Pit bull: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:19, 27 November 2005

Revision as of 22:26, 27 November 2005

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===Debate===

The extent to which banning a particular breed is effective in reducing dog bite fatalities is contested. Some people maintain that pit bull attacks are directly attributable to irresponsible owners, rather than to any inherent property of the breed itself. Others believe that the pit bull terrier is a breed that, although not inherently dangerous, needs a particularly knowledgeable and committed owner toand should not be afreely available to safenovice petowners. Others maintain that pit bulls as a breed are invariably more unpredictable and dangerous than other dogs, even when properly trained.

There is a concern that pit bull terriers may be more frequently owned by irresponsible owners who do not properly socialise, train or desex their pets. These are all factors that have been shown to contribute to increased likelyhood of dog aggression, and may partially explain why pit bulls feature so heavily in dog attack statistics. Some people argue that banning any particular breed of dog will simply result in these irresponsible dog owners seeking to own other large breeds with similar temperaments (such as Dobermanns, Rottweilers or German Shepherd Dogs), resulting in an increased occurance of dog bites from these breeds.

The Centers for Disease Control, which maintains the nation's database on fatal wounds inflicted by dog bites, is firmly against breed specific legislation.