Animal Observations – “The growing popularity of pit bulls is contributing to the recent record-breaking increase in serious dog bites,” the Los Angeles Times said on January 26, 2024. Published in an article with a photo showing an adult Pitbull. At the California Humane Society.
According to the Times, the information, first produced by KFF Health News, acknowledges that pandemic puppies are “growing to the point of being a public health concern,” and that California will be shutting down dogs in 2022. The number of emergency room visits for bites was 48,596, the highest ever. For at least 18 years. ”
The report also provides estimates from the American Veterinary Medical Association that “households nationwide owned approximately 86 million dogs in 2020, up from approximately 62 million dogs in 2001. “This is likely a result of the trend of millions of people adopting puppies.” As a companion during a period of social isolation.
According to the report, orphaned people develop a comfort level with strangers and live in environments where they are deprived of the early socialization necessary to interact socially and physically with other animals and humans. Orphaned people agree that they have been forced to adopt new puppies.
According to the Times, Dr. Elizabeth Stello of the University of California, Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital said that experience from birth to three weeks to four months is essential for teaching acceptable social behavior, and the coronavirus pandemic has created a lack of such opportunities. Because of this, many experts admitted that he was involved in teaching at veterinary teaching hospitals. In the field of animal behavior, this is believed to be the cause of the antisocial or fearful behavior of many puppies that are now dogs.
Dr. Stello believes this is also why emergency department visits increased 12%, reaching “the highest annual total in California history,” according to a Times report.
The data in this report is important for investigating regional increases, but reports of pit bull attacks around the world have reached terrifying levels, such as those recently introduced in England and Wales, particularly on women and young children. This does not take into account the shocking increase in the number of children. The ban on XXL bullying will also come into force in Scotland on February 1, 2024. Many of the dogs involved in bite incidents are at an age when their initial training would have taken place pre-COVID-19, or an age at which the dogs would have been born in the post-COVID era. .
Is aggressive behavior “natural” or “nurture”?
While animal behaviorists may differ on the extent to which a dog's behavior is influenced by nature or nurture, breeders certainly believe that nature creates similarities between generations and produces predictable patterns of behavior. We hope to continue breeding dogs with purpose. And anyone who has been around purebred dogs. Dogs such as sheepdogs may follow children in an attempt to keep groups together.
Tracking the brain patterns of puppies in a litter can be difficult, but research into the effects of twins and genetics has led to some interesting findings that may transfer to animals other than humans.
In an interesting article published on November 17, 2021, “Genetics has a bigger influence on brain development than the environment,” findings from a study of human fraternal and identical twins is quoted. An environment like nature or nurture. ”
The study, led by master's student Ross Luo and published in Brain Structure and Function, examines the microstructural properties of parts of the brain, particularly axons, which carry neural signals from the brain to skeletal (voluntary) muscles. parts of the nervous system) can move. It is highly heritable and is shaped more by genetics than by environment. ” (supplement)
The Times said another potential explanation is the popularity of the breed, which some argue is aggressive. Kenneth Phillips, one of the nation's most prominent lawyers specializing in dog bite lawsuits, argued that much of the blame lies with pit bulls, which have become one of America's most popular dog breeds. “Every study always leads to the same conclusion: These dogs do the most damage,” he says.
According to the Times article, “While some studies show that pit bull bites are often associated with serious injuries, others argue that they do not pose an unwarranted threat.”
Stello said socialized and trained pit bulls are no more dangerous than other breeds of dogs. “Why are pit bulls number one in the dog bite demographic? Because they make up a large percentage of California's dog population,” she said.
Phillips also said animal shelters are under increasing pressure to euthanize fewer dogs, and people are unknowingly adopting more aggressive dogs. According to the Best Friends Animal Society, the number of “no-kill” animal shelters has increased rapidly in recent years. But even no-kill shelters may euthanize aggressive dogs that cannot be safely adopted, the nonprofit says.
A 2019 California law requires animal shelters and rescue organizations to disclose a dog's bite history to adopters. The data in this report is important for investigating regional increases, but reports of pit bull attacks around the world have reached such alarming levels that England and Wales recently introduced a ban on XXL bullying. This does not take into account the shocking increase in Many of the dogs are at an age where their initial training would have been done pre-COVID-19, or the dogs may be born in the post-COVID era, i.e. in 2021 and beyond.
Pit bull attacks are a national and global epidemic
Two pit bulls knock a disabled man out of his wheelchair, attack him and 'rip chunks off' him
On Sunday, January 28, 2022, the Daily Mail reported that a disabled Florida man fell from his wheelchair and was killed by two dogs in Miami-Dade County, Florida, as neighbors watched helplessly. It was reported that he had been run over by a large pit bull-type dog.
The two dogs reportedly escaped from a nearby yard where neighbors had kept and cared for the dogs since their owners were arrested and jailed.
The two pit bulls, named Janpedi and Boo Boo, ripped chunks of flesh from the man's body while “dozens of stunned neighbors were helpless to stop them,” the report said. .
The report said car horns were of no use as the dogs tore apart the helpless victims.
Neighbors trying to scare you away
Reports told Local 10 that 20 to 30 people gathered around the horrifying incident, throwing objects and attempting to scare the dogs away from the victim.
“But then they just kept going. You can see the guy was cut up and his face was red,” one said.
Paramedics finally reached the victim, who was eventually airlifted to a hospital.
According to the Daily Mail, at least one of the dogs had previously attacked, but neighbors thought the other dog, Boo Boo, was “peaceful”. However, he was found with his face covered in blood, the report said.
When Boo Boo was captured by an animal rescue group, he was stained with the blood of his victims.
The dogs will be taken to Animal Services to determine if there is a public safety concern, in which case the department will humanely euthanize them in accordance with Miami-Dade County regulations, the spokesperson said. Stated.
Mother, 37, required double amputation after being attacked by three pit bulls
In January, Brittany Scoland, a 37-year-old Fort Dodge, Iowa, mother, was brutally attacked by three pit bulls on the street, leaving her with injuries so severe that both of her legs had to be amputated. Police eventually arrived and shot the dogs.
She had just gone to visit a friend near her home in Fort Dodge when the dogs escaped from the house and attacked her. According to reports, a neighbor reported that she was screaming in the street, and police arrived and shot and killed her dogs.
Utah woman (63) dies after being attacked by her son's seven pit bulls
On November 8, 2023, a 63-year-old Utah woman was reportedly attacked and killed by her 38-year-old son's seven pit bulls in her backyard. The report said there were six puppies, a male and a female, and ages not reported.
None of the dogs had licenses.
She managed to get help from the Taylorsville Police Department. When authorities arrived on the scene, the victim was still surrounded by a pack of dogs.
Doctors reportedly amputated one of her legs but were unable to save her life.
“According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 800,000 people are treated for dog bites in the United States each year, and pit bulls cause more attacks than any other dog,” the Daily Mail reported. .
Dog Attack Statistics by Breed in 2024 – Forbes Advisor
According to Forbes Advisor, pit bulls are more likely to be involved in bite incidents and are more likely to be seriously injured or killed if bitten.
And, according to a report from Forbes Advisor, the number of dog attack claims rose from 7,359 in 2013 to 17,597 in 2022, with total payouts increasing from $483,700 to $1,135,000 over the same period. That's what it means.
Positions on pit bulls from major U.S. humanitarian organizations\
Pitbulls: Everything You Need to Know | Best Friends Animal Society
Opinion statement regarding pit bulls | ASPCA
All dogs are equal.Humane Society of the United States
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles city official, animal activist, and CityWatch contributor.)
