Pit bull

"Pit bull" is an umbrella term for a group of large terrier dog breeds with shared ancestry. Informal terms for dogs of this type include pit, pittie, pibble, as well as the unintentionally apt "velvet hippo."Large, soft-coated, liable to bite you to death.
==Selective breeding and aggression==
Pit bulls have become a focus of media attention and (BSL) due to public safety concerns. They are descended from the historical "butcher's dog" used in in England. After this blood sport was banned circa 1835, coal miners in Staffordshire set up dog-fighting rings, putting dogs into pits to fight to the death. This is the origin of the term pit bull. Selective breeding for fighting purposes made pit bulls smaller, quicker, and more agile than their predecessors, and instilled a heightened tendency toward aggression and volatility. Pit bulls were specifically bred for , a term for persistence in fighting even when tired, injured, or in pain. They were also bred not to signal aggressive intent (such as by growling) and to ignore submissive displays from opponents. This is why they have a reputation for attacking without warning or provocation.
Studies have found that attacks by pit bulls and result in more severe and fatal injuries than attacks by other breeds. Available statistics link pit bulls to nearly 70% of fatal dog attacks on humans and 90% of fatal attacks on other dogs. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable, particularly to catastrophic injuries of the head, neck, and extremities.Do not look at these studies unless you have a strong stomach for graphic photos of dead children. One study found that bites by pit bulls resulted in "amputation and/or bony injury" in 66% percent of patients treated for orthopaedic injuries. Pits do not possess a "locking jaw" as some less reliable sources claim. However, their tenacity in attacking ("gameness") and observed tendency to turn on would-be rescuers have been implicated in the prevalence and severity of injuries. The bite force of pits is second only to Rottweilers among domestic dog breeds. 
Advocates insist that pit bull aggression is either the product of apparently universal abuse or a horrible lie made up by pibble-hating meanies. This ignores scientific research showing that canine behavior is influenced by heritable genes. Genetically "hard-wired" behaviour can be expressed in canines despite temperament and training. Pit bull advocates nonetheless circulate myths about pit bulls being "nanny dogs" ideal for families with young children. Some even go so far as to co-opt the language of civil rights struggles by branding BSL "canine racism" and "breed-discriminatory legislation."
==Identification and shelter crisis==
A common fallacious argument put forward by activists is that pit bulls are impossible to identify because the term does not refer to a single breed. The American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club together recognize four breeds as pit bulls: , , , and . Some research suggests that breed identification based strictly on visual criteria may not always be accurate. One study found that misidentified pits tended to have mixed heritage. DNA testing can provide a more reliable assessment of breed ancestry.
Spay-and-neuter campaigns in the 1970s and 1980s successfully reduced pet overpopulation in the developed world. This drastically decreased the supply of local dogs available for adoption in shelters. Prospective dog owners have increasingly turned to private breeders. Shelters have resorted to "expanding the definition of adoptable" to include dogs formerly excluded due to "health or temperament issues." These factors, along with the rise of the , have lead to shelters full of pit bulls everywhere from Los Angeles to Malta. Concerns over aggression have been identified as a major factor in the adoptability of pits. Pit bulls spend more time in shelters before adoption and are more likely to be returned multiple times or put down upon return.
Some commenters have proposed removing breed labels from adoption listings in order to combat "breed stigma" and give pit bulls a fair shake. There have been accounts of some shelters finding homes for pits through less-than-honest means. One former shelter worker reports that the euphemisms "dog selective" or "dog reactive" are used instead of "." A Medium blogger recounted being convinced to adopt a pit presented as a "shepherd mix." A 2017 episode of the CBC investigative news programme The Fifth Estate found that American rescues were trafficking pit bulls with unknown bite histories into Canada.
==Dog fighting in the United States==
Dog fighting initially had little to no restrictive laws, but as the conditions of dog fighting became more widely known, and people realized that the violence of the "sport" and the pain and destruction caused to the dogsThe facts about dogfighting, The Humane Society of the United States and peripheral animals such as cats,Animals Found Clinging To Life After Being Used As Bait In Dog Fighting Circuit, CBS News 28 February 2012 sometimes used as "bait" or "training" animals,http://www.examiner.com/article/dog-fighters-use-free-and-stolen-cats-and-dogs-as-bait-to-train-their-dogs there arose a sentiment that causing dogs to fight was cruel. Animal protection laws began to be proposed and passed and included other animals that were made to fight, such as birds (usually known as "cock fighting"). As of 2008, it became a felony in all 50 States to stage a dog fight.Canine Cruelty, Federal Bureau of Investigation 9 July 2009 In some states, it is also against the law to attend a dog fight or own a dog for the purpose of fighting.Chart of State Dogfighting Laws, Hanna Gibson, Animal Legal and Historical Center 2014
Advocates of dog fighting compared it to fighting sports such as boxing. Those opposed to dog fighting maintained it was not the same, as human beings are free to choose to fight or not, while the dogs did not have a choice, and were forced to fight. A boxer can also choose to give up, and the fight ends if a boxer is knocked out, while pit bulls were forced to fight to the death. The best analogy would be "Mandingo Fighting" from where two slaves would be forced to fight each other to the death for the entertainment of others.
==Studies of pit bull attacks==
Results of studies on pit bull attacks are mixed. While some studies found substantial additional danger and frequency in pit bull bites, other studies note difficulties in accurately determining breed and cite the possibility of breed ownership to owners behavior — pit bull owners may just be more likely to poorly train any dog they might own.
A US Department of Health and Human services report on breeds of dog involved in fatal human attacks, noted that while the fatal attacks appeared to be a breed-specific problem located to pit bulls and Rottweilers, other breeds bite and caused fatalities at higher rates. They also noted that difficulties in determining breed with certainty made breed-specific ordinances practically difficult to enforce, and further note that practical alternatives to breed-specific ordinances, exist, such as generic dangerous dog regulation and animal control laws. They finally noted that only a small proportion of dog bites were fatal, and fatalities should not be the driving factor concerning public policy on dangerous dogs.http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/images/dogbreeds-a.pdf
An April 2011 Canadian dog bite study was conducted by physicians and consisted of a review of 82 cases at a level 1 trauma center. Where the breed of dog was identified, the researchers concluded that 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.http://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Abstract/2011/04000/Mortality,_Mauling,_and_Maiming_by_Vicious_Dogs.23.aspx
The American Veterinary Medicine Association has found that "controlled studies have not identified this breed group as disproportionately dangerous."https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Backgrounders/Pages/The-Role-of-Breed-in-Dog-Bite-Risk-and-Prevention.aspx
A 2008 study published by Canada's Health Institute on fatal dog attacks between 1990-2007 identified 28 fatalities from dog bites.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2387261/
==Laws specific to pit bulls==
Since then, many states have termed pit bulls a dangerous breed of dog and have enacted laws pertaining to how they are housed and the extent and manner in which they can interact with the public.
These laws commonly require such measures as:
*higher registration fees
*mandatory spaying/neutering
*bans on ownership, sale, and breeding of pit bulls
*dogs directed to be kept in secure, locked enclosures, with posted warning signs 
*public leashing and muzzling
*microchipping and/or tattooing
*photographing
*owners are required to carry liability insurance
The laws mandate penalties for violations, usually monetary fees or fines, but in some cases include jail time.
Some examples of state legislation:
*Florida: in Miami-Dade County, it used to be illegal to own a pit bull; violations carrier a $500 fine.http://www.miamidade.gov/animals/pitbull-law.asp Pit Bull Law Dade County ordinance, Chapter 5, Sec. 5-17 This was nullified in 2023 by the Republican Florida Legislature (which probably sees pit bull bans as a violation of the second amendment).New Florida law lifts ban on all dog breeds, pit bulls remain controversial, Scarlett Cooney, WUSF 21 October 2023
*Massachusetts: in Boston,http://www.cityofboston.gov/animalcontrol/regulations/pitbull.asp pit bulls must be muzzled in public; violations carry a $100 fine. http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/pitbull_ord_tcm3-3385.pdf
*Ohio: Mahoning County requires pit bulls to be kept in a locked pen or enclosed yard and be leashed and muzzled in public. Owner must also carry liability insurance of $100,000 per dog.http://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/DepartmentsAgencies/Departments/DogWarden/PitBullTerrierNotice/tabid/930/Default.aspx In the city of Akron, Ohio, in addition to the insurance requirement, owners must also post a city issued warning sign, provide two photos of their dog, tattoo or microchip the animal, and the dog must wear a fluorescent Green dog collar.http://akronohio.gov/311/pdf/PitBullRegistration.pdf
*Maryland: Prince George County Code, Section 3-185.01, states: "No person shall own, keep, or harbor a Pit Bull Terrier within the County." Fines can be up to $1,000 or up to six months of imprisonment.http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/Government/AgencyIndex/DER/AMG/licenses.asp
*Texas: the City of Garland requires that pit bulls be kept contained inside a six-foot tall fence, made of wooden planks at least ½-inch thick or 11 gauge chain link fencing, with no gaps or openings larger than 2 inches. All gates must have a locking mechanism that keeps the gates securely closed.http://www.garlandtx.gov/gov/ab/animals/pitbull.asp
*Delaware: the City of Wilmington mandates that pit bull owners must be at least 21 years old. Pit bulls must be neutered, and breeding them is prohibited. The dogs must be leashed and muzzled in public. Fines are $500 first violation, $1000 for repeat violations. http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/residents/animals
*Kansas: the City of Salina maintains a public map of registered Pit Bull owners' home addresses or other locations of the dogshttp://www.salina-ks.gov/content/126/198/10558/10613.aspx and dogs must be registered, muzzled, kept in specific types of enclosures which are equipped with warning signs, photographed, microchipped, have a special permit and special collar when in public, and cannot be sold or given to anyone except under specific limited circumstances.http://www.salina-ks.gov/filestorage/126/198/10558/SalinaCodeArctle9Sec7_144.pdf
*Arkansas: the City of Little Rock passed laws in 2004 (Ordinance 7673) banning pit bulls from being brought within the city limits. Dogs already residing within city limits are required to be spayed/neutered, assigned a control number, tattooed with the control number, and kept in a secured building or outside area equipped with a lock and posted warning signs. http://www.northlittlerock.ar.gov/pdfs/PitBull.pdf 
*Georgia: State legislation enacted in 2005 states "It shall be unlawful for any person to import, sell, transport, carry, own, keep, or otherwise possess any live pit bull within the state".http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2005_06/fulltext/hb78.htm Pit bulls owned prior to enactment of the law must be neutered, confined, leashed and muzzled in public. The law states that "Any person found guilty of violating any provision of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00 or incarcerated for a period not to exceed six months or both".
*Missouri: Springfield City Council Bill No. 2006-113 requires many of the same restrictions as the earlier enacted laws of other states: pit bulls must be registered, spayed, microchipped, kept in securely enclosed areas, and muzzled while in public.http://health.springfieldmo.gov/index.aspx?NID=211
*Kentucky: the City of Covington defines pit bulls as vicious dogs and requires them to be spayed/neutered, photographed, microchipped, leashed and muzzled in public, and requires owners to maintain insurance of $100,000.http://www.covingtonky.gov/documents/PIT_BULL_and_VICIOUS_DOG_REQUIREMENTS.pdf
All of the above fails to take into account the wild variations within how each area defines "pit bull" and the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science found that "87.5% of the dogs identified by an adoption agency as having specific breeds in their ancestry did not have all of those breeds detected by DNA analysis."http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20183478
==Legality==
There have been cases where dog owners questioned or challenged the right of the government to make laws regarding pit bulls. States maintain that it is their right, both legally and in the interest of public safety.
For instance: 
*South Jordan, Utah: enacted a ban on pit bulls (Ordinance 7.12.125 — South Jordan City Municipal Code) and declared it to be: unlawful to own or harbor a Pit Bull or any breed that strongly resembled the physical traits of an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier within the city limits of South Jordan City. The law further states: "In 1997, the City Council determined the Pit Bull breed to be dangerous after hearing testimonies regarding attacks by the Pit Bull. The City Council found that the breed possesses extremely powerful jaws, high pain tolerance, extreme aggressiveness towards other animals, they have a natural tendency to refuse to terminate an attack once it has begun. The City Council found that these traits result in significantly greater damage to persons and property than attacks by other canine breeds. The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare." http://www.sjc.utah.gov/police/police-animalcontrol-ordinances.asp
*The Municipal Code of Toledo, Ohio includes language that says: "The State of Ohio and City of Toledo have a legitimate interest in protecting citizens from the dangers associated with Pit Bulls. Toledo's Municipal Codes are rationally related to the government's interest and are constitutional." http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2007/2007-Ohio-3724.pdf
*Albuquerque, New Mexico, keeps a list of dogs termed "dangerous", and Chapter 9, Article 17, of their City Ordinance, known as "Angel's Law" reads: "This ordinance was established to protect the public, especially young children and others unable to protect themselves from vicious attacks, and the threat to health and safety that dangerous dogs present." http://www.cabq.gov/pets/dogs/dangerous-dogs
This language is similar in many of the laws that have been enacted against pit bulls.
== In Canada ==
In 1990, Winnipeg was the first major Canadian jurisdiction among several to ban pit bull-type dogs. In 2005 Ontario adopted a province-wide ban on pit bulls. Edmonton requires that vicious dogs be muzzled in public and that the American Staffordshire terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier (breeds often included under pit bull-types) be automatically considered vicious.
==The rest of the world==
===UK===
Pit bulls are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/contents This prohibits four breeds including pit bull, although you can get your dog exempted if it is neutered, microchipped, insured, muzzled in public, and subject to other conditions. The legislation has been opposed by British animal welfare charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and by the British Veterinary Association, although PETA, being always awkward, have called for more breeds of dog to be restricted.
===Australia===
Australia has a number of state-specific laws.http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/pdfs/Dangerous%20dogs%20-%20a%20sensible%20solution%20FINAL.pdf
==Pit bull temperament==
According to the American Temperament Test Society, a group that performs testing that documents their methodshttp://atts.org/tt-test-description/, the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier have passing rates over 80% for agreeable temperament.http://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/ The average passing rate for the other 121 breeds of dogs in the tests: 77%. However, the American Temperament Test (ATT) is not meant to assess domestic pet suitability; the methodology of its testing largely rewards dog breeds which can remain calm in novel situationshttp://atts.org/tt-test-description/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbKaReqEndM/ as the ATT was originally created to test working dogs for police and military roles.http://thetruthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.ca/search/label/ATTS/ Pit bull types and mixes have a genetic predisposition for such boldness, as is demonstrated during maulings when these dogs do not recognize fear and ignore signs of submission from their victim. Indeed, even the president of ATTS, Carl Herkstroeter, acknowledges that the ATT score says nothing about a dog breed being "pet" suitable and safe to keep around children and other pets: "Just because a certain percentage of dogs in a certain breed fail, this does not necessarily indicate aggression. Dogs fail for other reasons, such as strong avoidance. If you look at our statistics just from a perspective of aggression or non-aggression, they can be very misleading."
==See also==
*Cat
*Dog
*Labrador
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Domestic animals
Category:Law