Following a rash of pit bull attacks this year in the Bay Area -- including the fatal mauling of a boy -- a state lawmaker has proposed a bill that would give local governments greater power to control pit bulls.
Though it would not ban pit bulls, the bill by state Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) would allow municipalities to establish mandatory spay or neuter programs for a particular breed. Professional breeders would be exempt.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday August 04, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 News Desk 2 inches; 105 words Type of Material: Correction
Dog attacks -- An article in the July 26 California section about a state bill to control the breeding of pit bulls quoted a spokeswoman from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who said fatal dog attacks represented 0.00001% of the estimated 4.7 million dog bites that occur each year in the United States. That would translate to about one fatal attack every two years. The CDC says that estimate came from an outside source and does not match its own research, which records about 12 fatal dog attacks each year. The CDC says that it will remove the 0.00001% estimate from its literature.
The proposed law also would let local governments place greater control on breeders and set limits on the number of litters a breeder can raise each year.
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Question: What is a pit bull?
Answer: "Pit bull" is not a breed recognized by the American Kennel Club but rather a loosely used term referring to any of a number of breeds of dogs developed from the English bulldog and the terrier family.
The name is also commonly used to refer to crossbreeds and other breeds with similar characteristics. Breeds recognized as pit bulls include the American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier and the American bulldog.
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Q: What are the characteristics of pit bulls?
A: They tend to have large heads, strong jaws and strong, muscular bodies. Pit bulls range in size from medium to large and come in an array of colors. Once they bite, pit bulls are known for holding on tenaciously.
Their ancestry dates back to the early 17th century. Known for their strength and stamina, pit bulls were used to "bait" large animals -- attacking chained bears or bulls for sport. Pit bulls were also used in illegal dogfights, said Marcy Setter of Pit Bull Rescue Central, an online advocacy group.
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Q: Are they more aggressive than other breeds of dogs?
A: Because of their breeding history, they are more likely than other breeds to show aggression toward other dogs, Setter said. But when the pit bull was being developed centuries ago, dogs with a tendency toward human aggression were killed immediately, she said.
As a group, pit bulls are not more dangerous than other dogs, said Eric Weigand of the California Veterinary Medical Assn. "Their bites are more dangerous," he said. "I won't say they are more dangerous."
Other professionals take a different view.
"It's not just the owners, it's the breed itself," said Lt. Sheri Koenig, who handles dangerous dog cases for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. "They are extremely aggressive. Not all pit bulls are nasty, it's true, but they are aggressive and they have the ability to do a lot of damage."
