A Message from a Lifelong Dog Lover: Pit Bulls Are Dangerous

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.

"There is good reason why owning pit bulls is illegal in Norway."

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.