In November, two pit bulls bit a man 150 times. (See the post, below.) Also in November, pit bulls took a sleeping child from his bed and killed him in the kitchen. (See Dangerous and Vicious Dogs.) A month ago, a pit bull chewed off a baby’s toes. (See the post, below.) This month, a pit bull chewed off a four-year-old boy’s foot, requiring doctors to amputate what remained of it. (To read the story, click here.) Also this month, another pit bull gnawed off both of its owner’s arms, again requiring doctors to amputate what was left. (To read the story, click here.)
Pit bull historians often say that this dog was bred to be loyal and safe with its owner. They admit it was bred to kill other dogs, but assert that it is a great family dog, especially with children. Let’s assume that the historians are correct. Doesn’t that mean that the breed has changed? If so, don’t we have to change with it?
Shouldn’t our laws be changing too? Doesn’t the law need to keep up with the times? I am not saying that we should ban any breeds. I don’t believe that there is a simple cure for the dog bite epidemic. I am saying that all states that have 18th Century laws need to modernize them, so that the bad dogs get weeded out, the owners bear the burden of bad dogs, and the victims are properly taken care of.