Abraham - I think your personal experience and resulting bias might be (understandably) influencing your opinions on this subject.Abraham wrote:lama,
Ever been attacked by a Pit?
I have, more than once.
Remember the old saw that a Conservative is liberal whose been mugged?
I've not only been attacked by them, my daughter and I together have been attacked by them.
They are lethal animals that should never be exposed to the public anymore than letting a lion or tiger roam your neighborhood, but sure, I can see a protective attitude toward them, until it's your turn to be attacked by one...your mind set will change rapidly once you've that experience.
I have been around dogs my entire life and I have been attacked by a number of them. Guess what, they were all different breeds. Mostly mutts, but a mix of breeds. All breeds are capable of attacking humans. Some seem to be more inclined to do so than others, but I personally think it is an overreach to say that all dogs or a specific breed should be locked behind bars like we would do for lions and tigers. And under the right circumstances all dogs can be lethal to an unprepared human. Again, some more than others.
My current dog is a mix between a Poodle and a Maltese. He is very protective of his territory and will bark like crazy when anyone gets in sight as he sits staring out the window. But he's a coward. As soon as a human or dog starts to approach him, he will run and hide behind me or my wife. To me, that is the perfect mix. He will definitely wake me up if anyone gets near the house but he is not likely to attack my kids or their friends.
As others have said, people need to take responsibility for all of the dangerous things they own. The typical adult owns a number of things that can kill if they are not careful with them (vehicles being a prime example). Dogs are just one of these things. Guns are another. If you own a dog breed that is generally more aggressive, you need to invest in proper training and also in properly securing your dog. Dogs are a lot like guns in that respect.