Is It Time To Ban All Pit Bull Type Dogs?

[naomi24]

Six people were killed by these types of dogs last year and now we have what I believe to be the second child killed this year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-64476833

Pit Bulls are banned - but the rest don't appear to be. And before someone says 'it's not the dog, it's the owner', I don’t believe it is. These dogs are renowned for their aggressive temperament which is why Pit Bulls have been banned. And yet we still have rogue breeders cashing in. I personally know someone who has just bought a 'Bully XL', an American Bulldog, on credit because she can't afford the £500 the breeder wants so how she is going to pay vet bills, etc, is anyone's guess. She lives with her nine year old son in a two bedroom high rise flat. Sensible? No! A status symbol for the hard of thinking? Yes.

[Barsel]

Sometimes it is the owner Naomi as in the case you have just mentioned.
You say you know someone who has bought an American Bulldog and she lives in a flat with her 9yr old son. Why, why buy this type of dog?
The latest child in question was 4 yrs old and playing in her back garden with the dog that they hadn't had long. Why, why would a parent buy that type of dog with a young child in the house?
Yes, these dogs should be banned, but the people who are buying these dogs need to ask themselves why they feel they need a dog like this.

[bhg481]

Maybe all dogs should be muzzled in public places. There would have to be exceptions eg, police dogs but these could be licensed.

[THECORBYLOON]

What type of dog was the one in this attack?

[evadora]

I have a neighbour that has 2 large dogs - a Dogues de Bordeaux and a large Husky. Their property is a small 2 bed bungalow with a tiny back garden. He lives there with the dogs, his other half and a small child. We neighbours are getting worried as the dogs are never walked and exercised and are just let out in the tiny yard to do their toileting (which is just left to pile high in the yard/garden. The mess is cleaned up every 3 weeks when the black sack rubbish is due for collection. We have complained to the council and the RSPCA but they seem to be too busy with these type of complaints at present to make a visit. I am dreading the news of an attack on the child so this afternoon I have a telephone appointment with child services (will it do any good)?? The couple also have very flimsey fences in the garden and the dogs throw themselves at the fences when they hear a noise or if anyone walks by - it will not be long before the fences are flattened and the dogs are loose. What more can we do??

[naomi24]

bhg, this dog wasn't in a public place. The child was killed in her garden.

Corby, I read that it was a Pit Bull type dog.

[barry1010]

Corby, the neighbours claim it was a Pitbull, the official line is the breed is still to be determined

[barry1010]

Muzzling in public might help to a point, but many of these fatal dog attacks are in a private residence

[pastafreak]

If you'd asked me a few years ago, I'd agree with the "it's not the dog, it's the owner".
But these are massive and very strong dogs. They don't bite so much as they lock onto whatever/whoever they grab. I've heard they almost literally can't let go. Amazingly, they still seem popular in the States. That makes me shiver.
Apparently last year saw a record number of attacks and fatalities.
This article covers several decades...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

[ichkeria]

I also don't understand the need for this.

A good friend of ours had a dog - no idea what breed - that was so aggressive he had to keep a muzzle on it a lot of time in the house, and I was there when the dog tried to bite him!
It's not as if he's the sort of person I'd associate with aggressive dogs.
Anyway, the wretched thing died recently, so I will feel a little safer next time I visit ...

[bhg481]

Perhaps the owner of a dog which causes injury should be treated as if the owner themself had done the damage ie, the owner charged with GBH/murder etc.
I appreciate that many dog injuries take place in private spaces but I think compulsory muzzles in public spaces is a start and at least restricts damage to people who enter the space willingly ie, not random members of the public.

[goodgoalie]

How about the return of needing a licence to own a dog? After all, some dogs are as lethal as a firearm, and you need a licence to own one of them.

[barry1010]

I've already mentioned here that the programme I watched about these types of dogs last week had a scene that chilled me to the bone.

The dog was on a lead in the street and the owner could not control it. The dog fixated on a young girl about 6. He could not take his eyes off her and was straining at the lead. The girl had to hide in the road behind a car until someone picked her up and carried her away.
Horrible.

My daughter used to foster innuit/husky type rescue dogs, she has a lot of land and was able to take the dogs to work with her. She knows dogs and never had a problem but ended the arrangement when she became pregnant.

She was planning to have a family so chose to foster for 6 years. She won't have another dog until her children are older.

[pastafreak]

After having an unsocialised and very nervous HUGE greyhound that had aggressive tendencies, I've developed a wariness of all dogs. If even the most gentle of breeds can attack, then maybe far more care must be taken in how people acquire dogs, with suitable training required for both...and careful matching of needs, experience, housing etc.

[barry1010]

Goalie, all you had to do to get a dog licence was hand a few bob over the counter at the post office. I knew licensing system would need to be far more rigorous

[choux]

£500 seems cheap these days and I would take that as another reason to steer clear of the breeder. Many of our dogs have been rescues but when buying puppies it has been because of trusted personal recommendations, checking with the breed association and viewing the litter and mother in situ with the breeder. We have never had a dog that caused us any concern or problem over safety to others.

The woman you mention apparently has neither sense nor awareness of the dreadful, recent attacks of dogs on humans. I agree with your idea of status symbol, naomi, and that is no reason to get any dog. It will all end in trouble/tears.

We both love dogs but still realise that any dog could attack someone in given circumstances. Owning a dog is a tremendous commitment which the hard-of-thinking will not understand/accept.

To answer your OP I believe this type of American Bully dog should be banned. I must add that I have known some great Staffies and one American Pit Bull :)

[Barsel]

goodgoalie I'm not sure that bringing back dog licences would cure the problem but it would help a little.
I expect there will always be people who wouldn't buy a licence like there are people who don't buy other types of licences.

[barry1010]

The programme last week featured a stud owner who's puppies sold for many thousands each. He manually sees to the male dogs 40 times a month. He had already served a prison sentence for illegal breeding but gets round it by only having stud dogs - no laws apply

Have a look if you have the time, I don't know how the presenter had the stomach for it
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001hjbw#:~:text=Panorama%20goes%20undercover%20to%20reveal,by%20breeding%20dogs%20to%20extremes.

[pastafreak]

Thanks for the link Barry...I'll watch it later.

[ToraToraTora]

Personally I think we should start prosecuting stupid owners for murder. Yes by all means ban the fighting dogs etc, thought they were already anyway but the real problem is with thick aS pig cack owners. How many times have we heard my dog loves kids would never bite a child etc; YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY KNOW THAT YOU MORON!

[ToraToraTora]

I have 2 JRs, one of them will lick you to death but the other one will bite first and ask questions later, especially children and other dogs. Guess what, I am very careful with him because I know. With any other home he'd have bitten kid and been put down years ago. It's not the dogs it's the owners.