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Child bitten by dog at Lafayette Elementary playground

June 17, 2008 12:18 pm
|      52 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

We just confirmed with the Seattle Animal Shelter that they have seized the dog which is reported to have bitten a child at the Lafayette Elementary playground before school this morning. Our first report came from Lafayette parent Bernicki, who quotes school administration as saying the bite wasn’t serious; the dog apparently ran onto the playground without its owner or minder anywhere in sight, and in fact, Ann Graves from the Animal Shelter tells WSB they are still trying to locate its owner before they can decide what will happen to the dog. She says their report indicated the dog is a pit bull, which is also what Bernicki told us, but they will not be able to confirm its breed — it could be a mix — until the dog is at SAS facilities later.

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52 Replies to "Child bitten by dog at Lafayette Elementary playground"

  • SuitsarenotBoring June 17, 2008 (12:54 pm)

    I live close to the school and noticed a black and white dog, which seemed to be a pit bull mix, wandering unattended around PCC this morning. I wonder if that was the dog?

  • Irukandji June 17, 2008 (12:57 pm)

    I hope the kid is indeed without injury, and that there is no residual fear of dogs as a result.

    Heck of a start to summer!

  • ZS June 17, 2008 (1:08 pm)

    Unleashed dogs running free are unacceptable. Dogs are unpredictable and always susceptible to becoming aggressive if they are out of their element or away from their owner, even the most “friendly” dogs. But a pit bull, definitely bad.

    I got harassed by an unleashed dog on a run yesterday. It was barking and running after me and all the owner said was “no foofoo, stop that” all to no avail. I was ready to kick the somewhat small mutt in the face if it got any closer.

    I hope the punishment of the owner is severe. If it was my kid I’d do everything possible to ensure the reckless owner and dog were punished.

  • momtoone June 17, 2008 (2:24 pm)

    All breeds of dogs can bite, but Pit Bulls seem to be the most agressive, and can turn on family members/friends, esp. children. Their jaws are very strong relative to most other breeds. Please people, it may be “cool” to have a “dangerous” dog, but if you do, keep it away from small children and ALWAYS keep it securely attached to you or your property at all times.

  • Kathy June 17, 2008 (2:32 pm)

    On my way to work around 730 this moring going up Amdmiral I saw a pit bull running loose almost hit by a cat. A woman was tring to help it….maybe the same dog. Please remember their are no bad dogs only owners. It is sillly to be afraid of any all dogs off leash due to a few bad apples…..one wouldnt do that with people or we would never leave our home! I feel bad for animals that have owners who use them for figthing or jusyt to be scary.

  • lina June 17, 2008 (2:37 pm)

    a reminder- any dog can bite or behave aggressively if untrained or abused. i have known many well socialized, friendly pitbulls. and many other dogs who were not. including my own mix breed collie/golden retreiver. she looks like a puppy faced sweetie yet 10 years ago when i picked her up at the shelter-she reached out to bite my boyfriend. she had been abused, it has taken me years to train her properly. blame the owner not the breed. this may sound harsh on owners but it is thier responsibility to train and make thier dog feel comfortable and confident. it always worries me when i see ‘pitbull’ immediately pointed to as a cause of aggression. not only does this unfairly defame a great breed, it makes people complacent around other types of dogs that could easily be aggressive that happen to look like a ‘friendly’ breed.

  • iloveapbt June 17, 2008 (3:07 pm)

    Here we go again.

    Before the rumor mill starts can WSB confirm 100% that the dog is a “pitbull”?

    Another kid got bit because of an irresponsible dog owner. Ban the dog owner for life for owning any animals.

    momtoone, please submit your scientific proof that pitbulls have a stronger jaw than other dogs. I am awaiting your information.

  • WSB June 17, 2008 (3:11 pm)

    The animal shelter folks will be able to tell us tomorrow. Meantime, it is factual to report that the dog was reported to be a pit bull, by multiple sources. We’d report the description if it were a Chihuahua, Great Pyrenees, poodle, or anything inbetween, fwiw.

  • fiz June 17, 2008 (3:36 pm)

    Never trust the dog whose owner lovingly gazes at the snarling little terror and exclaims ‘he doesn’t bite’ while it lunges for your legs!

  • noncentric June 17, 2008 (4:03 pm)

    The stigma surrounding pitbulls is indeed mainly due to their owners. Pitbulls aren’t even a breed, they’re actually american pit bull terriers. That’s right…Terriers!

    Anyway, it’s true that most dog bites in the news center around pit bulls – but that’s because owners that want ‘mean’ dogs get and train pit bulls, so more pit bulls are “mean” and agressive. Same as the trend with dobermans many years ago. Let’s face if, if the punks in our society got golden retrievers and trained their goldies to be mean and attack people – then there would be news stories about “another golder retriever attacks young child”.

    With pit bulls…it’s 90% owners/10% breed. That 10% is dues to their jaw structure. Their jaw musculature is more developed that most other breeds and they do have a greater tendency towards “lockjaw” – so when they bite down they don’t release as quickly as other breeds. Ask a DVM.

    There are plenty of nice, well-trained pit bulls out there…just look for responsible pit bull owners. :)

    Another interesting note – one of the most frequent biters are dalmations.

  • Dee June 17, 2008 (4:09 pm)

    Yes I am a pitbull/mix owner I love my dogs dearly and I have taken the time and worked with them to be good positive influences upon the public. But as for any dog there is always a chance of biting, if someone asks if my dog bites no matter if it is pitbull or poodle I say it hasn’t YET. I had a pitbull/mix prior to having my first child that dog was a mother and never had an issue. I have had two pit/mixes and another child without any issues. I would say to momtoone that it doesn’t seem to be a fluke that there hasn’t been an issue I would say it had to do with training of my dogs and of my children that we have all lived very happy and safe. My children are 10 and 7 now both boys that make lots of noise and are constantly moving. Saying one breed is bad over others is like saying one gun is less dangerous then another one, they can both be dangerous is the wrong hands. By the way the comment about thinking it is “cool” to have a “dangerous” dog, it does not apply to me or my family. People who get them for those reason are the ones that are dangerous and are typically the ones that have problem dogs. We have rescued our pit/mixes and have found them to be very loving and loyal dogs not to mention highly intelligent. Our last pup was rescued from some twenty somethings that bought them off Craigs List but had no knowledge of how to raise this breed and was abusive to the puppy we now have. I have taken it to training class and it has been suggested of me to put it in the program that uses dogs for therapy treatment for people. So putting breeds aside a dog running lose is irresposible to the general public and the dog itself.

  • Faith June 17, 2008 (4:16 pm)

    Thank you for the update, but I have to say that it is really irrelevant as to what breed of dog was involved in the biting incident. Pit bull, labrador, border collie, it really doesn’t make a difference to the fact that the owner is at fault for allowing their dog – whatever the breed – to roam free in the neighborhood. If we enforced harsh penalties for ALL owners of dogs that bite/attack/roam off leash, etc, etc, then these irresponsible people would be more willing to act responsibly and take extra measures to ensure their dogs are confined so that future attacks do not happen. More often than not, the dogs involved are euthanized and the owners get a slap on the wrist, only to rush out and buy another dog to ruin.

  • JJ June 17, 2008 (5:11 pm)

    Just curious…does anyone have any reliable stats on what percentage of dog bites in our city (or another city) are from pit bulls? Are they getting a bad rap, or do the numbers say they deserve it?

  • Dee June 17, 2008 (5:25 pm)

    I have found this website that lists states the only problem with it is it seems to be dog bias I haven’t found unbias search. http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/statestats.asp

  • iloveapbt June 17, 2008 (6:06 pm)

    Some positive news. From Michael Vick dog to Therapy dog http://video.nbc11.com/player/?id=262987

  • Gina June 17, 2008 (6:16 pm)

    Just now a woman with two young girls had her large dog tied up to the 45th ave entrance to the Lafayette playground. Dog was completely blocking playground entrance. School employees still on the school grounds. Another little girl was pushed over along with her bicycle by the dog while trying to enter playground.

    Woman that tied dog up to playground fence completely oblivious.

  • chelsey R June 17, 2008 (7:36 pm)

    Thank you Iloveapbt. I have a Abpt i love her an she is awsome with kids.I have never actually met a mean Ampbt not to say there not out there but its owners to blame. Momtoone you clearly do not no what your talking about. Apbt scored just as good if not better in temperment testing as Golden retrievers, border collies, and many other family dogs there score 84.4. Better than a dalmation cocker spaniel and so on. So please do your research before you post something so ignorant.

  • BGH June 17, 2008 (8:13 pm)

    The only good pit bull is one that has been left in a cage of lions.

  • chelsey R June 17, 2008 (8:43 pm)

    National Canine Research Counsil is a great site full of info on all breeds and the FACTS!!!!!!!!! about Apbt. BGH you have obviously been threw a tramatic experience. Or you are extremely uneducated. Possibly both. Your comment however is not even worth a responce i just feel sorry for you.

  • iloveapbt June 17, 2008 (8:47 pm)

    BGH,

    I feel sorry for you. You are an ignorant, uneducated, and narrow-minded person.

  • Audrey June 17, 2008 (8:54 pm)

    It sounds like “BGH” is code for DMX. Better check BGH’s backyard….

  • Audrey June 17, 2008 (8:57 pm)

    From the UK Kennel Club Website..

    Rumours about ‘Lock Jaw’ in Pit Bull Terrier Type Dogs

    Scientific research has proven that the pit bull terrier and related breeds are physiologically no different from any other breed of dog. Dr Lehr Brisbin and colleagues at the University of Georgia have shown that there is nothing in the skeletal structure of the pit bull terrier jaw that is any different from that of any other dog in respect to locking.

    I know my dog doesn’t have lock jaw, but he does have a big smile!

  • Audrey June 17, 2008 (8:58 pm)

    From the UK Kennel Club Website

    Rumours about ‘Lock Jaw’ in Pit Bull Terrier Type Dogs

    Scientific research has proven that the pit bull terrier and related breeds are physiologically no different from any other breed of dog. Dr Lehr Brisbin and colleagues at the University of Georgia have shown that there is nothing in the skeletal structure of the pit bull terrier jaw that is any different from that of any other dog in respect to locking.

    But they do have big mouths! You should see my dog smile!

  • booger June 17, 2008 (9:27 pm)

    Why does the discussion of a dog bite result in a damning of Pit Bulls, or any particular breed of dog. It’s the owner. Bad owner, Bad owner… Let’s read about the owner, and talk about that person, and about how they are irresponsible with their pet, letting it run loose, even worse near/in in a school playground with kids.

  • Timeslid June 17, 2008 (9:33 pm)

    Let’s settle down with the name calling. There is a child victim in this case and I for one want to know if they are ok. I also want to know what the real circumstances of the attack were. The dog discussion is old and we can all agree that the owners are responsible. Dogs are dogs are dogs and should be looked at as such – regardless of breed.

  • iloveapbt June 17, 2008 (10:26 pm)

    Timeslid,

    Well said. You are correct. I and everyone else also want to make sure that the little kid is ok.

    My only problem is why even mentioned the breed? Why not just say “dog”?

  • FanOfThePit June 17, 2008 (10:45 pm)

    The most important part of this story is a child was bitten by a dog who was on the loose. The 2nd part is who is the irresponsible owner of this dog and why were they off leash. Forget the breed, the pitbull is no more of a threat than my black lab and Miniature pincher. Do your research on these wonderful, affectionate, loyal dogs and you will at least have an “informed” opinion. I only hope the child is okay and the owner is held accountable for their irresponsible dog ownership.

  • littlebrowndog June 18, 2008 (6:12 am)

    I spend a LOT of time around the various herding breeds (aussies, shelties, corgis, border collies, etc.) and I have to admit that there are some that instinctively nip when somebody runs near them. It’s part of the herding instinct. Many will simply circle a “flock” of children and work to bring them tighter together without nipping, but a known challenge occasionally in agility is the herding dog that nips at their handler’s heels or leaps up and grabs at them while they are running. It’s something they have to have trained out of them, and good owners do that. This is not to say that ALL of the herding dogs will do that, just that sometimes it is an issue. This is said to illustrate that biting/nipping is not unique to the “bully breeds.” It’s an owner’s responsibility to be aware of any potential triggers at all and training them away or managing them well. When a dog has been abused, fear aggression is an issue at times. People who rescue them learn (or need to learn) what to do about that. I have learned to never assume that some breeds will bite and others will never bite. It’s individual dogs that are sometimes the issue. Ever hear of a snappy chihuahua frightened by all the huge people and dogs around them?

  • Kathy June 18, 2008 (8:55 am)

    Wow after last nights Aliki rampage by wild teens maybe we should put them “down” as well. I am far more terrified of my fellow humans then any animal pit bull or otherwise.

  • TH June 18, 2008 (10:02 am)

    Is the breed really not important? I know that crocker spaniels are frequent biters BUT as far as injuries go pit bulls do more damage. Of course the owner is responsible but too many people want to have a pit bull just because of the reputation. Somehow having a bada– dog is a badge of honor.

  • AlkiKmac June 18, 2008 (10:57 am)

    http://www.komonews.com/news/local/20391579.html
    Wapato is banning specific breeds. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

  • BGH June 18, 2008 (11:20 am)

    Feed them to the lions.

  • Sparty June 18, 2008 (6:04 pm)

    Why is the breed mentioned? Because it ain’t *news* if it’s a Chihuahua/poodle/insert-other-breed-here. The media loves a train wreck. How many kids/people are bitten by the family pet and it doesn’t get reported? Of course the statistics on bites will be skewed, depending on to whom you speak.

    Punish the deed, NOT the breed. Enforce existing leash laws and really PUNISH the irresponsible owners. Make them PAY for ignoring laws that can prevent this type of tragedy.

  • chelsey June 18, 2008 (8:20 pm)

    Actually durin word war2 the apbt was cosidered a war hero. They were called the patriotic terrier. Even the dog on the little rascals was apbt. The only reason its considered bada is due o the media and ignorant people trying to make up or there own short comings by having a quote bada dog. Personaly my pitt is a baby she is even submissive to cats. IT IS ALL ABOUT TRAINING! Bgh ur sad get a life and while your at it some therapy and or medication.

  • chelsey June 18, 2008 (8:35 pm)

    And to talk about damage. What about the first women to ever need and have a complete face transplant because her BLACK LAB mauled her. The breed absolutly should not matter it happens with all dogs. Apbt have there rep because of humans and humans only. They are a dog just like any other dog to be specific they are a american bulldog and old english terrier mix. Not some mutant dog. Man made them fight. Dog do not dream abut being on the news and being considered dangerous. Its up to us as owners to stay educated and be responsible.

  • chelsey June 18, 2008 (8:51 pm)

    And talk about damage. The first women to ever under go a full face transplant because her LAB Mauled her. The breed doesnt matter it happens with all dogs. They are a dog like any other to be specific a American bull dog and old english terrier mix that is what a apbt is. They are not some mutant beast. There reputation is because of man and the media. No dog dreams about being on the news or being public enemy number 1. If we chose to have an animal it is our responsibility to stay educated and be responsible. Not the animal

  • chelsey June 18, 2008 (8:53 pm)

    oops my bad

  • Jeanne June 19, 2008 (7:31 am)

    According to the Seatle Times,
    .
    “More than half of the dogs at the shelter are pit bulls or pit-bull mixes, and about 30 percent of the dog-bite cases animal-control officers investigate involve the breed.”

    This is a basic animal husbandry issue. The dogs are indiscrimiately bred, or deliberately bred for aggression. Obviously there are more irresponsible pit bull owners and breeders if half the dogs in shelters are pits and pit mixes.

    I understand its fashionable and popular for young people to crusade against regulating pit bulls, but from a humane standpoint something has to be done. The most common victims of pit bulls are actually other animals, especially other dogs. No one is keeping statistics on how many companion animals are mauled/killed by pit bulls each year, but the number is significant. Pit bulls flood animal shelters in numbers outpacing all other breeds. It is estimated that around 700,000 pit bulls are euthanized each year.

    It is unlikely that the owner of the pit bull that bit the child will come forward…the dogs are commonly abandoned. Seattle residents should not gave in to the propaganda campaigns of the for-profit breeder lobby, and do what is right for its citizens and taxpayers, (who ultimately foot the bill).

  • Margie June 19, 2008 (12:54 pm)

    Jeanne, you’re right. The breed is known for trouble because of the PEOPLE who are attracted to the breed. These PEOPLE are attracted to pit bulls because the MEDIA tells them that they are great dogs to have if you want a “vicious” animal. In the 80’s it was Dobermans and GSDs. In the 90’s it was Rottweilers. If the media started reporting that Golden Retrievers were “vicious” then we would see a huge surge in abandoned/ aggressive/ roaming/ wrecked Goldens. Goldens, by the way, scored slightly lower than APBT (84.2% vs. 84.3% passing according to the American Temperament Test Society) in temperament tests. Bad ownership and poor breeding is the sole cause of bad dogs. When any dog lands in the hands of an irresponsible owner you’ve got a disaster waiting to happen. Anti-breed people like you and the media are the reasons that this continues. YOU ARE MAKING PIT BULLS EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE TO MALICIOUS OWNERS. Punishing a breed and not the owners just fuels that notion. If all “pit bulls” were euthanized today, you would have the EXACT SAME issues, just with another breed. STOP MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE AND FIX THE ISSUE WHERE IT STARTS!

  • Dee June 19, 2008 (1:41 pm)

    Oh Jeanne, thank you so much for calling me a young person that was very kind of you, considering I am 39 years old.
    Also your figure of about 700,000 pitbulls being euthanized can you tell me how many of those animals where euthanized automatically just because they are pitbulls or mixes. Careful of numbers there are a lot of counties out there that will put down a pitbull/mix for no reason except they appear to be a pitbull, they chose not to test them to see if they are safe to be adopted by good homes. They kill them only because of appearance.
    I for one do not breed my animals they are all fixed and I also do not promote the breed for any profit and I would say the majority of the people who are trying to stop breed banning are non profit people who love and are responsible owners of thier pets.
    Also the ban includes more animals than just pitbulls. I am also a tax payer so I should have rights to own whatever breed animal I want so I am right there with you “footing the bill” for IRRESPONSIBLE pet owners.

  • Margie June 19, 2008 (2:22 pm)

    To clarify my previous comment:

    Most bad dog owners are attracted to pit bulls not most people attracted to pit bulls are bad owners.

  • Jeanne June 19, 2008 (6:49 pm)

    Stop it already, with the blather about the ATTS test.
    .

    The ATTS was NEVER designed to evaluate dogs to determine their suitability as family pets. It is designed to evaluate dogs for bitework…protection sports like French Ring and Shutzhund. It is commonly used to evaluate dogs that will be ultimately used as police canines. If you look at the number of dogs that take the test each year, German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) outnumber any other breed listed by a huge margin; this is because they still are the most common breed used in police work.
    .
    The ATTS test rewards boldness…they evaluate how the dog reacts to gunshots, a threatening stranger, etc. There is also a tracking portion of the test, where the dog is required to walk across a strange surface, like plastic and wire (think of a police canine chasing a suspect). Timid dogs do not do well on the test, naturally. Also, the test is subjective…aggression is checked against the breed standard; one can assume that a Golden Retriever would be held to a different standard than a Doberman. It is unclear how the ATTS evaluators are experts on the temperament standard for every breed.
    .
    An important ommission in the ATTS test is dog/dog aggression; the test does not evaluate the dogs reaction to other dogs. A dog could pass the ATTS with flying colors, even if it was dangerously dog aggressive.
    .
    The pro-pit lobby has deliberately confused the public into believing that the ATTS is equivalent to the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, which is often used to evaluate dogs for therapy work. The ATTS is an excellent tool to evaluate dogs for Search and Rescue (SAR), protection sports, Police canines, hunting trials, etc. But it in no way indicates which breed is “safer” to have as a family pet.
    .

    Grow up….no one is “punishing” the dogs by regulating their breeding. Mandatory spay and neuter would prevent the suffering of hundreds of thousands of dogs at the hands of negligent, criminal owners.
    .
    Pit bull bans are being up held across the country, don’t be surprised when more and more cities and towns turn to outright bans. Pit bull advocates represent the lunatic fringe of the humane movement; they have fought tooth and nail against any and all reasonable regulations to stop the dog fighters and bybers. You people fight against proposals which would protect responsible dog owners rights to keep their dogs, and reputable hobby breeders right to breed them. When the majority of dogs are bred by gang members, dogfighters, criminals, and idiots, unstable dogs with dangerous temperaments flood communities. As more and more people and pets are attacked, residents demand that pit bulls are banned.

  • Margie June 19, 2008 (10:07 pm)

    Jeanne, you are clearly part of your own “lunatic fringe.” I’ve been to ATTS tests. They test the stability of the dogs VERY well. But, you MISSED THE POINT. Ask any animal control officer which breed of dog they would least like to come upon on a call and pit bull will not even make the top three. PIT BULLS are not inherantly “vicious.” I am a former animal control officer, and I have never met another officer who was in favor of breed specific legislation. I am not a breeder nor have I even owned a pit bull, but I have seen what people have done to them and how people approach and treat dogs based solely on appearance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen kids bitten by small dogs because their idiot parents let them run right up to them. I have seen time and time again, how public hysteria completely disrails any efforts by agencies that are trying to fix the real problem — irresponsible breeders and owners. It is media hype and bad owners — pure and simple. Last weekend an infant in Indiana had his genitals ripped off by the family cairn terrier/poodle mix. The buried headline didn’t mention the breed at all. You know full well if it had been a pit bull that would have been the front page story with “PIT BULL” splashed all over the paper. Also, the average person couldn’t accurately identify a “pit bull” if their life depended on it. The state of Colorado tried to prohibit Denver’s breed ban basically because 8 out of 9 times their officers couldn’t accurately identify an APBT or mix thereof. You know what mix breed is most confused with a pit bull? A boxer/lab mix! Breed specific legislation doesn’t care about a dog’s behavior or even a dog’s true genetic make up — only what they LOOK LIKE. I personally would like to see ALL dogs sterilized unless they are owned by a licensed breeder. Average backyard breeders produce unstable dogs, and they sell their dogs to people without any regard for what kind of home they are going to. They should be outlawed. There are much more EFFECTIVE legislative actions that are non-breed-specific being enacted all over the world.

  • chelsey June 19, 2008 (11:12 pm)

    There are many apbt who ave also taken the cgc test and done wondefully mine being one of them thnkyou she just went to my grandpas nursing home and they loved her.True that apbt have a tendency twords dog aggresion. however most terriers do. my roomate has a extremeley dog aggressive mini aussie while my apbt is submissive to him any dog can have trouble. Either way thats where responsiility and education come in. Nowing your dog and there body language is extremely important. never leaving our dogs alone togther . As far as drug dealers and gangsters yes i agree they think its cool to have “tough” dogs. However they find that a pit bull is not so tough thats why they are so beaten and starved. Thats why they are found dipped in acid. It needs to be harder for ignorant cruel stupid people to be in charge of the well being of any living thing. Im part of a site with over 200 people none being thugs. For the 100 time ITS THE OWNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ban them not my dog my family member!!!!!!!!!

  • chelsey June 19, 2008 (11:17 pm)

    Thank you margie i couldnt agree with you more :)

  • FanOfThePit June 20, 2008 (7:06 am)

    Jeanne, let’s say bans are placed in all cities and towns acrosss the country, where would all the pitbulls go? Are you looking to extinct the breed altogether? Seems like pro-ban people are looking to wipe the breed off the face of the earth. When you are asking for these bans it seems like you are not taking into consideration all the “good” pits who are just living out their days being the affectionate, loyal, obedient pets that many of them are. It sounds like mass extermination of this breed is the only thing you and the pro-banners would be satisfied with. The more you dig in with your unreasonable demands for a ban to take place, the more the “lunatic fringe” will counter your efforts and fight for what is really needed – stopping these dogs from getting into the wrong hands. And by the way, I do not know one pitbull owner who is in favor of dog fighting and drug dealer ownership. People who want to own a pitbull should be subject to specific screening and pass a background check with no criminal history. I think it is reasonable to start there. Pro-banners really miss the people part of the pitbull problem. You take out all your anger on the dogs and forget the real problem at hand – the irresponsible people who own them. If you had one of these dogs in your life and spent an appreciable amount of time with them – your views would change and your heart would soften towards them. You would see them for who they are and not the label our media and politicians and “lunatic fringe” parents have placed on them.

  • Margie June 20, 2008 (11:13 am)

    And Jeanne, the “lunatic fringe” you describe includes the following:

    ASPCA,
    The Humane Society,
    AKC,
    UKC,
    American Veterinary Medicine Association,
    American Animal Hospital Association,
    CDC,
    and the American Humane Association (CHILDREN and animals).

    Each one of these organizations opposes BSL and recognizes it as INEFFECTIVE and inhumane. If you’d like the direct links to those statements, I can readily supply them.

    If they are all part of the “lunatic fringe” I’d hate to see who is in your “rational majority.”

  • Jeanne June 20, 2008 (12:24 pm)

    I am not “pro-banning” of any dog breed. As usual, you have missed my point entirely with your hystrionics.
    .
    I am against breed bans….that is why I support mandatory spay/neuter of non-titled, non-UKC, AKC registered dogs, microchipping, and liability insurance for owners. This would reduce the population of unstable, aggressive dogs by making it harder for bybers to operate. Fewer dogs, fewer instances of attacks, fewer headlines. Communities would not need to ban them.
    .
    Breeders doing confirmation with their AmStaffs, agility or Schutzhund with their APBT, could still continue to breed. Responsible dog owners could still keep their pets. Fewer dogs will suffer at the hands of dogfighters and criminals. The public wins, the dogs win.
    .
    I would support mandatory sterilization of ANY breed/type of dog that was overrepresented in shelters the way pit bulls are. I also have a HUGE contempt for people who refuse to recognize the role genetics play in dog behavior. I have seen a pit bull dispatch another dog in an unprovoked attack, and it was terrifying to witness. I have seen several pit bulls raised as “nice family pets” inflict horrible damage on other dogs because their owners refuse to acknowledge their dogs fighting heritage.
    .
    I could post scores of quotes from ASPCA and humane workers that underscore the potential danger of pit bulls, but this conversation is getting old. You all take your talking points from the same propaganda websites, its getting tiresome.

  • Margie June 20, 2008 (12:43 pm)

    Funny, all I read here is NOTHING BUT ANTI PIT BULL!

    “More than half of the dogs at the shelter are pit bulls or pit-bull mixes, and about 30 percent of the dog-bite cases animal-control officers investigate involve the breed.”

    This is a basic animal husbandry issue. The dogs are indiscrimiately bred, or deliberately bred for aggression. Obviously there are more irresponsible pit bull owners and breeders if half the dogs in shelters are pits and pit mixes.

    I understand its fashionable and popular for young people to crusade against regulating pit bulls, but from a humane standpoint something has to be done. The most common victims of pit bulls are actually other animals, especially other dogs. No one is keeping statistics on how many companion animals are mauled/killed by pit bulls each year, but the number is significant. Pit bulls flood animal shelters in numbers outpacing all other breeds. It is estimated that around 700,000 pit bulls are euthanized each year.

    It is unlikely that the owner of the pit bull that bit the child will come forward…the dogs are commonly abandoned. Seattle residents should not gave in to the propaganda campaigns of the for-profit breeder lobby, and do what is right for its citizens and taxpayers, (who ultimately foot the bill).”

  • Margie June 20, 2008 (12:49 pm)

    Anti pit bull is your propoganda. You are spewing the same propoganda that all dogsbite.org sites spew. (Huh, I wonder why they don’t have a link to the dog attack in Indiana that wasn’t a pit bull…) There are potential dangers in all dogs. When you single out one breed you are basically advertising that breed to the people who cause the most damage to an animal’s psyche. Do you really think that’s responsible?

  • Dee June 20, 2008 (2:41 pm)

    Just one question….if you ban guns does that get them out of the hands of the people who are irrisposible (gang members and/or idiots)? Guns are just materials. Where a dog is a living breathing thing! Even if you ban breeds it doesn’t get them out of the wrong hands.

  • Todd June 21, 2008 (11:25 pm)

    My child goes to Schmitz Park, a few months ago, police were called to the school for a similar incident. It is always troubling to pull into the parking lot and see police at your childs school.

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