Three summers ago, I was mauled by a pit bull. He tried, unsuccessfully, to attack Nanook, our samoyed/chow mix. She came away with just a bruise and wounded pride, while I spent an entire day in the emergency room awaiting my 12 stitches and staring, in awe, at the three inch gaping hole on my thigh. I could actually see the fat in my leg! The dog who did the damage was a pit mix rescued from Katrina. 2 weeks after the incident, he was euthanized. My heart ached for him. You see, I don’t blame him, I blame the owner. His irresponsibility and outright ignorance of the breed caused one more unnecessary death in the approximately 970,000 pit bull euthanizations in America’s shelters in 2008. Both pure bred and mix breed pits account for 58% of all dogs put down in this country each year. By far, most of them end up at the pound because of abuse, neglect, and owners who can no longer care for them, not because of their aggressive nature.
This overwhelming statistic is almost too painful for me to consider. Although most who were in my situation would automatically take a stand against this breed, I’m torn. Torn because we have a pit mix in our home.
Meet Ugo. The love of my life. When people ask me what breed he is, I start to go down the list; boxer, German shorthair pointer, dane, and…. pit bull. And then “the look” rears its ugly head. You know, that look that says “well, he WAS cute, but now…um, gotta go!”. Some people literally back away so quickly, they trip. Others cross the street when they see him, or ask if he bites, from a block away. Truthfully, when I look at him, I can’t see the scary. He is the most gentle, loving, submissive dog I’ve ever met. His best friends are, usually, dogs a tenth his size and twice his age. With all other K9’s, he’s the awkward kid on the playground who REALLY wants to play with others, but just doesn’t know how. His blind, 11 year old “sister” Nanook, loves him like no other which is no small feat considering she is aloof, at best, with everyone else. I often wonder why not everyone is as enamored of Ugo as we are.
Then, I remember what those people see when they look at him. They see aggression, attitude and a thirst for blood. In short, they see a killing machine. They see a breed that began because of a human penchant for fighting. Not only were these dogs bred for fighting each other, but also for bull and bear baiting. Although, the latter has mostly vanished, the former is flourishing. Every year, 250,000 pit bulls are maimed or killed in dog fights (from HSUS) that earn humans millions of dollars, but are a death sentence for those unlucky enough to be on four legs.
According to Adam Goldfarb, director of the pets at risk program for the Humane Society of the United States, “Dogs are products of their environment. Dangerous dogs are not born, they are created.” Therefore, education seems to be the best, maybe the ONLY solution to end dog fighting and bring the pit bull’s reputation back to reality.
According the the ASPCA, rottweilers and pits (pure and mixed breed) account for a “majority” of the dog attacks in this country, but ANY dog is capable of sinking his teeth into your leg. Here are some statistics courtesy of the American Humane Society:
- An estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year.
- Approximately 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs, 94% of which were not neutered.
- Approximately 25% of fatal dog attacks involved chained dogs
- Approximately two-thirds of bites occurred on or near the victim’s property, and most victims knew the dog.
- At least 25 different breeds of dogs have been involved in the 238 dog-bite-related fatalities in the U.S.
- Approximately 58% of human deaths involved unrestrained dogs on their owners’ property
It seems, from these statistics, that certain rules are a MUST (for ANY dog owner):
- Spay/neuter your dog. This will significantly cut down on their aggression and make them less territorial.
- When using your dog for security, do not use a chain. This makes them more territorial and, therefore, more likely to strike. Use a retractable, tethered lead that allows them to move about more freely.
- Just because you are familiar with a dog, does not mean he/she will remember you. Always, re-introduce yourself by letting the dog smell you and remember to approach with your hand below the chin, not from above.
- Most importantly, ANY dog is capable of biting you. Just because it’s a pocket pet under 20 lbs, doesn’t mean it has no teeth!
In no way do I expect one article to change decades of stereotype and skepticism. All I am hoping for is that my words will help shift the “blame” away from the dog and towards a solution. A solution that provides us with the tools and figures to educate each other about the proper way to care for our K9 companions.
Next time you see what you think is a pit bull, stop and ask. The owners will be grateful for the chance to crush the myth and the dog might turn out to be your friend for life….
Here are some great links to further the cause. They make for very interesting reading:
NPR
The lone Chicago “dog officer” GRAPHIC
Pit bull Heroes
