Right: A Melbourne man's arm injuries after an attack by an American pit bull. Photo credit: Andrew Tauber. Source: Herald Sun
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Arguments in favour of laws further the restricting pit bull terrier ownership
1. Pit bull terriers are bred to attack
It has been claimed that the breeding history of the American pit bull and other, similar types of fighting dog, mean that they are innately aggressive.
Dr Hugh Wirth, the president of the Victorian branch of the RSPCA, has stated, 'Pit bull terriers should never have been introduced on to Australian shores. They are time bombs waiting for the right circumstances.
The American pit bull terrier is lethal because it was a breed that was developed purely for dog fighting, in other words killing the opposition. They should never have been allowed into the country. They are an absolute menace...
There is no reason at all for the dog in the country. They are not suitable pets for anybody.'
2. Pit bull terriers have attacked many people and other animals
A Herald Sun editorial published on October 20, 2009, stated, 'Owners who claim the dogs are not dangerous refuse to accept the evidence of repeated and horrific attacks.'
The United States Dog Bite Law Center supplies statistics on the breeds of dog involved in dog attacks. The center's Internet site claims. 'In one study sponsored by the US Government Centers For Disease Control it was reported that 32% of all dog related killings of human beings in the United States are caused by Pit Bulls attacks, yet Pit Bulls constitute only 2% of all dogs. 70% of those mauling deaths were of children.
According to this large federal government study conducted over a 20 year period the Centers for Disease Control concluded that attacks by pit bulls accounted for one third of the fatal dog attacks in the United States. This study also cited the disproportionate threat these dogs pose to children. Children, according to the study, are the most vulnerable victims in dog attacks, with those under the age of 14 accounting for 42 percent of all dog bite injuries. Most of the mauled victims are between the ages of five and nine.'
In April, 2009, DogsBite.org, a national United States dog bite victims' group, released its first multi-year report on U.S. dog bite fatalities. The report covers a 3-year period - from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2008 - and analyses data gathered from 88 dog bite incidences that caused death to a United States citizen. The report documents dog breed information, property information (where the attack occurred) as well as dog bite victim age information.
Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59%. This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this 3-year period. The data also shows that pit bulls commit the vast majority of off-property attacks that result in death. Only 18% of the attacks occurred off owner property, yet pit bulls were responsible for 81%.
Pit bulls are also more likely to kill an adult than a child. In the 3-year period, pit bulls killed more adults (ages 21 and over), 54%, than they did children (ages 11 and younger), 46%. In the 21-54 age group, pit bulls were responsible for 82% (14) of the deaths. The data indicates that pit bulls do not only kill children and senior citizens; they kill men and women in their prime years as well.'
3. Current restrictions against pit bull terriers are inadequate
It has been claimed that the current restrictions in some Australian states, such as Victoria, are inadequate as they do not require the neutering of pit bull crosses. Critics claim that this allows pit bull owners to breed from their dogs by claiming they are not pure breeds. It is also of concern to some that the cross breeds are equally dangerous and yet they are able to continue to be bred.
It has been claimed that many dog owners are deliberately circumventing the current restrictions. A Herald Sun editorial published on October 20, 2009, states, 'Previous attempts to control American pit bulls have failed because many owners stopped registering them.
Laws to force owners to desex the dogs so the breed will eventually die out have also proved a failure for the same reason.'
The chief executive of the Lost Dogs' Home, Dr Graeme Smith, has claimed that eve the new laws flagged by Mr Brumby would offer insufficient public protection.
Dr Smith has stated, 'The number of declared dangerous dogs known to and registered by authorities is the tip of the iceberg compared to the number of dogs with the potential to turn killer.
There are about 10,000 dangerous pit bull terrier types in Victoria but only 277 are registered as a restricted breed.
The only way of preventing people and other defenceless pets from being attacked and killed by pit bull-type dogs is to declare all of them a restricted breed. Not just the pedigrees but any dog with any part of the breed in it.'
In an editorial published in The Courier on October 19, 2009, it was further noted, 'A ban on the breeding and sale of pit bulls and other breeds of dangerous dogs already exists, but it does not apply to animals born before 2005. For that reason, there remains a population of these animals in Victoria.'
4. Current restrictions against pit bull terriers are not being fully implemented
It has been claimed that the restrictions that are currently in place in various Australian states are not properly implemented and that a more total approach is needed.
The Victorian president of the RSPCA, Dr Hugh Wirth, has claimed that local councils were not doing enough to enforce strict laws on pit bull terriers.
Restrictions for owners include confining the dogs to their property, ensuring the property is escape-proof, while a signpost warning of the dog's existence must be displayed outside the property.
Dr Wirth has noted that unless the law to desex the dogs was properly enforced there would be more attacks.
Dr Wirth has stated, 'Local government has got to spend some money going around identifying these dogs and forcing the issue.'
It has further been claimed that funds are not being made available to allow current legislation to be properly implemented. This claim has been made by the Endangered Dog Breeds Association of Victoria. The Association has stated, 'A second problem is that governments hesitate to provide sufficient support and funds to councils to enforce and follow up democratic laws, provide public education and apply a range of penalties to both minor and serious offenders, which would deter other irresponsible owners. Rather, they continually add new measures in response to lobbying and media pressure - Victoria's laws have been amended each year of this current Government's term - no wonder many citizens do not understand them, know of them or apply them!'
The claim has been made that as current legislation is being either under-implemented or inadequately funded, a total ban would be easier to put in place. The argument would seem to be 'If it is too hard to regulate a breed - remove it.'
5. Pit bull terriers are commonly abused
Some animal welfare groups have supported a ban on pit-bull types dogs because dogs of this sort are very frequently abused by their owners.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is in favour of a ban on pit-bull type dogs. PETA claims, '... such laws ... have the potential to prevent an enormous amount of suffering. In the United States, pit bulls stand out as the most abused of all dog breeds. Pit bull rescue groups are bursting at the seams with victims of dogfighting, abuse, and neglect. Shelter workers across the nation see firsthand on a regular basis the extreme cruelty that countless pit bulls are subjected to. Infected wounds left untreated, eyes swollen shut with blood and pus, broken or torn off limbs left to "heal" with no veterinary care, and ears cropped at home and then allowed to rot are only a few of the unforgettable atrocities.'
PETA argues that pit-bull type dogs suffer this type of abuse because the reputation of the dog heir as a viscous fighter means that many potential owners seek these dogs out for their aggressiveness and then mistreat them accordingly. PEAT Internet site states, '...it is important to bear in mind that nice families rarely come to a shelter seeking pit bulls. The vast majority of people who want pit bulls are attracted to the "macho" image of the breed as a living weapon and seek to play up this image by putting the animals in heavy chains; kicking, beating, and otherwise abusing them into aggression; and leaving them outside in all weather extremes in order to "toughen" them up.'
6. The potential harm caused by these dogs outweighs the loss suffered by their owners
It has been claimed that there has to come a point at which the safety of the community comes before the rights of dog owners.
It is strengthening legislation introduced in 2005 which banned the breeding of several varieties, including pit bulls.
The Victorian Premier, John Brumby, has claimed that the owners of dangerous dogs often appeal against their animals destruction on what he has called 'tenuous grounds'.
On this basis, the Premier has argued that owners' right to appeal needs to be further limited.
Mr Brumby has stated, 'If there's a dangerous breed, if there's a restricted dog and it's running along the street you know, with no collar, and not muzzled: that dog will be taken in by council and it will be put down.'