Good God I can hardly believe it happened to your dogs, of all dogs, after these pit bull stories you’ve been writing. Shannon is lucky she wasn’t malled. Well, if it were me, I would be straightforward with the Council, telling them everything that happened. As far as I’m concerned, Angus was only protecting both Shannon and Otis and is a hero and any reasonable thinking person would agree !!!! And, if you can take others with y0u who have experienced problems with pit bulls, the better it will be. You might even call the press and tell them you are going … you know how to play the political game…use it
!

Left by dianne on May 30th, 2008 at 8:53 am

Were you’re dogs hurt? Your wife is lucky she wasn’t bit, too. Maybe, she could carry a taser? It would be safer than trying to pull a biting pitbull off your dog.

[Editor --- She's going to start carrying mace with her while at the dog park, which can be used on an attacking dog.]

Left by Anonymous on May 30th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Robbie….Seems Ellen Hughes, Big Sis and Dixie owe you an apology!

Pit Bulls are a worthless breed of dogs. Those that defend them are just sticking their heads in the sand.

Left by BBB on May 30th, 2008 at 9:50 am

OMG, Robbie…are your dogs alright ?
Yeah…I’d have wanted to kill the pitbull also.

A link I posted in another comment about pitbulls includes behavior traits pitbulls owners must not ignore.
One of the rulesfor owners was they can Never allow their pitbulls to be in public Anywhere without being leashed.

But the stupidity of that student is unreal.
His dog already attacked Another dog that same day and there was the idiot letting his pitbull continue to run loose.

Left by SB Smith on May 30th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Here’s a better idea: they must wear a muzzle. I’ve been in cities in europe where a muzzle was mandatory for all dogs in public whether on a leash or not.

Left by Anonymous on May 30th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

Sorry to hear about this, Robbie. Sure glad your family wasn’t severely harmed.
I love animals, but this breed is a menace, and must go away.

Left by no2liberals on May 30th, 2008 at 7:28 pm

I’m so sorry that you’re dog got attacked. Really though you can’t blame one specific breed. Any breed of dog can be dog aggressive, especially when not properly socialized. Dog aggression and human aggression are two totally different traits which have nothing to do with each other. Heres some info if you want to look. Theres even a section about dog parks on the second link.
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/myths.cfm
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/owning.cfm

The truly unfortunate thing for pit bulls is that many of the wrong type of people want to own them. Kind of like a macho status symbol. People who have pit bulls for this reason are not responsible owners in the least.

Left by Robyn Roberts on May 30th, 2008 at 11:25 pm

I owe no one an apology. It is the owner, not the dog, to blame when a dog is not well-trained.

Again, this blog is written by someone who probably faces stereotypes daily. Why turn around and stereotype others (people or animals)? It’s just not cool.

I hate guns but I don’t feel a need to go around blasting RESPONSIBLE gun owners. To each his own.

By the way, many dogs are mistaken for pit bulls. Many dog attacks are blamed on pit bulls when in fact a pit bull was not involved.

http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

I am sorry this happened, but you cannot blame a breed of dog for a few bad (owner) seeds.

Again, I have a pit bull (as well as two other dogs and three cats). Our dog trainer does not want any of our dogs at dog parks unless the dogs are so well-trained that they focus on their human and not other dogs. This goes for all dog breeds, obviously not just pit bulls.

If the person in question here had a dog that was already agitated that day, he should have left the park. Period.

There are plenty of people in Austin who will fight Breed Specific Legislation. There is no justification for such a thing. It is just as bad as racism. Anyone who cannot admit that is blind.

http://www.austinspetdirectory.com/pitbulls.html
http://www.stopbsl.com/

Left by dixie on June 1st, 2008 at 7:30 pm

I live in Round Rock in Suburbia. Yesterday when trying to mow my grass I went to the backyard only to be surprised by our neighbors Pit Bull, Rotweiller and another dog they own. Needless to say the Pit bull ran after me, I had to run to my garage which was open and jump up on my car. The pit bull stood there wanting to go forward then I yelled to get away, then decided to go back around the house and run around with the other dogs. These dogs have broken thru my fence twice in the past week by sheer strength. I called Williamson Country Sheriff but as you probably know, they cannot do anything unless they bite you.

The owners don’t play with these dogs ever. Why do you need a Pit bull and Rotweiller in a kid friendly neighborhood? I have 2 daughter who are afraid, we have a pool we cannot enjoy, my nannie will not take out the trash now as she is afraid to go outside. We are prisoners in our own house. They had to put up a chain link fence on the side of the house so we could have people work on our pool so the dogs would not keep hitting the fence when they came for maintenance. Now the dogs just barrel thru the fence another way by sheer strength.

But what has to happen with these dogs? We need a poor kid to die for something to be done? Our neighbor said carpenter ants are hurting the fence and that is why they can get thru. B.S. These dogs are aggressive and why would you barrel thru a fence? Because they want to hurt someone and will. When you sit behind a fence all day, are not played with EVER, and sit in the heat, why wouldn’t you be aggressive and agitated.

I have to replace the fence myself if I want any action on my dime. He keeps saying he is going to replace the fence but never has after years. And the dogs have destroyed the other neighbors fence. Is that normal??

It is sad when people own these dogs and of course they will listen the owner. This is what they are trained to do. But it is big price to pay to have them run the streets if they get out and take a chance with a kid or an older retired person that is minding their own business.

Welcome any thoughts you might have. I agree owners are to blame but many owner don’t care…So what is Animal Control going to do? Not much I can assure you. They will check to see if they are fed, etc. These incidents happen on weekend always when you can’t get them to come out either. No reason for a dog to go thru a fence twice in a week. Something is wrong with them.

[Editor --- Kevin, not only do you have a right to protect yourself and --- more importantly --- your children from these dangerous dogs on YOUR property...you have an obligation to do so. Don't wait for the police or Animal Control to do something after it's too late.

When the police get there, then call your neighbor and tell him to get his dead dogs off your property. And then hand him a bill for the shells and the fence repair.]

Left by Kevin on June 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am

That same neighbor can counter sue you right back for destruction of property. I’ve had my dog accidentally get out of the house once. Did it deserve to get shot? No. Would I have flipped out if anyone shot it for no reason other than it accidentally got out? You’re fucking right; I would have opened fired right back at THEM!

Left by ThyGuy on June 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

The neighbors cannot countersue as Williamson County has confirmed you can shoot any dog that is harming your family and property.

These dogs broke thru a third time 2 weeks ago and tried to break down my sliding glass door. An Officer from Williamson County witnessed this, pulled his 9 mm and unfortunately believed he could not shoot all 3 for his own safety. Not because he liked the dogs. But because he feared for his own safety. Needless to say the neighbors are renters as well so they don’t care.

If you cared about your pets, you would walk the dogs, play with them, not have them lay in their feces, etc. There is justification to shoot the dog when they try to break down your sliding glass door and are trying to harm your family. And Williamson County has confirmed that.

Of course these neighbors pulled my phone chord outside when Animal Control came to warn them as well. Do you really believe these are trustworthy people. Who pulls a phone chord of a neighbor? A renter…Not a homeowner as the homeowner is ony flipping houses. Not the right homeowner for kid friendly neighborhoods.

Left by Kevin on June 25th, 2008 at 11:22 am

Pitbulls are not the only breed that causes trouble. It is unfortunate that your dogs were attacked by a pit bull. They can be dog aggressive as they were bred to fight other dogs, not people. This was irresponsible dog ownership. Your dog showed people aggressiveness by biting this kid on his back, actually a far worse act in my opinion irregardless of whether he was trying to protect his pack or not. A dog that is aggressive to people, cannot live in my home. My mother’s neighbor dog who is a white german shepherd got out of his yard and killed my mom’s dog, my labrador retriever/dalmatian mix will kill any cat who comes on our property, my friend’s rabbits were killed by a chihuahua mix, a neighbor of mine had a goat killed by a few mini dachsunds, get the picture? Any dog can be destructive. By the way did you know that as high as 80%of all dog bites are done by male dogs? I guess we could always limit the number of males dogs and that would solve a huge problem.

Left by Pam on June 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Why any ‘responsible’ dog owner would take their dog to an off leash dog park and expect EVERY dog to get along is totally beyond me. I am sorry you had an encounter with an irresponsible dog owner, but am also disgusted by the stereotyping that all pit bulls are aggressive. I am a responsible owner of two pit bull type dogs and am harassed a couple of times per week by aggressive dogs that come in all shapes and sizes. I refuse to take my dogs to off leash parks, not for the safety of other dogs, but to protect my dogs from the irresponsible dog owners who flock to these places - like the owner that your wife encountered.

I jog with my dogs on-leash for 2 hrs per day and in spite of my strict leash protocol we have been harassed by border collies, cocker spaniels, retrievers, weirmaraners, boston terriers, akita’s and a boxer (the list is to long to name all the breeds), not because these are bad dogs, but these particular dogs were not socialized and their irresponsible owners refused to obey leash laws!

When I adopted my American pit bull terrier at 6mths I (naively) visited an off leash park and Zoe was attacked by a boston terrier who never should have been in an off leash park, or unrestrained in any public places. My dog is extremely social and cowered and tried to flee from the aggressive dog - all while the owner did nothing. As we were trying to exit the huge park an Akita grabbed my dog by the neck and wouldn’t let go. Zoe did not understand what was going on, again the owners looked on oblivious to the seriousness of the situation. Thanks to adrenaline I managed to grab the dog and was astounded when the owners told me my Zoe had issues with aggression! As I rushed out, I noticed their dog attack another dog in the park.

Please do not blame every pit bull for the ignorant and irresponsible actions of this one dog owner. Both of my dogs are well socialized and have passed advanced obedience classes, and Zoe has participated in agility classes and is currently working on her therapy title. There are no dangerous dogs, just dangerous dog owners!

Left by Faith on June 28th, 2008 at 10:08 pm

stupid, selfish, greedy dog owners. you and your dogs get what you deserve… pit bull or not. you’re all a threat to public safety

Left by David on June 29th, 2008 at 9:10 am

The restricted breeds on most lists are Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman, English Bull Terrier, Alsatian, Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

I think proper training is absolutely necessary to help ensure a healthy environment especially for dogs disposed to problems such as Pits.

I agree that training should include positive rewards. Owners should always have treats with them while walking their dogs to reward positive behavior at the time of the act.

Cheers,

Left by RG PetComm on June 29th, 2008 at 9:43 pm

To the poster whose family is being threatened by the neighbors pit bulls…..you mention the neighbors are renters? Go to town hall, and find out who the owner of the property is. Send them a certified letter stating that their tenant is harboring dangerous animals, and you have records of the calls to the police department. Compile a file, with pictures, and vidoe tape if you can. Let the landlord know that now, upon this notice, they are legally liable for any damages the dogs do to you family. The tenants are most likely dirt bags, and are judgement proof and know it…tell the landlord you will OWN that property if anyone in your family is harmed.

Landlords don’t want lawsuits, you would be surprised how quick a landlord will evict a tenant if they think they will end up sued.

As far as pit bulls go, they are primarily bred by dogfighters, losers, and drug dealers…they are still selectively bred for dog aggression and human aggression…ask a cop. We need mandatory spay and neuter, to make them disappear.

Left by Jane on June 30th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

Wow what an idoit (the kid with the pitbull) if my pitbull attacked a dog i would not have him off a leash ever. Luckily I am a good owner and my dog is a good dog and that would never happen. Your story is sad for you and your dogs and ESPECIALLY THAT POOR PIT BULL who was not raised right. I feel bad mostly for pit bulls because people dont know how to take care of them. Any dog can attack but a pit bull will attack to kill. That is why i socialize my pit bull the right way. My pit bull has been attacked by beagles chiuahahas and a great number of small dogs only to run away or go into submission while small dogs bit him and made him bleed. Why doesnt my dog kill these small worthless dogs when they provoke him? Because he is good and mostly because he was raised to be gentle. To all of you who say pit bulls should be banned I feel sorry for you for being retarded. You should ban all dogs or no dogs at all. Or better yet ban bad dog owners like that stupid kid. Im not saying pit bulls are angels but I am saying my dog is sweeter, smarter, and definetly more loyal than your dog. Disagree and my dog will kill you and your little dog too hahahaha.

Left by Ben on July 6th, 2008 at 6:38 pm

According to the experts, Pit Bulls do not belong in dog parks or off leash in public places EVER! They are dog aggressive and many are human aggressive. Pit Bull owners are always saying that dog aggression is normal. In reality, most dogs will display the least amount of aggression to get their point accross but a Pit Bull takes to a different level. This is not by accident or a natural species, its call animal husbandry/breeding and we have been doing it for centuries with many animals. Pit Bulls were bred for bull baiting and dog fighting and it worked. The end result is a strong, aggressive dog that likes to fight and kill. Adopting it from the shelter and naming it “Princess” doesnt change those facts. They are dangerous period.

Left by tep on July 7th, 2008 at 7:36 am

Pit Bull advocates always like to throw out that pit bulls do not represent the majority of dog bites. Thats true, there are lots of other reported dog bites. The severity is what is important, who really cares about bites from small dogs or one quick bite, its the maulings and the killings that we all worry about. While many dogs have been reporteed to bite, 65% of the dog on human homicide is caused by pit bulls and their mixes. Since pit bulls are not the #1 biter then it really shows that when they do it is often a severe attack. That 65% doesnt even show the many severe and near death attacks. Here is a web site that shows the damage these dogs have done. http://pit-bulls.christianfunfair.org/attacks.htm

My local dog park has bee terrorized by a pit bull. The owner def doesnt abuse the dog and didnt train it to fight, it was just born aggressive and likes to fight. It grew up coming to this park but still fights any and every dog there. It has hurt a few dogs and recently took out a lopso-opso’s eye. The owner still comes to the park , now with a muzzel on the dog, which doesnt work. Iv seen it come off three times due to regular dog play. My dog was also attacked by a Pit Bull at another local park. You can blame the owner for taking the dog into public but it was the dogs breeding that led it to the attack and thats the true problem. Pit Bulls ARE dog aggressive, they just are, look them up, so why bring them around other dogs? Why should other dogs and pet owners have to worry about the safety of their dogs and possibly thenselves?

Pit Bull advocates always say that their breed is sensationilized and exagerated in the news but I see the same types of stories happening right in my own neighborhood. So called “responsible pit bull owners” are always saying that the owner in any recent attack was an iresponsible owner. According to everything I read the responsible owner isnt supposed to have their pit around other dogs or off leash in public. In that case, Iv never seen a responsible owner bc every pit bull I see is in public and around other dogs. I think the reponsible pit owner is a figment of imagination!

Left by tep on July 7th, 2008 at 8:11 am

I think that ‘Tep’ is failing to see that pit bulls are actually not the problem in our society, irresponsible dog owners are. Obviously, you only read articles about pit bull attacks and fail to read articles about other dogs that main and kill, or bite statistics that will verify that every dog bites. I am beginning to think the whole pit bull banning group care less about public safety and more about segregating those whom they stereotypically assume to own pit bulls (but you are wrong). Yes, racism and ignorance is thriving in the land of the free!

Left by Faith on July 7th, 2008 at 12:57 pm

Yes many breeds have been reported to bite. Pit Bull advacates love to mention that fact. The important fact that is left out is out of the reported bites, 65% of the dog on human homicide is caused by Pit Bulls and their mixes. That 65% doesnt even include all the serious mauling and near death attacks that pit bulls are responsible for. Who really cares about the minor bites, they hurt but big deal. Its the maulings and the deaths that we all care about. Most dogs will display the least amount of aggression as needed but Pit Bulls take it to that vicious level

Breeding works! You can tell what mixed breeds are by their looks and how they act bc certain breeds have certain traits, that was the point. Humans have engineered the dog, we have designed lots of different breeds for lots of different tasks. The Pit Bull is for bull baiting and killing other dogs for human entertainment, dont buy it and name it “Princess” and expect it to act civilized.

If you say its the owner and not the breed than your saying that every owner with a dog that doent attack is an expert dog trainer. Other breeds are not hurting and killing like Pit Bulls, not in the news and not in my community. In NY there were back to back pit bull attacks, strange that I didnt hear of the sheep dog that killed anyone that day? WAKE UP! The dogs were bred for killing and they are killing, what a surprise!

Left by tep on July 7th, 2008 at 1:57 pm

Tough guys should stick to MOM tattos and big trucks and leave the big mean dogs alone.

Left by tep on July 7th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

I don’t have a MOM tattoo, but I am a 44-year-old mom — to a beautiful blond-haired daughter and two wonderful American Staffordshire terriers (yes, people call them pit bulls).

I’m somewhat new to the pit bull circle, having gotten my first one two years ago and my second one last year, but I can’t believe the stereotyping and ignorance that runs rampant among those folks unfamiliar with the breed (I should know because I used to be one of those people).

I don’t belong to a gang, I don’t ride a motorcycle, I don’t participate in dog fights — but I do own pit bulls and I do take them to off-leash dog parks on a regular basis.

My husband and I have only encountered one crazy lady who actually ran screaming from our dogs simply because they were pit bulls (NOTE: it is unwise to run from and/or scream around any dog because it can cause anxiety and dogs react by running toward you in many such cases). Many people at the parks will ask what kind of dogs ours are and they are often surprised when we tell them and say things like, “But they’re so well-behaved.”

The only aggression we’ve encountered was a chihuahua attacking our smaller dog (she just turned a year old) and the typical growling and snapping associated with noses a little too close to butts for too long (sometimes our dogs have been on the receiving end and sometimes the other dogs are and most people view the behavior as a getting-to-know-you and setting boundaries time). I have never seen blood drawn on any of the dogs in the three years we have gone to the local dog parks.

Prior to rescuing our two pit bulls, we owned a large German shepherd with a nasty attitude toward other dogs and even she was well-behaved off-leash (on-leash she appeared to be very aggressive and would lunge at other dogs on walks but I had quick reflexes so she never made contact). Unfortunately, she became paralyzed at age 10 after living seven years with hip dysplasia and our search to replace her found us living with pit bulls. Prior to acquiring our first pit, I would have never purposely sought out the breed. Now, I would not consider choosing any other breed. They are so loving and gentle and funny — but, then again, that’s how we raised them to act.

Left by RoxxiMomma on July 7th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

Sounds like you got lucky with your dogs. Go to any Pro-pit bull site and it will tell you to expect dog aggression and not to go to off-leash dog parks. When I mentioned my local pit bull problem most of them said “DUH! of course a pit bull is going to get into fights at a dog park. ” Those on the site were calling me ignorant about the breed that I would think that off-leash parks were ok. They said they lady who come to our park with the pit bull is 100% wrong, and these are the people that love pit bulls and fight against BSL. Also, many pit bulls that have hurt family members have never shown any aggression until the day it happened, leaving the owners shocked. Funny they would be shocked that their bred to fight and kill dog did just that? Your either in denial like most pit owners or lucky with your pits. I suggest you look up your breed and see what other advocates say about off-leash areas.

Left by tep on July 7th, 2008 at 6:23 pm

I’ve noticed a lot of young African American males with pit bulls, also young latin males. I’ve also noticed a lot of women, both white and black, but mostly the former, with pit bulls. Mostly it is the white women who try to justify and defend the reputation of the pit bull, although roughly 50% of the white women I have spoken to about their initial reason for choosing the breed said, ‘making them feel safer’ was among their reasons. What is clear is that aggressive behavior, or the expectation of it and the reputation for it is one of the major reasons that this breed has been bred and retained. The same is true of Rottweilers and German Shepherds who have been used by police and military forces throughout the world, also Dobermans. But, there are several studies in academia right now on the verge of being published that are going to make it pretty evident that the problems with the group of terrier breeds that go under the term ‘pit bull’ are much more problematic for the harm and injury they cause proportionate to their numbers than the balance of other breeds put together. Your web site is well intentioned, but many pit owners need to do a little soul searching as to why they have this statistically more aggressive prone breed with its physical ability to do far greater harm than other breeds of its size.

Left by Ralph Ng on July 13th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

I am a white woman in my 40s and I didn’t choose pitbulls because I thought they would make me feel safer. I chose them (or they chose me?) because they were dogs in need of a home.

Just this weekend, my husband and I drove from Minneapolis to Indianapolis to take custody of a pitbull whose white male owner moved to Denver, where bully breeds are banned, and he couldn’t take the dog with him. He also couldn’t relinquish it to the Humane Society there because shelters in Marion County and nearby Hamilton County do not adopt out bully breeds and the dog would have been euthanized. A couple who are friends with the 20-something man kept the dog for about three weeks until we could make the trip.

We knew on the drive there that Phoenix (nickname Fifi) is 4 years old and dog aggressive but we were willing to give it a go because so many of these dogs are misunderstood. We took both of our dogs along and introduced her first to our male because of his ultra-calm demeanor. We had Fifi on a leash and brought Quincy over for the sniff test. She growled a little but he didn’t respond — just wandered about in the yard and acted like he could care less that she was there. We dropped her leash and they were soon playing tag in the yard.

It was a little different story with Roxxi, our female. Fifi (who is not yet altered) stood dominate over Roxxi, growled, snarled and went for her neck. Roxxi rolled over and submitted to Fifi’s dominance. Fifi sniffed her up and down, then went back to playing with
Quincy.

After a little while, we prepared to load Fifi and her belongings into the car. My husband took Quincy and Fifi to the car and they both jumped into the back of the station wagon and rode over to where we could more easily load things. We thought maybe Fifi and Quincy could ride together for at least part of the trip and I would keep Roxxi on my lap. But, when we went to reload the dogs, Fifi proved to be too much for close quarters with Quincy after such a short introduction and the seating was reconfigured so that Fifi was riding shotgun and I was in the backseat keeping the peace between her and our dogs.

This dog was exemplary with people, wagging her tail and greeting with very little obnoxious behavior (she did jump up a couple times) both with us and with folks we met at gas stations and rest stops along the way. I was not afraid of her, even when she acted poorly with my dogs. I would not want to have the stress of having this dog become a permanent part of my family (it’s not fair to my dogs) but we will foster her until a single-dog forever home can be found for her by working through the same rescue group that we adopted Roxxi from.

It’s obvious that this dog has had little training — she can sit and shake and takes treats very gently, but she doesn’t heel and doesn’t respond to attempts to control her on a walk — but I’m sure she will be a very good pet once she is spayed and takes an obedience class … or two.

Would I take this dog to an off-leash dog park? Highly unlikely. But that doesn’t mean that all pitbulls should be mistrusted in such an environment.

Left by RoxxiMomma on July 22nd, 2008 at 3:02 pm

[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptJust this weekend, my husband and I drove from Minneapolis to Indianapolis to take custody of a pitbull whose white male owner moved to Denver, where bully breeds are banned, and he couldn’t take the dog with him. … [...]

Left by exemple blog » Blog Archive » Comment on Pitbull Attacks Our Dogs by RoxxiMomma on July 22nd, 2008 at 7:23 pm

I live in Wells Branch, and there are two pit bulls living a few streets away that were on the news this afternoon for attacking a man and ripping his family’s pet cat apart on their front lawn. According to the news story, these two pit bulls have attacked this family two different times - the cops tracked the dogs to their owner’s house, but apparently couldn’t get anyone to come to the door!? A news crew filmed the pit bulls looking out the window of the house, but also couldn’t get the owners to answer the door.

The report said that nothing can be done?!?! The shelter person interviewed said that pit bulls that have killed a family pet and also attacked a human can’t be taken and euthanized?! So these people are just allowed to 1) keep dogs that are known dangers to the community 2) not secure the dogs - they keep getting out and attacking - and we’re just supposed to wait until it’s a PERSON who is killed, instead of a cat?! I think this is absolutely outrageous, and I want to know what can be done - other than that I’ve been able to locate the owner’s house thanks to the picture of it that was put on the TV today.

Left by AngryNeighbor on July 23rd, 2008 at 6:54 pm

My wife noticed the above comment left by angry neighbor in regards to the pit bull story taken place in wells branch. I am actually the owner of the supposed crazed pit bulls and wanted to shed some light… I as well as my wife work 8-5 and were not home whenever the news crew came by however we did speak to police the night before when the attack happened.

I actually have 4 dogs which are inside dogs and the yard they play in while we are home is double fenced so that they can not get out. My home and animals were pointed out because my car had been seen in the general area (which is also near my house imagine that) and my dogs meet the description of the loose dogs. One black and one brown pit bull breed.

Problem is I as well as my wife were with other friends and family during the weekend of the cat attack and unless my dogs were able to get out of a locked house, through a double sided fence and back through the double sided fence and re-enter the locked house it is impossible they are the same dogs. On tuesday I was riding the wellsbranch bike trail and my wife who is 9months pregnant was decorating our baby room and the dogs were in the house with her the whole time.

I also had the sheriff’s dept walk my yard and confirm there was no signs of my dogs getting out even if they were let out in the backyard which they weren’t.

It is also important to note that the Sherriff’s dept was directed to my home by the couple because they had seen my SUV in the area (which is also where I live) and when going down my street saw my dogs in our window that meet the description. Even though there are 5 other pit bulls we are aware in general area I have been targeted becuase they saw a black and a brown pit in my window shortly after the incident, thing is… they are always at that window becuase they are inside dogs.

I am truly sorry for the loss of their cat as that is horrible and should not be allowed to happen under any circumstances but to point blame on the pit bull you can find without putting some type of logical thinking behind it is absurd. Furthermore.. people like “angry neighbor” seeing something on the news and assuming it must be true scares me as I would think any responsible adult would want to know all of the facts and not assume everything they read or see in the paper is 100% accurate.

Becuase of the mentality above I now have people driving by my house through out the day stoping to check things out and labeling us as vicious dog owners for something my animals had no way of getting out to do.

Left by Matt on July 24th, 2008 at 5:52 pm

well i am a pitbull owner and our male pitbull is a very sweet loving dog. we adopted him from a shelter and he plays just fine with our pomeranian mix just fine. he’s been at a house with a baby crawling around him and he left her alone. when i took him to the dog park he was fine, they have a pin for big dogs and a pin for little dogs. he did great, didnt show aggression or anything. then this chihuahua owner thought it would be great to bring her dog, who has been known to cause trouble in the dog park, in the big pin. and sure enough it provoked my pit. well the pit went the the big group of dogs after the chihuahua and attacked it. yeah, they got the dog to release and i went with the owners to the vet, paid the bill, and took my dog to the shelter for a 10 day qaurentine cause some idiot put his hand in his mouth and got bit. but simba didnt show aggression. he’s never going to a dog park or around dogs he doesnt know and is going to special training. the owner of the chihuahua even said her dog does things that would get another riled up. and she didnt press charges. of course she will probably be like some other idiots and go around saying i am keeping a vicious dog.
that guy was an irresponsible dog owner. his dog obviously wasnt socialized as a puppy and he wasnt watching it carefully enough to see any signs of aggression. at a dog park, owners are supposed to keep their eyes on their dogs at all times. its stupid people who get certain breeds for the wrong reasons that are causing problems. nobody should bring any dog anywhere unleashed if it is not properly trained.

i love my pitbull and i am a responsible owner for taking corrective action and learning from what happened. dog parks are a stupid idea anyway. most people dont bring their dogs to socialize, the are lazy and bring them there to burn off energy. you are advized walk your dog before he goes to the dog park or have him not so hyper.

and for the people who are stupid enough to stereotype a breed:
The most horrifying example of the lack of breed predictability is the October 2000 death of a 6-week-old baby, which was killed by her family’s Pomeranian dog. The average weight of a Pomeranian is about 4 pounds, and they are not thought of as a dangerous breed. Note, however, that they were bred to be watchdogs! The baby’s uncle left the infant and the dog on a bed while the uncle prepared her bottle in the kitchen. Upon his return, the dog was mauling the baby, who died shortly afterwards. (”Baby Girl Killed by Family Dog,” Los Angeles Times, Monday, October 9, 2000, Home Edition, Metro Section, Page B-5.)

In Canine homicides and the dog bite epidemic: do not confuse them, it has been pointed out that the dog bite epidemic as a whole involves all dogs and all dog owners, not just the breeds most likely to kill.

In all fairness, therefore, it must be noted that:

Any dog, treated harshly or trained to attack, may bite a person. Any dog can be turned into a dangerous dog. The owner or handler most often is responsible for making a dog into something dangerous.
An irresponsible owner or dog handler might create a situation that places another person in danger by a dog, without the dog itself being dangerous, as in the case of the Pomeranian that killed the infant (see above).
Any individual dog may be a good, loving pet, even though its breed is considered to be potentially dangerous. A responsible owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no matter its breed. One cannot look at an individual dog, recognize its breed, and then state whether or not it is going to attack.
To learn more about dog attacks, see Why dogs bite people To learn about how to take some of the bite out of the dog bite epidemic, see Attorney Kenneth Phillips’ 10-point plan for Preventing Dog Bites.

Children are the most frequent targets
Studies of dog bite injuries have reported that:
The median age of patients bitten was 15 years, with children, especially boys aged 5 to 9 years, having the highest incidence rate
The odds that a bite victim will be a child are 3.2 to 1. (CDC.)
Children seen in emergency departments were more likely than older persons to be bitten on the face, neck, and head. 77% of injuries to children under 10 years old are facial.
Severe injuries occur almost exclusively in children less than 10 years of age.
The majority of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar place.
The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim’s family or a friend.
When a child less than 4 years old is the victim, the family dog was the attacker half the time (47%), and the attack almost always happened in the family home (90%).

Left by tm on August 2nd, 2008 at 4:07 pm

Stop blaming the dogs !!!!! It’s the OWNERS you need to go after! Hold them responsible for their dogs. Don’t punish the dogs for the owner’s irresponsibility. PUNISH THE DOG’S OWNER!

Left by Lisa Lehman on August 26th, 2008 at 9:28 pm

years ago 70 percent of an american household dog was an american pitbull take petey from little rascals or the dutchboy paint pitbull i my self have 2 bluenose pitbulls and 4 children and do 4or 5 of my friends the reason these dogs have bad names is the humans who thaught it would be fun to watch in collisim days to watch dogs fighting bulls until the dogs stated turning on each other and that also was promoted by humans it is not in a pits nature to be meen i love them so please punish the deed not the breed

Left by joe dipierro on August 29th, 2008 at 11:54 am

I would just like to say I have always supported pit bulls until today. I thought me & my husbands 2 males would never hurt us or my lab/pit bull mix female. I was wrong. They attacked to kill her, shaking her by the neck & she had canine punctures through the top of her skull. It took me & my neighbor & his shotgun to save her. She had to have 12 staples to her skull & neck & she was covered in blood. The worst part was they attacked me too (we have had one for 3 years & the other for one & both since they were pups). Thank God none of my bites were severe. Needless to say my husband is finding another home for them. He doesn’t want them put down, but if I had my way my neighbor would have shot them dead like I pleaded him to when they were attacking. I think he was afraid we might sue him if he did.

Left by Julie on September 18th, 2008 at 1:53 am

first off, i’d like to say thank you to the people who agree that NOT ALL pit bulls are agressive. It IS because of the owners and how they raise the dogs themselves. And if you think that i’m wrong or just being arrongant, then that’s fine. That’s your opinion, although i’d think you are wrong. Yes, i agree that there are a good number of pit bulls out there that are agressive. BUT the only reason why they are agressive is because they were raised wrong, and abused both mentally and physically. Think of it … like raising a child. When you abuse and raise a child wrong, they become bad and do wrong things. they can become murderers or end up in jail for hitting someone. but so we hear anything about the parents or how they were raised? No. all we hear is about how they’re a danger to society and how they should be taken to the chair.

anyhoo, my point is …
i’m a pit bull owner. he’s 3 years old and is a full blooded american staffordshire terrior but everyone knows him as a “pit bull”. If you come over to where i live, everyone will tell you that Petey’s the nicest pitbull you’ll ever meet. I’ve had a lot of kids say that because of Petey, they’re not scared of dogs anymore. And I also let him off the lease to play with these kids because he LOVES playing with them and he’ll come to me when i call him. Why would I be crazy enough to let him off the lease? Because i trust him. If there’s no trust, then of course he’ll run wild and wouldnt come when i call him.

but i have run into a lot of BAD owners who’ll come up to me asking me to fight or to breed but I’ve always turned them down because I am really against dog fighting.

so to end this all,
it’s not the dogs fault.
it’s the owners.

also,
there have been many times when a chihuahua or a pomeranian have attacked and made my dog bleed many MANY times. But he has NEVER bit them back. He’ll let them do what they want and he’ll just lay there because they’re annoying. SOOO, blame the owners, not the dog. Blame society and not the breed.

if pit bulls “should” be banned from parks or other public places, then so should chihuahua’s and other dogs that i’ve known to show more agression than my dog has ever shown.

Left by cher on September 28th, 2008 at 4:43 am

wow! i am so glad your dogs and wife are ok! that is scary! i go to Auditorium Shores all the time and have witnessed a few dog fights. BUT guess what! every fight i have witnessed has not involved a pit bull! i understand you are pissed about what happened but be mad at the ignorant owner not the dog! any dog can be aggressive not just pit bulls so stop being racist! why dont you do something helpful instead of trying to ban pit bulls.

Left by bobby on November 21st, 2008 at 3:22 pm