Dangerous Dogs

[Rene Allegrini]

Although there is some outdated material in this article, it is still very interesting and contains important data about man's best friend and the reasoning behind BSL.


Dangerous Dogs: A Biting Look at Man's Best Friend

DANGEROUS DOGS

A Biting Look at Man's Best Friend

Cary Silver


The following article by Cary Silver speaks eloquently to the need for a lifetime commitment by responsible, competent dog owners to properly train and socialize their dogs. In concert with the publisher's strongly held personal opinion, this article substantiates the adage "there are no problem dogs; just problem owners."

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Peter and Dani Rusnak loved their two dogs; a black poodle named Sheridan and a black labrador called Jake. Each summer, the couple took the pair on long, scenic romps along Lake Michigan near their home in Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A., and to CentralStreet to mingle with shoppers and to sample croissants. (Yes,even the dogs got a taste.)

"Jake is so laid back, so good-natured," says Peter. "He'll put up with almost anything." Sheridan, on the other hand, was some what temperamental, but considered very intelligent andtrustworthy. "They were both just great dogs," says Dani.

No wonder the couple was shocked when one of their pets bit their 18-month-old daughter, Sallyan, in the face. She required 10stitches above her eye. "We heard the dog growl, and then saw blood everywhere," recalls Peter. Sallyan needed plastic surgery to repair the damage to her eyelid. "We were lucky she didn't lose an eye," he adds.

The culprit: amiable Jake, the dog they would have least expected to make such an attack.

The couple quickly found a new home for the labrador; one witholder children. "It was hard to part with Jake," says Peter. "We couldn't believe he would hurt a child."

Unfortunately, this scenario occurs far too often throughout the world. Usually the canine culprit is not a snarling stray, but the adoring family pet. And the victim is generally not a hapless jogger, but a neighborhood child.

It's a message that is being repeated in different languages around the world: the necessity of responsible dog ownership.

Actually, Sallyan was more fortunate than many children. In 1979,eight-year-old Frankie Scarbrough of Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A.,made national headlines when he was attacked by a pit bullterrier who literally ripped off his face. For months, he had towear a latex mask to protect his lacerated skin from infection. Now 25, he has undergone numerous surgeries to reconstruct hisnose, ears, and skin.

In Sydney, N.S.W., Australia, a pet pit bull terrier killed atwo-month-old infant while his mother was doing household chores.She had left the child alone with the dog "only for a moment."

In 1994, four-year-old Tiffany Pak of Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.A.,was playing in her backyard when she was attacked by her neighbor's Rottweiler, who jumped the fence. The girl sustained 100 puncture wounds and required 300 stitches.

In Sheung Shui, South China, family members watched helplessly as eight-year-old Liu Wing-yan was attacked and killed by a Great Dane in January 1994. The girl bled to death after being bitten in the neck.

These reports are a chilling testament to what has become agrowing health concern throughout the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia,estimate that a total of 4.5 million dog bites occur each year inthe U.S alone, with more than 756,000 cases requiring medical attention.

While there is no international tracking of dog bites, many countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Hungary,and the United States have implemented restrictions regarding "dangerous dogs" to stem the attacks.

Dog bites are a major child-health problem in the United States,exceeding the total number of cases of measles, whooping cough,and mumps each year. Dog attacks are also one of the most common causes of severe facial lacerations in children. Each year,approximately 44,000 facial bites are reported in the U.S.;16,000 of them requiring plastic surgery.

Yet despite the immense number of physical and psychologicalscars from dog bites, the public seems largely unaware of aserious problem that could exist; literally; in its own backyard.

"Many people have been frightened by the growing media reports of dog attacks," says Randall Lockwood, vice president of training initiatives for the Humane Society of the United States. "But most don't see their own dog as a threat."

Dogs may be "man's best friend," but they may also bite the hand that feeds them. Lockwood, considered one of the country's foremost authorities on dog behavior and dog bites, has investigated more than 3,000 dog bite cases, including 150 fatal attacks.

"Dog attacks are occurring at epidemic levels," he says. "This is truly a serious public health problem that requires much greater attention and investment in resources."

The financial and emotional costs of dog bites are staggering. In1984, an 11-year-old girl was awarded a record sum of more than$1 million for physical and mental trauma caused by a dog bite,which has left her permanently disfigured. According to U.S.insurance industry estimates, $1 billion in dog-bite liability claims were paid in 1994. State Farm Mutual Automobile InsuranceCo., the nation's largest home and auto insurer, paid out $58.7million for dog-bite claims that year.

But the cost in pain and suffering is even greater. "The tragicpart is that these cases are almost 100 percent preventable,"says Lockwood. "This is not a dog problem; it's a people problem. The major cause of dog bites is irresponsible owners."

The Humane Society has dispelled many of the common myths associated with dangerous dogs. The typical perpetrator isusually the family pet; not a stray; and the victims are usually children under the age of 10. Most bites occur while the dog is leashed, fenced, chained, or indoors. Another revealing statistic: nearly one half of all attacks occur on the street,sidewalk, or alley adjacent to the dog owner's property.

"You are most likely to be bitten by your own dog, or a dog ownedby a friend or neighbor," says Lockwood.

Two other groups most susceptible to attacks are the elderly and the proverbial postman. In 1994, dogs attacked 2,782 U.S. mailcarriers making their rounds. The Humane Society and U.S. Postal Service have joined forces to sponsor "National Dog Bite Prevention Week," a public information campaign held each June. Last year, the postal service spent $15 million to mail educational material to 125 million households with advice on how to prevent dog bites.

Over the years, a spate of sensational media reports has focused on two breeds; the pit bull terrier and the Rottweiler. While itis true that these breeds can be aggressive, CDC statistics showthat the best predictor of whether a dog will bite is whether ithas been neutered. An unsterilized male dog is three times morelikely to bite than a neutered animal. The other major indicator is whether the dog has been properly socialized and trained.

"It's not the breed that makes a dog dangerous, it's the attitudeof the owners," says Lockwood. "A well-trained, neutered Rottweiler will probably make a much better pet than a poorly socialized dachshund."

Since large dogs are capable of bone-snapping jaw pressures of 200 to 450 pounds (91 to 204 kilograms) per square inch (6.45square centimeters), it is critical that they be properly socialized and trained. (Pit bulls, renowned for their courage and aggressiveness, can clamp down with steel-trap jaws capable of exerting nearly 1,500 pounds [680 kilograms] of pressure;several times that of a German shepherd).

"It is important to set limits with a larger dog, because they cause more damage when they bite," says Lockwood. "Some of the smaller breeds can be just as aggressive, but they will tear up an ankle instead of someone's face."

In an effort to take the bite out of escalating costs, the U.S insurance industry has listed nine breeds that liability claims show are at "high risk" for biting, and may require additional homeowner's insurance: American Staffordshire terrier, boxer, pitbull terrier, chow chow, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd,Great Dane, Rottweiler, and Siberian husky.

But Lockwood points out that the overall number of bite cases has remained constant over the years; only the breeds have changed."In 1974," he says, "we saw more German shepherd, collie, and cocker spaniel bites. Today it's the Rottweiler, chow, and pitbull. The dogs are a victim of their own popularity."

One of Lockwood's major concerns is that people today are buyingdogs for the wrong reasons. A USA Today newspaper poll shows that38 percent of all households have a dog because of fear of crime;up from 20 percent in 1981.

"An increasing number of people are buying dogs as weapons,either offensive or defensive," says Lockwood. "In response tothe threat of crime, people are buying dogs for protection, rather than for companionship. That's like having a loaded gun inyour home."

The "Rambo" of the dog world is currently the Rottweiler, a once-rare breed whose popularity has increased by 70 percent inthe last five years. Originally used to herd cattle and pull milk carts in Germany, the dog almost went extinct in the early 1900s.Today, American Kennel Club (AKC) figures show it is the second most popular breed in the U.S. (The labrador retriever is the first.) Another guard dog, the German shepherd, is third in popularity, while the American Staffordshire terrier has doubled its numbers since 1990.

Breeding protection dogs has become big business. Advertisements abound for the "world's ultimate guard dog" and "the perfect weapon." Many people are willing to pay as much as $1,500 for these breeds and $7,000 for professionally trained "guard dogs."Ironically, drug dealers, gang members, and gun runners have also turned to these same breeds to protect their illicit interests.

But CDC figures show that dogs may do more harm than good inprotecting the family home. "Over the last 20 years, I've studied 150 fatal dog attacks," reports Lockwood. "Only one was an attack on a burglar."

If a homeowner wants protection, the Humane Society recommends getting an "image" or "alert dog"; one that appears intimidating and barks at strangers, but is not aggressive in nature. "This kind of dog will be just as effective in protecting property and deterring criminals," says Lockwood.

Journalists once referred to the popular expression "when dog bites man, it's not news"; but today, prime-time television has brought dramatic eyewitness accounts of savage dog attacks into people's living rooms. These stories often make front-page news,resulting in public panic, outrage, and million-dollar lawsuits.In response, communities in various countries are imposing what's known as "dangerous dog" laws, which ban or impose restrictionson vicious dogs and even on specific breeds.

In England, following a rash of pit bull terrier attacks, the government implemented the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991. Some breeds, originally bred for fighting and aggression, have been deemed "dangerous" and banned from import to the U.K. These include the American pit bull, the Japanese tosa, and two South American breeds, the argentine dogo and filas brasileiro.

Since the ban, British pet owners are required to have these breeds muzzled in public, registered, insured, tattooed, and sterilized. Owners who do not comply with these regulations risk fines and having their dogs destroyed, regardless of their behavior. Other countries with similar breed-specific bans include Australia, Denmark, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

In the U.S., some communities still require the owners of certain "high-risk breeds" to have additional liability insurance and muzzle their dogs in public. Many of these ordinances have been ruled unconstitutional and are under fire from owners who feel their dogs are being unfairly singled out because of their breed.

Most recently, the mayor of Washington, D.C., fueled the controversy by approving legislation that classifies all pitbulls and Rottweilers as "dangerous dogs," mandating that they be muzzled and leashed in public. In addition, owners must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum liability insurance policy of $50,000.


Nearly 300 communities in the U.S. have implemented "dangerousdog" laws that do not single out specific breeds, but are moregeneric in nature. A popular credo of dog clubs has become: "Never punish the breed; punish the deed."

"I think it is more important to educate the public on responsible dog ownership than to target certain breeds," says Stephanie Robinson, who tracks canine legislation issues for the AKC. "We have to address the root of the problem."

In developing countries, a major concern of dog bites is rabies,which kills an estimated 50,000 people each year world wide.According to the World Health Organization, dog bites account for 90 percent of all rabies cases in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

In Latin America, only one in three dogs is vaccinated against rabies. In Ecuador, rabies outbreaks have prompted the mass extermination of thousands of stray dogs in communities such as Quito. The national government has implemented so-called "Poison Brigades" to eliminate every stray dog in sight.

In Moscow, Russia, a city troubled by political upheaval and widespread poverty, dog bites have more than tripled in the last three years. Thousands of stray dogs roam the streets in packs,abandoned by the poor. In 1995, Moscow's health authorities reported more than 40,000 attacks requiring medical treatment.

Irina-Grech of the Moscow Dog Lovers Association told a Los Angeles Times reporter: "It's terrible; all these dogs roaming around in packs, some of them sick or wounded from mistreatment.It breaks your heart because it's not the fault of the dogs; it's the fault of those who once owned them."

It's a message that is being repeated in different languages around the world: the necessity of responsible dog ownership.

Randall Lockwood points out there are 52 million dogs in theU.S., 15 million dogs in France, and 10 million dogs in England;the vast majority of which are loving, loyal pets. "Dogs provide unconditional love and acceptance," he says. "They are one of the world's most popular pets, and with good reason. They become apart of your family."

And where are the Rusnaks today, now that the dog-bite incident with Jake is behind them? They have moved to a new neighborhood, have a new baby, and are seriously considering buying another dog.

The author, Cary Silver, owns a three-year-old Rottweiler and is senioreditor of THE ROTARIAN.

[hokisteph5]

CDC statistics showthat the best predictor of whether a dog will bite is whether ithas been neutered. An unsterilized male dog is three times morelikely to bite than a neutered animal. The other major indicator is whether the dog has been properly socialized and trained.

This part of the article struck me. I would've thought socialization and training was more important than neutering.

[SaranBear]

It's easier to analyze impact of altering (it's simply yes the animal has been altered or no) than it is to analyze the impacts of training or socialization... Define those terms... what level of training does a dog have to complete to be trained? What if they have a very bad trainer who makes a problem worse?

And socialization? How can you determine if a dog has been socialized? You would have to know the history, but when compiling bite statistics it is often impossible to truly know the history of the biting dog.

So that may account for their determination that being altered, or not, has more impact.

Also one must consider why an animal is not altered. Yes some may be show dogs, and some may be used to breed by ethical breeders. However, I am pretty sure that many of the dogs left unaltered are not left that way for the reasons I stated above. It is very likely that it is simply laziness, ignorance, or lack of funds. These issues may influence a dog's behavior. So perhaps it is not being unaltered that is a risk factor, but having owners who are lazy, ignorant, or unable to meet a dog's needs because of financial issues. Since the owners are not included in the study, it appears that being un altered is the problem, but it may be just a symptom.

[LavenderRott]

It is my understanding that information on the biting dog is collected from the victim NOT from the dog owner and it is done randomly. For this reason, the CDC's statistics are woefully incomplete and inaccurate.

Even at the rates that dog bites are now being reported, more people are still killed by drunk drivers every year. Dog bites are not the most common injury - you are still more likely to slip and hurt yourself in the shower. Yet, we don't have a "drunk driving epidemic" or talk about banning showers.

[SaranBear]

You know what I found the most interesting?

More kids are killed/injured by their parents than by dogs........

Need I say more?

[zorro13]

SaranBear: Very good point!

[RottsNScotts]

Or this one - FORTY people a year are killed by TOASTERS!

[fbkeays]

Originally Posted by RottsNScotts

Or this one - FORTY people a year are killed by TOASTERS!

Oooo do you know what Brand? Or is there a difference between toaster ovens vs the pop-up kind? Is it 2 slice or 4 slice that cause the most deaths? I think we should go on a crusade and ban all of the toasters that cause the most deaths. We would be serving the public interest wouldn't we?

[Karyn]

Originally Posted by fbkeays

Oooo do you know what Brand? Or is there a difference between toaster ovens vs the pop-up kind? Is it 2 slice or 4 slice that cause the most deaths? I think we should go on a crusade and ban all of the toasters that cause the most deaths. We would be serving the public interest wouldn't we?

If that is your platform - I will vote for you and get the League of Women Voters to endorse you. Yes! Lets get the toasters.

[sherafunk]

I agree w/ all of you; though I acknowledge it's essential to promote how wonderful the Rottweiler breed is by training our dogs well and being responsible citizens, I doubt anyone will argue with me when I claim that the most dangerous, cruel, and violent creature on the planet is...the human being. :-(

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

Originally Posted by sherafunk

I doubt anyone will argue with me when I claim that the most dangerous, cruel, and violent creature on the planet is...the human being. :-(

Ain't that the truth...you forgot ignorant
I've never seen a more biased article in my life.

[fbkeays]

I do agree that humans are the worst of all. Humans are supposed to have the ability to think, to reason. But that all gets thrown out the window if there can be a good hysterical cause to jump on. For some reasons law makers are the worst when it comes to reason and logic. They can't make the jump between toasters and dogs, even though toasters cause twice as many deaths as dogs do.
Toasters are the thing that sit on your counter and you use every day. Every once and awhile it might even burn you a little bit. You just jerk your hand away, say Owie, and keep on doing what you always do. Most toaster users are very responsible. But there are a few hundred that are not responsible and eventually about 40 of them a year die because they did something really stupid with their toaster.
That certainly doesn't mean that we ALL need to get rid of our toasters. Lawmakers will agree with that. Toasters are not the problem. It is how people use and interact with the toaster that is the problem. For some reason they can not relate that to dog ownership.

[SaranBear]

Originally Posted by Tywaknya'sBABY

I've never seen a more biased article in my life.

Are you referring to the above article??

This was a very good article that was one of the LEAST biased articles I have ever seen.

The basic point is that it is people who are at fault. NOT the dogs. They really emphasize the importance of responsible dog ownership.

They also talk about how breed is NOT an accurate indicator of whether or not a dog will bite.

Where do you see bias?

[MonteRiehl]

Originally Posted by RottsNScotts

Or this one - FORTY people a year are killed by TOASTERS!

I for one will suggest a specific ban on toasters to our city councilors.

Is it a specific brand of toaster? or just because the owners were not responsible and didn't socialize their toasters properly?
Were the toasters speutered?



damn, I should have kept reading, Francis beat me to the jokes!

[Gunsey'sMom]

poorly socialized toasters...LOL, everone knows those Sunbeams are vicious!!! Killers they are!!!! You can tell by lookin' at em'!

But seriously, pretty interesting article, Person must've owned a "dangerous dog" at some point is all I can say to have as much clarity as that.

I think peole dont WANT to consider that their Rover or Fluffy is the one that will bite their childs face off, it has to be a VICIOUS (Rott, Pit, GSD Ect.) dog. It is more comforting to think that way, and that is how a lot of peol ethink nowadays unfortunately. It gives them an excuse to own an unsocialized yard ornanment.