What to Know About Pit Bull Attacks
“My dog would never bite a person.” How many times have you heard this type of statement? Sadly, it frequently comes in the aftermath of a dog bite injury or mauling fatality. Pitbull attacks in particular are worrisome.
Dog Bite Lawyer | The Facts are Clear:
- Dog attacks can be fatal. The Dogs Bite Organization reveals that in 2012, there were 38 fatal dog attacks in the United States.
- Pitbull attacks make up the majority of these fatal events. The statistics further show that 68 percent of these fatal attacks involved one or more pitbulls. In fact, of the 251 dog attack deaths that occurred between 2005 and 2012, pitbulls were involved in 183 cases.
- Pack mentality matters. Thirty-four percent of the 2012 fatalities involved more than just one canine. In fact, in about 13 percent of cases, the dogs’ owners were engaged in a breeding operation.
- Californialeads the United States in dog attack fatalities. San Diego County is the most dangerous place with 75 percent of California’s fatal dog attacks occurring there. Eighty-eight percent of these deaths were caused by pitbulls.
City leaders are now realizing that there is a pitbull attack epidemic. Two very recent fatal maulings led Riverside County officials to approve a pitbull sterilization proposal. Only licensed breeders and police dogs will receive an exemption from the mandatory sterilization of pitbulls older than four months. Other locales are considering doing likewise.
It is interesting to note that it is this dog breed’s history that offers the best explanation about the danger the animals represent. Pitbulls are descended from dogs that were bred with the distinct purpose of bringing down bulls by seizing their faces and not letting go. When this sport fell out of favor with the public, the animals, which were bred for agility and superior jaw strength, were made to participate in another blood sport that involved the killing of rodents.
Nowadays, there are underground dog fighting operations that use pitbulls because of their aggressive nature and willingness to fight to the death. Having an inbred high tolerance to pain, it is much more difficult to fight off a pitbull during an attack than any other type of dog. When pitbull owners do not know – or do not care – about the facts surrounding dog attacks involving their breed, it puts you in danger.
If you have been the victim of a dog attack that involved a pitbull, you have specific legal rights. to protect these rights and investigate avenues of receiving compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, contact us today.