QuantumFog

May 3, 2007

Taking crime out of the bite

A couple of days ago, a local resident was walking his dog on a daily constitutional. Two pit bulls roaming the neighborhood appeared and attacked both the pedestrian and his dog.

The resident went to the ER with major leg lacerations and some ripped ligaments. He'll need corrective surgery. His dog died in the encounter.

This attack is the third in the local area during the past year. The news accounts included the obligatory "other side" of the story, with someone saying its all in how the dog is raised. Their pet pit is, of course, playing with their children.

Some people say the same thing about raising pet lions.

The news misses the point. Pit bulls are genetically selected to literally kill other dogs. Though raised in a loving family, they have a shorter fuse than most dogs. Owners are surprised when these dogs go nuclear.

My neighbor introduced me to his pit bull several years back. I reached over, let him have a sniff, lightly petted him on the head. The dog snapped suddenly, trying to catch my wrist. It ended with a little blood loss and a very apologetic neighbor. Both of us raised everything from mutts to German Shepherds all our lives, but neither of us could figure why this attack happened.

Today, there's a story in New Zealand of a Jack Russell terrier named George who saved several children from two pit bulls. The pits attacked and maimed the Russell beyond repair. It was euthanized.

The breed is outlawed in the UK, it should also be outlawed in the United States. Do police departments use them? Nope. Go ask 'em why not.

There's no need to have one, just like there's no need to hunt squirrels with a .50 caliber.

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