When Dog Owners Attack

My recent dscriber editorial about the risks of pit bull adoption drew a great deal of impassioned discussion.

I don't intend to join this dog fight, but the viciousness of some of the responses deserve a few more words.

My purpose in writing the article was this: to compel people considering adoption of any of the pit bull type dogs to evaluate their own dog training expertise and family situation before making what is often an emotional decision. I hoped to impress upon people that there is a heightened risk in adopting these particular dogs as compared to other breeds and mixed-breed "mutts."

In forming my editorial opinion, I consulted the research of Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People (animalpeoplenews.org), an investigative reporter who conducts an on-going, detailed study of dog bites reported in the press. His research dates from 1982 to Aug. 2006.

Furthermore, the severity of injuries caused by these breeds is greater than with other dogs.

Clifton notes, "if almost any 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 the victims are paying the price."

Clifton also notes: "Pit bulls and Rottweilers are accordingly dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all."

Statistics from several sources, including the Clifton report, support the assertions that pit bulls present a high risk of malice when compared with other breeds, that they are more likely to attack adult humans than other breeds, that they are more likely to attack other dogs than other breeds and that such attacks are likelier to result in serious injury when compared to other breeds. This leads to my conclusion that anyone looking for a "pet" might wish to reconsider their capacity to train, manage and handle a pit bull of indeterminate breeding, ownership and pedigree - the type of dog, in other words, typically claimed from a humane society or dog rescue.

I stand by my opinion.

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