Saw this on a friend's LJ.

[mousepod]

...and now they're trying to bring the law to San Francisco

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I can't imagine something like this actually getting passed in a place like San Francisco.

What is not being talked about at all is owner responsibility. A pitbull isn't born an attack dog. It's just not a viscious dog by nature, though I've come across a few breeds that seem particularly territorial, and they sometimes make me nervous. But a pitbull has to be trained to attack, from what I understand. And if someone is training a dog to attack, they should be held responsible if his or her dog attacks someone.

If the dog is a guard dog and attacks a burglar? That doesn't seem illegal. If a dog that is trained to attack intruders suddenly chases after a 6 year old girl, killing her, than the dog should be put down, and the owner should be in some way held responsible for the girl's death. People who train pits to fight to the death in pens should be arrested and jailed for a really long time. People who train attack dogs - not necessarily the same thing as guard dogs - deserve the same. Jail. For a long time.

And saddly the attack dogs should probably be put down, because I think it's hard to break those kinds of habits.

So, so, so effin' sad. In most of these cases it's probably the owner's fault and not the animal, certainly not the animal's breed.

Also, some consideration must be given to the possibility of a child or person antagonizing a dog. I have the most docile loving family dog, but if I started whacking him with blunt objects, I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly bit me. Even good natured dogs can be provoked, especially if they're not used to that kind of abuse.

I was bit by a Chow once, and have been nervous around Chows ever since. They strike me as naturally protective and fierce. I could be wrong. I certainly wouldn't make a law against them, though I prefer to be out of their company. The dog growled at me when I came downstairs while staying at a friend's. She'd warned me to be careful around the dog, but when it growled I panicked and screamed and ran, and the dog came after me. I tried to claw my pathetic way up a wall, but it snapped at my leg, and punctured my calf with one of its teeth. I'm not really sure if it bit me, or if it just snagged me while barking violently. Either way, I was terrified.

Still, I'd save a Chow's life, man. No mass death for Chows!

[wendybeth]

My mom had a chow named Pooh who was the most viscious little bastard around. That thing would bite you if you looked at it wrong, yet she would excuse it with a "He's just protective" or "He was provoked". The only thing Pooh had going for him was that he had the good sense to only bite family members- I used to pray that some poor non-relative would get bit so she would have to do something about him, but it never happened. (Mostly because she never let him around anyone else). The dog was gorgeous, but a real asshole.

I think the big concern with pitbulls is the locked-jaw thing. When they bite, they often lock up their jaws and they have to be beaten senseless or killed before they let go. That's scary, but then so is the tendency for Akita's to go for the throat. If everyone just took care of their animals and used caution when around other dogs, the problem would be a lot less severe. Never assume your sweet little pup would never attack someone, because any of them can, at any time, for a variety of reasons. We make sure Mellie- our lovebug large model dog who has never even nipped at anyone- is always restrained when anyone new comes over, and then is introduced to the new person before we let her loose. When she started jumping the fence we had to get a long lead and hook it up to the deck. You get to know your animal as best you can, and make sure they don't get into a situation where something bad can happen.

In additon, I think these laws are asanine- they are overreacting in a major and very innapppropriate way. Hold the owners liable for their dogs actions, and it's amazing how quickly most will conform. Educate the public to report aggressive dogs, and notify the owners that the dogs will be put down and the owners severely fined for any infractions. Criminalise deliberate animal neglect, especially if it leads to any injuries. Going around and slaughtering 'profiled' dogs is just so wrong, on so many levels.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Wendy, this is exactly what I would have written if I could write as well as you. Lovely and intelligent and rational. Thanks.

[Prudence]

Of course, in many places animal control units are underfunded almost to the point of non-existence. There's no one to enforce leash laws and license requirements or take reports on dangerous dogs. It's a service many taxpayers are unwilling to fund, and therefore the only viable control mechanism is silly laws regulating breeds.