Penticton dad calls for pit bull ban after dog bites daughter
PENTICTON – The father of a young girl who was bitten by a pit bull last weekend wants to see the breed banned in B.C.
Seann Gentray was at a friend’s house with his daughter Haley, 9, on Saturday, April 4 when the pit bull, which belonged to the friend, lunged at her, acccording to a Global Okanagan report.
The dog, which has been put down, bit Haley in the arm several times and she required five stitches.
“It’s my fault and I will take full responsibility,” the dog’s owner, Dan Kline, told Global Okanagan news. “I told them I would pay them back for any expenses they’ve incurred.”
Now Seann Gentray wants a law to ban pit bulls, or at least have them muzzled, and is looking for like-minded individuals to join his effort to lobby the province.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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29 responses
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Rebekah Ann Callen of course all dogs can attack I’m so tired of pit bull enthusiasts and owners trying to bring logic to this. how many children does it take to have their scalps removed by pitt bulls before we ban them? I no there are great owners out there but its a fact. they can snap at anytime and prove it over and over again. Stats speak. Ive witnessed pitt bulls lose it after there owners claim never has there dog attacked. its a breed that picks up on fear like right this moment and they will target a person out of a crowd even if they smell fear. I wont even go into a home if a person has one. I was attacked my cousins pitt bull. Get rid of them.
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Aurora, ColoradoPopulation 339,030Also in March, Aurora released statistical data showing a significant reduction in the volume of pit bull attacks and pit bulls euthanized after adopting a pit bull ban in 2005.”Since the ban has been in place, bites are down 73 percent from pit bulls,” said Cheryl Conway, a spokeswoman for the city’s animal care division. She described various problems the city encountered before enacting the ban in 2005 that included irresponsible owners letting the dogs run at large, and owners using pit bulls to taunt pedestrians.She added that the dogs placed a tremendous burden on city staff. According to city documents, before the ordinance was enacted in 2005, up to 70 percent of kennels in the Aurora Animal Shelter were occupied by pit bulls with pending court disposition dates or with no known owner. That number is now only 10 to 20 percent of kennels.”There hasn’t been a human mauling in many years. Complaints and requests related to pit bulls are down 50 percent. Euthanasia of pit bull dogs is down 93 percent. Of those few that are put down, they are primarily those that come in as strays and their owners don’t come to claim them,” she said. ************************************************************ Omaha, Nebraska Population 415,068After the City of Omaha adopted a pit bull law in 2008, Mark Langan of the Nebraska Humane Society, who opposed the law, said in September 2009 that pit bull biting incidents were down 35% since its adoption:”Despite the attack of Haynes, The Humane Society’s Mark Langan says pitbull bites are down since new laws went into effect last year. Langan says so far this year 54 bites have been reported compared to 83 last year.”In September 2010, the Nebraska Humane Society provided bite statistical data to city council members and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pit bull ordinance adopted by the City of Omaha in late 2008.”It is the position of the Nebraska Human Society that this ordinance has been effective in reducing bites involving dogs defined as “Pit Bulls” in the ordinance.”Judy Varner, President and CEO, Nebraska Human Society. Varner’s attached statistical data shows that bites by pit bulls dropped 40% after one year of the adoption of the ordinance, 121 bites in 2008 down to 73 bites in 2009. The bite rate dropped even further in 2010.2008 Pit Bull Bites: 121 Total. 2009 Pit Bull Bites: 73 Total. 2010 Pit Bull Bites (through August): 28 Total.In January 2013, the Nebraska Humane Society reported that pit bull bites dropped to 31 in 2012, down from 121 in 2008 (a 74% reduction), the year that Omaha enacted a progressive pit bull ordinance.2008 Pit Bull Bites Total: 121 (pre-breed specific ordinance). Level 2: 52; Level 3: 58, Level 4: 8; Level 5: 3 (69 were Level 3-5 attacks).2009 Pit Bull Bites Total: 73. Level 2: 49; Level 3: 17; Level 4: 4; Level 5: 3 (24 were Level 3-5 attacks).2010 (through August) Pit Bull Bites Total: 28. Level 2: 19; Level 3: 6; Level 4: 2; Level 5: 1 (9 were Level 3-5 attacks).2012 Pit Bull Bites Total: 31. No bite level break down provided. *********************************************************** Saginaw, Michigan Population 51,230In November 2012, Saginaw reported a reduction in dog attacks eighteen months after enacting a “Light” BSL ordinance1 requiring owners of the top 5 dangerous dog breeds2 to comply with new regulations.Eighteen months after Saginaw created its dangerous dog ordinance, put into effect in June 2011, Saginaw City Chief Inspector John Stemple said it has helped to lower the amount of dog attacks in the city.”It was the government reacting to a problem,” Stemple said. “And if you look at the numbers, it’s been very effective.”The ordinance requires residents to register dogs whose breeds are deemed “dangerous” at the City Clerk’s office, post a “Dog on premises” sign in the front of their homes and when outdoors, keep their animals either on a leash or within a 4-foot-high fenced area or kennel.The breeds included in the ordinance are pit bulls, presa canario, bull mastiffs, rottweilers and German shepherds.Stemple said he has heard from employees at Consumers Energy and the U.S. Postal Service that the signs and tethering rules have made their work safer. The number of reported dog bites fell in 2011 to nine, from 24 in 2009.
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Ottumwa, IowaPopulation 24,998In July 2010, Police Chief Jim Clark said there had been no recorded pit bull attacks since the city’s 2003 pit bull ban. Between 1989 and 2003, the city had a pit bull ordinance, but still allowed pit bulls as “guard” dogs. “Police Chief Jim Clark says since the ban, there have been no recorded attacks by the animals.”We haven’t had any attacks since then for one thing because it is illegal,” said Clark. “Most people are keeping their dogs inside their house or inside their basement and not letting them out loose so therefore they’re not around other people to attack them.””In the two-and-a-half years before the 2003 ban, Ottumwa police recorded 18 pit bull attacks, including the death of 21-month-old Charlee Shepherd in August 2002. There were at least three other attacks on children during this time.” ************************************************************ Little Rock, Arkansas. Population 189,515When the City of Indianapolis was discussing a pit bull sterilization law in April 2009, Little Rock Animal Services Director Tracy Roark spoke about Little Rock’s successful 2008 pit bull ordinance:”There was a day when you could walk down any street in center city Little Rock, you could see several pit bulls chained up. You don’t see that anymore,” said Tracy Roark with Little Rock Animal Services.Roark told Eyewitness News over the phone that pit bull attacks have been cut in half and credits their new law with getting them there. “This is the most abused dog in the city,” said Roark.The Little Rock law passed last year and requires pit bulls to be sterilized, registered and microchipped. Also dogs – regardless of the breed – are also not allowed to be chained up outside.” ************************************************************ Fort Lupton, Colorado. Population 6,787When the City of Fort Collins was mulling a pit bull law in March 2009, Fort Lupton’s Police Chief spoke about Fort Lupton’s successful 2003 pit bull ban, including zero pit bull biting incidents since the law’s adoption:”Fort Lupton Police Chief Ron Grannis said the city hasn’t had a pit bull bite since the ban was enacted, but it still has the occasional pit bull that is picked up and taken away.Although he said the ban has not been well-received by every resident, he thinks it was the right decision for the city.”I believe it makes the community safer,” he said. “That’s my personal opinion. Pit bulls are not the kind of dogs most people should have. They are too unpredictable…. These dogs have been bred for thousands of years to be fighters.You can’t take it out of them. A lion cub may be friendly for a while, but one day it can take your head off.” ************************************************************ Reading, Pennsylvania Population 80,560After an 8-year legal battle, pit bull advocates dismantled a pit bull law adopted by Reading in 1998. It was reported in the same news article, in February 2008, that the law had significantly reduced biting incidents:”Reading’s 1998 law required that aggressive or dangerous dogs, when outside the home, be muzzled and kept on a leash shorter than three feet long with a minimum tensile strength of 300 pounds.The law also punished violators with fines of up to $1,000 or 30 days in jail. The law is credited with helping to reduce dog bites from 130 in 1999 to 33 in 2006. As a result, the law – or at least elements of it – were not being actively enforced, the Reading Eagle reported last year.
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Springfield, MOIn April 2008, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department released data to a local TV station – following the City of Springfield’s adoption of a 2006 pit bull ban:”The Springfield-Greene County Health Department reports that dog bites and vicious dog complaints are declining since the implementation of the Pit Bull Ordinance in the City of Springfield two years ago. In 2005 the health department fielded 18 vicious dog complaints, but only eight in 2007. Bites were down from 102 in 2005 to 87 in 2007.””The ordinance, which requires pit bull owners to register their dogs annually, has also resulted in fewer pit bull dogs being impounded at the Springfield Animal Shelter.In 2005 there were 502 pit bull and pit bull mixes impounded, compared to only 252 in 2007.According to statistics taken from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, as reported in the News-Leader March 12, for the three-year period beginning in 2004, there were 42 “vicious” animal attacks recorded in the jurisdiction covered.After passing the local ordinance banning or strictly controlling the ownership of pit bull or pit bull types, the number of attacks has dropped dramatically.For the five-year period from 2007-2011, there was a total of 14.”Because we are impounding fewer pit bulls, we’ve also seen overcrowding in our shelter subside,” says assistant director Clay Goddard. “It is the natural tendency of pit bulls to fight, so our animal control staff are forced to segregate them in individual pens.When we have several pit bulls in the shelter simultaneously, this severely limits space for other dogs.” *************************************************** WashingtonIn 2008, the City of Wapato passed an ordinance that bans new pit bulls, rottweilers and mastiffs. Nine months after its adoption, in March 2009, Wapato Police Chief Richard Sanchez reported successful results:”Nine months into the ban and police calls about vicious dogs have been cut in half. The Wapato Police tell Action News they’ve gone from 18 reports in January, February and March of last year to seven so far in ’09. “Seven calls in three months… that’s nothing,” says Chief Richard Sanchez, Wapato Police Department.Chief Sanchez credits local cooperation for the decline of dangerous dogs.” *************************************************** Rhode IslandWhen the City of Woonsocket was debating a pit bull ordinance in June 2009, the animal control supervisor in Pawtucket, John Holmes, spoke about the enormous success of Pawtucket’s 2003 pit bull ban:”Holmes says he predicted that it would take two years for Pawtucket to experience the full benefit of the law after it was passed, but the results were actually apparent in half the time.”It’s working absolutely fantastic,” said Holmes. “We have not had a pit bull maiming in the city since December of 2004.”Holmes says the law also capped the number of legal pit bulls in Pawtucket to about 70 animals.”In July 2013, Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and City Council President David Moran sent a joint letter to Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee asking that he reject a statewide anti-BSL measure before him.While they agree that some pit bulls can make good pets, said Moran and Grebien, “the number and severity of pit bull attacks against people and other animals in the early 2000s required us to take the action we did.”Prior to the 2004 city ordinance, Pawtucket Animal Control officers responded to many calls about serious pit bull attacks against people and animals, according to the letter. Two of the worst cases involved a nine-month pregnant woman and a child.While proponents of the bill argue that breed-specific bans don’t work, said Grebien and Moran, “the results in Pawtucket dramatically prove that they do work.”In 2003, the year before the local ban on pit bulls went into effect, 135 pit bulls, all from Pawtucket, were taken in at the Pawtucket Animal Control Shelter for a variety of health and safety reasons, with 48 of those dogs needing to be put down.In 2012, 72 pit bulls were taken in, only 41 from Pawtucket, with only six needing to be euthanized, according to the two officials. “That’s a tremendous improvement,” they state in their letter. *************************************************** Per section 8-55 of Denvers pit bull ban:A pit bull, is defined as any dog that is an APBT, Am Staf Terrier, Staff Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of anyone (1) or more of the above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards set by the AKC or UKC for any of the above breed.Over the course of 22 years, the Denver ban has withstood numerous battles in state and federal courts. It has been used as a model for over 600 USA cities that legislate pit bulls, as well as US Navy, Air Force, Marine and Army bases ( so much for Sgt Stubby).without it, we’d see just what we see in Miss E’s lame replies. Every pit owner would claim their land shark was anything but a pit bull.Miami Dade county voted 66% to keep their pit bull ban, just as it is worded, last year.
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These links show the Genetic reality and truth of the pit bull type dog,they are what they do, Kill, Maul, Maim, Disfigure, Dismember, cause Life Flights or trips to the Intensive Care Unit.http://17barks.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-happened-to-gavin.htmlhttps://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.173059916187205.1073741830.172467419579788&type=1http://www.babybeaufoundation.org/my-story/http://www.babybeaufoundation.org/rep-waites-and-mrs-rutledge-discuss-bully-breed-legislation/http://www.capitalbay.com/uk/297683-milly-anne.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2027286/Darla-Napora-Pregnant-woman-dies-mauled-pet-dog-living-room.html “mauled to death by one of her pet pit bull terriers belonged to group campaigning to convince people that the animals aren’t dangerous,” – Just like you! Ironic, no?http://www.azfamily.com/news/Mom-severely-injured-while-saving-toddler-from-dog-attack-226409391.htmlhttp://17barks.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-red-nose-pit-bull.htmlhttp://blog.dogsbite.org/2013/07/beyond-the-interview-essay-of-a-fatal-pit-bull-mauling.htmlhttp://17barks.blogspot.com/2014/01/getting-to-know-pit-bulls-continued.htmlhttp://www.daxtonsfriends.com/betty-anne-chapman-todd-victims-stories/http://www.daxtonsfriends.com/konen-dean-asa-dagley-daxtons-friends-victims-stories/http://www.daxtonsfriends.com/zachary-wright-victims-stories/ ******************************************************************************* Pit bulls have KILLED more people than every other breed COMBINED, every decade since 1851.Fatal Pit Bull Attacks. Stop the Maulings. A growing archive of U.S. fatal pit bull attacks dating back to 1844:Fatal pit bull attacks – An archive of U.S. fatal pit bull attacks dating back to 1858 by DogsBite.org.http://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com/
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Benjamin Hart, professor emeritus at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and an animal behaviorist, said he wasn’t surprised by dog behaviorists positive assessment’s of pit bull type dogs after attacks.”It’s quite common for a pit bull to show no signs of aggression,” Hart said Wednesday. “People will call it a nice dog, a sweet dog, even the neighbors – and then all of a sudden something triggers the dog, and it attacks a human in a characteristic way of biting and hanging on until a lot of damage is done.”Hart said pit bulls are responsible for about 60 percent of dog attack fatalities each year, which is “way out of proportion” compared with other breeds. Pit bulls make up less than 5 percent of the American dog population.”It’s very poor policy to allow any child around a pit bull, in my mind, let alone climb on a dog,” Hart said. ********************************************************************************************************* The pit bull’s unusual breeding history has produced some bizarre behavioral traits, de- scribed by The Economist’s science editor in an article published a few years ago, at the peak of a heated British controversy over dangerous dogs that saw the pit bull banned in England.First, the pit bull is quicker to anger than most dogs, probably due to the breed’s unusually high level of the neurotransmitter L-tyrosine. Second, pit bulls are frighteningly tenacious; their attacks frequently last for 15 minutes or longer, and nothing—hoses, violent blows or kicks—can easily stop them.That’s because of the third behavioral anomaly: the breed’s remarkable insensitivity to pain. Most dogs beaten in a fight will submit the next time they see the victor. Not a defeated pit bull, who will tear into his onetime vanquisher. This, too, has to do with brain chemistry.The body releases endorphins as a natural painkiller. Pit bulls seem extra-sensitive to endorphins and may generate higher levels of the chemical than other dogs. Endorphins are also addictive: “The dogs may be junkies, seeking pain so they can get the endorphin buzz they crave,” The Economist suggests.Finally, most dogs warn you before they attack, growling or barking to tell you how angry they are—”so they don’t have to fight,” ASPCA advisor and animal geneticist Stephen Zawistowski stresses.Not the pit bull, which attacks without warning. Most dogs, too, will bow to signal that they want to frolic. Again, not the pit bull, which may follow an apparently playful bow with a lethal assault.In short, contrary to the writings of Vicki Hearne, a well-known essayist on animals who—in a bizarre but emotionally charged confusion—equates breed-specific laws against pit bulls as a kind of “racist propaganda,” the pit bull is a breed apart.
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The point is, other dogs bite and release causing a band aid or a stitch or two, it is only Pit bulls and Pit bull crosses and others like Bullmastiffs, Rotts etc. that attack and can not change their Genetic reality to Kill, Maul, Maim, Disfigure, Dismember, cause Life Flights or trips to the Intensive Care Unit.These are the kind of attacks that BSL is designed to stop and they do so very successfully, they are not meant to stop everyday minor fear bites from normal dogs as those are not the attacks that pit bull type dogs carry out.That is the big difference in the outcome and should result in a completely different attitude towards these dogs and why they should be banned outright.The stats are very clear and accurate and show this reality even if you want to put your head in the sand, it still is what it is.
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Simply put, border collies do not herd sheep because they are raised on sheep farms; rather, they are raised on sheep farms because they herd.In addition pointers point, retrievers retrieve, and mastiffs guard, all because those traits are part of their breed expectations, meaning strong and continuous selection in the underlying breeding program “.Pit bulls do not attack because they are raised with dog fighters and drug dealers, dog fighters and drug dealers use pit bulls because they attack!It is their nature, their genetic truth and reality.It is not how you raise them rather it is simply what they are.Just like sled dogs run and pull, it is just their nature.A pit bull type dog is what it is and does what it is.You can no more alter it genetic makeup then you can a collies to herd, a hounds to track, a retriever’s to retrieve, a labs to swim, a pointers to point, a sled dog to run and pull.They do what they are and a pit bull type dog is a mauling violent killer that has been bred to be a land shark, nothing you do can change that, even if you have them from birth.No matter if you love them, or how you nurture, train, rehabilitate, raise them optimally as normal dogs from birth, you can not change their Genetic reality to Kill, Maul, Maim, Disfigure, Dismember, cause Life Flights or trips to the Intensive Care Unit.For over 600 years the current pit bull type dog was brought into being through careful selective genetic breeding to create the most violent murderous fighting dog possible.
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In North America, from 1982-2014, Pit Bull breeds and mixes have seriously attacked 3,595 humans that resulted in 2,233 maimings and 307 deaths.The Bullmastiff is a Pit bull type dog with the same genetic makeup and danger of a pit bull. The Bullmastiff was a cross of 40% Old English Bulldog or pit bull type dog and 60% English Mastiff. In North America, from 1982-2014, Bullmastiffs have been responsible for 111 serious attacks on humans, resulting in 63 maimings and 18 deaths.In North America from 1982-2014, Rottweilers were responsible for 535 attacks on humans, resulting in 85 deaths.Rottweiler mixes were responsible for 30 attacks on humans, resulting in 4 deaths. ******************************************************************************** The following is a list of the top 10 dog breeds involved in dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada involving humans from September 1982 to December 31, 2013, based on a larger table compiled by Merritt Clifton, former editor of Animal People, an animal rights charity/news group. Clifton now is the editor of Animals 24-7.A Bullmastiff is considered a pit bull type dog and a pit bull mix between a pit bull and a mastiff and is 40% pit bull.Breed ****** Attacks doing bodily harm ****** Maimed ****** Deaths. 1. Pit bull **********2792 ***********************677 **********263. 2. Rottweiler *******514 ************************294 **********81. 3. Bull Mastiff ******105 ************************61 ***********15. 4. German Shepherd 102 **********************63 ***********15. 5. Wolf Hybrid ******85 *************************49 ***********19. 6. Akita **************68 ************************50 ************8. 7. Boxer *************62 ************************29 ************7. 8. Chow *************58 ************************39 ************7. 9. Pit bull/Rottweiler mix 50 ********************15 ************15. 10.Labrador ********50 *************************39 ************3.The report states that the numbers are compiled from press accounts dating to 1982. It only includes attacks by dogs of clearly identified breed type or ancestry, as designated by animal control officers or others with evident expertise, which have been kept as pets.All accounts are cross-checked by date, location and identity of the victim, according to the report. Attacks by police dogs, guard dogs and dogs trained specifically to fight are not included in the report. ******************************************************************************** About 31,400 dogs attacked about 61,500 other animals in the U.S. in 2013, killing 43,500 and seriously injuring 18,100.The animals killed included about 12,000 dogs, 8,000 cats, 6,000 hooved animals, and 17,000 other small domestic animals, primarily poultry. The seriously injured included about 12,400 dogs, 4,000 cats, and 1,700 hooved animals. Few small mammals and poultry survived reported dog attacks.Pit bulls inflicted 99% of the total fatal attacks on other animals (43,000); 96% of the fatal attacks on other dogs (11,520); 95% of the fatal attacks on livestock (5,700) and on small mammals and poultry (16,150); and 94% of the fatal attacks on cats (11,280).About 30,000 pit bulls were involved in attacks on other animals, many of them killing multiple other animals. There are about 3.2 million pit bulls in the U.S. at any given time, according to the annual Animal24-7 surveys of dogs offered for sale or adoption via online classified ads.Thus in 2013 about one pit bull in 107 killed or seriously injured another animal, compared with about one dog in 50,000 of other breeds. Nationally, fatal and disfiguring attacks by dogs from shelters and rescues have exploded from zero in the first 90 years of the 20th century to 80 since 2010, including 58 by pit bulls, along with 22 fatal & disfiguring attacks by other shelter dogs, mostly Rottweilers & bull mastiffs.Altogether, 33 U.S. shelter dogs have participated in killing people since 2010, including 24 pit bulls, seven bull mastiffs, and two Rottweilers. The only dogs rehomed from U.S. shelters to kill anyone before 2000 were two wolf hybrids, rehomed in 1988 and 1989, respectively. ******************************************************************************** Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to May.25, 2013. By compiling U.S. and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2013, Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, shows the breeds most responsible for serious injury and death.Study highlights Pit bull type dogs make up only 6% of all dogs in the USA. The combination of Pit Bulls, rottweilers, their close mixes and wolf hybrids and other Pit Bull Type Dogs:84% of attacks that induce bodily harm.75% of attacks to children.87% of attack to adults.72% of attacks that result in fatalities.80% that result in maiming. ********************************************************************************Merritt Clifton Editor Of Animals24-7:I have logged fatal & disfiguring dog attacks in the U.S. and Canada since September 1982.Of the 5,314 dogs involved in fatal and disfiguring attacks on humans occurring in the U.S. & Canada since September 1982, when I began logging the data, 3,672 (68%) were pit bulls; 570 were Rottweilers; 4,524 (85%) were of related molosser breeds, including pit bulls, Rottweilers, mastiffs, bull mastiffs, boxers, and their mixes.Of the 594 human fatalities, 309 were killed by pit bulls; 90 were killed by Rottweilers; 442 (75%) were killed by molosser breeds.Of the 3,201 people who were disfigured, 2,289 (68%) were disfigured by pit bulls; 356 were disfigured by Rottweilers; 2,773 (84%) were disfigured by molosser breeds.Pit bulls–exclusive of their use in dogfighting–also inflict more than 70 times as many fatal and disfiguring injuries on other pets and livestock as on humans, a pattern unique to the pit bull class.Fatal and disfiguring attacks by dogs from shelters and rescues have exploded from zero in the first 90 years of the 20th century to 80 in the past four years, including 58 by pit bulls, along with 22 fatal & disfiguring attacks by other shelter dogs, mostly Rottweilers & bull mastiffs.The only dogs rehomed from U.S. shelters to kill anyone, ever, before 2000 were two wolf hybrids in 1988 and 1989. 33 U.S. shelter dogs & one U.K. shelter dog have participated in killing people since 2010, including 24 pit bulls, seven bull mastiffs, and two Rottweilers.Surveys of dogs offered for sale or adoption indicate that pit bulls and pit mixes are together less than 7% of the U.S. dog population; molosser breeds, all combined, are 9%.
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Facts on the Danger of all Pit Bull Type Dogs.The Truth about the success of Pit Bull type Dog Ban & BSL enforcement, Views of Dog trainers/animal control, Pit Bull breeders, owners, Canine experts, animal behaviorists, Vets, Doctors, Dog attack statistics for the USA, General Dog Bite Statistics across the country.And everything you were want to know about the pit bull type dog but were afraid to ask.http://banallpitbulls.blogspot.ca/ ************************************************************************************************************ God Bless these souls through eternity and may there killers be dammed for eternity.http://voicesofthevictims.org/victims-stories/media/2014-canine-attack-victims-memorial/This is the truth of the Pit bull type dog’s Genetic reality and outcome: We the people “WON’T BACK DOWN”.http://voicesofthevictims.org/victims-stories/media/wontbackdown-psa/ *********************************************************************************************** Wednesday, January 7, 2015.2014 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs Most of the Expected, Longtime Killing Culprits.http://blog.dogsbite.org/2015/01/2014-fatal-dog-attack-breed-identification-photographs.htmlBite Statistics to Sink Your Teeth Into.January 06, 2015.http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/Stories/2015/JAN06/bite.html
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For additional accurate information on the public safety Danger of Pit Bull Type Dogs visit:http://www.dogsbite.org/http://www.daxtonsfriends.com/http://www.animals24-7.org/category/dogs-cats/dogs/*************************************************************************Ontario’s pit bull ban is working and mustn’t be repealed: Editorial.Ontario’s pit bull ban has produced a remarkable reduction of bites in Toronto. It’s further evidence that the ban should stay in place.Published on Mon Oct 06 2014.The evidence is in, and it should be enough to muzzle any further attempt to reverse Ontario’s successful pit bull ban.Of course, we don’t expect passionate defenders of pit bulls and associated breeds to quit their emotional campaign on behalf of these animals. No amount of data will convince them that pit bulls pose a hazard.But responsible legislators need to look further, examine the facts and put public safety first. In doing so they mustn’t ignore compelling new evidence from a Star investigation showing a remarkable drop in pit bull bites in Toronto in the wake of the ban. Indeed, reported incidents of such attacks have almost disappeared.Reporter Eric Andrew-Gee and data analyst Joel Eastwood crunched municipal numbers and found that, from 2001 to 2004, pit bulls were more likely than any other breed to bite people and pets in Toronto.In 2004, the last full year before the ban, there were 984 licensed pit bulls in the city and 168 reported bites. Last year there were 501 pit bulls registered in Toronto, and just 13 bites. That’s right — the number of reported bites went from 168 to 13.It makes sense to attribute that massive reduction to the province’s pit bull law. It’s a misnomer to call it a ban. Hundreds of pit bulls remain in Toronto. The legislation forbids their breeding and importation; it requires them to be neutered, and they must be leashed and muzzled when appearing in public.These reasonable measures are obviously working to protect the community from serious harm. How serious? Consider just three incidents occurring in Toronto in the summer of 2004, shortly before the ban.In what one witness described as a “bloodbath,” a 25-year-old man was attacked by two pit bulls in a downtown laneway. He received extensive leg back and arm wounds. Police said the dogs appeared to be biting their way up from his feet, and he likely would have died had officers not arrived and shot the rampaging animals.A few weeks later a woman was walking her 8-year-old Labrador-cocker spaniel mix when a pit bull and a German shepherd charged out from some bushes. The pit bull mauled her pet, causing injuries that resulted in 60 stitches and amputation of the pet’s tail. Shortly after that, another pit bull knocked over a pregnant woman and locked its jaws onto the neck of her 3-year-old Labrador retriever. The stricken pet required 20 stitches.Anything that reduces the number of such outrages is welcome. But pit bull fanciers find Ontario’s law overly oppressive and they want it gone. They have long insisted that what exactly constitutes a pit bull is vague and open to interpretation. Therefore assorted mixed breeds and mongrels could be responsible for much of the damage attributed to pit bulls.The correct response to that is: it doesn’t matter. If using the existing, fuzzy definition of a pit bull produces a 92-per-cent reduction in bites, the law is working remarkably well. The public is being protected. There’s no need for repeal.Another argument against the ban is that there are no bad pit bulls, only bad owners. Abusive, irresponsible or violence-prone people are the real culprits when these animals go rogue. So it doesn’t make sense to target the breed.This sounds familiar. Firearms owners, resisting gun control, have long argued: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” But it’s no reason to allow open access to pistols. The same goes for unrestricted ownership of pit bulls. Public safety must come first. Statistics show these dogs can pose a serious risk. And the best way to protect society is through broad regulations covering every owner — both good and bad — the same way gun restrictions apply to all.Pit bull fanciers remain upset that Ontario’s law stops them from breeding or importing the pet of their choice, or letting their animal run free as other dogs do. But that’s a small price to pay for a major boost in public safety. The so-called pit bull ban should stay.http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/10/06/ontarios_pit_bull_ban_is_working_and_mustnt_be_repealed_editorial.html
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Vancouver 24 Hours. B.C. pit bull owners bark back. By Bill Tieleman, Monday, January 12, 2015.“Based on my extensive experience, I believe that the risk posed by pit bulls is equivalent to placing a loaded gun with the safety off on the coffee table. In my opinion, these dogs should be banned.” – Dr. David Billmire, pediatric plastic surgery director, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.Pit bull advocates are as fierce as the dog breed that has killed and maimed more people than any other by a wide margin.Even worse – many pit bull owners are simply in denial.And my column calling for a pit bull ban in B.C., like those in place in Ontario since 2005, Winnipeg since 1990 and many American cities, stirred up some of the nastiest emails and comments I have received in many years.An angry Prince George reader emailed me: “You and your opinions can f*** right off. Nobody needs your half-assed-informed articles causing problems for the tame and loving animals we know and love.”Stunningly, last week’s column was shared on Facebook over 15,000 times.And by no coincidence, over 14,000 readers voted “No” to banning pit bulls, in an obviously coordinated effort to skew the results.My sin? Pointing out the need for action after three serious pit bull attacks in B.C. in just two months and citing U.S. statistics showing 25 people were killed by pit bulls in 2013 alone, including 18 children – making up 78% of all fatal dog bite deaths, even though they account for just 6% of all U.S. dogs.And despite being “tame and loving,” since last week’s column an 87-year-old Maryland man was mauled to death by his own pit bull; only a police helicopter and intervention saved a California man’s life after four pit bulls attacked in his own alley; a 10-month-old Florida child was severely maimed by the family pit bull; and a Florida puppy and its owner were savaged by a pit bull in a dog park.Sadly, just another week in pit bull attack news.Unfortunately, pit bull advocates go into denial when faced with these grim stories, blaming “bad” owners – even the parents of attacked children and babies – and saying their pit bull is sweet and loving.Sorry, but Dr. Billmire is right – pit bulls are simply too dangerous and a ban is needed for public safety.Bill Tieleman is a former NDP strategist. Read his blog at http://billtieleman.blogspot.com Email: weststar@telus.net Twitter: @BillTieleman.http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/01/12/bc-pit-bull-owners-bark-back
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OPINION COLUMN Time to ban pit bulls in B.C. Bill Tieleman By Bill Tieleman, News, Views, and Attitude. Monday, January 5, 2015.”How do I go from a birth certificate to a death certificate? … Those dogs cannot be domesticated. They cannot.” – Jeremiah Rutledge, father of two-year-old Beau, killed by family pit bull, 2013, Fulton County, Georgia.A 16-day-old baby is viciously attacked in her own Saanich home by the family dog, suffering serious lacerations requiring extensive plastic surgery.A six-foot-five man weighing 250 pounds is mauled by two dogs outside a Langley store, requiring 19 stitches – after he said “Hi pups” to the pair tied to a mountain bike, which they dragged behind them to get at their target.A miniature pinscher therapy dog is literally disemboweled in front of its shocked owner outside a Kitsilano post office by a sudden, unprovoked attack by another dog.The common element? The attackers were all pit bulls. Those three reported B.C. incidents happened in just the last two months.In the United States, statistics show that 25 people were killed in pit bull attacks in 2013 alone, including 18 children – that’s 78% of all fatal dog-bite deaths, even though pit bulls make up just roughly 6% of all U.S. dogs.The non-profit DogBites.org tracks fatal attacks and reports that between 2005 and 2013 pit bulls killed an astonishing 176 Americans – or one every 19 days – representing 62% of all dog bite deaths. Rottweilers, another fighting/guard dog, killed 33 in the same period, for a combined total of 74%.The website chronicles each human death in horrifying, sourced stories.It’s time British Columbia followed the lead of Ontario and Winnipeg to ban pit bull breeds here as well, for the safety of us all.Ontario banned pit bulls in 2005: no breeding or importation; existing pit bulls must be neutered; and if in public they must be leashed and muzzled.Toronto city statistics prove it works – pit bull bites are down 92%, from 168 reported bites in 2004 from 984 licensed dogs to just 13 bites in 2014 from 501 pit bulls.B.C. should ban pit bulls too because continuing to whine about bad owners, not bad dogs and doing nothing didn’t save a baby, a man or a therapy dog from vicious pit bull attacks – only a ban will.Bill Tieleman is a former NDP strategist. Read his blog at http://billtieleman.blogspot.com Email: weststar@telus.net Twitter: @BillTieleman.http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/01/05/time-to-ban-pit-bulls-in-bc
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An exampled of the failure that is breed neutral legislation: In Calgary, by Bill Bruce’s own admission and documentation, pit bulls lead the serious bite count with 13% of the city’s serious bites attributable to pit bulls, yet pit bulls account for less than 1% of the city’s dogs. In fact, pit bulls are responsible for nearly as many serious bites (13%) as the ENTIRE sporting breeding category (15%), which includes all of the most popular breeds (Labs, Goldens, Poodles, Spaniels, etc) and houses 70% of Calgary’s dogs. Why aren’t these breeds attacking in the face of irresponsible ownership? An example of why leashing and licensing laws don’t work to solve the breed-specific problem of pit bulls: Pitbull supporters always point to Calgary Model as the perfect solution when dealing with dangerous dogs. The city introduced its responsible pet ownership bylaw in 2006. Calgary’s bylaw department emphasizes responsible pet ownership through intensive licensing, hefty fines and owner education. In Calgary, the largest city in Alberta, “confirmed aggressive dog incidents” and related criminal charges tripled in 2013, and in mid-2014 were up 15% more. Has their model worked? The statistics from the past four years would indicate a resounding “NO”. For the past four years dog bites have risen steadily every year, and over 350% in the past 4 years, from 58 in 2009 to 203 in 2012. And In 2010 Pit bulls led the ‘bite’ count. Meanwhile in Toronto, four years after implementing Breed Bans, dog bites were down 32%, from 486 to 329. Bites in Toronto blamed on the four banned breeds fell sharply, from 71 in 2005 to only six in 2010. Considering these breeds regularly inflict the most serious damage, this is an undeniable win for the citizens of Toronto.
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Pit bulls were Toronto’s biggest biters, before the ban. City data shows that before Ontario banned them nearly a decade ago, pit bulls did more biting per capita than other breeds; but today’s neutered, muzzled pit bulls registered only 13 bites last year. By: Eric Andrew-Gee Staff Reporter, Joel Eastwood Staff Reporter, Published on Fri Oct 03 2014.When Ontario banned pit bulls in August 2005, critics said the decision was arbitrary, based on a few dramatic maulings and a sensationalistic press. The campaign was a result of prejudice, not facts, they complained.But city data obtained by the Star points to a different possibility: that pit bulls really were the most dangerous kind of dog, in Toronto at least. From 2001 to 2004, pit bulls were more likely to bite people and domestic animals than any other breed, the statistics show.In 2004, the last full year before the ban, there were 984 pit bulls licensed in Toronto and 168 reported pit bull bites. That’s more than double the rate of German shepherds, the next most aggressive breed.The figures, compiled by the city’s Animal Services division at the Star’s request, come from comparing a breed’s licensed population with the number of times it was reported to have bitten a person or pet. Nearly a decade after the ban was put in place, its purpose appears to have been achieved: pit bull bites in the city have virtually disappeared.In 2013, the pit bull population was down to 501, and there were only 13 reported pit bull bites. The decline in the per-capita rate is probably attributable to the age of the remaining dogs, and the requirement that pit bulls be muzzled in public and sterilized, procedures that tend to make dogs less aggressive.The dogs still exist in Toronto despite the ban because Ontario residents who already owned pit bulls were allowed to keep them, as long as they met the requirements.Advocates for the dogs maintain that the figures are misleading because the definition of “pit bull” is so vague. The law banning the dogs applies to four breed types — pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, and American pit bull terriers (the breeds included in the Star’s tally) — as well as any dog that has “an appearance and physical characteristics substantially similar” to those four.“What people qualify as pit bulls are often mixed breeds and mongrels,” said Cheri DiNovo, an NDP MPP who has sought to repeal the ban. “When somebody said it’s a pit bull that did the biting, there’s no way to say that ‘this is a pit bull.’”. Animal Services spokesperson Mary Lou Leiher acknowledged that determining what constitutes a pit bull is difficult and “subjective.”.“There is no standardized DNA test to determine a dog’s breed,” she said. When in doubt, city inspectors use an extensive checklist of physical characteristics describing everything from the muzzle to the tail of typical pit bull breeds to decide which dogs fit the bill.“In Toronto, we’ve taken quite a hard line on what’s considered ‘substantially similar,’” Leiher said. “If we’re applying the legislation to a dog, it’s got to really look like one of the purebred pit bull dogs.”.Leiher said that bite reports come mainly from two sources: doctors, who are required to inform Toronto Public Health when patients have been bitten; and members of the public who self-report. That suggests the portion coming from doctors, at least, is unlikely to over represent pit bulls.Such a relatively low rate reflects the fact that per-capita bite numbers are down overall in the past decade. Daschunds epitomized the phenomenon, with 594 licensed dogs and not a single reported bite last year. (While bite totals have remained fairly steady year-to-year, the licensed dog population has more than doubled since 2005.)Leiher said bylaw enforcement and public education, as well as more responsible breeding and fewer strays, may account for the decline. Still, few if any breeds have matched the plunge taken by per capita pit bull bites, down by a factor of more than six since 2004.For now, though — and for better or worse — the ban appears to have done what it set out to do. “There aren’t very many restricted pit bulls in Toronto,” Leiher said.http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10/03/pit_bulls_were_torontos_biggest_biters_before_the_ban.html#_=_
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Research showing severe dog bites are fewer in Manitoba areas with pit bull bans.The study, conducted by University of Manitoba scientists, shows the number of dog bites requiring hospitalization have decreased since pit bull bans went into effect in 2005.It states the number of hospitalization attacks fell from 3.5 per 100,000 population to 2.8 after the legislation took effect. Many people feel the breed is inherently aggressive.The study doesn’t purport to be the last word on the issue but does contain some compelling data, particularly when comparing Brandon, which has never prohibited pit bulls and Winnipeg, which has, said study co-author, Dr. Malathi Raghavan. “I would not claim this is the ultimate study… all dogs bite,” she said.But she said the data collected from 16 larger Manitoba jurisdictions, along with recent Spanish and Texas studies suggesting similar results, is compelling. “We should pay attention to the fact there is something going on here,” said Raghavan.The Spanish data showed similar hospitalization reductions in the absence of pit bulls while the Texas research indicated higher rates of death, severe injury and treatment costs are linked to the breed. Raghavan said she was careful to isolate the pit bull factor from others, such as changes in dog populations.“The legislation was a variable coming out significantly,” she said. ************************************************************************************************ Pit bull ‘fans’ don’t even care about how many pit bulls get killed as long as those pit bulls aren’t their own, and as long as those pit bulls haven’t mauled or killed a child yet.The pit bull ‘fans’ breed almost a million surplus pit bulls every year, that all end up in shelters and are euthanized because no one — not even the pit bull fans — wants them.The only shelter pit bulls the fans go to extremes to ‘rescue’ are the ones that will be put down for mauling or killing a child or someone’s mother. All the other million pit bulls, well, no pit bull fan cares about them being put down. Do NOT confuse a pit bull fan with an animal lover. Don’t even confuse a pit bull fan with a pit bull lover. ************************************************************************************************ Repealing bans is BAD FOR PIT BULLS. It always leads to them flooding shelters and being massively euthanized. From a Dutch ex-shelter worker:Four years after the pit bull ban was repealed in the Netherlands, various Dutch shelters have announced they’ll be going bankrupt soon if the government doesn’t put (altogether) millions of extra money on the table for them. The average at Dutch urban shelters is now 78% pit-bull type dogs.When the ‘humanes’ were fighting for repeal of the pit bull ban, there were – in the entire country – about 180 pit bulls waiting on death row as owners appealed destruction verdicts. All of them had hurt someone. You see, the ban wasn’t a witch hunt. As long as they stayed under the radar by not hurting anyone (or anyone’s animal) or making some kind of trouble (such as attacking police during a warranted search), no pit bull was confiscated.So in 2008, 180 were awaiting PTS in the whole country, all of which had hurt someone. Now that the ban has been lifted, there are thousands of pit bulls in shelters, almost all of which will be put down in the end because no one wants them. Meanwhile, the humane societies can’t help the shelters avoid bankruptcy. They say they don’t have that much money, and anyway it’s the government’s responsibility to pay. ************************************************************************************************ Reported dog bites down after Sioux City crackdown with BSL pit bull Ban. SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014. Pit Bull Ban (BSL) Results in 37 Percent Decline in Dog Bites.In 2008 Sioux City, Iowa, banned Pit Bulls and vicious dogs within the city limits. Since then, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of reported dog bites. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Fewer people in Sioux City are reporting dog bites in the wake of a crackdown on vicious dogs and Ban on pit bulls.The Sioux City Journal reports that officers responded to 37 percent fewer dog-bite complaints last year than they did in 2007, the year before the city banned pit bulls. Police statistics show officers responded to 115 bite reports in 2008. The number declined every year since then with the exception of 2010, when 113 bites were reported.Seventy-three bites were reported in 2013. Sioux City police and Animal Control records do not track dog bites by breed within the city, the Sioux City Journal states. However, Sioux City is the County seat of Woodbury County, and the Siouxland District Health Department provides a breakdown by breed of all bites within the county.Twenty-six (26) bites by Pit Bulls or Pit bull mixes were reported in the city in 2007– the year before Sioux City Council began discussion of a breed ban, according to the Journal. That number dropped to six bites countywide in the entire year of 2013.DOES THIS MEAN THAT BSL WORKS? This dramatic reduction in dog attacks appears to indicate that breed-specific legislation (BSL) is effective in improving public safety—contrary to claims by advocates that Pit Bulls are no more dangerous than other dogs. Not all bites are reported to police. Less severe bites or those that do not require hospitalization may be handled by Animal Control.Though he would like more information to determine for sure whether the ban was responsible for the decrease, Councilman Pete Groetken said the declining numbers show something positive is happening. The ban included an exception for owners who registered their pit bulls, but no new pit bulls were allowed.More than 550 were registered before the April 2009 deadline. That number has since declined to 163. ***************************************************************** Toronto dog bites fell after pit bull ban.Patrick Cain, Global News : Monday, November 14, 2011 02:12 PM.The number of dog bites reported in Toronto has fallen since a ban on pit bulls took effect in 2005, public health statistics show.A total of 486 bites were recorded in 2005. That number fell generally in the six years following, to 379 in 2010.Provincial laws that banned ‘pit bulls,’ defined as pit bulls, Staffordshire terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers and dogs resembling them took effect in August 2005. Existing dogs were required to be sterilized, and leashed and muzzled in public.Bites in Toronto blamed on the four affected breeds fell sharply, from 71 in 2005 to only six in 2010. This accounts for most of the reduction in total bites.The fall in bites blamed on the four breeds tracks a reduction in the dogs themselves, data obtained separately by globalnews dot ca under access-to-information laws shows. Some 1,411 Toronto dogs were in the four breeds in 2008, as opposed to 798 in mid-2011.”It is encouraging to hear that fewer people are victimized by dangerous dogs,” Ontario Attorney-General John Gerretson said in a statement.About 1,000 Ontario pit bulls have been put down since the ban took effect.With totals of Toronto dogs by breed and ten years of bite data, it is possible to see which dogs are most likely to bite in Toronto based on a ratio between dogs of a given breed in 2011 and reported bites over the decade between 2000 and 2010. Below are the 20 most bite-prone dogs. The four prohibited breeds all appear in the top eight slots.
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Every dog attack you hear about it a Pit Bull because it makes for a better story.I have never been attacked by a pit bull, but was viciously attacked by a black lab when I was a kid.A Blue Heeler attacked my nephew when he was a baby. People don’t want to hear about the Black Lab attacks, or Golden Retriever attacks.They happen- just are reported on.Pit Bulls are great dogs. They should not be punished because of some person’s stupidity.
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Yes we only hear about the attack if it’s a pit bull. Why don’t you put your uninformed bias aside anddo some legitimate research on dog bites. “Legitimate” research.
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It’s not the dogs pit-bull or collies,,,,,, ban certain people that should never own a dog pit bull or poodle.
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The only reason we don’t hear about other dog attacks is because they aren’t newsworthy enough and they don’t want people to hear that another dog could be just as or more vicious.
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And what story preceded the actual bite? If there was any inkling by the owner there could have been a problem then the dog should have been put away from the situation. Was the dog (notice I say dog…not pitbull) used to having kids around? Was there a previous aggression problem? Was the father watching his 9 year old daughter? Just asking….
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Yes she’s just a child, but she was in his territory and now he’s dead because of this. I trust them over a Chihuahua any time.
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Why are we still making news out of this!Every time I see this it makes my blood boil!Muzzling is not the solution, making sure that the dogs have a proper upbringing is!Certain people should not own these breeds because they want and make them vicious for their own purposes (usually illegal)!It’s not the dogs fault!Children should never be unsupervised around any animal……….The fact that the dad found this news worthy, just because he saw the story the day before about a vicious pit-bull is appalling!If we made a news story out of everyone that got bitten by a dog there wouldn’t be any breeds left, as any dog can turn on someone!Get down off your soap box Mr. Gentray!
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BSL is ineffective, costly, and hurts innocent dogs and their families.I’m actually lobbying AGAINST this effort. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/219/123/737/opposition-to-breed-specific-legislation-in-british-columbia/?cid=FB_TAF
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banning a type of dog doesn’t solve the issue of a dog biting someone.. there are more documented dog bites outside of the Pit-bull breed. So by wanting to ban a breed, you might as well ban ALL dogs, it’s in the animals upbringing, not the breed itself.
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Every dog attack we hear about is a pit bull.That should say enough.I totally agree with this man. the breed should be banned in B.C.
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I have friends with pit bulls and they are great dogs…very friendly and lovable..I say its all in how the owners raise them…I don’t think all pit bulls and owners should pay for some peoples mistakes…maybe parents should be more aware and not let there children around random animals without doing there research first..that’s my opinion and prolly the opinion of many others.
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