Thai Man Mauled To Death By Four Pitbull Terriers

[chrisinth]

Here are some interesting statistics:

Dog Bite-related Fatalities in the United States

Year Total # Most fatal attacks by # Second-most fatal attacks by

2011 12 Pit Bull or "Pit bull type" (7) (58%) Rottweiler (2) (16.66%)

2010 32 Pit Bull (18) (53%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2009 30 Pit Bull (11) (32%) Rottweiler (4) (13%)

2008 23 Pit Bull (11) (43%) Husky (3) (13%)

2007 34 Pit Bull (15) (41%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2006 29 Pit Bull (12) (40%) Rottweiler (9) (31%)

2005 29 Pit Bull (12) (39%) Rottweiler (6) (21%)

Dog bite fatalities by other breeds only occur once a decade or so.

I own two fully grown Siberian huskies, now 2 1/2 years old. This is one breed that is on the above list; they are "Northern" working dogs and can play rough with each other, play being the operative word. However, they have been raised and socialized from pups (3 months old) and would not dream of attacking, unless they were protecting. When these thing lick you, it is through affection; they are not tasting you before biting!

And yes, they adapt very well to the Thai climate. My point here is that any dog, if raised correctly, can be what they have now become to humans, pets.

[elwood]

What a lot of irrelevant apologist nonsense.

Thais are irresponsible when it comes to looking after animals, 27 years living in Thailand witnessing Thai animal cruelty and disgusting behaviour towards animals is why I commented.

"Americans, Brits, the Spanish, the French, the Germans, all nationalities are irresponsible when it comes to looking after animals, all of my years living on this planet witnessing human animal cruelty and disgusting behaviour towards animals is why I commented." It is NOT a Thailand-specific problem. For you to suggest otherwise, is the epitome of ignorance.

Furthermore, what I said is very relevant, when you make a bigoted statement like: "if Thais cannot be taught to behave". How arrogant and condescending of you to say something like that. You spend a lot of your time trying to get Thais to behave do you? I despair for those Thais who are unfortunate enough to make your acquaintance, if that's the way you view them - basically like unruly children. I bet you wai and yim like the proper song-naa you are.

Your statement tells me everything I need to know about you. You seem to have a constant anti-Thai agenda, which makes the fact you've been here for 27 years all the more confusing. According to you it's a nation of people that can't behave.

Also, 27 years or 27 minutes IDGAF. You talk like that, you're going to get called out on it. Equally so, if you say disparaging things about Thais like that, I'm going to stick up for them seeing as they're not here to defend themselves. If that makes me an 'apologist' then I'm proud to be one.

How convenient it is for you to have an anonymous platform to judge and criticize Thais in a forum they'll never see.

Tell me something, do you speak to the Thais you must know like that? Do you speak to Thais in authority you know like that? You get pulled by a BiB looking for some tea money, do you tell them they need to be taught how to behave? Yeah, I didn't think so. If they knew how you talked about them and fully understood how you disparage them here, what would happen? I'd really like to let some of the Thais you know and iteract with on a daily basis read and understand how you view them as so greatly inferior. It'd make for a very interesting scene.

I'll repeat myself. Animal cruelty exists everywhere and is equally (if not more) prevalent in the Western world than it is here. The only difference is in Thailand, it's unlikely you'll ever be prosecuted for it.

As with all "well-behaved" countries around the world, Thailand has its own numerous examples of people doing right by animals. The elephant sanctuaries of the North, the park warden that commited suicide over land encroachment, the monkey schools of the South, the banning of elephants from BKK. I could go on.

You watch a video of an underground dog fight, which is only really prevalent in Western culture and you sit there and tell me it's not barbaric and cruel. Undergound dog fighting is on the increase in both Britian and America. Then there's circuses, zoos, farms, barbaric abbatoirs (like the one shut down in Sydney this week) there are multitudinous examples of severe animal cruelty outside of Thailand, some of which Western governments are happliy complicit in. The fact that the average Thai has less of a conscience about the treatment of animals does not make them a nation full of people who can't behave as impeccably as you.

Lastly, the headline "Man killed by 4 dogs" isn't any less surprising in Thailand, than it would be in any western country you could name. People are mauled constantly, it's in British papers every other day. It's wrong and digusting of you to infer that a problem like this can only happen here as this country's people can't control their animals as they themselves can't be "taught to behave".

That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a while.

Fact - This could have easily happend in your own country of origin and it'd likely just raise an eyebrow then. You attaching some Thai slant to it makes you a bigot and that is compounded by the fact that you've spent such a long time here.

Jaded much?

How's the snow up there on that 5000ft-high horse you're sitting on?

Don't let this poster get to you; when you've been on this forum for a while you will discover that he is always like this - just ignore the bigot or you'll bugger your blood pressure.

[x5david]

Would love to see a ban of these beasts here but given Thais can't even keep the soi dogs in check, I don't hold out much hope.

[otherstuff1957]

Dog bite fatalities by other breeds only occur once a decade or so.

That statement is certainly not supported by the data you presented.

I stand corrected... I didn't look at the percentages as closely as I should have. However, the fact remains that in most of the years referenced Pit Bulls and Rottweilers combined killed more people than all other breeds of dogs combined. I don't know whether it's breeding or raising, but they are simply more likely to attack and more likely to kill than other dogs.

[housepainter]

A terrible death.

Of course there'll be a reaction to it.

Instantly, government will debate new bills and introduce them by Monday. All dogs deemed a threat will be placed in compounds over night to see out their natural lives and fluffy harmless pupiies given out as replacements, along with leads and trainin, health checks and vitamins.

Mange will disappear over night. No more dogs will be snatched and bar-b-qued.

A rainbow will set permanently over Thailand and blue birds will settle on everyone's shoulder.

Next.

[pastitche]

Pitbulls are morons (I just couldn't resist) On a more serious note my sympathies go out to this persons family and friends. What a horrific way to die? I have owned these types of dogs as well as others. If one raises a dog from a pup and if that dog has negative destructive or dangerous behavior one just needs to look at the owners for the way their dogs behave. No matter what breed of dog the responsibility of the dogs behavior is connected in some way to the owners and environment.

That is absolutely true. The unfortunate problem we face is that it's a lot easier to kill, beat or injure a dog than it is the owner - and when you're faced with constant harrassment and attacks by dogs your options are limited here. If this were urban Europe or North America you could use an institutional authority of course (in rural America, we have to fend for ourselves a bit), but here in Thailand there's really no option other than either A) putting an end to the threat or B] changing your lifestyle to accommodate someone's unruly mongrel. I like animals as much as the next person, but I don't like them more than I like my well-being and my peace of mind, so if it comes to me or the dog, the dog gets flowers.

It isn't that easy to kill beat or injure a dog that has been bred as a killer - a full-grown dobermann can knock you down easily, German Shepherds are routinely used by police forces because of their strong jaws and ability to hold a person trying to run away. Dogs are not primates and do not behave as if they were nor do they understand primate body language. The danger with dogs is because of the types of dogs that we have produced, those that are capable of inflicting damage on humans, our earliest dogs were hunting partners - they were not dogs who picked up grouse shot by the aristocracy, they were partners in the killing; subsequently they were used in battle as killing machines. So what is the point of maintaining these traits in dogs that nowadays have no need of them?

The nastiest dogs I have met have been small terriers but they are not a threat to anyone except perhaps a human infant; but I believe that in our fixation with the dog as a companion we have forgotten its true genetic history.

Thailand is no different from Europe (except by a few of decades) in that dogs were routinely left outside at night and naturally formed "packs" - not the natural packs that would exist in the wild but still innate behaviour

[ManInSurat]

Don't let this poster get to you; when you've been on this forum for a while you will discover that he is always like this - just ignore the bigot or you'll bugger your blood pressure.

I've been a member of TV since '07, but don't post very frequently.

Thanks for the heads-up though.

Although the tone of my previous posts might seem agitated, I was far from it when I wrote it. I was laughing at how people can have such ridiculous delusions of grandeur. Made even more pitiful by the fact that he constantly berates Thais and is the first to attack them for everything. It's nice and easy to do that when you're protected by anonymity.

I'd much rather see him do than in a social environment with Thais, letting them know how poorly he thinks of them and how badly behaved they are, according to him. He wouldn't last a second.

I know it's a cliché, but seriously, why would you remain here for that long, if the only thing you can say about the Thais is disdainful? I don't get it. It's hard not to meet the people when you're in their country. Something tells me he hates everyone. Maybe the problem isn't the other people.

Anyway, this has gone long enough.

-----

Interesting statistics there, about the Pitbulls and Rotties having such a lead in the fatal attacks on humans stakes.

I'd have thought the Pitbull case would be down to the way people train them to be weapons and then use them as such against other people and that they're the breed of choice for fighting.

I'd have also thought a Pitbull's propensity to hold on to its target and keep attacking until it or its victim dies or is severely wounded, plays a large part in that. Hence why they're the breed of choice for fights. The same applies for Rotties.

I still stand by my statement that dogs are inextricably linked to mankind, they permeate every facet of our lives and are the animals that are probably held in the highest regard and esteem by humans for many varying reasons. When you get hundreds of millions of people having this relationship with dogs and having them in close proximity constantly, it's very likely that you're going to get fatalities. It's unavoidable. Humans are irresponsible, which ever country they're from or are in and dogs are dogs and always have the ability to attack, irrespective of how placid and tame they appear to be.

People are going to continue to be killed by dogs, equally as they are going to crash cars and it's hard to eradicate the problem as it's a question of responsibility. Irrespective of what nation you're from, there will always be people that will fail in their remit of being a responsible pet owner.

An incident like this could have happened anywhere and will occur in many other places in the future.

This does not make it any less sad and shocking and my sincere condolences go out to the man's family at this troubling time.

ความรู้สึกสะเทือนใจ.

Edited February 11, 2012 by ManInSurat

[annabel]

Just another instance of HUMAN STUPIDITY ... Trying to kiss a traumatized dog that was just rescued from ICE WATERS and is being petted and petted by 2 people and under warm annoying lights and cameras and umpteen people .. Pffff !! The stupidity of people is incredible

[annabel]

Nope !! not cats but stupid Poms, Chihuahua's, miniature poodles and miniature anything that they can carry around in toy bags and treat them like they are dolls with all sort of stupid rubbish dresses and whatever ... They don't have a clue about how to bring up their kids let alone a dog which are all just toys to them ... or they lock them up in cages to look at as tropheys ... no exercise, minimal food, no visits to the vet if something is wrong which they can't even see in the first place /// To me it would be no pets to anybody unless you can prove / show that you know what you are doing and why you want a pet to begin with ... And how will you feed it...?? Take care of it ...?? and so on .... Get a visa for owning a pet !!!

That what happens when you're actually dumber then the dog you would like to pet. I hope this is not going to turn into a pitbull hate thread. It's not their fault their master is dumber than a drunken chicken.

Just as I thought, haters already jumping in...bet you the only animals you can put up with are your wife's or gf's stupid cats

[annabel]

Why don't you address that to the monsters who made them the way they are ...??? Cage them instead ...! And whom may that be you may ask ... Obviously you will not be able to answer that so here is the answer ... YOU...!! and your Buddies who trained them to be fighters in dog fights and killers ... so You All should be the ones cages and muzzled /// Pfff!!

That what happens when you're actually dumber then the dog you would like to pet. I hope this is not going to turn into a pitbull hate thread. It's not their fault their master is dumber than a drunken chicken.

Just as I thought, haters already jumping in...bet you the only animals you can put up with are your wife's or gf's stupid cats

I think I would trust a lion or jaguar (cat) before I would one of these monsters.

[annabel]

Always tied up ... Well there you go again ... how would you feel if you were tied up all day ...?? Pfff!! this is what aI mean but stupid humans !!!

I have a friend who has one of these dogs and it is nearly always chained up, I have often said to him that I could not have such an animal unless I had a staiser to hand as they are untrustworthy.These dogs are not pets, one may as well have a wolf or a lion and say that it is a pet. Pet at your own risk!

[annabel]

And yes all the dogs had a meeting and prganized these dog fights and asked their human owners to pleeaase train them to participate in these wonderful beautiful fights ...?? Right!! Just lke dog / monkey fights in Thailand ... or Rooster fights ... yes the animals themselves organize these and humans have nothing to do with it ... they just go to the fights and bet to make money ... KILL THESE ANIMALS !!! they are all so terrible and they are killers !!!

horrible pit bull fight.

[annabel]

Can a Thai person pronounce "American Staffordshire" .....???

What do the victims say about these cute little pets?

http://www.dogsbite....ctim-voices.php

The myths surrounding pitbulls...

http://www.dogsbite....-bull-myths.php

And the attempts to disguise pitbulls by giving them fantasy names like "American Staffordshire"and the like in order to avoid legal bans and whitewash their reputation...

http://www.dogsbite....bull-owners.php

Enjoy

[annabel]

BULLSHIT!!!

Here are some interesting statistics:

Dog Bite-related Fatalities in the United States

Year Total # Most fatal attacks by # Second-most fatal attacks by

2011 12 Pit Bull or "Pit bull type" (7) (58%) Rottweiler (2) (16.66%)

2010 32 Pit Bull (18) (53%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2009 30 Pit Bull (11) (32%) Rottweiler (4) (13%)

2008 23 Pit Bull (11) (43%) Husky (3) (13%)

2007 34 Pit Bull (15) (41%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2006 29 Pit Bull (12) (40%) Rottweiler (9) (31%)

2005 29 Pit Bull (12) (39%) Rottweiler (6) (21%)

Dog bite fatalities by other breeds only occur once a decade or so.

[katana]

I was reading a similar pit bull story last month.

A 71 year-old Thai mother was savaged to death on 14/01/12 in her own home in Ramintra Rd in BKK by her 46 year-old son's pit bull terrier. Apparently she was quite wealthy owning a Thai restaurant in the States. Afterwards the son was trying to console himself by saying it was karma.

Tragic story.

http://www.thairath....t/region/224028

Edited February 11, 2012 by katana

[emilyb]

That is absolutely true. The unfortunate problem we face is that it's a lot easier to kill, beat or injure a dog than it is the owner - and when you're faced with constant harrassment and attacks by dogs your options are limited here. If this were urban Europe or North America you could use an institutional authority of course (in rural America, we have to fend for ourselves a bit), but here in Thailand there's really no option other than either A) putting an end to the threat or B] changing your lifestyle to accommodate someone's unruly mongrel. I like animals as much as the next person, but I don't like them more than I like my well-being and my peace of mind, so if it comes to me or the dog, the dog gets flowers.

It isn't that easy to kill beat or injure a dog that has been bred as a killer - a full-grown dobermann can knock you down easily, German Shepherds are routinely used by police forces because of their strong jaws and ability to hold a person trying to run away. Dogs are not primates and do not behave as if they were nor do they understand primate body language. The danger with dogs is because of the types of dogs that we have produced, those that are capable of inflicting damage on humans, our earliest dogs were hunting partners - they were not dogs who picked up grouse shot by the aristocracy, they were partners in the killing; subsequently they were used in battle as killing machines. So what is the point of maintaining these traits in dogs that nowadays have no need of them?

The nastiest dogs I have met have been small terriers but they are not a threat to anyone except perhaps a human infant; but I believe that in our fixation with the dog as a companion we have forgotten its true genetic history.

Thailand is no different from Europe (except by a few of decades) in that dogs were routinely left outside at night and naturally formed "packs" - not the natural packs that would exist in the wild but still innate behaviour

Yeah, it's more difficult here to handle tough dogs, that's true. Where I come from (and I am not a major proponent of "gun rights" so please don't read that into it), we simply shoot dogs that become a problem - and because it's a rural area full of rednecks (i.e. similar to rural Thailand in some respects) it's a common occurrence. The problem back home is that rednecks love big, big hunting dogs who can be quite aggressive, so it's difficult to find the right opportunity to take care of the dog. Still, when it needs doing it gets done. Here I spend quite a bit of time running and biking in rural surroundings within an hour of Bangkok on all sides and I have only ever run into one dog that scared the bejeesus out of me - some sort of pit bull cross with something else I think, but can't be sure (the head looked pretty close). That was near Bang Kor Bua and the owner was there and took it in the gate. If it had decided to attack me it'd have been me and my stick and cunning and that's about it. Who knows who would've won. I certainly don't think focusing on the breed is important, though, as many people seem to do. An aggressive dog that becomes a problem is a problem regardless of breed.

The thing that makes Thailand different than much of Europe, Australia and America from what I have seen is that in the urban areas of these countries the dogs are governed by laws and institutional authorities. They don't always do a perfect job, but they're there. People can at least attempt to have the authorities intervene to avoid having to harm the dog or risk a confrontation with the owner. In rural America that's usually not possible (no leash laws, no animal control most places) and in Thailand it's not at all possible to my knowledge, though I'm sure a backhander and a sympathetic story might work - who knows? This was the same as far back as 30-40 years ago in America, though I don't know how much further ago, but even during that time there was no equivalence for the roving literal hordes of mutts that roam the streets of urban Thailand. Neither I, nor anyone senior to me, ever recalls seeing that in places like NY, Chicago, LA or Houston.

On a side note, some friends and I were curious if there's a relatively humane way to poison a dog (e.g. not rat poison where it coughs its guts up for a day painfully, not something I can stomach doing), but it didn't get much further. That would be the most effective method with a large and dangerous dog, though if you and the dog have a known issue the owner would be out there post haste to confront you I'm sure as the kind of idiots who own aggressive dogs and treat them in a manner so as they become aggressive tend to be idiots themselves. A recent episode was solved with multiple pepper sprayings to a local dog's eyes over a couple of days and a couple of beatings - I was glad not to have to take it further She now keeps her distance when I arrive and that's good enough for me. One of those cases where the Thai owner is friendly, oblivious to the dog's actual nature toward others ("mai gaht - jing jing!") and locally prominent. Mai bpen rai!

[osiboy]

Killing machines that's all they are. Thank god they are banned in Australia. It took a few years and numerous attacks and deaths but they were eventually banned. Pitbull X's are just as bad and are on the dangerous animals list in Australia. If people here insist on keeping these monsters they should be muzzled 24/7 and caged.

news to me,...........well done you ausies ! . To me, if there is a 1% chance of one of these dogs biting a kid , its too high , muzzle e'm all or ban them ALL ,100%, WORLDWIDE ,......SIMPLES !,............. We are talking humans OR animals here , not worth the risk is it ???

[chrisinth]

Even though the below article is a few years old, the danger signs remain the same. Please note that this includes all dog types, not just the known danger animals such as Pit bulls, Rockies, Dobs, etc. The bottom line sums it up nicely. It may be slightly off-topic for this thread as this involves the unfortunate death of an individual, but it is a good heads up to people who aren't used to dogs and something to remember.

Here are some danger-signs that warn of a dog attack. Knowing them can keep you and your children safe.

1. A dog in its own yard, and no master present. In 2008, 78% of the human fatalities were by dogs in their own yard.
   
2. The pack mentality. Three dogs are worse than 2, 4 are worse than 3, etc. Docile dogs often become uncharacteristically violent and vicious when they are in a pack. In 2008, 39% of the fatalities involved multiple dogs.
   
3. Chained or tethered. Dogs that are tied up are dangerous. In 2008, 9% of the fatalities involved chained dogs.
   
4. Male. Male dogs are several times more dangerous than female dogs. Unneutered male dogs are the worst.
   
5. Newness. A new dog in the house is dangerous for the first 60 days, and a person who is new to a household where a dog resides is in danger of attack for the first 60 days. In 2007 and 2008, 20% of fatal dog attacks involved a new person or dog sharing a household for a period of two months or less.
   

The presence of any one factor indicates danger. Two or more of these danger-signs should be avoided at all costs.

[metisdead]

Some inflammatory posts have been removed.

[GentlemanJim]

BULLSHIT!!!

Here are some interesting statistics:

Dog Bite-related Fatalities in the United States

Year Total # Most fatal attacks by # Second-most fatal attacks by

2011 12 Pit Bull or "Pit bull type" (7) (58%) Rottweiler (2) (16.66%)

2010 32 Pit Bull (18) (53%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2009 30 Pit Bull (11) (32%) Rottweiler (4) (13%)

2008 23 Pit Bull (11) (43%) Husky (3) (13%)

2007 34 Pit Bull (15) (41%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2006 29 Pit Bull (12) (40%) Rottweiler (9) (31%)

2005 29 Pit Bull (12) (39%) Rottweiler (6) (21%)

Dog bite fatalities by other breeds only occur once a decade or so.

Is it possible to elaborate slightly on your screaming of the word bullshit? Is it because the figures are too high, or are they too low, or did you just step in some whilst walking along typing your reply on your iphone. We should be told.

[TAWP]

I can't bear those dogs. There's invariably a sense of menace about them. And their owners for that matter. The whole breed, along with their tattooed owners should be placed in a giant industrial mincer, ground to a pulp, and eradicated.

Social-fascists is always so cute...

To be a counter-point, I suggest that everyone that is in favour of a ban should be pushed into a industrial mincer and grounded to a pulp.

Edited February 12, 2012 by TAWP

[TAWP]

I always think that the owners should be punished. Not really the dogs fault but what a very sad thing for this poor man and an awful way to go. RIP

Exactly - the owner has full responsibility of them. Unless that is enacted, bad owners will not be reduced and they will merely get new/other dogs to mis-treat and improperly raise.

[TAWP]

Killing machines that's all they are. Thank god they are banned in Australia. It took a few years and numerous attacks and deaths but they were eventually banned. Pitbull X's are just as bad and are on the dangerous animals list in Australia. If people here insist on keeping these monsters they should be muzzled 24/7 and caged.

news to me,...........well done you ausies ! . To me, if there is a 1% chance of one of these dogs biting a kid , its too high , muzzle e'm all or ban them ALL ,100%, WORLDWIDE ,......SIMPLES !,............. We are talking humans OR animals here , not worth the risk is it ???

I think you just proposed that both male and female parents should be banned...as the percentage of parents hurting their kids is higher than kids being hurt by the families dog...

[DLock]

Pitbulls are nasty. They have a hair trigger and can go off at any time, and once they do, there is not a lot you can do about it.

They should require a license to own and should always be behind high fences and never allowed to roam or off leash...ever.

As cute as they are as a puppy, and I saw dozens at Chat u Chuk last month for sale, like guns, they should not be available to just anyone. Until the day the dog snaps, people really don't know they have a ticking time bomb, and then it's too late.

I own a pitbull. There are certainly not for everyone. They are just too powerful, aggressive and unpredictable for your average person to handle and very few will give it the proper training.

I support a dangerous dog law that owners are 100% responsible for their dogs - if a dogs kills someone, it should be considered manslaughter.

[bigbamboo]

That what happens when you're actually dumber then the dog you would like to pet. I hope this is not going to turn into a pitbull hate thread. It's not their fault their master is dumber than a drunken chicken.

Just as I thought, haters already jumping in...bet you the only animals you can put up with are your wife's or gf's stupid cats

There is nothing worse than an idiot owner who can't control his dog. They can be just a public nuisance or a deadly danger if they are not kept on a leash, as sadly is the case here. And those 'stupid' (sic) cats are a lot brighter than your average dog anyway. A dog will run and fetch a stick for you if you throw it, over and over but a cat will just look at you disdainfully as if to say "you threw it, it's your stick, you fetch it yourself."

[annabel]

BULLSHIT!!!

Here are some interesting statistics:

Dog Bite-related Fatalities in the United States

Year Total # Most fatal attacks by # Second-most fatal attacks by

2011 12 Pit Bull or "Pit bull type" (7) (58%) Rottweiler (2) (16.66%)

2010 32 Pit Bull (18) (53%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2009 30 Pit Bull (11) (32%) Rottweiler (4) (13%)

2008 23 Pit Bull (11) (43%) Husky (3) (13%)

2007 34 Pit Bull (15) (41%) Rottweiler (4) (12%)

2006 29 Pit Bull (12) (40%) Rottweiler (9) (31%)

2005 29 Pit Bull (12) (39%) Rottweiler (6) (21%)

Dog bite fatalities by other breeds only occur once a decade or so.

Is it possible to elaborate slightly on your screaming of the word bullshit? Is it because the figures are too high, or are they too low, or did you just step in some whilst walking along typing your reply on your iphone. We should be told.

All you have to do is click on Pit Bull above in your post and the following info will maybe bring some light...??

American Staffordshire terrier

Main article: American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Staffordshire terrier was the product of 19th century interbreeding between bulldogs and terriers that produced the "bull-and-terrier dog," "Half and Half," and at times "pit dog" or "pit bullterrier," the last named becoming the "Staffordshire bull terrier" in England. The bulldog of that time differed from the modern Bulldog, having a full muzzle and a long, tapering tail. There is some debate whether the White English terrier, the Black and Tan terrier, the Fox terrier or some combination thereof were used. These dogs began to find their way into America as early as 1870 where they became known as pit dog, pit bull terrier, later American bull terrier, and still later as Yankee terrier.^[26] They were imported primarily, but not exclusively, for pit fighting.^[27]

In 1936, they were accepted by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as "Staffordshire terriers." The name of the breed was revised effective January 1, 1972, to "American Staffordshire terrier" since breeders in the United States had developed a type which is heavier in weight than the Staffordshire bull terrier of England and the name was changed to distinguish them as separate breeds.^[28] Some pit bulls tend to be dog-aggressive but are generally not people-aggressive, and with proper upbringing, socialization, and training aggression can be curbed. But due to their common use in dog fighting they now have a negative image.

[edit] Related human fatalities

A limited number of studies have been performed on the number of human deaths due to bite trauma caused by dogs, and have generally surveyed news media stories for reports of dog bite-related fatalities. This methodology is subject to several potential sources of error: some fatal attacks may not have been reported; a study might not find all of the relevant news reports; and the potential for misidentification of dog breeds,^[9] although courts in the United States^[29][30] and Canada^[31][32] have ruled that expert identification, when using published breed standards, is sufficient for the enforcement of breed-specific legislation. It is possible to distinguish dogs by breed using DNA testing,^[32] but test results for any one dog can vary widely depending upon the laboratory that performs the test and the number of purebred dog breeds in the laboratory's DNA database.^[33]

There is some confusion over the "locked jaw" notion with pit bulls. There is no evidence for the existence of a _physiological_ "locking mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs,^[34] although a dog's jaws can be locked in a closed position by surgically correctable jaw abnormalities.^[35] However, pit bull-type dogs exhibit "bite, hold, and shake" behavior, which is seen in all breeds of dogs, and at times refuse to release when biting;^[19][27][36] methods to force pit bull-type dogs to release their grip include breaking an ammonia ampule and holding it up to the dog's nose,^[27] or using a "break stick" to lever the dog's jaws open if it bites a person or animal.^[17][37]

[edit] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2000)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in 2000 a study on dog bite-related fatalities (DBRF) that covered the years 1979–1998. The study found reports of 238 people killed by dogs over the 24-year period, of which "pit bull terrier" or mixes thereof were reportedly responsible for killing 76, or about 32 percent, of the people killed by dogs in the attacks identified in the study. The breed with the next-highest number of attributed fatalities was the Rottweiler and mixes thereof, with 44 fatalities or about 18 percent of the study-identified fatalities. In aggregate, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and mixes thereof were involved in about 50% of the fatalities identified over the 20-year period covered by the study, and for 67% of the DBRF reported in the final two years studied (1997–1998), concluding

"It is extremely unlikely that they [pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers] accounted for anywhere near 60% of dogs in the United States during that same period and, thus, there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities."

^[9]

The report's authors went on to say:

"Although the fatality data are concerning, one must broaden the context to consider both fatal and nonfatal bites when deciding on a course of action. ...[A] 36% increase in medically attended bites from 1986 to 1994 draws attention to the need for an effective response, including dog bite prevention programs. Because (1) fatal bites constitute less than 0.00001% of all dog bites annually, (2) fatal bites have remained relatively constant over time, whereas nonfatal bites have been increasing, and (3) fatal bites are rare at the usual political level where bite regulations are promulgated and enforced, we believe that fatal bites should not be the primary factor driving public policy regarding dog bite prevention."

The report's authors suggested that "generic non–breed-specific, dangerous dog laws can be enacted that place primary responsibility for a dog's behavior on the owner, regardless of the dog's breed. In particular, targeting chronically irresponsible dog owners may be effective."^[38]

The latest CDC "Dog Bite: Fact Sheet" includes a disclaimer regarding this study, saying that

"it does not identify specific breeds that are most likely to bite or kill, and thus is not appropriate for policy-making decisions related to the topic. Each year, 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs. These bites result in approximately 16 fatalities; about 0.0002 percent of the total number of people bitten. These relatively few fatalities offer the only available information about breeds involved in dog bites. There is currently no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill."

^[39]

[edit] Canadian Veterinary Journal (2008)

An electronic search of newspaper articles by Dr. Malathi Raghavan, DVM, PhD, found that pit bull terriers weren't responsible for 1 of 28 (3.6%) dog bite-related fatalities reported in Canada from 1990 through 2007.^[40] The study also notes that "A higher proportion of sled dogs and, possibly, mixed-breed dogs in Canada than in the United States caused fatalities, as did multiple dogs rather than single dogs. Free-roaming dog packs, reported only from rural communities, caused most on-reserve fatalities". It is also worth noting that the total number of fatal dog attacks from the 27 year period is equal to about one fatal attack per year, while the Clifton report, a more comprehensive study that includes the 1990-2007 period in the Canadian Veterinary Journal Study, shows an average of 6 fatalities attributed to pit bulls alone annually in the United States and Canada. ^[41]

[edit] Legislation

Main article: Breed-specific legislation

A muzzled pit bull-type dog.

A large number of jurisdictions have enacted breed-specific legislation (BSL) in response to a number of well-publicized incidents involving pit bull-type dogs, and some government organizations such as the United States Army^[42] and Marine Corps^[43] have taken administrative action as well. These actions range from outright bans on the possession of pit bull-type dogs to restrictions and conditions on pit bull ownership, and often establish a legal presumption that a pit bull-type dog is prima facie a legally "dangerous" or "vicious" dog.^[44] In response, some state-level governments in the United States have prohibited or restricted the ability of municipal governments within those states to enact breed-specific legislation, though these prohibitions on breed-specific legislation do not affect military installations located within these states.^[45]

It is now generally settled in case law that jurisdictions in the United States and Canada have the right to enact breed-specific legislation.^[46] Despite these findings by the courts, there remains some public skepticism over whether the laws are effective.^[47] One point of view is that pit bulls are a public safety issue that merits actions such as banning ownership, mandatory spay/neuter for all pit bulls, mandatory microchip implants and liability insurance, or prohibiting people convicted of a felony from owning pit bulls.^[48][49] Another point of view is that comprehensive "dog bite" legislation, coupled with better consumer education and legally mandating responsible pet keeping practices, is a better solution to the problem of dangerous dogs than breed-specific legislation.^[50][51]

A third point of view is that breed-specific legislation should not ban breeds entirely but should strictly regulate the conditions under which specific breeds could be owned, e.g., forbidding certain classes of individuals from owning them, specifying public areas from which they would be prohibited, and establishing conditions, such as requiring a dog to wear a muzzle, for taking dogs from specific breeds into public places.^[52] Finally, some governments, such as in Australia, have forbidden the import of specific breeds and are requiring the spay/neuter of all existing dogs of these breeds in an attempt to slowly eliminate the population through natural attrition.^[53][54]

[edit] Lennox

In May 2010, Lennox, a bulldog lab mix, was removed from his home in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom has a ban on pitbull type dogs, and after Lennox displayed protective behaviors when strangers entered his home, the dog warden determined Lennox was a pitbull type dog and would be removed from the home and euthanized. Lennox's family has made legal appeals in an attempt to stay his execution. A DNA test proved that Lennox was actually a bulldog lab mix, not a pitbull, but the test has not been allowed to be submitted to the court as evidence. Professional dog trainers and animal behaviorists Victoria Stillwell and Mic Martin have spoken on behalf of Lennox, noting that his behavior is typical of any dog protecting their home.^[55]

[Reasonableman]

In summary, then, a killer dog is a killer dog, just like a rose is a rose by any other name. The law will always lag behind in identifying dangerous breeds as they emerge. Let's hope that the welfare of both humans and dogs is paramount, and that it will not be necessary for humans to die by dog attack, nor for dogs to die as a result.

[pastitche]

I have a simplistic and perhaps naive view of dangerous dogs. I believe that the dog is a descendant of the wolf (primarily - although other canids may well have contributed) and has been selectively bred to produce characteristics that were useful to humans in the environment in which they were both living. The wolf has natural instincts that are only too apparent in herding dogs, making the prey/herd crowd together, occasionally bolt so that the weakest stand out, circling and nipping at ankles and lower legs- the easiest way to bring down a prey animal whose defence is the same as its sexual authority ie horns at the front end.

Wolves do not breed indiscriminately - the alpha male mates with the alpha female who is the only one who achieves oestrus; Kidnap wolf pups or adopt lone wolves and the situation will change. Now they were living in a different society where the hormonal controls that prevent "promiscuity" existing in the pack no longer applied whilst the pack instinct remained. This enabled breeding for changes that we humans desired.

Our first use of dogs I believe was primarily for their hunting skills and these were later adapted to exploit their herding capabilities; I remember watching a small, probably stray dog effectively herding a group of pre-teen schoolchildren on an educational trip. He was better than the teachers at making them keep to the required crocodile formation.

We have taken our canines from the society that they evolved to survive in and infantilised them because that is more expedient and in the case of most dogs nowadays, "cuter". It's nice to have a little hairy bundle of fluff lick your face and yelp with excitement but he's not kissing you, he's displaying infantile behaviour which encouraged adult wolves to regurgitate food from the kill that they had cooperatively made.

You have to remember also that wolf packs do not fight to the death - their fights are normally territorial disputes and usually the pack that backs down is the intruder. The killing instinct does not extend to the same species in most animals

Anyway back to the topic, yes owners can make bad dogs through ignorance or irresponsibility but parents can do the same by bad parenting. However, first we are not going to regulate parenthood and secondly we have not selectively bred humans to be aggressive or to fight.

On the other hand, we have created Frankenstein dogs, animals who have been bred to behave against their own nature, basically we have created dogs that are potentially in human terms, psychopaths. We bred it into them largely within the last couple of millenia for attack dogs and a lesser time for fighting dogs; we can take those behaviours out by the same means and, given the advances in genetics much more rapidly than their creation took

[z12]

I was reading a similar pit bull story last month.

A 71 year-old Thai mother was savaged to death on 14/01/12 in her own home in Ramintra Rd in BKK by her 46 year-old son's pit bull terrier. Apparently she was quite wealthy owning a Thai restaurant in the States. Afterwards the son was trying to console himself by saying it was karma.

Tragic story.

http://www.thairath....t/region/224028

That sounds like a homicide then.

Edited February 12, 2012 by z12

[z12]

Sounds like a job for the "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" (TV Series 2004– )