Yes, Robert, somewhere deep down, they are all bloodthirsty killers.
Robert White of Dallas takes issue with people who don't trust pit bulls (or as we ignorant people, according to Robert, refer to the American pit bull terrier). Robert says we should do a little research before we deem them all as "bloodthirsty killers hellbent on eating babies and grandmothers."
Here's a little research for you, Robert.
- Mable McCallister, 84-years old, was attacked by her grandson's pit bull on December 18, 2011. Police officers said that she was bitten in her face and neck. The injuries caused her hospitalization in Erlanger Hospital's trauma unit for over four days, according to Bradley County Medical Examiner Dr. Jeffery Miller. Mable died on New Year's Eve while in hospice care.
- Jace Valdez, 16-months old, was mauled to death by a pit bull January 14, 2012, while in the care of his grandmother. His grandparents owned the 7-year old male dog.
- Diane Jansen, 59-years old, was bitten March 4, 2012, on both legs by a pit bull while delivering mail on her route in Escondido, California. She suffered an immediate stroke and died 3 and a half days later.
- Kylar Johnson, 4-years old, was discovered dead 14 hours after authorities carried out a search-and-rescue effort on his behalf on March 14, 2012. Preliminary autopsy results confirmed the child was mauled to death by a "single dog," a neighbor's chained pit bull.
- James Hurst, 92-years old, was brutally struck down April 9, 2012, by his neighbor's two pit bulls while working in his front yard. Undersheriff Kenneth Golden said of all the dog attacks he has worked, he has never seen one this bad. "It appears he was chewed and drug around the yard. It wasn't very pretty," Golden said. The victim's best friend, Levi Duncan, witnessed the aftermath of the mauling. "Both feet, his face, his ears. His lips were gone. He didn't even look like the same person," Duncan said.
- Clifford Wright, 74-years old, was discovered mauled to death by one of his pet pit bulls. The victim's son, Gavin Wright, found his body after returning from work. Gavin Wright described the male pit bull, named Achilles, as a playful and loving pet. Authorities described Clifford's injuries as "grisly."
- Jazilyn Mesa, 15-months old, was brutally mauled by her father's pet pit bull in the backyard of her grandparent's home.
- Maryann Hanula, 73-years old, died seven months after suffering a violent attack by her neighbor's two pit bulls in October 2011. The victim was attacked by the dogs in her own yard after the animals escaped their owner's gated property. The dogs almost ate her foot off. She spent most of her last months in the hospital.
These plus 14 others accounted for U.S. fatalities from pit bulls in 2012. Most of the scenes were described as horrendous maulings. I didn't even look up the statistics on survivors of pit bull attacks, but pit bulls account for 59% of all fatal attacks. That means that pit bulls attack more often than all the other breeds (161 recognized by the AKC) put together. On average, a pit bull kills a U.S. citizen every 21 days. In one study of dog bites over the course of a year, pit bulls were responsible for well over 1000 attacks. Most of these dogs were "family pets." The next highest breed was the Rottweiler with 409 attacks blamed on them.
Looking at these statistics, you tell me -- is there something in this breed that makes it a bloodthirsty killer? I think so.
"Spouting same old pit bull drivel." The Dallas Morning News; October 23, 2008; p. 14A.
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