The term pit bull is used in reference to multiple breeds of dog, namely, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and crosses between the two. However, in a few parts of the world, the American Bulldog is also classified as 'Pit Bull' type dog, despite the fact that they have major genetic differences. In the 90's, the American Bully was created from the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Although pit bulls were all created with similar crossbreeding between bulldogs and terriers, each individual breed within the type has a distinct history. The US Humane Society estimates that there are over 79.2 million owned dogs in the United States; however, the number of pit bull-type dogs has not been reliably determined.[ History
American Pit Bull Terrier
Main article: American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier is the product of interbreeding
between Old
English Terrier and English Bulldogs to
produce a dog that combined the gameness of the
terrier with the strength and athleticism of the bulldog.[ These dogs were initially bred in England
and arrived in the United States with the founders. In the United States, these
dogs were used as catch
dogs for semi-wild cattle and hogs, to hunt, to drive
livestock, and as family companions Some have been selectively bred for
their fighting prowess.[4][5] The United
Kennel Club (UKC) was the first registry to recognize the
American Pit Bull Terrier.[6] UKC
founder C. Z. Bennett assigned UKC registration number 1 to his own dog,
"Bennett's Ring", as an American Pit Bull Terrier in 1898.
American Pit Bull Terriers successfully fill the role of companion dog, police dog[7][8] and therapy dog.[9] American
Pit Bull Terriers constitute the majority of dogs used for illegal dog fighting
in the United States.[10] In
addition, law enforcement organizations report these dogs are used for other
nefarious purposes, such as guarding illegal narcotics operations,[11][12] use
against the police,[13] and
as attack dogs.[14]
The fighting reputation of pit bull-type dogs led the San
Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in
1996 to relabel pit bull terriers as "St. Francis Terriers" (not
associated with the "terrier" mascot of St.
Francis College in New York) so that they might be more readily
adopted;[15] 60
temperament-screened dogs were adopted until the program was halted after
several of the newly adopted dogs killed cats.[16] The
New York City Center for Animal Care and Control tried
a similar approach in 2004 by relabeling their pit bull terriers as "New
Yorkies", but dropped the idea in the face of overwhelming public opposition.[17][18]
American Staffordshire Terrier
Main article: American Staffordshire Terrier
The American Staffordshire Terrier was the product of 19th century
interbreeding between bulldogs and terriers that produced the
"bull-and-terrier dog," "Half and Half," and at times
"pit dog" or "pit bullterrier," the last named becoming the
"Staffordshire Bull Terrier" in England. The bulldog of that time
differed from the modern Bulldog,
having a full muzzle and a long, tapering tail. There is some debate whether
the White English Terrier, the Black and Tan Terrier, the Fox Terrier or
some combination thereof were used. These dogs began to find their way into
America as early as 1870 where they became known as Pit Dog, Pit Bull Terrier,
later American Bull Terrier, and still later as a Yankee terrier.[19] They
were imported primarily, but not exclusively, for pit fighting.[20]
In 1936, they were accepted by the American
Kennel Club (AKC) as "Staffordshire Terriers."[19] Breeders
started creating exemplars heavier in weight. Since January 1, 1972, it was
renamed to "American Staffordshire Terrier" to make a separate breed
from the lighter Staffordshire Bull Terrier of England.[19]
American Bully
Created in the 90's the first kennel to start breeding this new
breed of dogs was Razoredge. They were created to have no Gameness orDog aggression. But
with the sudden demand of blue puppies many American Bully owners started
inbreeding their dogs to produce more of the blue gene; the blue is actually a
genetic defect of the black genome. Backyard breeders started breeding for size
and color, largely ignoring important characteristics such as temperament and
health. Many of the attacks on people aren't in fact American pitbull terriers
but American bullies and Mastiff/bulldog mixes. Another common American bully
kennel is Gotti/greyline and even Remymartin pitbulls.
Famous Pit Bulls
Pit Bull breeds have become famous for their roles as soldiers, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, actors, television personalities,seeing eye dogs and celebrity pets.
Historically, the Bull
Terrier mix Nipper and Petey from the Little Rascals, are
the most well known. Lesser known, but still historically notable pit bulls
include Helen
Keller's family dog "Sir Thomas",[21] Buster Brown's dog
"Tige",[22]Horatio Jackson's dog "Bud",[23][24] President Theodore
Roosevelt's Pit Bull terrier "Pete", "Jack
Brutus" who served for Company K, the First Connecticut Volunteer Infantry
during the civil war[25] and
Sir Walter Scott's beloved "Wasp".[26]
Modernly significant pit bulls are: Weela, who saved thirty-one
people, twenty-nine dogs, three horses and one cat;[27] Popsicle,
a five-month-old puppy originally found nearly dead in a freezer, who grew to
become one of the nation's most important police dogs;[28]Norton,
who was placed in the Purina Animal Hall of Fame after he rescued his owner
from a severe reaction to a spider bite;[29] Titan,
who rescued his owner's wife, who would have died from an aneurysm and
D-Boy, who took three bullets to save his family from an intruder with a gun.[30]
Notable movies and television shows that have starred pit bulls
have been Flashdance, Our Gang, Cheaper
by the Dozen, the Dog Whisperer, Pit Boss and Pit Bulls and Parolees.[citation needed]
Stubby became the official mascot of the American Expeditionary
Force, and did his part to raise morale to the war-weary soldiers on the front
lines. During his tour of duty in Europe, Stubby also participated in 17
battles and four major offensives – including the St. Mihel, Meuse-Argonne,
Aisne-Marne, and Champagne Marne campaigns.[citation needed]
Attacks on Humans
See also: Dog
attack and List of fatal dog attacks in the United States
Some studies that have been performed on the number of human deaths
caused by dog bite trauma have surveyed news media stories for reports of dog
bite-related fatalities. This methodology is subject to several potential
sources of error: some fatal attacks may not have been reported; a study might
not find all of the relevant news reports; and the potential for
misidentification of dog breeds,[2]although
courts in the United States[31][32] and
Canada[33][34] have
ruled that expert identification, when using published breed standards, is
sufficient for the enforcement of breed-specific legislation. It is possible to
distinguish dogs by breed using DNA testing,[34] but
test results for any one dog can vary widely depending upon the laboratory that
performs the test and the number of purebred dog breeds in the laboratory's DNA
database.[35]
One 9-year (1979–1988) review of fatal dog attacks in the United
States determined that, of the 101 attacks where breed was recorded, pit bulls
were implicated in 42 of those attacks (41.6%).[36] A
1991 study found that 94% of attacks on children by pit bulls were unprovoked,
compared to 43% for other breeds.[37] One
5-year (1989–1994) review of fatal dog attacks in the United States determined
that pit bulls and pit bull mixed breeds were implicated in 24 (28.6%) of the
84 deaths where breed was recorded.[38]
One 15-year (1991–2005) review of dog attack fatalities
investigated by the Kentucky Medical Examiner determined that pit bulls were
implicated in 5 of the 11 fatal attacks (45.4%).[39] Another
15-year (1994–2009) review of patients admitted to a Level I Trauma Centerwith dog bites determined that
pit bulls were involved in most of these attacks: of the 228 patients treated,
the breed of dog was recorded in 82 attacks, and of these, 29 (35%) attacks
were attributed to pit bulls. All other dogs combined accounted for the
remaining 65% of attacks.[40] In
44.8% of the attacks, the dog belonged to the victim's family.[40] The
authors state:
Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates,
higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other
breeds of dogs. Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the US
mortality rates related to dog bites.[40]
One 5-year (2001–2005) review of dog attack victims admitted to
the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia determined
that pit bull terriers were implicated in more than half of bites. Of the 551
patients treated, breed was identified in 269 cases. Of these 269 patients, 137
(50.9%) were attacked by pit bulls.[41] The
authors write:
...the overwhelming number of bites involving pit bull terriers in
this study and others certainly has some degree of validity when it comes to
identifying bite-prone breeds. Pit bull terriers, German shepherds, and
Rottweilers were the offending breeds implicated in our study and have
accounted for the majority of dog bites according to other investigators.[41]
One review of the medical literature found that pit bulls and pit
bull cross-breeds were involved in between 42 and 45% of dog attacks.[42] Fatalities
were most often reported in children, with 70% of victims being under the age
of 10.[42]
Other studies
"A higher proportion of sled dogs and, possibly, mixed-breed dogs in Canada than in the United States caused fatalities, as did multiple dogs rather than single dogs. Free-roaming dog packs, reported only from rural communities, caused most on-reserve fatalities".A study by Dr. Malathi Raghavan, DVM, PhD questions the pit bull's reputation as a dangerous breed. An electronic search of newspaper articles by Dr. Raghavan found that pit bull terriers were responsible for 1 of 28 (3.6%) dog bite-related fatalities reported in Canada from 1990 through 2007.[43] The study also notes that
The total number of fatal dog attacks from the 17-year period is
equal to about one fatal attack per year, while the Clifton report, a
more comprehensive study that includes the 1990-2007 period in the Canadian
Veterinary Journal Study, shows an average of six fatalities attributed to pit
bulls alone annually in the United States and Canada.[44]
Locked jaw
There is some confusion over the "locked jaw" notion
with pit bulls. There is no evidence for the existence of a physiological "locking
mechanism" in the teeth or jaw structure of normal pit bull-type dogs,[45] although
a dog's jaws can be locked in a closed position by surgically correctable jaw
abnormalities.[46] However,
pit bull-type dogs exhibit "bite, hold, and shake" behavior, which is
seen in all breeds of dogs, and at times refuse to release when biting;[12][20][47] methods
to force pit bull-type dogs to release their grip include breaking an ammonia
ampule and holding it up to the dog's nose,[20] or
using a "break stick" to lever the dog's jaws open if it bites a
person or animal.[48][49] Many
highly sought trainers, including Cesar Millan, will simply hold the dog still
until it releases its grip, then pull it away without further incident.
Personality traits of
owners
Several studies have determined that pit bull owners and owners of
other "vicious" or "high risk" breeds (most commonly
identified asAkita, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinscher,
Pit Bull, Rottweiler,
and Wolf-mix) are more
likely to have criminal convictions and are more likely to display antisocial
behaviors. A 2006 study comparing owner's of "vicious" dogs to owners
of "low risk" dogs determined that the former group had nearly 10
times as many criminal convictions.[50] A
2009[51] and
a followup 2012[52] study
generally supported these conclusions.
Legislation
Main article: Breed-specific legislation
A muzzled pit
bull-type dog
Widely reported pit bull attacks have resulted in the enacting
of breed-specific legislation in several
jurisdictions, as well as increased premiums for liability
insurance.
Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,[53] Miami, Florida, U.S.,[54]Denver, Colorado, U.S.,[55] and Malden, Massachusetts, U.S.[56] apply
the restriction to the modernAmerican Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any other dog that has
the substantial physical characteristics and appearance of those breeds.
However a few jurisdictions, such as Singapore[57] and Franklin County, Ohio, U.S.,[58] also
classify the modernAmerican
Bulldog as a "pit bull-type dog", while in the United
Kingdom a pit bull is an American Pit Bull Terrier.[59] All
of the breeds share a similar history, with origins rooted from the Bulldog and a
variety of Terriers, except for
the Johnson line of American
Bulldog (as opposed to the more pure Scott line), which come
from the Bulldog and a
variety of Mastiffs. The dogs
called bull terriers before the development of the modern Bull Terrier in
the early 20th century may also be called pit bulls.
A large number of jurisdictions have enacted breed-specific legislation (BSL) in response to
a number of well-publicized incidents involving pit bull-type dogs, and some
government organizations such as the United
States Army[60] and Marine Corps[61] have
taken administrative action as well. These actions range from outright bans on
the possession of
pit bull-type dogs to restrictions and conditions on pit bull ownership, and
often establish a legal presumption that a pit bull-type dog is prima facie a
legally "dangerous" or "vicious" dog.[62] In
response, some state-level governments in the United States have prohibited or
restricted the ability of municipal
governments within those states to enact breed-specific
legislation, though these prohibitions on breed-specific legislation do not
affect military installations located within these states.[63]
It is now generally settled in case law that
jurisdictions in the United States and Canada have the right to enact
breed-specific legislation.[64] Despite
these findings by the courts, there remains some public skepticism over whether
the laws are effective.[65] One
point of view is that pit bulls are a public safety issue that merits actions
such as banning ownership, mandatory spay/neuter for
all pit bulls, mandatory microchip implants and liability
insurance, or prohibiting people convicted of a felony from owning pit bulls.[66][67]Another
point of view is that comprehensive "dog bite" legislation, coupled
with better consumer education and legally mandating responsible pet keeping
practices, is a better solution to the problem of dangerous dogs than
breed-specific legislation.[68][69]
A third point of view is that breed-specific legislation should
not ban breeds entirely but should strictly regulate the conditions under which
specific breeds could be owned, for example, forbidding certain classes of
individuals from owning them, specifying public areas from which they would be
prohibited, and establishing conditions, such as requiring a dog to wear a
muzzle, for taking dogs from specific breeds into public places.[70] Finally,
some governments, such as in Australia, have forbidden the import of specific
breeds and are requiring the spay/neuter of all existing dogs of these breeds
in an attempt to slowly eliminate the population through natural attrition.[71][72]
The ASPCA states
that along with putative over-reporting, false reporting is a major contributor
to public perceptions about the breed.[73]
In a 2012 ruling involving the mauling of a child, Maryland's
highest court held that pit bulls are "inherently dangerous", making
pit bull owners, and landlords renting to tenants who own a pit bull, strictly
liable for any injuries caused during an attack by said pit bull.[74][75]
Commercial restrictions
Liability insurance
Dog owners in the United States can be held legally liable for
injuries inflicted or caused by their dogs. In general, owners are considered
liable if they were unreasonably careless in handling or restraining the dog,
or if they knew beforehand that the dog had a tendency to cause injury (e.g.,
bite); however, dog owners are automatically considered liable if local laws
hold an owner strictly
liablefor all damage caused by their dog, regardless of carelessness
or foreknowledge of a dog's tendencies. Homeowners and rentersinsurance policies
typically provide liability coverage from US$100,000–300,000 for injuries
inflicted by dogs;[76] however,
some insurance companies limit their exposure to dog bite liability claims by
putting restrictions on dog owners that they insure. These restrictions include
refusing to cover dog bites under the insurance policy; increasing insurance
rates for homeowners with specific breeds; requiring owners of specific breeds
to take special training or have their dogs pass the American
Kennel Club Canine
Good Citizen test;[77] requiring
owners to restrict their dogs with muzzles, chains, or enclosures; and refusing
to write policies for homeowners or renters who have specific breeds of dogs.[76] In Ohio, which has declared all pit bull-type
dogs to be legally "vicious",[78]the cost
of special liability insurance that covers only the damage inflicted by a pit
bull-type dog can exceed US$575 per year.[79]
Owners of rental properties may also be held liable if they knew
an aggressive dog was living on their property and they did nothing to ensure
the safety of other tenants at the property; as a result, many rental
properties forbid pit bull-type dogs and any other breeds if the rental
property's insurance will not cover damage inflicted by that type of dog. The
dog breeds most often targeted by insurance companies include pit bull-type
dogs, Rottweilers, German
Shepherd Dogs, Doberman Pinschers,
Akitas (Akita Inu and American Akita),
and Chows.[80]
Air carrier restrictions
Several air carriers embargo certain dog breeds due to the effect
of high temperature and humidity on brachycephalic animals,
or concerns for the safety of airline property, personnel, and passengers. The
following table has a sampling of air carrier embargoes on dogs.
Airline
|
Reason
|
Details
|
Safety
|
The Staffordshire Terrier, mastiff (boerboel), tosa, and pit
bull may not be transported or shipped by air.[81]
|
|
Health
|
Dog breeds including American Pit Bull Terriers, American
Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, fly at their owner's
risk, with no additional compensation if the dog suffers injury or dies
during transit. The airline may refuse to accept the dog if it feels outside
temperatures are too extreme for the animal's safety.[82]
|
|
Health
|
American Airlines will not accept brachycephalic or snub-nosed
dogs and cats as checked luggage.[83]
|
|
Safety
|
American Pit Bull Terriers are prohibited.[84]
|
|
Safety
|
American Pit Bull Terriers over six months old or weighing more
than 20 pounds (9 kg) are embargoed.[85]
|
|
Health
|
"Snub-nosed dogs" are embargoed when the temperature
at the departure point or any stop along the travel route is expected to
exceed 75 °F (24 °C).[86]
|
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