Pit Bulls: Pets or Killer Dogs?

This week’s fatal attack by a pit bull on an unattended 14-month-old child in South Los Angeles put the popular breed in the spotlight as an aggressive and dangerous animal. According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, pit bulls, Rottweilers and Dobermans lead the list of dogs most frequently involved in fatal attacks. MAURA E. MONTELLANO spoke with a Northridge woman about the problems with pit bulls in her neighborhood and with a pit bull advocate.

PATRICIA E. BAKER

Caterer, Northridge

Until recently you could walk your dog without any problems in my middle-class neighborhood. But two weeks ago, I was out walking my dog--an Irish setter mix--when we came to a property surrounded by a wrought iron fence. All of a sudden, two dogs--one a pit bull--charged at the fence. The pit bull kept putting its face between the spokes of the fence. I noticed it had been digging a hole under the fence where it could extend its legs and its muzzle.

This was not a warning bark; this dog was in attack mode. It was clearly trying to get at us.

The owners never came out even when they heard the commotion outside. I also noticed the dog did not have a dog tag. This dog has gotten loose before and people were terrified of it. After finally getting past that house, we went around the block only to find another pit bull hanging over a fence, its head, shoulders and legs, scrambling to get over the fence. You wonder what will happen when this dog finally, after getting worked up enough, manages to escape its holding cell.

I contacted animal control and was told that if the dog did not get over the fence and onto the sidewalk, there was nothing they could do. I asked if they could do something after it attacked me and, of course, only then could they. There is an elementary school near by, and I have seen children walk past this house and run across the street when these dogs come to the fence. They can’t even walk on the sidewalk without the fear of being attacked by one of these dogs.

The breed has a potential for violence. These dogs are bred to destroy. If they panic, they will snap. We are not obligated to treat all dogs as equals; they are not people. Common sense and a concern for the safety of our communities tell us we must take a few simple steps to get this problem under control.

The City Council must enact strong nuisance laws to prohibit the storing of threatening, barking dogs in front yards. It is a public nuisance.

To hear about that poor child mauled to death is heartbreaking. It just furthers the argument that these dogs are loaded guns. That dog was a family pet. It seemed benign and there was no warning. No one could have predicted it. I’d like the city to strike while the iron is hot.