Posted by JohnB44 on October 9, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sick of hearing about pit bulls that kill kids, adults or other dogs. Sick of it! And I am sick of hearing people defend the dogs. Owning a pit bull should be illegal. Period. They are capable of killing and DO kill. A Great Dane is probably capable of killing... but they don't! There's an instinctive difference which makes a pit bull a dangerous animal... same as a tiger or wolf.
It's is conidered "cool" in the thug, druggie, and gang environments to have the meanest pit bull. I am so sick of it. Pit bulls, meth labs and drive-by shootings. All are cancers in society and they must GO!!

Posted by cdarn on October 9, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I own a Pit Bull and I think your answer is BULL and shallow. I was leary of the breed until I ended up with my daughter's pit. He is a wonderful animal and well behaved. That doesn't mean he couldn't attack, I know he could if provoked, or to protect me or my family. He is not allowed to roam and stays in our yard. As I said he is wonderful, but I respect what he is, as I respect all dogs. It does not matter what breed of dog you have, they can all bite and maul. It is how you raise them and care for them. What about Rotties, Dobermans and German Sheperds? They can all be vicious. I take offense to your referring to druggies and gangs. That might be the case for some, but I am not a druggie or a gang member. Cancers in society? Maybe you need to rethink what or who is the cancer in your society! I feel for these people on trial. I do not know all of the circumstances if this was unprovoked or if the animal roamed freely. That will be left to the jury.

Posted by dtl on October 9, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think the breed of dog matters, any breed can become agressive, yes Pits may be more athletic and stronger than most breeds but w/ proper training and treament they can also be good pets, I think all dogs should be kept in a yard or pen when unsupervised by there owner, and yes i think the owner of a dog is responsible for whatever the dog may do.

Posted by j_elam22 on October 9, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Actually John, there has been cases of a Great Danes attacking and killing. A Great Dane killed a 2 year old in Roebuck, South Carolina. So, Yes it can happen. And before you ask or imply, NO I do not own a pit bull. I have never owned a pit bull, nor would I ever consider owning a pit bull. I think owning them is irresponsible. Even if you try to keep your dog in a fence, accidents happen dogs can get out of a fenced yard. All it takes is once. It does not much matter to me if the dog was within a fence everyday, except for the day that it attacked. It matters that it attacked. Cdarn, you are right all dogs can be vicious. My beloved cocker spaniels included.

Posted by cdarn on October 9, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have our pit, because my daughter could not keep him at the time... if she would like him back she will take him again. Until then, he is a part of my family. At one point we thought of getting a pit puppy, but I have since decided this will be the last pit, because of the bad rap they get. Sooner or later, they will be banned and I really don't want to get rid of a pet I would love.

Posted by robertvp on October 9, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Cdarn you are defending whait is not defendable. Pit Bulls should be illegal and gotten rid of. It should be a crime to even leave a child in the same yard as you never know. I would be scared if my neighbor had a pit bull, you never know what will happen. Yes, many are nice dogs, but you never know.

Posted by ranchero63bob on October 9, 2008 at 2:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Put down all Pit Bulls.Make them illegal to breed.They are dangerous.

Posted by JohnB44 on October 9, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

cdarn, elam22, dtl- I knew my remarks would cause a heated exchange and I want you to understand I mean you no disrespect. I am a dog owner, too.
You need not get personal with your response. I know very well what cancers are in OUR society... and I'll thank you to hold your veiled insults.
Of course a Great Dane can kill... but is there an epidemic of attacks by them? No. It is a rare occurrance. Do Great Danes make you nervous? No. Do Rotts make me nervouos? Yes. Dobermans? Not as much. German Shepards? Not as much. Why? Dobermans and German Shepards are predictable, usually. I don't know much about Rotts. Therefore I don't have anything to complain about.
Now let's consider the Pit Bull Terrier... Do they make me nervouos? You bet. Why? Because they are unpredictable and they are known to be vicious. They have a well documented reputation. You say your beloved Pit Bull is "wonderful and well behaved" and I believe you. Would I let my grandson play in the yard next door? Absolutely not.
Nobody (including me)is denying that the breed can be gentle. But the fact remains that the breed is far more equipped to do damage than any other domestic animal and it's nature is unpredictable.
You are entitled to your opinion... and so am I. But I choose to err on the side of safety.

Posted by j_elam22 on October 9, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I do not understand why you are calling for a ban on pit bulls. If it is to lessen the maulings and deaths of people then a much larger range of dogs would need to be banned. According to the CDC the 10 most dangerous dogs are:
1. Pit Bulls
2. Rottweilers
3. German Shepherds
4. Huskies
5. Alaskan Malamutes
6. Doberman Pinschers
7. Chow Chows
8. Great Danes
9. St. Bernards
10. Akitas
It would only make sense to ban these dogs as well.
I am not for banning any dog. Just try to be as responsible as you can be with them, and IF someone gets attacked by them be ready and willing to pay the piper.

Posted by j_elam22 on October 9, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

John, I took no disrespect from your post and I do not intend to disrespect you. Most large breed dogs make me nervous.... and a couple of neighborhood jack russells.

Posted by rsjz4 on October 9, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

j_elam, I have a jack russell that weighs about 8 pounds. But in her mind, she is a 150 pound rottweiler! Just ask the squirrels and stray cats that come in my yard! LOL! She thinks she is one bad ***.

Posted by rsjz4 on October 9, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ok, on a serious side. These people need to be held responsible for what happened to this child.

Posted by alphatexanomega on October 9, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

j_elam

One important piece of information you left off the 10 most dangerous dog list is the number of fatalities caused by each breed. According to the 1995-1996 stats used to develop the list there is a huge gap between the number 1 spot (pit bulls) and the number 2 spot rottweilers. Pit bulls accounted for 60 deaths and rottweilers accounted for 29. Followed by 19, 14, 12, 8, 8, 6, 4, 4.
Pitbulls accounted for 58% of fatal attacks. I'm not a fan of either pits or rots so if we combine their stats those 2 breeds accounted for 86% of all fatal dog attacks. Yet people still defend these vicious breeds.
The typical defense is I have a pit or I know so and so that has one and they are the sweetest dog and would never blah blah blah. Then you see those same people on the news after their dog has murdered someone and all they can say is it was always such a sweet loving animal I can't believe it blah blah blah.
Pit bulls were bred to fight. They are good at it. They are natural born killers. How many more fatal attacks will occur before people wake up and decide to ban these killers. The only good pit bull is a dead pit bull.

Posted by mlarose on October 9, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope the owners get the maximum sentence and fine allowed. Such a terrible shame. I pray for the family of the boy as this must have been an extremely hard week for them. Glad to know that justice was done and hopefully this will be a sign and warning to other irresponsible dog owners.

Posted by j_elam22 on October 9, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

alpha,
Putting pit bulls in the number one spot implicates that they are responsible for most fatal attacks. Nothing has been left out. Now as I have stated in above post, do not own a pit, never even considered it. 75 people will still be fatally mauled if Pit bulls and Rotties are the only ones banned. So if you or anyone else is really looking out for the general public why not ban them all?

Posted by michaelp23 on October 9, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

cdarn and any other pit bull owners:

If your sweet, darling dogs ever attack you or worse a child or elderly person, maybe you'll change your tune. There is a good chance of that happening. Don't kid yourselves.

And God help you or any other vicious dog owner if they ever attack my son.....

Posted by campbellve on October 9, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

just depends on the type of pit and how they are raised for it to be viscous. this wasnt one pitbull it was multiple, that being said, i dont know why you would want to have 4 pitbulls roaming around your neighborhood in a pack.
when dogs roam in packs they get much more territorial and 'viscous.'

Posted by abc_123 on October 9, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

alpha,

I bet your the Sonic Manager that kicked the chicken!

Posted by alphatexanomega on October 9, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I would never kick a chicken because it might bruise the meat.

Posted by steeda78 on October 9, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have owned a pit and has been one of the better dogs i have owned next to a chow a bulldog and a husky. I have 2 kids and trust my dog fully. It is in how you raise the dog and how the dog is treated. I have friends with some very mean pits because they were raised on a chain and never around people. you have to take the responsibility but on the same token you have to take steps to make sure it does not happen. obedience school, alot of time with dog, and most importantly make sure you dog does not get out, because they are born fighters and evryone knows that.

Posted by steeda78 on October 9, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

guns kill, drugs kill, high cholesterol kills, high blood pressure kills...you guys need to get a clue. IF YOU OWN A PIT, AND I DO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS....QUIT WINNING ABOUT BANNING DOGS .....BANN GUNS

Posted by abc_123 on October 9, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

alpha,
I'm sorry I didn't realize you were the manager of Chicken Express! You chicken expert you!!!

Posted by nmdad on October 9, 2008 at 5:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

steeda- No one has ever been killed by a gun, EVER. When someone is killed by a drunk driver does anyone ever say "Bob was killed by a Chevy"? No they don't! The drunk killed and the Chevy was the tool, PEOPLE kill and a gun is a tool. Besides, if you take my gun and a pit bull or rott is attacking your child or mine how am I going to shoot the %$#@ dog?

Posted by john_t_s on October 9, 2008 at 5:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Proper penalty would be to put them in a two acre high-fenced area with 20 pit bulls that haven't had anything to eat for about 5 days. See how they would take a dose of that!

Posted by Sylvia on October 9, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ah, well let me start by saying I have owned a Pit Bull for 6 years now, and she is one of many breeds of dogs I have owned and trained, and she is by far the smartest and sweetest, enough on that, I have read all of the comments and respect each to thier own, but let me start by saying that the Pit Bull Terrier was not originally bred to fight, they were originally bred to "Bait" bulls, then to do stock work, hunt, and live as a farm dog after bull baiting was banned for being cruel to animals, it was humans that changed the breed to predominately make it a "Fighting" dog for there own entertainment purposes, I blame the owners of the dogs for thier dogs actions, humans have ruined this great breed for thier backyard entertainment. I feel bad for all of the families that have been affected by an aggresive dog, If you raise your dog with respect and love you will have a dog who all they want to do is love everyone around them, if you keep your dog chained in your backyard with no human contact and beat the sh*t out of it all the time, and they do not know what a loving touch or voice is your going to end up with an aggressive dog, be it a beagle, or poodle, or a pit bull, not to mention all of the inbreeding and backyard breeding that has messed up most of the world's dogs today.
I have my dog living in my house with 2 cats, she has never showed any aggressive tendencies towards them, towards other people, or to me, hell, she doesn't even chase birds and squirrels, she also suckled one of my cat's for a year when he was a kitten, It's all about how the human is raising them, I give her all the love she needs, and trained her from the start to be an obediant dog, I don't care what breed it is, if you don't raise it right you have a problem, I don't believe in banning any dog, I believe in raising them right. And I also disagree with JohnB44, I am not a thug, a druggie, or in a gang, I am a respectable citizen that served in the military and pay my taxes, don't go there.
But Yes, I will agree, there are low lifes out there that do make these dogs aggressive, but don't think that every Pit Bull owner is a loser...Stop being so shallow and Daft.

Posted by vicnrod on October 9, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sylvia, you are right. I am 45 years old and I have always had a pit bull. When raised correctly by loving and caring and responsible people they are the most loyal and loving animals around. I have raised 4 children with my dogs and never one time was there any aggression towards them. As for those of you who want to ban them, if you were beaten, starved, tied up and neglected and forced to fight for your life you would be dangerous also. So let's put a ban on that, not the breed.

Posted by john_t_s on October 9, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sounds like these two culprits will be safe in that enclosure I suggested with the pit bulls.

Posted by cdarn on October 9, 2008 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well said Sylvia and vicnrod! My granddaughters are around my dog all the time and he is as gentle as can be. Its all in how they are raised! And yes if you were beaten, starved, tied up and neglected and forced to fight for your life you would be dangerous also.

Posted by JohnB44 on October 9, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sylvia and vicnrod-
Please, please re-read my original blog. I simply stated that it is considered cool in the thug, druggie and gang environment to have the meanest Pit. I did not say that Pit owners are thugs, druggies or gang bangers. It may have been appropriate for me to say, further, that these elements in society have been responsible for the reputation of the majority of American and Standard Pit Bull Terriers.
I certainly never said either of you were undesirable types of people because you own Pit Bulls. Ok? So stop calling me shallow and daft.
alphatexanomega had the most important contribution to this discussion. Go back and read it. Believe me when I say this: I LOVE DOGS. DOGS RULE.
I surrender this point: Pit Bulls have been ruined by people. And it IS an over reaction to say they should be exterminated. But somewhere in between extermination and uncontrolled breeding and ownership... there has to be a recognition of the animal's capability, it's contamination by man and it's value to nature.
Yes... I am pissed about the boy who was killed. It nausiates me to think how he died and how he probably tried to escape... and how he cried for his mom and dad.
It would not hurt my feelings to see Pit Bulls made illegal to own. But I know it would be a sweeping condemnation which would take many good and faithful dogs.
What do YOU suggest? Try to convince us that there's another way. I love dogs but I have no faith in people.

Posted by Sylvia on October 9, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

JohnB44, Understood, I apologize for calling you daft, my point is that any dog can and will have the tendency to be aggressive, there are certain breeds that are "Singled out" because of thier size and muscular ability, people abuse this fact and raise thier dog to be aggressive, people don't think twice when it's a chihuahua chasing them down the street, now add 70lbs, see where I am coming from? My whole point is, that any dog has the ability to be aggressive, I don't believe in Banning any breed of dog, I believe in banning the people, maybe there needs to be a law where all dogs require a license to own, have the people's background checked out, check the homes, check to see if the person has previous animal cruelty charges, do they have jobs, are they responsible? I know that's a far fetch but you have to start somewhere...
We will NEVER get rid of the cruel people, it's a fact, but what we CAN do is report dogs that are chained, abused, trained to fight and start there, but we have to work TOGETHER as a society to make it happen.
I applaud all of the people that are raising thier dogs right, be it a pit bull or a chihuahua, we need more people like you to make the difference.

Posted by john_t_s on October 9, 2008 at 9:26 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by Grace on October 10, 2008 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank the Good Lord that these people were found guilty !!! I hope that this trial sets a precedence for future maulings by these kinds of dogs. It's time for people to start taking responsibilty for their dogs and their kids.

Posted by JohnB44 on October 10, 2008 at 12:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There's always a freak in the mix. john_t_s- you should find a different venue for swapping recepies.
Sylvia- Thank you for giving me a break on my semi-harsh comments. We all agree, I think, that Pit Bulls are not "murderers". But how do we stop the attacks? Seems to me that the most sensible way is to require a license to own one. Just like a license to own a gun. There should be a process of paper work which would discourage the low-life... and enable the responsible. The people who love dogs and are responsible owners would be glad to submit to the process, while the thugs and druggies and gang bangers would not be willing to show up at the county clerk's office. Any unpermitted dogs would be taken by Animal Control. Those that can be saved and adopted... Hooray! The others get to meet the Lord.
No more kids need to get hurt or killed. No more lap-dogs out for a walk need to get killed. No more abused Pit Bulls need to die because they were raised to protect the meth lab.
I never intended to insult anybody with my remarks today. There has to be a solution which allows the breed to exist... and for people to feel safe around them. It's a long way off.

Posted by texasblackhawk84 on October 10, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

For the record, my brother has, for the past 20 years owned 3 pits. Never has he had one bite a human or another animal. As a matter of fact, his youngest pit is also trained as a service dog for my sister-in-law. His first pit, Bones was removed from a home where he was used as a fighter. My brother retrained him and never had one problem out of him. The dogs are not the problem, it's the people that think that owning a "status" dog is cool, that their dog being aggressive is fine, and they are the ones that don't know a damn thing about training and control. Here's a thought, make it mandatory for "status" dog owners to have it registered with the city, and for them to have proper training along with being in a secure enclosure at all times. It's really a shame that the idiots that buy and breed these dogs with no intention of being responsible for the way they act, are making it almost impossible for those that do. BTW, when I was 11, my neighbor had a weenie dog that jumped on me while I was sitting on their couch, bit me in the face and for the most part tore my lip off. Needless to say, I hate weenie dogs, but I don't think that they all need to be killed. (Just THAT one did!)

Posted by irasportsnut48 on October 10, 2008 at 4:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Instead of banning old these pit bulls I recommend turning them loose on all the politicians in Washing that have no clue on how to solve our current economic mess we are in. SIC EM!

Posted by qquixi on October 10, 2008 at 4:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

First off the parents/family/friends of Tanner Monk have been in my thoughts and prayers for months now. My hope is now that this part is almost over, that they only remember the joy Tanner brought into their lives.

As for the owners of the dogs, they deserve what they get and maybe more. They were apparently not responsible people or pet owners . As a result the life of a young boy has been taken, long before it should have been.
If any of my dogs were to show strong aggressive behavior to people or killed a pet, I would have it put down immediately and if nessecary do it myself.

Blessed Be Tanner

Now my experience with Pits:
We got Lady at 6 wks old, 13 yrs later we said goodbye. We went to this garage sale I kept hearing this awful whining, I ask about it, anything was wrong, What they showed me was awful an mama pit with 10 pups she hadn't ate in a while and didn't have enough milk. They were in an plastic pool covered in ticks and fleas. I didn't see any water or food we found that 4 pups dead they put them in the trash this one kept nursing my finger, my girls were just looking at me "like do something" so took her home with us and I called animal control. When she was a pup about 3 mo old she got parvo, but with the help of Dr. Jack Callan and alot of love she got over it. After that we all knew she was a real part of our family. She worshiped my daughters and was always gentle and loving, to them and Chihuahuas and mean-spirited Siamese cat. We gave her lots of love and attention, kept her well-fed, sheltered and never mistreated her. We have a chainlink fence and always keep the gates locked. One morning when feeding her my husband , he found her leg torn open, the skin hanging around her ankle like a sock and bleeding. We took her to the Dr. Jack, he told us it was a knife wound because the injury started as smooth cut. When we got back home we looked around the back yard there was a badly torn and bloody flannel shirt and alot of blood that led off down the alley. I have often wondered if we dodged a bullet that night. Were it not for our "Lady".
Its been 8 yrs since we put her down she had hip dysplasia but she always got up and wagged her tail happy to see us. She gave us so much love and happiness. Our family loved her so much, and still miss her.

Posted by qquixi on October 10, 2008 at 4:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Once many years ago when I was showing my snakes (pythons and boas) at my girls school. A little girl asked me do they bite? I told her anything with a mouth can bite you, to be careful and to always make sure to ask her parents or another grown-up before petting or touching any animal.
Unfortunately I feel that we have to teach our children not only to be responsible but to be vigilant, I don't mean be scared of everything just be a little cautious. Because there will always be people that claim they are not at fault, and try to place the blame onto anyone else, some will even say its their "rights" that are being violateled, jerks who are reckless, lazy, nitwited, inconsiderate and moronic, that neglect or deny their own mistakes, duties and actions at any cost.
Sorry so long, rant over

Posted by mitchellmarketing on October 10, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

let me say this i own a reg huskey, got him from a breader in alaska, she trained him in both obed and sled dog training and he never meets a stranger. people train there dogs to be the way thy are. if the person that owns the dog is a bad person the dog will be the same. the apple will not fall two far from the tree when it comes to childen and animals. but the owner need to take full resposibility for there action and there pet actions also these people need to pay for what thy allowed to happen

Posted by donny on October 10, 2008 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I had a rot named Ralph. He stayed in the yard and played constantly with anyone and anything.
Kids would come down the alley and hit the fence and agrivate him just to make him mad.
One day i was in the alley and some kids were walking down the alley. Ralph Loved Cheezits. I had cheezits. I was in the alley, Ralph in the yard. I shook the box of cheezits and said come on ralph, he jumped the fence and got some cheezits. None of the kids ever messed with him again.
He was a kind loving HUGE dog. I miss him greatly. He only lived to be 11.

Posted by Dancin4414 on October 10, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am the daughter of Lillian Stiles, the person the new law is named after... "Lillian's Law" This is the law that the DA used to prosecute Crystal Watson and Jack Smith. My family and I knew that something had to be done in Texas law in the area of dog legislation. Before this law was passed a dog owner could only be prosecuted if their dog was declared dangerous prior to the attack. The bottom line is the dogs, in most cases were always put down and the owner was left untouched and not held accountable. We felt the owner of the dog is the one who can prevent attacks such as this because the dog acts in a way that comes natural to them. The owner is the one who can keep the gate locked and keep their dogs out of harms way. People are held accountable if the weapon they own causes serious bodily injury or death so why not the owner of a dog? The breed of the dog isn't as important as the negligence of an irresponsible dog owner. One more thing, before this law was passed the owner of a dog who caused serious bodily injury or death could go out and get another dog and start all over again... The "second bite" rule really made these dog owners untouchable. When my mother was killed by 6 pit bull/rottweiler mixed breed dogs while gardening in her own front yard, we knew as a family that we didn't want any other families to ever have to go through the pain of losing a loved one much less the pain of the justice system letting them down when trying to hold the responsible parties accountable. We are so thankful that the law was in place and kudos to the DA of Stephens County for prosecuting the owners of the dogs that attacked and killed Tanner Monk. My family and I formed Texas Familes Against Dangerous Dogs in an effort to gather other Texas citizens who wanted change in the area of dog legislation in Texas. Our prayer is that other Texas citizens will hear of this case and realize that they need to fix the hole in their fence, lock their gate, and keep their dogs away from their neighbors and sometimes family members or they could be facing a felony charge for their dog!
Marilyn Stiles Shoemaker

Posted by john_t_s on October 10, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by cyndigarcia on October 10, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am tired of hearing it is the breed of dog. I have been in rescue work and owned several pit bulls in my life. It is all in how you train your dogs or lack there of... any dog can be an attack dog. I think if you ahve a dog take care if it. I also think if your dog hurts someone you are to pay for it.
There are good and bad dogs everywhere it is not breed related. It is how they were treated and the enviornment they were brought up in.

Posted by abc123 on October 10, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you for your entry Marilyn, and for doing all the work that had to be done to get this law on the books. My prayer is the same as yours, that this will prompt owners to do the right thing and secure their dogs.

Posted by wbarloww on October 10, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

While I am not defending irresponsible dog owners, the call to strickly ban a single breed because of irresponsible owners makes no sense. If pit bulls were completely banned, then the next dog on the list would be number one and then there would be calls to ban those next. And so on and so on. That would be the same as if say you read the paper often enough, like today's, you will note that another Martinez involved in a killing. From those examples, should we ban Martinez? From the ban the dog breed crowd reasonning, the parallel exist.

Posted by Chili4me on October 10, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree barloww, you can't ban breeds. It would be impossible to impose and enforce.
All breeds have some inherent traits. Pointers will point with no training, Kerrs will track with no training, Cocker Spaniels will pee on the carpet when excited with no training, and Pits will attack with no training. Lillian's Law is a good step in reducing the demand for Pits, because most people will realize there is a huge price to pay when there is an incident (even out of the sweet harmless Pit)

I had never heard the story of Lillian's Law, but isn't just a coincidence that she was attacked by Pit Bull crosses.

I also agree with nmdad. When approached aggressively by a Pit always use whatever means necessary to maintain authority over them. I don't believe hitting an animal, but I would beat the $#@% out of a Pit.

Posted by megjerden on October 10, 2008 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ignorance kills.

Posted by HoursAway on October 10, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay...so I will never own a pit, I don't like being around them, but after some research I'm not sure banning the whole breed is necessary. With proper training, and rehibilitation I think you won't see an end to pit bull killings, but you will see a dramatic decrease which would put them in the same catergory as a chow, shepard and Akita. I think if laws are formed that require pit owners to put their dogs through some sort of certified training, as well as training for the owners that would help. Every owner should apply for a pit license, after approval they can purchase from a certified breeder and register the dog annually as well as attend follow-up training sessions. They should be required to be within higher fenced yards and any sign of neglect or abuse that could harm the behavior of this dog would result in the owners losing their pets. The real pit lovers that love them for the breed and not the viciousness will be dedicated, or should be dedicated enough to have such an animal.

Posted by always_thinking on October 10, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it is ignorant to ignore the basic dominant traits of a breed. Every dog breed has them and the pitbull's happens to be unpredictable and lethal. Can you own and care for a pit and never see these traits? Yes. Every dog's personality is different in how strongly it carries the traits and how it is raised but to simply think that because your pit is sweet that the whole breed is safe as long as it is 'cared' for is ignorant.

Growing up our uncle owned a pit. Extremely sweet dog that was at least 9 years old and had never been violent to anyone. Played with all of us kids all the time. Then one day for no particular reason at all my 3 year old sister was petting him there with everyone standing around watching and the dog turned on her and in two quick bites mauled her face so severely it took over 100 stitches to fix.

No one knew why he did it and he didn't even act 'overly aggressive' when he did but that was all it took to scar my sister forever. We shot that dog while my sister was in the hospital.

Posted by mabynot1539 on October 10, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ALL dogs need to be secured and not be allowed to roam free.

Posted by LeeUsa on October 10, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The majority of dog attacks are from intact male dogs. The fact that these people were also breeding their dogs just inflames a dog's natural wild instincts. Combined with the ingrained breeding traits Pit Bulls have of attacking and never letting up, that poor kid never had a chance.

Posted by ICURlistening on October 10, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am optimistic that people are getting the message: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR DOG'S ACTIONS! The neighbors whose dogs use to roam our street freely no longer are out of the backyard. This is progress.

Posted by LeeUsa on October 10, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Then one day for no particular reason at all my 3 year old sister was petting him there with everyone standing around watching and the dog turned on her and in two quick bites mauled her face so severely it took over 100 stitches to fix."

Same thing happened with my cousin's dog that they'd had for years. It attacked their 3 year old son right in front of them for no reason at all. The toddler wasn't even near the dog. It took 140 stiches to put his little face back together. My cousin shot his Pit Bull as well.

Posted by donny on October 10, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"People are held accountable if the weapon they own causes serious bodily injury or death so why not the owner of a dog?"

Handgun laws need to at least match this law.

Posted by john_t_s on October 10, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Is the person who is monitoring and censoring comments on this site a vegetarian or a vegan?

Posted by gkchorse on October 10, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

First, to the parents/family/friends of Tanner Monk you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

I have a pit bull, chihuahua, and a parakeet. The chihuahua is a very aggressive dog, if fact it rules my pit bull. My pit bull and my parakeet are best friends, they go everywhere together in the house and outside. When company comes over we usually put the chihuahua in her taxi!! Although, my pit bull is trained in sign language and voice, she will obey any command given, even attack or back off. I have train and own many breeds, pit bulls are the best to train. Any large dog needs to know what attack and back off means. Any dog not train is going to be an aggressive animal.

Posted by lil5angels on October 10, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ok, why dont you look at that list that shows the order of the MOST DANGEROUS DOGS are and also look at how they where raised and what their enviroment was like. then i bet you can rearrange the numbers,,,do a study of pits that are raised in a good enviroment, and then the ones that was raised to fight, then you'll see the differences. my son had a blue pit that was punished if he was bad in the right way, he was very obident, but he was protective of my son and his family..all dogs have a potentical to be dangerous!

Posted by Chili4me on October 10, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"Any large dog needs to know what attack (means)"
"pit bulls are the best to train."

Wrong and wrong again.

Gkchorse please warn you neighbors about yourself.

Posted by sharpshooter on October 10, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have raised,bred,trained and showed dogs for over 25 years and most big dogs should not be let around children just because of their size. They can hurt one without even meaning to. As far as pits...it has been bad breeding that has ruined them. To much inbreeding to make a fast buck. It happened to the doberman and it has taken about 30 years of responsible breeding for them to come back as a better breed. You would have to kill off almost all pits now and find some good genetics and start over. If you could find any.

Posted by dreamonjasper on October 10, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hello... I think you are all forgetting what happened here... a little seven year old boy is DEAD!!! Yes, it is because of these dogs! Regardless of how everyone is fussing about all the breeds, I believe that it is how these animals have been raised and trained to be so aggressive. Yes I am a dog owner and have been for years. I had a boxer and it was very protective of me at all times but I had trained that dog manners and he minded better than any child could ever mind. All I had to do is snap my fingers and he would look at me and wait for whatever command I would tell him. The sad part of this is that if you want pets of any kind....keep up with them and that is not to be turned out to wonder all over the neighborhood as they pleased. I do not let my pets out unless I am out with them. I think what we all need to remember is to pray for this family that has lost their son. They are in my prayers. God bless!

Posted by Tumbleweed on October 10, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I once owned an 80 pound half Pit half German pointer or a Nazi with an attitude if that’s a breed! We would only attack if I told him to, otherwise he'd want to mother everything from kittens to baby birds. Wonderful dog! I now own a 9 pound Poodle that thinks he's 150 pound Rottweiler, of course I encourage him. But he's kept under control.
I'm happy to see this law worked the way it was written, and Dancin4414 keep up the fight.

I'm happy to see this law worked the way it was written, and Dancin4414 keep up the fight.

Posted by TexasTwister on October 10, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm sick of hearing PB owners claiming over and over again that "It's all in how you raise them".

Bullcrap

These dogs are and always have been bred to do exactly what these four dogs did to this little boy....attack....bring down...disable...bite and hold on...until victim is dead. You cannot remove centuries of inbred behavior by "raising them right".

Don't you ever wonder why you never hear about German Shepherd Dogfights....or Malamute Dog Fights...or Doberman Dog Fights? There's reason Michael Vick was raising Pits and not some other breed.

I saw a comment from one reader on an earlier thread about this case say he totally trusted his Pit and wouldn't have the slightest qualms about leaving him alone with his 2 year-old daughter. I try to refrain from calling someone an idiot...but this guy certainly met the standard.

Posted by john_t_s on October 10, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by Tumbleweed on October 10, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Twister you ain't never been to a dog fight, if you had you'd know that all dog breeds are involved, in all kinds of weight classes. Pitbull fights are what you read about in the news, it's much deeper than you realize.

Posted by donny on October 10, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

dreamonjasper you are 100% correct, and it was the owners of the dogs that are responsible 100%. not the dogs.

Posted by TexasTwister on October 10, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nope....very happy to say I've never been to a dogfight and, as a dog lover, never intend to see one. I've also never read about or seen anything on the news about dogfighting that involved anything other than Pits.

If other breeds are heavily involved in this activity, please tell me why we never hear about those? And don't just say "the news wants to demonize Pits" or "Pits are more newsworthy". If other dogfighters were arrested using other breeds, I'm pretty sure it would be publicized.

Posted by alphatexanomega on October 10, 2008 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not to get back on the original subject but..

I can't imagine how the owners of the dogs feel about this tragic event because I don't know them. However if they actually feel terrible about what their neglectful behaviour has caused then 7 years is ok. But the fact that they allowed a lawyer to try and take blame away from them by attempting to prove that their blood soaked dogs didn't do it, makes me feel like they should have gotten a much harsher punishment. I think even the most level headed person would be suicidal in their shoes and would tell the judge to throw the book at them and not hire some lawyer to try and get out of it.

Posted by qquixi on October 10, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Can y'all help me I'm in need of a recipe for
Firey Texas Style john_t_s Chili. Frist I think you have to tenderize the tough and tenacious meathead thoroughly with a large metal mallet.

Now john_t_s ST*U

Posted by jarlead on October 10, 2008 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It is clear that the owners let a pack of pit bulls ROAM the neighborhood. This is like shooting a gun in the air at night, something is going to happen. This poor child was the victim. The owners were criminially negligent. AND the same will happen to some of these writers because of their attitude about their poor, sweet, pit bull. I hope you have your prison suitcase packed!

Posted by reaganite on October 10, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

laj
"It is clear that the owners let a pack of pit bulls ROAM the neighborhood. This is like shooting a gun in the air at night, something is going to happen. This poor child was the victim. The owners were criminially negligent. AND the same will happen to some of these writers because of their attitude about their poor, sweet, pit bull. I hope you have your prison suitcase packed!"

This is the exact same discussion as the Mall thread.

If parents had taken the time to be parents, the mall wouldn't have banned their kids.

If dog owners would control their animals this might not have happened.

It all boils down to personal responsibility.

Posted by saltydog on October 10, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well said Reaganite. Well said. Again.

Posted by gatorgal on October 10, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can't believe you people. A 7-year-old boy was brutally murdered, and all you can do is argue about pit bulls. Get some perspective, I'm ashamed to admit that I live in the same town as you idiots. It's sad that pit bulls have become the bigger issue in this story. Goes to show you how much everyone values human life these days.

Posted by cycloptic on October 11, 2008 at 1:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

According to the CDC and the National Safety Council:

All dog breeds combined cause an average of 25 deaths annually (adults and children combined)in the USA.

Lightening causes an average of 75 deaths annually (adults and children combined)in the USA.

Poisoning accounts for an average of 100 child deaths annually.

Falls account for an average of 200 child deaths in the USA annually.

Swimming pool accidents cause an average of 250 child deaths annually in the USA.

Drowning in bodies of water other than pools account for an average of 400 child deaths annually in the USA.

Caregiver child abuse causes an average of 1500 child deaths annually in the USA.

Automobile accidents account for an average of 3000 child deaths annually.

Posted by suzeqpublic on October 11, 2008 at 7:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What is wrong with you people on this thread. A small boy was killed and all you can do is make fun and talk about killing dogs. Good grief, do you not have any compassion for the family. What if they are reading this and come across your comments. Put yourself in their shoes. I hope you are proud of yourselves. Once again, you have made total *$$es out of yourselves.

Posted by onetoughmother on October 11, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

In response to the list of 10 Most Dangerous Dogs, I am surprised that the Husky is on it! My 14 year old Husky/wolf mix just died a few weeks ago and I NEVER saw him be aggressive, not even to cats that came in our yard. He was quiet and gentle. I am not saying all Huskies are like that but he was the only Husky I ever had and it is just hard to believe! RIP my sweet Cody!

Posted by furankuoogata on October 11, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

large dogs get a bad rap but it is the pack mentality that caused this, you can at least acknowledge that they are animals. but even humans get into that pack mentality and do damage. any size dog in a pack can be deadly (watch out for those pugs and chihuahuas) an owner should be held accountable for their animal.

Posted by gabbygirl on October 11, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have always tried to research the breed that I have in my family. I have a special love for Goldens and Schnauchers, and a one stubborn Chihuahua. We live north of Abilene, where every low life dumps unwanted dogs. A one point about 2 years ago someone was breeding Pits and after the pups were weaned, they dumped the moms.One ended up under my porch. I said she could stay as long as she was a good girl. Well she quickly became very jealous of the Goldens[1 is a Golden/Lab mix] and those two would attack each other like there was no tomorrow!! They would fight over attention from the humans. She had to go to the animal control. While my husband left her there, he picked up another Golden. I have 6 dogs, 4 of them are throw aways. I truly believe its all in how dogs are trained!

Posted by TaneyCo on October 12, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am not against Owning pitties nor any breed, However, but where do we draw the line? a woman gardening in her own front yard? mauled to death???? a 4 year old mauled to death. any large breed of dog has the ability to be a lethal weapon.
When my daughter was small we had a dobe, she played with the dodie the dobe, slept on the dodie's belly, I remember thinking how naturistic it seemed to see them together. My daughter was 4 years old when she pissed the dobe off somehow and the dog bit my daughters face full on. Prior to the attack, I would have sworn dodie was safe for children.
I really loved dodie lots, and spent hours after she bit my daughter trying to justify this attack. the end result was I knew if she had done this once, she may very well do it again, and maybe I wouldnt be there to stop the attack next time. Dodie was 3 years old, had never been trained to be mean to people, always thought by me to be a gentle girl.
Dogs are unpredictable,Dog owners need to be aware of that fact, and keep their dogs secure. Large breed insurance??? No amount of money can ever replace a human life!! strict laws with very strict penalties for any dog owner who does not keep their dog secure at all times. Dogs should be microchiped with owners names, addresses, so if it does break loose The police know who exactly to go to. either giveing a large fine, or better yet make them attend an 8 hour class to learn why it is so important to keep your dog secure.

Posted by come_and_take_it on October 12, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Euthanasia is the answer in my opinion.

Posted by come_and_take_it on October 12, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The dog owners in this story have each been convicted of prior felonies. It sickens me that vicious dogs owned by the lowest of the low in our society took the life of an innocent boy. Euthanasia is the answer...and I'm not talking about just the dogs.

Posted by kim_l on October 13, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you Sylvia!!! My pit bull, Prince, died of old age herding cows with my Dad. Not one single violent bone in his body. One day my Dad took him to the pastures with him, for no specific reason - just because, and without any instruction he behaved almost like a border collie or other herding dog. My Dad couldn't believe it! 12 years, never bit a child, never growled at an adult and never hurt a bull, cow or calf or any other living thing.

I'm inclined to wonder what those who say "ban them all" or "put them all to sleep" would say about the delinquents in our society? A black man robs a store, are all black men bad?? Would you say that all poor neighborhoods are seeds of crime and welfare and decide they all need to be burned to the ground??? Or would you say that all hispanics are border-jumpers and all need to be jailed and/or shipped back? No.. you wouldn't.. and if you would then you are the problem, not the dog or our society.

And let's not forget about the 4-month old labrador puppy that killed a baby in Oklahoma, I guess all of you geniuses would say that banning labradors is justified.. or that this doesn't happen often so its an exceptional case?? WRONG! Google "dog bite attacks on infants".

...and for those of you quoting unproven or outdated dog bite statistics, here's the real deal:

" A study performed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the CDC, and the Humane Society of the United States, analyzed dog bite statistics from the last 20 years and found that the statistics don't show that any breeds are inherently more dangerous than others. The study showed that the most popular large breed dogs at any one time were consistently on the list of breeds that bit fatally. There were a high number of fatal bites from Doberman pinschers in the 1970s, for example, because Dobermans were very popular at that time and there were more Dobermans around, and because Dobermans' size makes their bites more dangerous. The number of fatal bites from pit bulls rose in the 1980s for the same reason, and the number of bites from rottweilers in the 1990s. The study also noted that there are no reliable statistics for nonfatal dog bites, so there is no way to know how often smaller breeds are biting." ~healthypet.com Dog Care Library

I mean.. why is that Pit Bulls are such vicious animals in the US but in Canada and the UK they carry the lesser dog bite-to-breed ratio??? Stop being a follower and letting fear incite your uninformed comments (most of you probably don't even own a dog, LOL!).. do the research and see for yourself, it's not the dog, it's how it's raised.

Posted by pine_and_wam on October 14, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Seven years for being responsible for a child's murder?!? So they are free in a couple of years to continue their lives?!? What kind of justice is that??!!??

Posted by DT on October 14, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The dog that mauled and tried to kill me was a black Labrador Retriever. Enough said.

I own several bully breeds. All rescues. Abused and thrown away by an ignorant and sick society. All very nice dogs. Several of them show in competition obedience.

I am an educated individual of middle class background. Definetely not thug material. I take offense at the comments implying that all bully breed owners are thugs, meth addicts and rogues.

I am horrified to hear of these attack episodes. However, my dogs did not do this. Judge by the individual not by breed or creed. Lest we relive the holocaust.

Posted by DeafSenior on October 14, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

snipped:

All dog breeds combined cause an average of 25 deaths annually (adults and children combined)in the USA.

Swimming pool accidents cause an average of 250 child deaths annually in the USA.

How come they are not trying to ban swimming pools?????

BAN THE DEED NOT THE BREED

Posted by cmykgrl on October 15, 2008 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To everyone who keeps quoting the CDC's report...

At the end of the report the panel of panel of medical doctors, veterinarians, and PhDs concluded the same after doing a review of a 20-year study by the CDC that was published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medicine (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000;217:836�"840):

"Although fatal attacks on humans appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite and cause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficulties inherent in determining a dog’s breed with certainty, enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises constitutional and practical issues...Many practical alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist and hold promise for prevention of dog bites" (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbree...).

They also found that,

"...to the extent that attacks by 1 breed ["pit bulls"] are more newsworthy than those by other breeds, our methods may have resulted in differential ascertainment of fatalities by breed" (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbree...).

Since these CDC statistics were based largely on newspaper reports about "pit bull" attacks, which we know are inaccurate simply because they refer to the non-existent "breed" "pit bull," the CDC's findings are skewed and therefore worthless. Yet these statistics, and statistics like them, are repeatedly used to pass breed-specific laws.

The slang term "pit bull" can refer and has referred to at least 30 different breeds of dog. One could argue that any medium- or large-sized breed could technically be called a "pit bull" since this seems to be the standard the media uses. As such, statistics on "pitbulls" are greatly skewed making it appear as if the "pit bull" "breed" is inherently vicious or more dangerous. However, if actual breed determinations were made for attacking dogs instead of simply labeling them with the generic term "pit bull," no one breed would emerge as more statistically likely to bite/attack/kill.

Posted by cmykgrl on October 15, 2008 at 1:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If we were to look at just some of the breeds erroneously referred to as "pit bulls" -- American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier -- we would see that they rated 84.3%, 83.4%, and 88.8% respectively on their temperament tests according to the American Temperament Test Society (atts.org). Compare these ratings to the Golden Retriever, 84.2%, which is thought to be a more mild-mannered breed.

* Making proper breed determinations is a considerable problem with any breed-specific ordinance, particularly with mixed breeds or breeds that have the same appearance and characteristics of the restricted breeds. Most Animal Control officers cannot distinguish purebred American Pit Bull Terriers (APBTs) from Boxers or American Bulldogs, much less mixes of those breeds. Animal Controls have even labeled Labradors as "pit bulls" which is all the more reason not to leave breed determinations up to Animal Control officers. They simply lack the skill to make proper breed determinations. This is no slight on
Animal Control, however. It is difficult even for experts to properly determine breed at times, particularly with mixed breeds, which is why breed-specific bans/restrictions have been found to be a violation of due process afforded every American citizen under the 14th amendment.

* There is no scientific proof that any one breed is more dangerous than another; only that some breeds are more popular at the time or that irresponsible owners may be disproportionately attracted to some breeds. Since it has not been proven that any one breed is inherently dangerous or vicious, there is no rational basis for restricting any one breed in any way, and doing so would be an equal protection violation under the 14th amendment to the Constitution. While dog attacks can be brutal, they are rare and certainly not restricted to one breed. Indeed, the first successful face transplant was performed on a woman in France who was mauled unrecognizable by her own Labrador (http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/02/06/...),
meaning that any dog of any breed can do extensive damage in the very rare cases when they attack due to the frenzied state they are in.

Posted by cmykgrl on October 15, 2008 at 1:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ultimately, banning or restricting specific breeds leaves the public with only a false sense of security since any breed can bite or attack. The CDC concluded the same:

"Breed-specific legislation does not address the fact that a dog of any breed can become dangerous when bred or trained to be aggressive. From a scientific point of view, we are unaware of any formal evaluation of the effectiveness of breed-specific legislation in preventing fatal or nonfatal dog bites. An alternative to breed-specific legislation is to regulate individual dogs and owners on the basis of their behavior" (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbree...).

An enforced leash law and a non-breed-specific dog law which place the responsibility on the owner are more than adequate to police free-roaming dogs and irresponsible dog owners.

Posted by hardtohandle69 on October 15, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

on the comment about dog fights have all breeds. This is true. I've been to 12 chihuahua fights in Abilene. I think 3 of them were on pay-per-view. Good stuff.

Oh yeah... Pits should be banned. They're dumb and good for nothing but fighting. Unfortunately the comment about the "gangsters" and "drug dealers" having them is true although it was not meant all owners fall into one of those categories.

Posted by cmykgrl on October 15, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hardtohandle and others who still disagree please take a moment and learn about the "vicious" dogs.
www.animalfarmfoundation.org/section.php?id=5

See what law abiding Owners are up to with their dogs...
wallacethepitbull.com
SAR Dogs: www.forpitssake.org/sar.html
Therapy Dogs with Kids and Seniors: www.forpitssake.org/therapy.html
Former Fight Bust Dog abused by Vick is now a Therapy Dog: www.ourpack.org/
Service Dogs: www.chloethepitbull.com/
K9 Detection Dogs: www.lawdogsusa.org/lawdogs.html and Titled Pets (ATTS,CGC and Agility)
www.badrap.org/rescue/hall_of_fame.cfm
www.understand-a-bull.com/DogSurvey.htm

Please read some factual information. It's the Owner NOT the Dog www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/canineaggression.asp

For those who think they can identify a Pit Bull
www.understand-a-bull.com/Findthebull/findpitbull_v4.swf

These are the true faces of Pit Bull Owners and we've had enough of the blaming of innocent dogs for the ills of Society.
server.inalbum.com/show/jodipreis/Message_to_the_Media2.html?296033009

Now, anyone who disagrees lets see your "evidence" and please don`t mention Clifton. If this is your evidence,then have a look at this. www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites1.asp
"Junk "Science" - Merritt Clifton's (Animal People)

Posted by fourwindz on October 23, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I love pit bulls, we had druggies in our neighborhood that kept pit bulls, one morning they rushed my wife who was walking,i went down there and told them directly to take care of their dogs or i would, that if it came to the safety of my family or the safety of the dogs that his dogs were in trouble, my wife has been afraid of pits for a long time now, but i assured her its the owner that gets them like that and they are the smartest dogs i have ever been around, we now own a red nose male and my wife absolutely loves him, he gets lots of love and attention everyday, never allowed to roam and is always on a leash when we go out, he knows what i expect from him, All the breeders i see carefully screen the potential buyers with a list of prescreened questions that they live up to so not to put dogs in the wrong hands that would endanger people or their dogs, sorry that is not the case with other people who dont carry the same ethics and make the rest of us look bad. aim the blame where it really needs to go!