingDL1]

Lots of other great breeds to choose from...why ANYONE would select a Pit Bull as a family pet is beyond me...WAY beyond me...I think it says something about a persons "mind set" when they pick a Pit Bull as a pet. You decide what that "mind-set" is for yourself. If I ever get on the Denton City Council (don't worry,. I won't...I have no desire to get into that mess) I would move quickly to either ban the dogs from the city limits (if possible) or work to set some VERY strict guidelines for owners of such animals...including financial responsibility!

BAD DOGS...BAD DOGS.....

Because at one time Pits were the most popular dog in the US, plus the fast majority of them are no problem it has more to do with inbreed human owners, maybe we should eliminate them.

Some knowledge on pits

Does anyone know the most dangerous animal in the US?

Whitetail Deer, are responsible for more death and personal injury then all the other animals combined.

Edited May 21, 2008 by KingDL1

[FirefightnRick]

More knowledge about Pit Bulls

According to a report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of 238 dog-bite-related deaths from 1979 to 1998 in which the breed was known, pit bulls accounted for 66, more than any other breed.

I wouldn't be surprised that the fatality rate has increased dramatically in the past 10 years considering how out of control the pit breed is now and the amount of maulings that is occuring all across the country.

By the way, I remember when the Chow was the most well known Bully Breed and that was back in the 80's I believe. The Chow has now taken a back seat to the Pit's. In fact I have yet to see a single Chow running loose, on chain-parade or simply roaming a back yard in the 9 years that I have worked the east side. Yet I see pits everyday. The breed is absolutely worthless now. Their fate seems to end with them either being confiscated from a dog-fight round up, or from an attack or simply picked up after breaking loose from their confinement and roaming, all of which mostly ends in euthinization. I say speed up the process and get rid of them all, but that's just me. If numerous cities can ban them the rest can too and the states and counties should follow. They are not the first animal to be banned from ownership. But they should be the next.

Rick

[Green P1]

I'm not sure exactly where I fall on this argument. On one side, saying we should eliminate Pits is eerily close to "Politicians trying to take my guns away." Guns don't kill people...... Pits don't kill people... Pits and those responsible for the aggressiveness of the breed do.

I hate the dogs. If I'm going out for a walk, or taking my Aussie to the dog park and I see one (especially one not on a leash), I immediately turn and head the opposite direction.

I would tend to believe that the answer lies in the similarity of the issues revolving around gun control and Pits. I don't ever see the government stepping in and regulating the ownership of the breed, but there need to be much harsher consequences levied upon the owners of dogs involved violent incidents. Putting the dogs themselves down is not enough. The owners of animals that commit violent crimes must be held accountable.

For those that do not recognize how terrible the statistics really are in comparing Pits to all other breeds here's a really eye opening study:

http://www.dogbitelaw.com/Dog%20Attacks%20...6%20Clifton.pdf

[FirefightnRick]

I don't ever see the government stepping in and regulating the ownership of the breed,

Actually, 16 cities and nine others who are considering it, currently ban the ownership of pits. One of the links in that list of links I posted states that attacks have decreased since the ban in either Denver or Aurora.

And thank you for that link, I have been searching for that research since finding one stat taken from it in one of the stories I linked to. The story mentioned that half of all of the 2000 some odd maulings registered between '82 and '98 were from pits.

One of the more interesting facts pointed out in this research, which is going on two years old now, is the difference between a bite which any dog is capable of and a mauling.

If almost any other dog has a bad moment, someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable. If a pit bull terrier or a Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed--and that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as their victims are paying the price.

And I know Chows, Akitas and of course Rots are mentioned. They must be more prevelent up north, or just invisible because I just don't see them in east Fort Worth. Chows and Akitas especially since they would suffer during our mostly hot climate. I remember Sidney "Mad Dog" Brandford had a Chow at his apartment on E. McKinney back when we went to North Texas. But I just don't see them where I work. The status is Pits, and nothing but.

Rick

Edited May 22, 2008 by FirefightnRick

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

Yes! Indeed we should kill every last Pit on the face of the earth. That would cure dog mauling once and for all. No chance the people that raise their Pits to fight would ever move on to another breed once the Pit is gone.

And why stop with Pits? Let's ban everything that causes the most damage/death in it's category.

Kids Toys - Ban Bikes

Home Improvements - Ban Swimming pools

Car Collisions - Ban SUVs/Trucks

And while we're at it we should probably burn most books. They don't do anything but cause trouble either.

Don't worry...the law of supply and demand and the free market will correct all these problems.

Wait...am I in the wrong forum topic?