Some dog owners labor under the premise that pit bulls aren't bad. They contend that mean owners are responsible for the spate of attacks. But recent studies show that's not the case. Even the most cuddly and friendly of the pit bull breed are known to attack their long-time owners. Studies conclusively show that pit bulls have instincts unique among dogs, according to Donna Marsden of the Washington, D.C., Humane Society.
Most dogs can sense when their victim has given up.
Pit bulls do not and continue attacking, she said. Washington reports show that one of every four dog bites in the city involved a pit bull. Nearby Prince Georges County, Md., has banned the animals. Wilmington City Councilman Gerald Kelly is sponsoring an ordinance that should help to at least contain pit bull violence. It would ban all new pit bulls in the city, but allow currently licensed ones to remain provided they are spayed or neutered and registered with the city.