“It might not be a pit bull who starts a disagreement, but he may be the one to finish it.”
That’s the warning from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The pit bull’s formidable strength, stamina and determination is undeniable.
For some, they are overly aggressive, ticking bombs with no business being family pets, let alone bred.
For others, they’re a maligned breed which gets a bad rap following high-profile attacks like the one Monday in Wilton.
Kellee Smith, of Enfield, has lived around pit bulls for years, both as a veterinary technician and breeder.
“They’re wonderful dogs. I’ve never been attacked by one,” said Smith. “Believe it or not, I’ve been attacked by more cocker spaniels on my job than pretty much any other breed.”
Across the country, however, Colleen Lynn, founder of Texas-based DogsBite.org, said. “We’ve got to provide that other side to the story … We just don’t have poodles and German shepherds doing this.”
Her group advocates bans on pit bull breeding.
“We like to say, ‘You’re valid if you think these dogs are dangerous,’ ” Lynn said.
The ASPCA supports having pit bulls as pets, but warns owners that they must understand what they’re getting into.
“Pit bulls aren’t vicious monsters,” says the ASPCA. “They are dogs who have been bred to fight with other dogs.”
The term “pit bull” refers to a few breeds and mixes whose ancestors were brought to North America by the English. They were developed for dog fighting, which means they may not give a warning before an attack, are less likely to back down, and might not inhibit their bites, causing greater injury, says the ASPCA.
“Pit bulls are born dangerous, period,” Lynn said.
However, the ASPCA also emphasizes that the perception pit bulls are “unpredictably aggressive” is a common myth. The organization says that like any other dogs, they can be trained and socialized.
The ASPCA also notes that pit bulls were bred to be people-friendly and particularly reliable around children.
“People don’t understand the history,” Smith said. “Any dog can be aggressive. It’s not just a pit bull.”
A 2012 study of dog bites by the American Veterinary Medical Association concluded that some of the breeds more aggressive toward people were collies, toy breeds and — as Smith noted — spaniels.
“Owners of pit bull-type dogs deal with a strong breed stigma, however controlled studies have not identified this breed group as disproportionately dangerous,” concluded the AVMA. And, the AVMA adds, the owners of breeds with bad reputations are often involved in violence and crime, which could impact their dogs’ behavior.
“But you can’t say it’s 100 percent environment and nothing to do with the dog’s breed,” said Lynn.
Love or fear pit bulls, urban shelters are filled with them, said Ray Connors, head of the stateDepartment of Agriculture’s Animal Control Division.
“There’s a lot of good pit bulls waiting for responsible people to adopt them,” Connors said
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