DEADLY Pit Bull Attacks + Rant

[RealPitBull]

I've noticed a strong trend lately towards reporting on Pit Bulls attacking/killing other animals, sometimes with the headline leaving out the fact that the Pit Bull killed an animal, not a human.

For instance, this one: "Second Deadly Pit Bull Attack in Two Days" (the first was an attack in mini horses, and this one was an attack on a goat).

It's really a concern to me, because once again, the reporting is not distinguishing between human and animal aggression. Secondly, the fact that dogs are predators PERIOD seems to conveniently be left out.

Society less and less has any tolerance for dogs that act like dogs, and when a VERY popular breed like the Pit Bull - a breed with an exceptionally high prey and fight drive - consistently has "activists" preaching "it's all how you train them", you have an exceptionally bad situation on your hands.

I'm having a cynical day and am not feeling very positive at all about the breed's future. These are dogs that never should have been in the hands of the "general public" the way they are now (i.e. super popular), but the horse is already out of the barn and I wonder if there is any fix for the situation. There will always be irresponsible dog owners, of all breeds, but when Pit Bull owners are irresponsible, the damage is more strongly felt. More Pit Bulls in the hands of more people = more irresponsibility and more damage.

With the current media blitz over the Vick dogs there will sure to be even more people rushing to own the breed. And with the "it's how you raise them" mindset stronger than ever, surely even less people prepared to deal with the breed's tempermental tendencies.

Thoughts?

[mastiffsj]

I totally agree...I wish somehow people were required to somehow be educated on the breed before being allowed to own one. I wish the school systems would implement a educational program for children to learn from. I wish more people were interested and open to learning about dog behavior and would realize there is a difference in aggression and prey drive/predatory drift...many people think if a dog bites or attacks another dog (or animal) it will do that to a human... I don't know what can actually be done about this, but something definitely needs to be done, without a question.

I try to help educate people who I run into, or who apply to adopt but sometimes you know they just aren't listening...and I can only reach so many people, some days are very frustrating. Some people are so set in their ways and mindsets, there is just no getting through to them.

Sometimes the things I see and stories that I read make me wonder why I am even involved in rescue, it seems to be such a battle that we aren't even putting a dent in, but then I look at the faces at my house and think about the ones I have placed, and that keeps me motivated.

[valliesong]

I'm with both of you here. I try to educate educate educate, but you can only do so much. I really don't know what the answer is. I just hope the popularity will wane, although probably some other breed will take its undeserved place.