A Message from a Lifelong Dog Lover

On June 15th in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, a two-year-old little girl was attacked by two pit bulls and ultimately died, despite a quick emergency response. This is a tragedy to be certain, and it is one that is occurring with disturbing frequency. Children under the age of ten, regrettably, represent a high share of pit bull-related fatalities. In fact, between 2005 and 2017, over four in ten victims of fatal pit bull attacks were children under the age of ten.

To this point, I am convinced that seven-year-old Leelan Lokie’s family of Gunnison, Colorado would reconsider owning a pit bull knowing that precious Leelan would still be alive had his parents not decided to accept a pit bull rescue dog into their home. Leelan, who died this February after being attacked by his family's pit bull, was a child with a fierce love for his family and friends, whose community is left reeling from the horrific death he suffered. And, last November, in Oklahoma City, two-year-old Locklynn McGuire was mauled to death by her family’s pit bull, according to the Oklahoma City Free Press. Shockingly and incomprehensibly, Locklynn had been severely bitten by the dog just two weeks prior to her death. The previous attack resulted in disfigurement and required plastic surgery, yet the dog remained in the home to fatally attack her. Both parents were arrested and charged with “one count of first-degree murder or second-degree murder in the alternative,” with prosecutors citing their alleged knowledge of the dog’s dangerous behavior.

While I fully recognize that there are well-trained dogs of this breed and similar breeds whose families invest time, effort, and commitment to their socialization and training, there are far too many instances where pit bulls are poorly trained or under-supervised. Of course, pit bulls are not the only breed that has caused injury and even death, but in one Level I trauma-center study, pit bull-type dogs accounted for seventy-one percent of mauling injuries, defined as three or more bites across two or more regional anatomical areas. They are also responsible for two-thirds of all human fatalities from dog attacks.

Along with terrifying attacks on both children and adults (such as on 57-year-old Franklin Baca who was killed in February of last year in Colorado by a neighbor's pit bull), episodes of pit bulls attacking other dogs are far too common. Multi-year tracking data reveals that pit bulls are responsible for approximately nine-in-ten of all reported dog-on-dog attacks in the United States. Further data indicates that pit bulls carry out the overwhelming majority of fatal attacks on pet cats, as well as on horses, goats, and sheep. Consider that all other dog breeds combined account for the remaining approximately ten percent of fatal attacks on pets and other domestic animals. Given this potential danger, why would anyone wish to own a pit bull?

Pit bulls and pit-bull mixes are heavily represented in animal shelters, and a highly structured animal rescue culture exists in the United States. Pit bulls are the “poster children” for people who wish literally to save dogs’ lives when overcrowded shelters must resort to euthanasia. Consequently, there is a very low cost associated with obtaining a pit bull, and many aspiring dog parents choose to bring home readily available pit bulls.

While one can appreciate the empathy of those practitioners of the “I would only own a rescue dog” philosophy, these individuals really ought to choose a different breed of dog to rescue. According to DogsBite.org’s fatality tracking for 2005–2024, pit bulls killed 536 Americans during that period, more than eight times the number attributed to Rottweilers, the next closest breed, at sixty-three deaths. While preparing this article, a friend visiting from Norway informed me that it is actually illegal to own a pit bull and certain related breeds in his country, given widespread knowledge about the inherent dangerousness of this breed. France, Turkey, Australia, Israel, the United Kingdom, Ecuador, and many other countries have bans or strict restrictions regarding pit bulls.

Organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Veterinary Medical Association advise against inferring dangerousness from breed identification alone by insisting that all dogs should be properly trained, cared for, and supervised. They further stress responsible dog ownership. Who would not agree with that? But the pattern is difficult to ignore: Pit bulls account for a disproportionate share of severe and fatal attacks on people, pets, and livestock. And the insurance industry is well aware of this, with some companies maintaining a “restricted breed list” for individuals seeking homeowners or renters insurance with pit bulls being the first dog breed on the restricted list. 

Throughout my life, dogs of all sorts have been part of it. While growing up, our family almost always had a dog. Every single one of these dogs was of the rescue variety. In one particular case, my parents rescued a severely disabled Chihuahua, Chippy, who was blind and had just three legs. Our dogs were generally well behaved; none were pit bulls; and we certainly never had cause to worry that any of them would cause injury to any of us. 

These days, I spend much of my time outdoors walking, hiking, and bicycling. It is far too rare to see a person walking a dog (of any breed): In almost every case, it is the dog walking the person or, in many instances, the dog pulling the person. As I spend time outdoors, I must look long and hard to find an owner-dog pair that exhibits any indication of good training. If people cannot exert the necessary effort to train a dog of any breed, how can we expect them to train a potentially dangerous dog like the pit bull? I have heard the arguments in support of owning pit bulls and Rottweilers, but I would still overwhelmingly rather have a poodle, golden retriever, Labrador retriever, bloodhound, or any other dog breed that does not have a history of disproportionately causing fatalities and severe injury. And many dogs of these breeds can be adopted through rescue programs as well. There is good reason why owning pit bulls is illegal in Norway.

Karen M. Prince taught in the Department of Elementary & Early Childhood Education at the College of New Jersey and served as the Assistant Chair of the department. She was a recipient of the college's Civility Award and holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Temple University in Philadelphia.