Is it time for a pit bull recall?

A Beverly Hills law office has put out a very insightful press release. While the premise of the press release could conceivably be misconstrued by some low information types, I think most people will be able to see his point as they read it. It's a way to look at a problem from a different perspective through a clever analogy.

By way of introduction, I'd like to talk about the Ford Pinto - those who've been around the block may remember the Pinto, manufactured for a decade between 1971 and 1980. I confess to having a pinto back in the day, and I am none the worse off. But for a number of pinto drivers, a design flaw that, in the event of an accident, facilitated the explosion of the gas tank, proved fatal. It's estimated that 27 people were killed from pinto gas tank explosions. Ultimately Ford recalled the pinto, and the rest is history. 

Imagine if you will, that after every fiery pinto crash, a rowdy mob of pinto fans attacked anyone who mentioned that it was a pinto, screaming "racist!". This mob would assert that "any car could have done the same thing", and they would post pictures of pintos filled with happy families, and helpfully reminding us that "all cars crash", "not all pintos are defective", and "it's the driver, not the pinto".

Now, let us further imagine that it was impossible to recall the pinto, due to a law that prevented singling out any specific type of car, because that would amount to "unfair discrimination".

The resulting nightmare scenario would result in additional unnecessary deaths, because it would be strictly verboten to speak clearly about the problem, and legally impossible to rectify it. Who would stand for such a state of affairs?

Welcome to the world of pit bull advocacy. 

Here's the bottom line: Ford was forced to recall the Pinto because of 27 deaths over 10 years. However, there have been 185 people violently mauled to death by pit bulls over the past 10 years, with no action from lawmakers, only thinly veiled threats and raucous protests from the pit bull lobby any time there is a hint of relief for potential victims. If the pinto problem was so potentially deadly that it had to be addressed, isn't it high time to address the pit bull problem?

If this makes sense to you, then you'll have no problem understanding and appreciating the significance of the press release from the law offices of Kenneth M Phillips. 

See the press release here: PressRelease-ItsTimeforthePitBullRecallToo.pdf

References - 

http://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Pinto

Dog attack report by breed - June 2013

Linda Henry, severely maimed by her own pit bulls

It's time for a mid-year update of the statistics on serious and fatal dog attack in the US, and it comes as no surprise that pit bulls have further widened their lead over all other breeds as the most dangerous type of dog, as this has been a violent year so far. In the first 141 days of 2013, 14 people were fatally mauled by dogs, and 13 of the 14 cases involved pit bulls.

High risk: Pit bull

Some relevant insights can be gleaned from the report. Pit bulls (variously referred to as staffy, amstaff, apbt) now make up approximately 6% of the dog population in the US, while, over the past 5 years they have been responsible for well over 70% of the fatal attacks, a disproportionate representation.

Toddler Beau Rutledge mauled to death by family pit bull

In contrast, large retrievers (labrador, golden etc) make up over 8% of the dog population, but serious attacks by large retrievers are rare in comparison.

Labrador retriever, the most popular dog in the USA

A good example of a safe breed would be the Irish Setter - with no fatal or disfiguring attacks recorded in the 31 year study period. Other relatively safe breeds include the Greyhound, Standard Poodle and Dalmatian, none of which accounted for a single fatal attack, and the Weimaraner, St Bernard, Great Pyrenees and Collie, each with only a single recorded death over the same 31 year period.

Safe breeds: Weimaraner, Collie, St Bernard

Interestingly, data indicates that the actual number of pit bulls in the US has not materially changed in 10 years. Nonetheless, the number of violent and fatal attacks committed by pit bulls continues to rise, most likely due to well financed PR campaigns aimed at convincing prospective dog adopters and others that pit bulls are not dangerous if treated well, that they have a good temperament, and were once known as "nanny dogs", a particularly insidious myth which sprung from the imagination of pit bull promoters in the latter part of the 20th century.

Human death toll, showing all breeds with over 10 fatalities

You can download a full copy of the June 9th report here

References for further reading -
The nanny dog myth revealed
The pit bull hoax: The ATTS
Fatal pit bull attacks: the archival record

Zelda's story

We are telling Zelda's story here to help raise awareness of the slaughter of the innocents that is happening every day in America. Zelda and her human family were victims of pit bull advocacy. Such attacks almost never make news, but Zelda and others like her deserve to be remembered. Mr Jones shares his loss, and the story of a beloved animal companion:

An account of what happened the day I lost my baby Zelda. I wrote this some weeks after her passing....

I had just finished teaching my Saturday morning class, and the weekend had officially begun. I was so excited for the day, I had so many fun errands to run and just wanted to take a quick nap before heading out for the day. As I lie there, with Tiffany and Link (my lab) in bed with me, I heard some strange barking. I knew it was different due to Link's reaction. The hairs on his back stood up, and he was barking louder than normal. What felt like forever, was only mere seconds that it really took me to recognize that it was Zelda's bark I had heard. I raced outside and was shocked to find two dogs in my front yard, pouncing on top of my poor, innocent Zelda....

Before I continue though, let me take a second to go back. To go back twelve and a half years to be exact. I was merely thirteen years old when I started to really beg my parents for a dog. See, my parents went out a lot on the weekends. I was old enough to stay at home, and I just stayed in my room and played video games all night. Deep down though, I was lonely. I had no siblings my age to stay with me, and I couldn't have friends over most of the time.

So for the most part, I was just very lonely and yearned for some company. I don't want to make my parents out to sound bad, I just also really wanted a dog so bad. I love animals, especially dogs, and always wanted my own. My parents did not share my same enthusiasm about getting a pet though.

Well, once I got my mom on board that was all it took. She wanted to get a Schnauzer, because our family has always gotten that breed of dog, and it also had to be female, because according to my mother, male dogs pee everywhere. Anyway, once I agreed to her terms, we searched for mini-Schnauzers and once we found someone breeding them, we met to choose our dog. I can remember the night we rode to these people's house, and the joy I had picking her out. She was so tiny, and so cute, and she just made me feel so happy. On the ride home, I can remember dancing in the car, I was just ecstatic.

I will spare you all the countless and hundreds of Zelda stories and moments that I could recall through her twelve year run on this Earth. All I can say is that in every sense of the word, she was my companion. She was very human-like, and very frustrating at times, and she had a mind of her own! But she loved me, and she respected me, and I loved her more than a human should probably love his dog.

It's not just her funny quirks that I remember the most. It's the things she did for me. It's when I was a kid, or even through most of my young adulthood, if things were hard, or overwhelming, she would sit right up by me and start licking my face. She could tell when I was sad, and at times I felt like she was taking care of me. She warmed me over with her unconditional love. The kind of unconditional love that only a faithful dog can give. I loved it, and I miss it so much.

I cannot sum up my twelve year relationship with Zelda in words. There is no way I could do it justice to how much she meant to me, and my Mom both. I always knew that she'd die, and I had come to grips with it several years ago when we thought she had cancer. I prepared myself for the day she would grow old and die. But you can never prepare yourself for what I saw. 

They were on top of her, biting her, shaking her, it was vicious. When I ran out there, I didn't even know they were pit bulls. Honest to God, my vision blurred and I lost all sense of safety as I ran into the dog fight and immediately kicked one of them off of her. In the process, Zelda bit me by accident, and finally my neighbor who owned them came in and helped me separate the dogs. Once the smoke cleared, I was about five feet away from Zelda, I had walked off, holding my bleeding thumb. I started to regain some awareness, and started calling out for Zelda. I couldn't find her in the grass. She sat up. Fractured ribs, a hernia, and multiple bite wounds, she sat up for me. I saw her, clearly in pain, as she collapsed back down to the ground, and I lost it. Tiffany rushed her to the vet while I stayed to see the ambulance and then I drove to meet her there.

All day Zelda was in critical condition, and later that night, as they performed surgery on her, it was not enough. Her old heart couldn't handle it. I choke up, as I write this to you all. It honestly hurts to even think about what I saw. It's just never something in a million years I thought that I'd picture seeing Zelda in. She was old, and she deserved much better than how she had to leave. She still had years left. And had I not been careless letting her out of the house, she would still be here today.

I was talking to someone the other day, and they said something that really hit home with me. Zelda has been in my life for over a decade. She has been with me through my entire teenage life, and all the way up to manhood. She was in my life every day, and I have never experienced losing someone to death that has been a part of my life that much or that valuable before. I've never felt this kind of pain before. And honestly, I'm sad that it had to be her. I could think of much more deserving people of a pit bull attack. I am still coping and dealing with this. It may seem to be "too much" for some people. Well, that's just how much she meant to me. I will not just be "over this" any direct time soon. But I must learn to live with it. I have no more tears left to cry, so all I can do now is keep standing and moving forward. 

Goodbye Princess Zelda, I will love you forever. And I will never forget you. I will miss you more every day you are gone.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Here is a pie chart of the fatal dog attacks on humans in the US since Jan 1 2008

pit bulls (red) are responsible for the vast majority of these fatalities.

There is an interactive graph with much more detail here

Dog fighting and animal cruelty

An article appeared today on Craven Desires today which makes a point with heart breaking eloquence, a point which I have pondered for some time, and which must certainly haunt every human being who has the slightest sympathy for animals.

The dog fighters are condemned for having created pit bulls, and for continuing to breed them for their original purpose, which was to engage an animal in a sustained attack and to continue the attack regardless of pain and injury suffered, regardless of what the victim does. When 2 fighting dogs who want nothing more than to tear each other apart are allowed to fight it's a sad commentary on the humans who take pleasure in this, but what's infinitely more cruel is the daily slaughter of the innocents that we're seeing, when these fighting dogs attack, torture, main and kill innocent family pets who have no desire to fight. 

I've long been puzzled by those who are ostensibly motivated by compassion, who are outraged at the idea that pit bulls are pitted against each other, who think of the pit bulls involved as pitiful victims, but when pit bulls, doing what they are wired for, jump out of moving cars or second story windows to savage sweet, docile dogs, miniature ponies, or alpacas in their own yards, they express no outrage, have no compassion for the victims, and make no call to end the suffering? 

One can only conclude that their supposed compassion is some sort of twisted, evil game. 

See the article at Craven Desires for the full story

Pit bull attack on Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Trail

We are posting this report, which occurred in BC, Canada and was originally published on craigslist, as a public service announcement, in the hope that it will be of use in tracking down the sociopaths involved in this attack, and most likely other similar attacks.

Update - 20130509 - an arrest has been made

To follow Finley's story from here on, visit her website at Follow Finley

The original craigslist post:

"Not sure where to post this but my friend and I were walking on this trail (april 22) during our lunch break and we came across a dog fight (although it did not look like much of a fight) A pitbull had attacked this mans poor little mini sheltie dog, this sheltie looked badly injured and was bleeding a lot. The two men were yelling at each other and I was the one that broke the two men up from fighting. 

I am hoping that other people saw this as the man with the pitbull and his girlfriend RAN to get to their black pick-up truck to flee, leaving this poor man and his injured dog. The man with the pitbull was mad at the other for kicking his dog so he would release, clearly his dog deserved it as the other dog was so injured and bleeding it could not walk.

I have pictures of this man and his girlfriend; I also have a picture of their black pickup truck as the girl ran to get the truck while the man took off in a different direction with both of their dogs to get as far away as possible. I would keep your eyes out for this couple, I have been getting many responses about this post and by the sound of it this might not be his first offence.

Male description: White male, shaved bald head, about 5'8-5'10, stocky build and a foul mouth! He was wearing a white tank top and red shorts at the time of the attack. 

Female description: White female (perhaps Italian, had a darker tanned skin tone, or someone that tans a lot) short about 5'2-5'4, slim build. Wearing what looked to be black boy cut underwear a black tank and a large black sweater with large black sunglasses. 

Two dogs: Pitbull - Grey with white markings, looked like staffy size. The second dog looked like a English Bull Dog tan color very short and stalky.

To the man with the pitbull, you do not even deserve to be called a man. People like you are the people that give pitbulls a bad name. Your dog clearly attacked and injured this little dog, and anyone in their right mind would kick a dog that has locked their jaw on another. You are a coward and deserve to be punished. You need to be responsible for the poor upbringing of your dog, you need to own up and pay for this mans vet bills and hopefully his dog survives this horrible attack. There are cameras in the buildings surrounding the area that you ran from, you are on tape so be a decent person and turn yourself in. 

Anyone with any information please help these people. I have been in contact with the owner now and their dog has been through two surgeries and had been back to the hospital many times. This poor little sheltie is fighting for her life. Not to mention the owner of the sheltie had to get ten stitches as the pitbull attacked him as well."

Update - 20130429 - The story has been picked up by globalnews

Update - 20120501 - The search for the pit bull owner intensifies

Update - 20130502 - Helpful summary graphic published

A question for pit bull owners

I've been pondering one of life's little mysteries, and it occurred to me to mention the conundrum here. OK, some background: It's not too difficult to establish the fact that pit bulls are responsible for the vast majority of fatal dog on dog attacks, and while they are said to be "only" animal-aggressive (as if it's OK for pit bulls to kill innocent family pets) it's also a fact that pit bulls injure, maim and kill more human victims than all other types of dogs combined.

As thinking people, we look for patterns and meaning in events.  We tend to notice things like the fact that, of 7 Americans killed by canine so far this year, all 7 were victims of pit bulls (references below). So naturally, one asks, "why is this the case?" or "what factors could account for this disproportionate representation of pit bulls in the statistics on violent attacks, injuries and deaths?"

One might look into the history of the breed (the term "breed" is used loosely here) to see what clues, if any, may be gleaned. Sure enough, we find several hundred years of selective breeding and violent blood sport: A molosser breed, the "bull dog" was bred to torture de-horned bulls or de-clawed, tied up bears in the UK for sport from the 1500s to the 1800s. These canines were bred to be tough, to grip the victim with strong jaws, and hang on to the death, disregarding any pain or injury suffered.

In 1835, "bull baiting" was outlawed, but the sadism of the dog men didn't disappear, but rather sought a new outlet, and "pit fighting" became the new pastime. Two bull dogs would be placed in a fighting pit to battle to the death. Here, the selective breeding continued, tuning the specialized canines to an existence optimized to killing canines in the fighting pit. These pit fighting bull dogs, or "pit bulls" had the normal canine etiquette bred out of them. No warning of an attack was given, and the normal canine language which existed to avoid actual deadly conflict, was stunted. When a pit bull attacked, it didn't matter if the other canine submitted, fought back, or tried to run away, the relentless attack was to continue to the death.

It was soon discovered that breeding the bull dog with the athletic and energetic terrier created a more energetic, relentless attacker, and thus the "bull and terrier" was created. Compact and muscular, tenacious and relentless, with a powerful jaw, no mercy and a freakish insensitivity to pain, the "English Bull Terrier" or "Staffordshire Terrier" became the standard pit fighting dog.

When dog fighters travelled to America, they brought their pit bulls with them, and renamed them the "American Staffordshire Terrier". In any case, pit bull breeding and fighting continued in the colonies, but in no way were the fighting dogs ever generally popular, nor were they ever considered suitable as family pets. The dog men knew better.

The dog fighters continued to breed for "gameness" - the drive to attack, and not to stop the attack no matter what. Dogs that submitted, or didn't want to fight were considered "useless curs" and were cruelly culled. Only the most relentless killers were allowed to breed.

Fun fact: AKC registered "American Staffordshire Terriers" can be registered with the UKC as "American Pit Bull Terriers"

For many decades, pit bull breeding and dog fighting thrived, but began to move underground as disapproval by the general public began to re-shape the legal landscape in favor of curtailing the violent sport. Things began to look grim for the dog fighters as the "sport" was outlawed in more places. Even though law enforcement often looked the other way, it was always easy to spot a dog fighting operation: the presence of pit bulls was a dead giveaway.

During the 1980s, certain organizations began pushing the idea of "rescuing" pit bulls and promoting them as family pets, a brilliant move which, if successful, would provide cover for the dog fighters; if pit bulls began to appear in homes as family pets, the presence of a pit bull would no longer be a reliable indicator of dog fighting operation.

One of the unfortunate side effects of this "rehabilitation" of the pit bull is that normal dogs began to pay the price. As they say, you can take the pit bull out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of the pit bull. Shelter workers, who had not seen pit bulls before, would mistakenly put a pit bull in the same cage as a normal dog, and come in the next morning to find a dead dog, cruelly torn apart, in the cage with the pit bull. Normal dogs would roll over and submit when the pit bull got the upper hand in a fight, but to a pit bull, this was merely an opportunity to disembowel the poor dog.

Since the 1980s, hundreds of thousand of innocent family pets have been cruelly mauled to death, often in their own yards, sometimes in their own houses, by roaming pit bulls. And another statistic began to appear. Prior to the 1980s, there were maybe 3 deaths a year from dog attack. But once pit bulls started to be placed as family pets, the number of human casualties began to rise sharply. The number of human deaths from dog attack is now 10 times what it was in 1980, and pit bulls are responsible for the majority of the increase. There is really no other factor on the radar. Rottweilers are a distant second, and no other breed is even anywhere near the Rottweilers in the statistics.

So, when one hears the old "first it was the Dobermans, then it was the German Shepherds" it's instructive to keep in mind that even in the "Decade of the Dobermans", the Dobermans never killed anywhere near as many people as pit bulls.

So, I've said all that to say this: it would seem apparent to me that the reason pit bulls are responsible for such a disproportionate number of violent attacks, resulting in serious injuries and deaths, is that they are simply doing what they were bred to do.

"Not so fast!", the pit bull advocates say, "pit bulls are wonderful, loyal, gentle, misunderstood creatures that would never hurt a fly, so loyal that they will fight to the death for their people."

I ponder this, and then have to ask: "If they are so loyal, why do they kill their owners so often?"

The answer comes back from the pit bull advocates: "it's the fault of bad owners!"

"But", I ask, "aren't pit bulls predisposed to violence due to their breeding?"

The pit bull fans respond: "No, pit bulls are absolutely the same as any other dog. All dogs can bite. It's all in how you raise them. When a pit bull attacks, it's only because pit bull owners mistreat their pit bulls, they abuse them and train them to be vicious".

At last, we have the answer. It has nothing to do with the hundreds of years of breeding for sudden, violent attack, the gameness, the uncanny tolerance for pain. It's all because those damned pit bull owners are so evil.

Then the pit bull owners share an interesting fact: "Do you know that pit bulls score higher on the ATTS than any other breed?"

"What is the ATTS?", you might ask. Well, according to the pit bull fans, it's a test that accurately measures the soundness of temperament in a given dog, with a high score indicating a dog that is dependable and reliable, and non-aggressive unless there is a genuine threat. (From what I can see, the test actually measures the boldness of a dog and nothing else, but I digress)

So we think about what the pit bull fans have told us: "pit bulls are exactly the same as any other dog, it's all in how you raise them". So obviously, the reason pit bulls have such high scores in this ATTS thing is due to the fact that pit bulls have such awesome owners, right?

But wait - this is a conundrum. Which is it? Do pit bulls have the worst owners of all dogs, or do they have really great owners? Please enlighten us, enquiring minds want to know!

--
References -

Fatal pitbull attacks
DBO: dog bite fatalities
Staffordshires Online
The nanny dog myth revealed
The bull dog - an abnormal canine monster dog
Animal Experts and the Innate Aggressive Traits of Pit Bulldogs