Dangerous dogs
Which breeds are they?
Pictured are the most dangerous breeds in America. Despite periods of high and low ownership popularity, these dogs still committed a disproportional amount of fatalities over a 20-year span. According to a well-publicized CDC report, between the years of 1979 to 1998 pit bulls and rottweilers made up 60% of attacks that ended in death.1 DogsBite.org reports that in 2007, this same combination inflicted 71%.
The CDC does not record attacks by specific breed that cause severe injury, but an animal organization does. By compiling US and Canadian press accounts between 1982 and 2007, Animal People News found that the combination of pit bulls, rottweilers and wolf-hybrids accounted for 77% of attacks that resulted in bodily harm and 77% in maiming.2
What else makes a dog dangerous?
Other factors beyond breed contribute to making a dog dangerous. What we know from a 1991 Denver study is that biters are over 6 times as likely to be male than female, 2.6 times as likely to be intact than neutered and nearly 3 times as likely to be chained as unchained.3
Dangerous dogs are often left intact for "macho" and breeding reasons. Unsuitable as housedogs, owners leave them chained outside as well. The combination of a male, intact, chained pit bull or rottweiler greatly amplifies the danger it poses to the community. These contributory risk factors, however, do not excuse breed conduct. There are many under socialized breeds left unaltered and chained. Only two summon LifeFlight helicopters on a regular basis to save human lives: pit bulls and rottweilers.
Fighting breeds pose a unique threat
Though far less common than pit bull type dogs -- the most popular fighting breed in the world -- other fighting breeds pose significant threat to public safety as well. These breeds stretch across the world, yet are primarily founded on the bulldog. The list includes: akita, bullmastiff, cane corso, dogo argentino, dogue de bordeaux, fila brasileiro, presa canario, shar pei, and tosa inu.
Fighting breeds pose a unique danger to the public for two primary reasons. The first is that they fail to communicate intention. There is rarely a growl, bark or direct stare before an attack. The second is that they are bred for delivering a "sustained attack." In these instances the victim is bitten multiple times, over an extended period of time, resulting in catastrophic injury.4
Fighting breeds are also inherently animal aggressive. Because of this trait, these breeds regularly attack our pets and livestock. Pit bulls are the most notorious for this crime, a crime that often goes unpunished. Advocates of these breeds say that animal-aggression does not lead to human-aggression. Yet, it nearly always does: a pit bull attacks a person's dog and the dog's owner gets injured trying to stop the attack.
Stopping a dangerous dog
Courts across the country have declared pit bulls as "lethal weapons." Police officers have the right to shoot and kill when under threat or when protecting citizens. Examples of officers shooting pit bulls are a daily occurrence in the news. They are often quoted as saying, "The taser did not stop the dog. I had to use my gun."
So how does a common citizen stop a lethal weapon that chooses to go after a child, a dog or ourselves? This is a question all citizens must ask their public policy makers.
Communities are ill equipped to deal with wild animals capable of unstoppable aggression. We are also ill equipped to deal with dogs that demonstrate the same trait. Even when a pit bull is challenged by a group of humans it will not retreat. Wild animals, on the other hand, have self-preservation instincts. They usually flee when confronted in the same manner.
Legislating dangerous dogs
Over 250 United States cities have adopted dog legislation that targets specific breeds due to the unique dangers posed by them. The focal point of this legislation revolves around pit bulls. This is because this class of dogs is the most common and negatively impacts communities the most.
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