Bad Dogs?: Community Remains in Dangerous State of Denial (Times Dispatch - Virginia

[Rene Allegrini]

Article and link provided by fightBSL group and Jodi Preis


Bad Dogs?: Community Remains in Dangerous State of Denial

ROBIN STARR
TIMES-DISPATCH GUEST COLUMNIST Feb 9, 2007


The recent killing of a small boy at his home by two family rottweilers has horrified our community. There have been a number of attacks in Virginia in the past few years by pitbulls and rottweilers that have caused death or serious injury. How many people must be killed before we find the integrity to honestly address the predictable and preventable nature of these attacks?

From Sept. 1, 1982, until Jan. 1, 2007, there were 2,227 reported attacks causing human bodily harm by dogs kept as family pets (guard dogs, police dogs, and dogs trained to fight were excluded). Of these reported attacks, 267 resulted in death and 1,329 resulted in maiming (i.e., loss of a limb or other permanent disfigurement). Pitbulls, bull mastiffs, and rottweilers were responsible for 73 percent of the total attacks, 66 percent of the deaths, and 72 percent of the maimings. Children and elderly persons were the victims in almost all of the deaths and maimings.

The reasons for these statistical realities are clear. To a large extent, these dogs are selectively bred by humans to achieve aggressive temperaments both for the purpose of illegal dog fighting and to stoke the egos of young men. Both the breeding and training of many members of these breeds produce aggressive behavior. While these dogs may not be any more aggressive on average than certain other breeds such as akitas, the numbers of pitbulls and rottweilers have increased dramatically due to recent social trends, thereby magnifying the problem with those breeds.

OWNERS OF these dogs usually do not have them spayed or neutered, resulting in a much higher level of the hormones that contribute to aggressive behavior. They are often kept outside on chains, which greatly increases territoriality and aggressive behavior. Of course, their brawny physiques and powerful jaws enable them to inflict severe damage. Small children and frail people are the most vulnerable.

Many humane organizations have been profoundly unwilling to recognize and react responsibly to the human safety issues posed by some members of these breeds. Advocates of these breeds respond with hostility to any suggestion that public safety concerns may be valid and insist upon providing anecdotal evidence of the sweet temperaments of individual dogs of the breeds. They vocally condemn any effort to identify the particular members of the breeds that are likely to present serious threats to human safety.

No one could ever argue with the fact that certain pitbulls, bull mastiffs, and rottweilers are wonderful companions and family pets. But, the obstinate state of denial of a considerable portion of the human community in the face of empirical evidence that these breeds cause a disproportionate amount of serious attacks is not only irresponsible but a disservice to the very dogs they care about. If advocates for these dogs will not support rational and compassionate safety steps, then inhumane and excessively broad regulations such as breed bans and denials of insurance coverage
may be expected.

THE NEWS media share substantially in the blame. When these horrifying attacks occur, news reports play to people's emotions with tearful statements of friends and family. Testimonials that the dogs were docile and could never have been expected to attack are always provided. Rarely, if ever, are we afforded key information about the predictive factors that invariably are present, or any analysis by qualified animal behaviorists.

In the recent Henrico rottweiler attack, for example, the news media repeated for days the false story that the dogs had been "rescued" by the family when, in fact, they had been bred for profit by a Massachusetts breeder and sold to the boy's parents. No report I saw provided the crucial information that the dogs were not spayed or neutered and that one was in heat at the time of the attack.

Local and state legislative bodies deserve blame. Any number of humane legislative actions could substantially reduce the dangers of these breeds without unjustly penalizing individual dogs that are not dangerous. Anti-chaining ordinances, mandatory spay/neuter requirements for these breeds, restricting the sources of these dogs to shelters and pounds, and prohibiting their transport into the community would go a long way toward addressing the problem and would actually improve life for the innocent members of these breeds. The Richmond SPCA's efforts to promote such steps have fallen on deaf ears. Sadly, these elective bodies quickly forget the tragedies and are swayed by the aggressive breeders' lobby.

If we lack the honesty to confront reality and the resolve to take reasonable and humane steps to reduce the risks of these dangerous dogs, more people will die and most of them will be small children and the elderly. When that happens, we should be horrified but we most certainly should not be surprised.
Robin Robertson Starr is the CEO of the Richmond SPCA.

TimesDispatch.com | Bad Dogs?: Community Remains in Dangerous State of Denial

[hokisteph5]

When I peel myself off the ceiling and calm down enough, I'll be writing a response to this individual.

[Excitium]

I dont know what to make of this article. It seems one paragraph condemns a breed and the next its owners. Racial profiling has proven innefective, what makes anyone think BSL will be?

If for example rotts/pits etc were outlawed does this Robin think there will be no dogs to take their place?

[fbkeays]

Norfolk, VA is the headquarters for PETA. This article is nothing more then AR breed genocide. This statement is the AR party line.

Any number of humane legislative actions could substantially reduce the dangers of these breeds without unjustly penalizing individual dogs that are not dangerous. Anti-chaining ordinances, mandatory spay/neuter requirements for these breeds, restricting the sources of these dogs to shelters and pounds, and prohibiting their transport into the community would go a long way toward addressing the problem and would actually improve life for the innocent members of these breeds.

Spay and neuter everything and only get pets from the pound- sounds very PC. But if all the dogs get spayed and neutered, where do you think the pound is going to get the dogs??? Right now most dogs in shelters are not purebred and very few, if any, are well bred examples of their breed. Many shelters import dogs from other areas of their state, other states and even from other countries.
This statement even promotes banning the breeds by not allowing any new animals from coming into the community from private sources. So you can not even buy a well bred dog from another state.
I can understand not chaining a dog might improve their lives, but how does mandatory sterilation improve their lives? You might say it would improve the life of bitches owned by byb, but byb will just move from the backyard to the basement or wood shed. Their prices will then skyrocket. Again, how does MSN improve the lives of the "innocent" animals? IT DOESN'T.
All it is is commanion pet genocide, nothing more and nothing less. It is the slow death to owning animals. More and more diseased and sick animals from 3rd world back alleys will come into the shelter. Soon, it will not even be safe to own an animal because of the sickness (distemper, rabies and a host of other exotic animal diseases- where did the canine flu come from????), not to mention unstable temperament.
PETA and the other AR's are going to do away with animal ownership with "kindness". It is all going to sound so nice, warm and fuzzy. No chaining. Then no kennelling. Follow that by no crating (don't believe it won't happen- it is already being proposed). Pair that with mandatory spay and neuter. All in the name of kindness and public safety. If enough areas, and they are growing in number every day, put in mandatory spay and neuter- there goes your well bred, health tested purebred dog.
None of these state and local laws can touch a USDA licensed kennel. USDA licensed is code word for puppymill. So all dogs in 20 years will be puppymill bred or from 3rd world street imports. Do YOU want a puppymill bred dog? Do YOU want a sick and diseased mongrel from southeast Asia? Or would you want a dog from a COE breeder from health tested, temperament tested breed stock with more then a hundred years of known pedigree?
I know which one I want, what about YOU.

[pjohnson1969]

Originally Posted by Rene Allegrini

Article and link provided by fightBSL group and Jodi Preis


Bad Dogs?: Community Remains in Dangerous State of Denial

ROBIN STARR
TIMES-DISPATCH GUEST COLUMNIST Feb 9, 2007


The recent killing of a small boy at his home by two family rottweilers has horrified our community. There have been a number of attacks in Virginia in the past few years by pitbulls and rottweilers that have caused death or serious injury. How many people must be killed before we find the integrity to honestly address the predictable and preventable nature of these attacks?

From Sept. 1, 1982, until Jan. 1, 2007, there were 2,227 reported attacks causing human bodily harm by dogs kept as family pets (guard dogs, police dogs, and dogs trained to fight were excluded). Of these reported attacks, 267 resulted in death and 1,329 resulted in maiming (i.e., loss of a limb or other permanent disfigurement). Pitbulls, bull mastiffs, and rottweilers were responsible for 73 percent of the total attacks, 66 percent of the deaths, and 72 percent of the maimings. Children and elderly persons were the victims in almost all of the deaths and maimings.

The reasons for these statistical realities are clear. To a large extent, these dogs are selectively bred by humans to achieve aggressive temperaments both for the purpose of illegal dog fighting and to stoke the egos of young men. Both the breeding and training of many members of these breeds produce aggressive behavior. While these dogs may not be any more aggressive on average than certain other breeds such as akitas, the numbers of pitbulls and rottweilers have increased dramatically due to recent social trends, thereby magnifying the problem with those breeds.

OWNERS OF these dogs usually do not have them spayed or neutered, resulting in a much higher level of the hormones that contribute to aggressive behavior. They are often kept outside on chains, which greatly increases territoriality and aggressive behavior. Of course, their brawny physiques and powerful jaws enable them to inflict severe damage. Small children and frail people are the most vulnerable.

Many humane organizations have been profoundly unwilling to recognize and react responsibly to the human safety issues posed by some members of these breeds. Advocates of these breeds respond with hostility to any suggestion that public safety concerns may be valid and insist upon providing anecdotal evidence of the sweet temperaments of individual dogs of the breeds. They vocally condemn any effort to identify the particular members of the breeds that are likely to present serious threats to human safety.

No one could ever argue with the fact that certain pitbulls, bull mastiffs, and rottweilers are wonderful companions and family pets. But, the obstinate state of denial of a considerable portion of the human community in the face of empirical evidence that these breeds cause a disproportionate amount of serious attacks is not only irresponsible but a disservice to the very dogs they care about. If advocates for these dogs will not support rational and compassionate safety steps, then inhumane and excessively broad regulations such as breed bans and denials of insurance coverage
may be expected.

THE NEWS media share substantially in the blame. When these horrifying attacks occur, news reports play to people's emotions with tearful statements of friends and family. Testimonials that the dogs were docile and could never have been expected to attack are always provided. Rarely, if ever, are we afforded key information about the predictive factors that invariably are present, or any analysis by qualified animal behaviorists.

In the recent Henrico rottweiler attack, for example, the news media repeated for days the false story that the dogs had been "rescued" by the family when, in fact, they had been bred for profit by a Massachusetts breeder and sold to the boy's parents. No report I saw provided the crucial information that the dogs were not spayed or neutered and that one was in heat at the time of the attack.

Local and state legislative bodies deserve blame. Any number of humane legislative actions could substantially reduce the dangers of these breeds without unjustly penalizing individual dogs that are not dangerous. Anti-chaining ordinances, mandatory spay/neuter requirements for these breeds, restricting the sources of these dogs to shelters and pounds, and prohibiting their transport into the community would go a long way toward addressing the problem and would actually improve life for the innocent members of these breeds. The Richmond SPCA's efforts to promote such steps have fallen on deaf ears. Sadly, these elective bodies quickly forget the tragedies and are swayed by the aggressive breeders' lobby.

If we lack the honesty to confront reality and the resolve to take reasonable and humane steps to reduce the risks of these dangerous dogs, more people will die and most of them will be small children and the elderly. When that happens, we should be horrified but we most certainly should not be surprised.
Robin Robertson Starr is the CEO of the Richmond SPCA.

TimesDispatch.com | Bad Dogs?: Community Remains in Dangerous State of Denial

HI STEPH ,
Common Demonator here

THIS WOMAN is off her meds THESE DOGS WERE NOTTTTTTTTT

BRED MY GOD UGHHHHH

THESE FEMALES WERE SO BAD THEY WEIGHED LESS THAN FORTY POUNDS EACH

IF YOU READ ALL THE ARTICLES THE FEMALES WENT INTO HEAT AFTER THEY WERE IN CUSTODY

[Matlock]

Originally Posted by Excitium

I dont know what to make of this article. It seems one paragraph condemns a breed and the next its owners. Racial profiling has proven innefective, what makes anyone think BSL will be?

If for example rotts/pits etc were outlawed does this Robin think there will be no dogs to take their place?

Does this writer not know what other dogs are out there if they ban rotties and Pits? Wolf Hybrids, Presa's, and German shepards can be bred to attack and do as much, if not more damage than the biggest rotty. People need to understand its the owner's not the dogs that create problems and if anyone should suffer it should be the owners of attacking dogs.

[buckeye96]

just look at Washington DC, they banned a number of dogs because they were being used for fighting and different breeds appeared in their place. I can't wait until all that are left are goldens and they are used in fights.

[Gunsey'sMom]

This article REAKS!!!!! wow! I dont even know what to say.

[CanineCoach]

Now go read "Update on Brutes" in Rottweiler Rescue...