There has been a lot of talk in northern California lately about Pit Bulls and possibly banning them because, frankly, “we only really hear about Pit Bulls killing people.”
Of course, we know that’s not true. In 1980, the first year the CDC study covered fatal dog bites, Great Danes topped the list of dogs that killed people.
But the issue isn’t about breed. It’s about making sure that people who own dogs choose to own dogs that are SAFE around people and managed responsibly — regardless of breed. It’s about not having a false sense of security because one owns a Labrador or a Golden Retriever or a Border Collie (all of which have been involved in fatalities or serious dog attacks on human beings).
It’s about preventing deaths from any dog, regardless of breed.
We are going to take a moment and remember the victims of fatal dog bites from dogs other than Pit Bulls, to remind people that, if we really care about public safety and making sure people aren’t seriously hurt or killed by dogs, that we cannot and should not just focus on one breed of dog.
Below are recent fatal or VERY serious dog attacks that have not made extensive news:
- Liam Perk, 2 years old, killed, Florida, Weimaraner
- Austin Demeter, toddler, Neopolitan Mastiff, British Columbia
- Reggie Young, UK, killed, Lakeland Terrier cross.
- Carolyn Mahon, Rottweiler, Florida, critcally injured.
- Kyle Holland, five years old, killed, Labrador and German Shepherd/Husky mix, Michigan
- Hoa Yun, Rottweiler, killed, Oceanside, CA
- Krystal Brink, 3 years old, killed, “Sled Dog,” Alaska
- Olivia Rozek, infant, killed, Illinois, Siberian Husky
- Boys, Labrador and German Shepherd, MD
- James Sims, 11 years old, Labrador, mauled, Washington State
- Christian Elder, 3 years old, Labrador, lost ear in the attack, Virginia
- Ashlynn Anderson, killed, 4 years old, Oregon, Rottweiler
- Robert Hocker, infant, killed, Husky, Minnesota
- Baby (name not released), critical condition, Labrador Retriever, Kansas
- Triston Reed, 9 years old, mauled, Washington, Border Collie
- Dustin Faulkner, 3 years old, killed, Husky, Georgia
- Kate-Lynn Logel, 7 years old, killed, Denver area, Colorado, Alaskan Malamutes
- Lacey Burke, Carlsbad, CA, mauled, Collie mix.
- Elayah Brown, killed Fort Worth, TX, Mixed Breed
- Aiden McGrew, killed South Carolina, Labrador Retriever
Chako advocates euthanizing dogs, of any breed, that are vicious or have demonstrated that they are a danger to human beings. We believe in tough laws that hold people criminally responsible if they keep a dog they know to be dangerous, and that dog hurts a human being. We want to have all dogs treated humanely and to be kept as family pets, not isolated in small kennels, back yards, or kept on chains their entire lives. We don’t want a single child to die from a dog bite, ever — regardless of the breed of dog involved. We want to see all dog owners be held equally responsible for their pets and equally accountable for any injuries their dogs cause.
We hope the media reports responsibly on this issue, and gives comparable coverage to dog bites of all breeds, based on the severity of the bite and the injury, not the breed involved. We care about all dogs and all people, and we want to see society deal responsibly with this issue, for all dogs and all human beings.
Supposedly one of the dogs in that tragedy had previously killed a small dog–chihuahua, as I recall. Well, I have German shepherd dogs, myself, and they are constantly being challenged by wayward, unleashed, aggressive small dogs. I have had to save other people’s nasty little mutts on dozens of occasions, because I don’t want my dog listed as vicious, even though the small dogs who jump on her most definitely ARE vicious. It’s not fair to say that any dog has a history of viciousness for biting or killing a small dog at large UNLESS one knows for a FACT that it was unprovoked, so I do hope nobody plans to drag that up as actual evidence of the dog’s nasty temperament. It is utterly useless to do so; all that kind of event proves is that the small dog who got in the big dog’s face wasn’t very smart. I feel kind of sorry for irresponsible people who have let their little dogs walk right into the face of death, because those people know perfectly well that the blame is their own. They just can’t handle that fact and instead try to blame a DOG, which is as ridiculous as blaming a dog for stealing your hamburger when you left it on the ground.
Focusing on the dog’s aggression toward another dog also fuels the misconception that aggression towards dogs and aggression towards humans are interchangable drives. It is entirely possible that a dog can be aggressive to other dogs but never show aggression to humans.
Great article!
Dog aggression is unrelated to human aggression. However, as responsible dog owners it is also extremely important that we make sure that if our dogs are DA that they are very carefully managed to make sure other dogs are safe. Off-leash dogs are a whole different issue of course, and an infuriating one….
I also find it infuriating that people expect their dogs to make moral and ethical decisions. They’re DOGS. Intelligent, wonderful creatures, yes. A sense of morality? NO.
I live in Northern California and have two wonderful pit-bull type mixes. Thank you for posting this article! I lot of people in the Bay Area know that it’s the owner, not the dog… but there seems to be a media frenzie over any pit-bull issue. My dogs are frequently charged by of-leash goldens and chihuahua-type breeds. I wish all dog owners were responsible!