News-Record.com

I agree, Doug. But I would take it one step farther and say that certain, more dangerous breeds such as pitbulls and rotweillers should have stricter legal guidelines.

I'm generally a big proponent of fewer laws and more individual responsibility, but dangerous animals are a menace to the community. I shouldn't have to worry about a pitbull wandering into my yard and mauling me, my family or one of my pets.

It seems to me that pitbulls attract irresponsible owners. These dangerous dogs generally are seen as symbols of power - "Look at me! I'm tough because I own a pitbull!" That isn't a mentality that lends itself to looking out for your neighbor's well-being.

If owners are like their dogs, I must be a hyperactive numbskull (but lovable).

But I think you have a serious point about some pitbull owners.

Let us be very clear - this is not about the breed of dog. This is about reckless ownership. It is stated in the article that the dog was left tied-out unsupervised. The dog had not been vaccinated and I am quite sure that, upon further investigation, it would be discovered that there are a number of other reckless and even criminal behaviors on the part of the owner which have contributed to this event.

The problem is NOT that pit bulls are more dangerous - they are actually no more powerful than other dogs of similar size (per a National Geographic study by Dr. Brady Barr). They just get a lot of media play for being dangerous, which makes them attractive to irresponsible and criminal owners.

While breeds identified in dog attacks change from decade to decade, the ownership practices that lead to canine aggression do not.

Fortunately, severe canine attacks are extremely rare, and fatal dog attacks are literally less common than death by lightening strike.

Before we start contemplating breed based legislation based on a single event, it is important to consider not only the scope of the problem relative to other risks, but also whether an effective remedy is available.

SUV's are more dangerous than pit bulls, according to a CDC researcher, but they're still on the road. Why? Because it's the drivers, not the cars, that cause the accidents.

www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com

Thanks, Laura, for sensible comments.

It is not only that pit bulls attract some irresponsible owners, they also attract people to torment them. I once tied out my pit so she could do her "dog business" while I was getting my child ready for school and the neighborhood children were throwing rocks at her. Here she was tied out in a fenced in backyard. If she had broken free of that chain she could have cleared the fence easily and attacked the children then the headlines scream "pit bull attacks children!".

Thanks for sharing that observation, Stephanie.

While that could happen to any dog, I think you're right that the news reports would play up the pit bull angle.

And what about kids who think it's OK to torment animals? That's very disturbing.

I'm as guilty as everyone else in the media. Obviously more people are killed or injured by other people than by pit bulls, but we seem to make a bigger issue about pit bulls.

Neverthless, people who own dogs should be held accountable for their dogs' behavior.